# Getting accurate cuts using table saw at 45 degrees



## Half-fast eddie (Sep 19, 2020)

You put a mark on the wood, move it close to the blade, adjust left-right until its in the right place.


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

IMO a table saw is the wrong tool for accurate miter cuts. A miter saw does a lot better job!


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## ChuckTin (Nov 17, 2014)

It took me a long time to realize (and I still have to remind myself!) that a saw blade, and it's resulting slot - the kerf, are not 0" thick (or wide). So in measuring to cut wood with what ever saw I'm employing I must visualize the work side and the waste side of the piece.
At 45*, after being certain the blade is set correctly and having some idea of it's wobble I'm judging and measuring on one side up to the appropriate face of the blade, cut, and then measure and cut the _long_ side of the work piece.
Obviously helps if your saw(s) is/are accurately set up and you have a sturdy, non-flexing(!) support.

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## DexterII (Jul 14, 2010)

If you're referencing off the short side from the bevel, along the table, you can simply measure from the blade to the fence, or if it's too narrow to get a scale in there you can use a gauge block. If you're referencing the long side, at whatever the thickness of your stock is above the table, you can put a piece of painter's tape on your blade, make a horizontal mark on the tape, and measure from there to the fence. What I usually do though, if I need to precisely match an existing piece, is cut the bevel first, then rip the opposing straight edge. It never hurts to set everything the way you think it needs to be, then run a test cut on a piece of scrap. Fence alignment is critical to good cuts and safety on a table saw, even moreso when bevels are involved. Check the fit of your push sticks or blocks before you start to make sure that your fingers are clear of moving parts. I use feather boards regularly regardless, but they are even more valuable with bevel cuts; without them you can do all of the set up you want and still be off because the blade will push the wood off course. Properly done, you can safely make such cut, but watch your fingers and hands!


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## huesmann (Aug 18, 2011)

mark sr said:


> IMO a table saw is the wrong tool for accurate miter cuts. A miter saw does a lot better job!


How do you miter saw the edge of a sheet of plywood?


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## Mike Milam (Mar 3, 2017)

huesmann said:


> How do you miter saw the edge of a sheet of plywood?


Referring to bevel?

I've never had much luck cutting miters on a table saw. Yes, I have done it, but I end up having to sand the end to get it tight.


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## huesmann (Aug 18, 2011)

Yes, bevel. How do you use a miter saw to do that?


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## Mike Milam (Mar 3, 2017)

huesmann said:


> Yes, bevel. How do you use a miter saw to do that?


Would have to be a short piece of plywood, lol. I wasn't disputing what you said, just clarifying.


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## Missouri Bound (Apr 9, 2011)

huesmann said:


> How do you miter saw the edge of a sheet of plywood?


A cut along the edge of a sheet of plywood is not a miter....it's a bevel cut.


mark sr said:


> IMO a table saw is the wrong tool for accurate miter cuts. A miter saw does a lot better job!


I believe the OP is talking about bevel cuts, not a miter cut.
Terminology has gotten in the way.


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## ChuckTin (Nov 17, 2014)

For a bevel cut in sheet stock I'd use a circular saw with a tilting shoe and a rigid guiding fence. Maybe a long piece of 2x3 angle, steel or aluminium as most wood 2x stock is curved slightly.

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## XSleeper (Sep 23, 2007)

"Accurate cuts" and "Chicago electric" probably don't belong in the same sentence in the first place.


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## lenaitch (Feb 10, 2014)

Or get one of these:



Amazon.com : digital bevel gauge



Just remember to reference it (zero) to the saw table. How consist the cut will be depends on the arbor of the saw and the feed of the wood.


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## gthomas785 (Mar 22, 2021)

eyeball it, run a test piece, adjust, repeat


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

Cut miters that you can prove to be the correct angle and use that as a gauge to set a bevel. 
If you have trouble measuring the width of the cut. 
Rough cut the angle first and re cut the other side.


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## Half-fast eddie (Sep 19, 2020)

XSleeper said:


> "Accurate cuts" and "Chicago electric" probably don't belong in the same sentence in the first place.


And chucktin talks about allowing for blade wobble.


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## XSleeper (Sep 23, 2007)

Anyone who wants to do decent finish work (i.e. accurate cuts, per JL9999) would realize that blade wobble is unacceptable.


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## ChuckTin (Nov 17, 2014)

Blade wobble was on my mind because I've got a 7 & 1/4" on my work bench that looks good but sings off- key when it spins.

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## Half-fast eddie (Sep 19, 2020)

I guess my point about that is ... if you know it wobbles, it’s a framing saw and shouldn’t be used for accurate cuts.


