Support long workpieces using any convenient means such as sawhorses or similar devices to keep the ends from dropping.
CUTTING PICTURE FRAMES, SHADOW BOXES AND OTHER
To best understand how to make the items listed here, we suggest that you try a few simple projects using scrap wood until you develop a “FEEL” for your saw.
Your saw is the perfect tool for mitering corners like the one shown in Figure 13. Sketch A in Figure 12 shows a joint made by using the bevel adjustment to bevel the edges of the two boards at 45° each to produce a 90° corner. For this joint the miter arm was locked in the zero position and the bevel adjustment was locked at 45°. The wood was positioned with the broad flat side against the table and the narrow edge against the fence. The cut could also be made by mitering right and left with the broad surface against the fence.
FIG. 13 | FIG. 14 | |
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ANGLE “A”
CUTTING TRIM MOLDING AND OTHER FRAMES
Sketch B in Figure 12 shows a joint made by setting the miter arm at 45° to miter the two boards to form a 90° corner. To make this type of joint, set the bevel adjustment to zero and the miter arm to 45°. Once again, position the wood with the broad flat side on the table and the narrow edge against the fence.
The two sketches in Figure 12 are for four side objects only.
As the number of sides changes, so do the miter and bevel angles. The chart below gives the proper angles for a variety of shapes.
| - EXAMPLES - | |
NO. SIDES |
| ANGLE MITER OR BEVEL |
4 |
| 45° |
5 |
| 36° |
6 |
| 30° |
7 |
| 25.7° |
8 |
| 22.5° |
9 |
| 20° |
10 |
| 18° |
(The chart assumes that all sides are of equal length.) For a shape that is not shown in the chart, use the following formula. 180° divided by the number of sides equals the miter (if the material is cut vertically) or bevel angle (if the material is cut laying flat).
CUTTING COMPOUND MITERS
A compound miter is a cut made using a miter angle and a bevel angle at the same time. This is the type of cut used to make frames or boxes with slanting sides like the one shown in Figure 14.
NOTE: If the cutting angle varies from cut to cut, check that the bevel clamp knob and the miter lock knob are securely tightened. These knobs must be tightened after making any changes in bevel or miter.
The chart (Table 1) will assist you in selecting the proper bevel and miter settings for common compound miter cuts. To use the chart, select the desired angle “A” (Figure 14) of your project and locate that angle on the appropriate arc in the chart. From that point follow the chart straight down to find the correct bevel angle and straight across to find the correct miter angle. Set your saw to the prescribed angles and make a few trial cuts. Practice fitting the cut pieces together until you develop a feel for this procedure and feel comfortable with it.
Example: To make a
VERNIER SCALE
Your saw is equipped with a vernier scale for added precision. The vernier scale allows you to accurately set miter angles to the nearest 1/4°. To use the vernier scale follow the steps listed below.
(As an example, let’s assume that the angle you want to miter is
1.Turn off miter saw.
2.Set the miter angle to the nearest whole degree desired by aligning the center mark in the vernier scale, shown in Figure 15, with the whole degree number etched in the miter scale. Examine Figure 16 closely; the setting shown is 24° right miter.
FIG. 15 | FIG. 16 |
| KERF PLATE |
MITER |
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ANGLE |
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| 1/4° VERNIER MARK ALIGNS WITH | |
CENTER MARK ON VERNIER SCALE | CLOSEST WHOLE DEGREE MARK ON | |
MITER SCALE | ||
ALIGNS WITH DESIRED WHOLE ANGLE | ||
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ON MITER SCALE (24° RIGHT MITER) |
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3.To set the additional 1/4°, squeeze the miter arm lock and carefully move the arm to the RIGHT until the 1/4° vernier mark aligns with the CLOSEST degree mark on the miter scale. In our example, the closest degree mark on the miter scale happens to be 25°. Figure 16 shows a setting of
For settings that require partial degrees (1/4, 1/2, 3/4°) align the desired vernier mark with the CLOSEST degree mark on the miter scale, as described below (The plastic vernier plate is inscribed with marks for 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and 1°. Only the 1/2° and the 1° are numerically labeled.)
WHEN MITERING TO THE RIGHT
To increase the miter angle when mitering to the right, move the arm to align the appropriate vernier mark with the closest mark on the miter scale to the right. To decrease the miter
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