How to Cut a Miter on a Table Saw
You can use a table saw to make almost any kind of cut on wood. Some cuts, like miters, require a little extra know-how, but once you've mastered them on your table saw, you may never want to go back to a miter saw.
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Things You'll Need
- Table saw with miter gauge
- Carpenter's square
- Bevel gauge, combination square or adjustable triangle
- Piece of square and flat wood, plastic or metal for auxiliary miter fence
- Stop block
- Clamps
Instructions
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1
Tune up your table saw. Make sure that the blade is sharp and cutting 90 degrees to the tabletop. Check the blade's squareness with a carpenter's square.
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2
Attach an auxiliary fence to your miter gauge. Most factory-made gauges have short, metal fences that are meant to be augmented. There should be two holes near the bottom of the gauge for attaching wooden, plastic or metal fences. Whatever kind of fence you use should be square and flat, and it should be tall and long enough to support the piece of wood you'll be mitering.
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3
Set the fence to the proper angle. Most miter gauges have degree markings stamped on them, but these markings may or may not be accurate. Use a bevel gauge or a combination square or triangle to set the gauge to the proper angle. If using the 45-, 60- or 90-degree set screws on the miter gauge, check the alignment of these, as well.
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4
Clamp stops to your souped-up miter gauge if you intend to make multiple identical cuts. When the wood passes through the saw blade, it's going to want to slide, which could spoil your angle. So clamp a scrap of wood to the fence to give you something to press against and prevent wood movement when making the cut. If the piece you're cutting is very small, clamp it to the fence, as well. Make all of the clamps tight to prevent slippage and contact with the blade.
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Make the cut once all the clamps, screws and other set-ups are tight. Use a controlled motion to push the fence past the blade, then turn off the table saw or lift the fence off the table to retrieve the piece. Don't move the fence backward past the spinning blade--it is dangerous and could ruin your angle if the blade isn't perfectly aligned front-to-back.
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Tips & Warnings
Keep your fingers at least 4 inches away from a spinning table saw blade. If the piece you're cutting is smaller than 4 inches, clamp it to the fence and keep your fingers on the fence, away from the blade. No cut is worth losing your fingers.