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## gthomas785 (Mar 22, 2021)

Any saw blade even if it's perfectly flat and mounted to a stable arbor has some flex to it. Therefore the kerf is always wider than the teeth of the blade by some amount for that reason. on a high quality machine it could be 1/128", on a cheap or messed up saw it could be 1/16" or more. Either way you should account for the blade wobble.


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## Mike Milam (Mar 3, 2017)

Many job site table saws have issues with blade alignment as well. Not intended for fine furniture building.


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## Half-fast eddie (Sep 19, 2020)

The teeth are wider than the plate to provide clearance. Assume the teeth and plate were the same width (thickness) and assume minimal wobble. The plate is going to constantly rub against the material being cut, and the friction is going to cause the plate to heat up and warp, and probably bind up in the wood.


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## gthomas785 (Mar 22, 2021)

I don't think anyone meant to imply the blade and teeth are the same thickness. What I meant was that any vibration of the plate, due to the elasticity of the steel that it's made of, will cause the teeth to wander side to side which widens the kerf beyond the width of the teeth.

If you're measuring a width from the fence to the inside point on a tooth of the blade, you need to add some amount to account for this to get an accurate rip. As I mentioned it could be a negligible amount or it could be more depending on the tool. If your tolerance is 1/32" then you probably don't have to worry about it.

Or you can do what I do and just rip a little wide, then go to the jointer for fine tuning.


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## rogerwh (Mar 1, 2021)

JL9999 said:


> Hi,
> I just get a table saw (for free!), but I am not clear on where to line up for an accurate cuts when using the blade at 45 degrees.
> 
> The saw is a Chicago Electric 10" 15 amp table saw.
> ...


I think you need to read the manual. One end of the scale on the front is 90 degrees, the other end is 45 degrees. To test the 45 degree cut, cut two pieces and put them together to see if the form a 90 degree joint. This saw is not designed to cut bevel cuts of larger material.


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## Half-fast eddie (Sep 19, 2020)

You know ... there’s nothing wrong with having a Harbor Freight saw to start out. It’s probably what fits the budget. You just need to learn what the saw can do and work around the limitations. Don’t expect to get a silk purse from a sows ear.


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## JL9999 (Jun 8, 2020)

gthomas785 said:


> eyeball it, run a test piece, adjust, repeat


This is what I've been doing. 

It seems to change which is why I was asking...wondering if that's to be expected. Maybe it's the "cheapness" of the Chicago Electric, or maybe it's normal to have to keep adjusting.

The 45 degree aspect of the cut has been working fine, btw...it's just the final overall length of the piece that is sometimes slightly off (I've been using it to cut baseboards).

Thanks all.


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## XSleeper (Sep 23, 2007)

Using a table saw to make miters (setting the table saw to bevel, laying the trim flat on the saw, making cross cuts) on baseboard probably works in a pinch if its the only tool you own. But that's what a miter saw is used for and it is much more accurate.

They always say use the right tool for the right job.

And if the piece is too short after you have cut it, thats why they say measure twice cut once. You can't make a board longer once you cut it too short. No such thing as a board stretcher.

And if you are using the fence to make cross cuts, you haven't read the manual. That's a great way to get a board sticking out of your gut.


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## JL9999 (Jun 8, 2020)

XSleeper said:


> Using a table saw to make miters (setting the table saw to bevel, laying the trim flat on the saw, making cross cuts) on baseboard probably works in a pinch if its the only tool you own. But that's what a miter saw is used for and it is much more accurate.
> 
> They always say use the right tool for the right job.


Well I was using this!










so far, the (free) table saw has been a lot easier. 



> And if the piece is too short after you have cut it, thats why they say measure twice cut once. You can't make a board longer once you cut it too short. No such thing as a board stretcher.


Have been trying to err on the side of too long. But it's nice when it comes out just right.



> And if you are using the fence to make cross cuts, you haven't read the manual. That's a great way to get a board sticking out of your gut.


Not using the fence. I didn't see anything in the manual about lining up when using the blade at 45 degrees, and I searched the web...then asked here!

Anyway, I guess the "eyeball it, run a test piece, adjust, repeat" is as good as anything.

Thanks all.


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## XSleeper (Sep 23, 2007)

You do have a sliding miter gauge for the slot in the table, right?


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

I bought a table saw before I bought a miter saw. I never could get accurate miter cuts with the table saw. When I finally got a miter saw I wondered why I had waited so long!


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## gthomas785 (Mar 22, 2021)

Oh, I thought you were trying to rip a bevel using the fence as a guide, but you're actually cross cutting a bevel on the end of a board? Do you have a sled? What are you using to keep the piece perpendicular to the blade?

