Miter saw accuracy, how much do you need?

Fine for framing a house. Lousey for building a picture frame.

hi all:
thanks much for the thoughts. i'm not going to be building cabinets
with it; probably just cutting some trim for around windows in the
shed outback and like that.

i understand the sentiment behind "well, is it good enuf for you?
you're the one who's going to use it." at the same time, having never
used a miter saw before, i'm not sure of the implications of such a
seemingly small amount of inaccuracy; for all i know, it could be
huge. and by the time i figure that out, if such is the case, then
it'll be too late for me to return the thing. which is why i came
here with my question, to see if my betters could tell me what the
implications are for general around the house type work; i.e. no real
super fine detail work expected.

also: you can adjust it but what you see in the pix is as good as the
adjustment gets.

thanks again!

On Mar 7, 4:26 pm, "[email protected]" <[email protected]> wrote:
> i just bought a cheap 10" denali miter saw on amazon -- $47 delivered!
> -- and, having never used a miter saw before, i'm wondering how much
> accuracy i should expect from such a low priced item.

Enough to get a few jobs out of before you toss it.

> iow, what kind of tolerances are acceptable? my main issue is that
> when i try to set the fence square to the blade, I can only get it
> square to within about 2mm. See the pix for how it looks. Is that
> going to be okay?
>
> www.linter.org/miter1.jpgwww.linter.org/miter2.jpg
>
> thanks!

Assuming the fence is straight, the bolts look off center. Return,
or bore out until you can get the fence aligned. My PC 10" had
the same problem.

Put your straightedge across the fence and check that both sides of
the fence are in the same plane. I had a Record mitre saw on which the
fence was curved. I could get one side or the other at 90 degrees to
the blade, but never both sides at the same time.

<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> hi all:
> thanks much for the thoughts. i'm not going to be building cabinets
> with it; probably just cutting some trim for around windows in the
> shed outback and like that.
>
> i understand the sentiment behind "well, is it good enuf for you?
> you're the one who's going to use it." at the same time, having never
> used a miter saw before, i'm not sure of the implications of such a
> seemingly small amount of inaccuracy; for all i know, it could be
> huge. and by the time i figure that out, if such is the case, then
> it'll be too late for me to return the thing. which is why i came
> here with my question, to see if my betters could tell me what the
> implications are for general around the house type work; i.e. no real
> super fine detail work expected.
>
> also: you can adjust it but what you see in the pix is as good as the
> adjustment gets.
>
> thanks again!
>

OK, make some test cuts "now". The results will be immediate and you should
be able to decide if they are acceptable. For rough framing it is probably
OK, for tight joints, not OK.

"Leon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> OK, make some test cuts "now". The results will be immediate and you
> should be able to decide if they are acceptable. For rough framing it is
> probably OK, for tight joints, not OK.
That is good sense. Vibration in the blade and flex in the mechanism may put
the apparent inaccuracy in the fence into a bit of perspective.

tim W

In article <[email protected]>, "[email protected]" <[email protected]> wrote:
>i just bought a cheap 10" denali miter saw on amazon -- $47 delivered!
>-- and, having never used a miter saw before, i'm wondering how much
>accuracy i should expect from such a low priced item.
>
>iow, what kind of tolerances are acceptable? my main issue is that
>when i try to set the fence square to the blade, I can only get it
>square to within about 2mm. See the pix for how it looks. Is that
>going to be okay?

That depends on what you're using it for. That's plenty close enough for rough
framing, but it's nowhere nearly good enough for cabinetmaking.

Of course, that depends on how picky you are, too.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.

Oughtsix wrote:
> Fine for framing a house. Lousey for building a picture frame.
>

With that in mind, I'll add that my miter saw gets 95% of it's use
cutting rough hardwoods to length in the shop. The only precision cuts
I use it for are outside the shop, doing on-site finishing. All of
my cuts that count, in the shop, are done on my table saw. I don't
even keep it set up in the shop, pulling it out when I need it.

Be aware that most miter saws will still require another $75 to $150 for
a top notch blade, and possibly shop-made zero clearance inserts and
fence linings, for furniture or stain grade finish work results.

<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>i just bought a cheap 10" denali miter saw on amazon -- $47 delivered!
> -- and, having never used a miter saw before, i'm wondering how much
> accuracy i should expect from such a low priced item.
>
> iow, what kind of tolerances are acceptable? my main issue is that
> when i try to set the fence square to the blade, I can only get it
> square to within about 2mm. See the pix for how it looks. Is that
> going to be okay?
>
> www.linter.org/miter1.jpg
> www.linter.org/miter2.jpg
>
> thanks!
>
Are you sure what your using between the rule and the blade is not against
one of the teeth?You may also want to check that the rule is square on the
end. As some one else has said you should make a few test cuts first. Also
should move it to the 45 deg mark and back a few times to see if it stays
square.

Jim

On 7 Mar 2007 13:26:37 -0800, "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>i just bought a cheap 10" denali miter saw on amazon -- $47 delivered!
>-- and, having never used a miter saw before, i'm wondering how much
>accuracy i should expect from such a low priced item.
>
SNIP

There is probably an adjustment, even in an inexpensive saw. Nothing
on adjusting in your user's manual?

Joe

On Wed, 07 Mar 2007 17:01:28 -0500, Joe Bleau <[email protected]>
wrote:

>On 7 Mar 2007 13:26:37 -0800, "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
>wrote:
>
>>i just bought a cheap 10" denali miter saw on amazon -- $47 delivered!
>>-- and, having never used a miter saw before, i'm wondering how much
>>accuracy i should expect from such a low priced item.
>>
>SNIP
>
>There is probably an adjustment, even in an inexpensive saw. Nothing
>on adjusting in your user's manual?

I can see one of the allen head screws for loosening the fence in the
second picture. Pretty much the same arrangement as my Bosch.

When I set mine up I first tried squaring to the blade, and that was
just awkward. I gave that up and instead started making test cuts on
a board with a freshly jointed edge against the fence. Much easier to
check the board for square than the blade.

You shouldn't have much trouble getting it square. The question is
once it is square and you move it to some other angle and then back
again, is it still square.


-Leuf

<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>i just bought a cheap 10" denali miter saw on amazon -- $47 delivered!
> -- and, having never used a miter saw before, i'm wondering how much
> accuracy i should expect from such a low priced item.
>
> iow, what kind of tolerances are acceptable? my main issue is that
> when i try to set the fence square to the blade, I can only get it
> square to within about 2mm. See the pix for how it looks. Is that
> going to be okay?


I do not know, is it OK with you? You are the one that the saw has to
please.