How to Utilize a Desk Noticed Miter Gauge

[Shofner Cyndy]

Desk saws are ideally suited to ripping lumber—very long cuts parallel for the grain from the Wooden. However, one particular common accent that is usually included together with your table saw, often known as a miter gauge, could make the desk observed just as handy for making cross-cuts perpendicular towards the grain of the wood at a variety of angles, from 90-diploma perpendicular cuts to miters of virtually any angle.

Due to the fact a table observed's blade can also be established for angles nearly 45-levels, the miter gauge allows your noticed to produce most of the compound cuts which can be Usually reserved for any compound miter noticed or radial-arm saw.

Most desk saws include miter gauges, but There's also specialised and remarkably precise just after-market place miter gauges you can buy. A good miter gauge is really a remarkably exact piece of kit which could Value several hundred dollars.

Prime-good quality miter gauges are precise right down to fractions of a degree.

eight Strategies for Environment an attractive Desk

How a Miter Gauge Operates

A miter gauge contains a lengthy slim metallic guideline that rides while in the miter slot in the desk of your saw. Hooked up to this guidebook can be a 50 %-moon shaped head that pivots on its connection click here place to your guideline. A locking system enables this pivoting section being locked into any angle, from miter saw black friday deals -forty five degrees to +45 degrees). Whenever a workpiece is put in opposition to the fence with the gauge and your entire assembly (miter gauge and board) is slid ahead through the noticed blade, the workpiece is Minimize at the exact angle you identified as for.

Some miter gauges have "beneficial stops" that allow the gauge for being quickly established for the mostly applied angles (including 90-, forty five-, thirty-, and 22 one/2-degrees).

Making Sq. Cross-Cuts Which has a Miter Gauge

When you learn how to utilize a desk observed miter gauge, the best Minimize to find out is actually a sq. cross-Slash, in which the miter gauge is about to 90 degrees dependant on the angle markings around the gauge, and the end of your board is Slash square.

Although the angle configurations on miter gauges are made to be as precise as you possibly can, often they may be one or more degrees outside of kilter. To examine the precision of the gauge:

1. Set the gauge to ninety degrees (or 0 levels, according to how your gauge is marked) markings), for any square Reduce that is beautifully perpendicular into the miter slot with your desk noticed).

two. Unplug your table observed's electrical cord and lift the blade as significant as it can go.

three. Slide the gauge ahead right until it really is consistent with the entrance edge of the exposed, stationary observed blade (don't endeavor this without the need of to start with disconnecting the observed from the power resource).

four. Spot one particular sq. fringe of a six-inch mixture sq. versus the noticed blade, as well as the corresponding fringe of the square against the flat, forward edge of the miter gauge. Should the square aligns properly with the two the blade and also the gauge, then your gauge's settings are precise.

If you will discover any gaps in between the square and either the blade or perhaps the gauge, modify the angle on the gauge until eventually they align flawlessly, and tighten the locking system.

To create a cross-cut:

one. Slide the miter gauge backwards (toward Your entire body) into the front edge of the saw desk, and spot a board towards the flat edge of the gauge.

2. Generate a pencil mark to the Wooden where you intend to make the cross-Minimize, and align that mark Together with the noticed blade (even though preserving the board flat versus the miter gauge).

three. Plug in and switch within the noticed, then slide the miter gauge—With all the board held securely towards The pinnacle with the gauge—forward and earlier the saw blade, finishing the cross-Slash.

4. If the Reduce is finished, relieve the board alongside the gauge and far from the blade and slide The entire assembly again into the starting up posture ahead of turning off the saw motor.

As with any Procedure by using a table saw, often keep your hands very well visit here from the desk noticed's blade.

Generating Angled Cross-Cuts By using a Miter Gauge

Angled cross-cuts are similar to square cuts, other than that the miter gauge is ready to an angle of nearly forty five degrees prior to sliding the gauge and corresponding Wooden piece toward the blade to generate the Lower. When building an angled Slice utilizing the miter gauge, go the gauge a bit slower than you probably did generating a sq. cut, because the gauge's motion may possibly are inclined to slide the board from placement as you progress it across the blade. A small woodworking clamp may be used to protected the board to your gauge while you make the Slash.

Compound cuts, showcasing both of those miter and bevel angles, might be finished by placing both equally the angle of your miter gauge and also the bevel on the observed blade to the desired angles just before sliding the gauge ahead through the saw blade.

Adapting a Miter Gauge

When reducing longer boards (of as many as 4 feet in duration), you could possibly wish to protected a sacrificial strip of wood into the confront of your respective miter gauge to deliver included steadiness to the board becoming Slash. Most miter gauges Have got a matching list of holes within the back through which you'll be able to generate a wood screw to secure the sacrificial board to your flat facial area of your miter gauge. Some substantial-quality miter gauges have an additional-very long Wooden going through for specifically this rationale.

In addition, you will discover jigs that could be hooked up to the miter gauge to create specialty cuts. 1 this kind of illustration is a box joint jig for making perfectly-matched box joints (or finger joints) using your desk saw and a stacked dado blade established.