If you're using a sled or miter gauge, I would put a mark somewhere on the sled and then establish how far that mark is from the blade when it's set at 45 degrees. In other words, line up the butt end of a test piece with your mark, run it through, then measure it on the long side.

Then, take that measurement and subtract it from the length you're trying to cut. Mark the new length on your baseboard and line it up with the mark on the sled. It should be dead on unless you move the blade or if there's some play in the miter slots (which there shouldn't be)


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## JL9999 (Jun 8, 2020)

XSleeper said:


> You do have a sliding miter gauge for the slot in the table, right?


Yep.


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## JL9999 (Jun 8, 2020)

mark sr said:


> I bought a table saw before I bought a miter saw. I never could get accurate miter cuts with the table saw. When I finally got a miter saw I wondered why I had waited so long!


We were gonna rent a miter saw, but then got this table saw for free.


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## JL9999 (Jun 8, 2020)

gthomas785 said:


> Oh, I thought you were trying to rip a bevel using the fence as a guide, but you're actually cross cutting a bevel on the end of a board? Do you have a sled? What are you using to keep the piece perpendicular to the blade?
> 
> If you're using a sled or miter gauge, I would put a mark somewhere on the sled and then establish how far that mark is from the blade when it's set at 45 degrees. In other words, line up the butt end of a test piece with your mark, run it through, then measure it on the long side.
> 
> Then, take that measurement and subtract it from the length you're trying to cut. Mark the new length on your baseboard and line it up with the mark on the sled. It should be dead on unless you move the blade or if there's some play in the miter slots (which there shouldn't be)


There is a slight bit of play, but perhaps this method will help.

Thanks!


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## Missouri Bound (Apr 9, 2011)

Screw a piece of scrap stock to your miter gauge. Set the blade at 45° and run it through the saw.
That's where you will always cut when you line up your stock.


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## Missouri Bound (Apr 9, 2011)

XSleeper said:


> "Accurate cuts" and "Chicago electric" probably don't belong in the same sentence in the first place.


Unless a saw it broken, all are accurate if set up properly.
Then you have the operator factor.....can't blame Harbor Freight for that.


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## junkmansj (Dec 17, 2016)

JL9999 said:


> Hi,
> I just get a table saw (for free!), but I am not clear on where to line up for an accurate cuts when using the blade at 45 degrees.
> 
> The saw is a Chicago Electric 10" 15 amp table saw.
> ...





JL9999 said:


> Hi,
> I just get a table saw (for free!), but I am not clear on where to line up for an accurate cuts when using the blade at 45 degrees.
> 
> The saw is a Chicago Electric 10" 15 amp table saw.
> ...





JL9999 said:


> Hi,
> I just get a table saw (for free!), but I am not clear on where to line up for an accurate cuts when using the blade at 45 degrees.
> 
> The saw is a Chicago Electric 10" 15 amp table saw.
> ...


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## junkmansj (Dec 17, 2016)

Get one one get of these. Attach it to your blade (its Magnetic) crank your your blade over till it reads 45 degrees


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## lenaitch (Feb 10, 2014)

junkmansj said:


> Get one one get of these. Attach it to your blade (its Magnetic) crank your your blade over till it reads 45 degrees


But zero it to the saw table first.


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## XSleeper (Sep 23, 2007)

I guess the 4 1/2" Chicago Electric grinder I once bought when I was out on a job without one (it bit the dust after just 10 seconds of normal use) just wasn't "set up properly". LOL


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## junkmansj (Dec 17, 2016)

lenaitch said:


> But zero it to the saw table first.





lenaitch said:


> But zero it to the saw table first.


YES! Sorry I left that out!


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## Scottg (Nov 5, 2012)

I've got one of the angle cube gauges, but also use just a simple 45' square. But whatever one uses, one of the best ways to be sure is definitely test out with some scrap pieces, then just adjust as needed. I've got a Bosch 4100 and for a portable, it's pretty much spot on. For beveled longer rips, I haven't had a problem hitting the angle just fine.

When I don't feel like dragging out the miter saw, if the work piece isn't too large, I'll use the miter gauge with a board screwed into it as another poster mentioned. Lastly, for some cuts I'll use a sled I built. It might take a little effort to build a sled, but as with so many of our toys/tools, once you have it, you tend to use it a lot more than you'd think. My only recommendation on building a sled is maybe purchase some aluminum runners. When you make your own out of wood, over time they may warp or get either sloppy or tight in the slots.

Again, test cuts can make up a bit for shoddy gear. A test cut doesn't lie. So if a fence or gauge is off by a bit, so what? Unless there's wobble or inconsistency during the cut itself. No setup can fix that. That's just the tool.


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