Best 45 on a table saw.

I have a Ridgid TS 3650. It stays set square for my finger joint jig because that’s the only useful thing I’ve ever found it good for.
I bought an Osbourne miter gauge and was happy with it. It cuts perfect angles every time. It cam right ut of the box set perfectly.
Then I aquired an Incra 5000 sled through a trade deal. Now the Osbourne mostly stays under the saw on a rack. I wound’t say the Incra sled is any better at making perfect angles than the Osbourne. It is just safer with the included hold down and it just feels more stable than any miter gauge I’ve used. So I use it.

My miter saw used to have a dedicated stand. About a month after getting the Osbourne, it went under a table and has collected dust there ever since.

-- http://wddsrfinewoodworks.blogspot.com/

I like my Osbourne too.

-- W James Brokenbourgh Custom furniture maker http://artisticwoodstudio.com/

The Osbourne, since Jim also likes it, I wanted to point out what makes it great.
It address the two main issues I had with the stock miter gauge.

First off, the stability. Because if it’s triangular locking design, along with a longer fence, it is super stable.

The other thing is the positive stops. It easily goes from ninety, to forty five, back to ninety, and back again. All this is accomplished with positive stops that makes it simple to go back to any angle between ninety and forty five with assured repeatability.

With the stock miter gauge, it took an act of congress to get it back square if you ever took it off of ninety. Actually, you could leave it on ninety and bump it wrong, and it was off. Without precision accurate measureing with secondary tools, it was also impossible to get it perfectly on forty five with any kind of dependability.

-- http://wddsrfinewoodworks.blogspot.com/

Ditto on the Osbourne !

-- If the old masters had power tools, they would have used them. So get off your damn High Horse.

I’m sorry. I just got a PM concerning the links I provided above. I found my problem and they are working now.

-- http://wddsrfinewoodworks.blogspot.com/

Agallant, although there are several methods and different machines to choose from for cutting miters, I have found that a decent TS( well tuned) is the best bet for quality miters. And if You are not willing to spend money on a quality manufactured jig/fixture (like the Osbourne)Your best bet is to revisit your attempts at making a sled fixture that is dedicated to cutting 45 deg. miters IMO ! I put together a miter sled several years ago and it has performed very well to date(My projects page). Using stable materials and taking your time to focus on accuracy when building the fixture should help improve your end results. Build your base first and then establish the miter rails at 45 to the blade with the aid of two large drafting squares. Also to help with accuracy be sure to have adjustability with in the design of the sled. Helpful tip, I use double sided tape when dialing in the rails before I secure permanently. Wish You luck in Your quest for that elusive “Perfect Miter” !!............ROB

-- Rob,Gaithersburg,MD,One mans trash is another mans woodshop treasure !!

agallant,
I am an old man with Arthritic fingers and poor motor control of my muscles. So I have problems making proper cuts and joints. i solved this problem by making a crosscut sled for the table saw using a CNC machine to cut the pieces.
My sled is solid Walnut. I made a 9 ply laminated base for it that is 3/4” thick so it will never warp on me. (See second Picture) The base has two “T Slots” set inset for hold down clamps. It also has scribe lines cut into it for 22 1/2; 30; 45; 60; and 68 1/2 on both side of the center cut. See first picture. These will cut miters that do not need sanding. The top frame closest to you has a T Slot set into it and a stop block that slides back and forth. Two self stick tape measures are mounted on the base for measurements each way from the blade. A 45 donkey is set in the T Lots to cut miters in the edge of slabs for miter edge boxes. The donkey has two bolts that set into the base T Slots and it also has a T Slot in the top for hold down clamps.
This will cut a 45* edge on an 1/8” board that will cut your finger.
I built one for a friend after he offered me $125 for it. I earned less than $2 an hour.
regards
Joe

-- Politicians are like diapers. They need to be changed for the same reasons.

buckles, Where are the pics?

-- " I'll try to be nicer, if you'll try to be smarter" gfadvm

For fun, I like to get it close and then play with a low angle block plane and a 45deg shooting board. Helps a lot. It only takes a couple passes works nice and sweet.
Frank

I have an old Delta CMS that’s made out of cast iron and weighs about half a ton and won’t cut anything wider than about 5 1/2” or thicker than 3 1/2”, but what it does cut is perfect. I cut all my project cut list material on this saw if it is not too wide. I have a nice sled that mostly stays on a shelf.

-- Michael :-{| Diapers and politicians both need to be changed often; and for the same reason.

I made my own fence for my Bosch CMS, it is now very accurate, and handy. Only takes a second to swing it from 90 to 45. And I know it is “right on” every time. Unless of course my workpiece creeps a little while it is cutting, I have to watch for that.

My table saw is for big stuff and for ripping. Or maybe repetitive jobs, I’ll make a special sled. But I use the heck out of my CMS.

Now that I have a fairly well tuned old Dewalt RAS in the shop, I may have a different opinion in a month or so.

-- Dan V. in Indy

I have one of these Miter Set’s. It works as advertised and makes your OEM miter gauge able to cut at any angle perfectly.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rr_hP3PjiLQ

-- He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.