Why cant i cut 45 degree cuts for a box?

Um yah, you’ll probably want to check all your new saw’s setup, especially the 45 degree hardstop adjustment.

It will be worth it, regardless of the company statements.

FWIW, my new saw took almost a week to settle into the new environs, so I repeated the initial setup at that point too.

-- "Hard work is not defined by the difficulty of the task as much as a person's desire to perform it.", DS251

My experience with table saw blades have taught me to use a square or something like that when setting the blade angle. Whether it is 45 or 90, whatever. The scales on the saws are just not accurate enough to guarantee setting the blade by them. For rough measurements, they are good. For stuff that matters, use external reference.

-- Mike

I checked everything except the blade stop and it was dead on. I will try this weekend. What would you suggest i use as a true 45 degree angle? ive used the head of a combination square before.

I don’t own a saw stop, but I’ve yet to see a table saw (or any piece of machinery) with that kind of precision built in. You’ll need something to set the blade exactly. one of those digital blade angle readers would be one option. A good 45 degree scquare would work as well.

-- There is nothing like the sound of a well tuned hand plane. - http://timetestedtools.wordpress.com (timetestedtools at hotmail dot c0m)

Yep, you definitely cannot bank on just turning the crank until it stops.

I don’t know about the Sawstop, but with my saw, even when properly adjusted, I can throw the angle out of a perfect 45 just by turning the handle too hard or not hard enough. I always use my digital angle gauge to be sure.

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"

What digital angle gauge should i use? I just spent $2,000 on a table saw so im not looking to break the bank

if you have a good square

cut a board at the 45 angle
and taking the other piece
mate it to the first angle
if it is square
you got 45
if not tweak till they do 90*
(i’m sure there is an adjustable stop bolt
for the stop)

-- david - only thru kindness can this world be whole . If we don't succeed we run the risk of failure. Dan Quayle

then a plane and shooting board wouldn’t be a bad idea either.

-- There is nothing like the sound of a well tuned hand plane. - http://timetestedtools.wordpress.com (timetestedtools at hotmail dot c0m)

One of those $20-30 digital angle gauges are pretty much perfect for this. Like a Wixley:
http://www.amazon.com/Wixey-WR300-Digital-Angle-Gauge/dp/B001PTGBRQ
I got mine for like $19 on sale.

-- ian | "You can't stop what's coming. It ain't all waiting on you. That's vanity."

When cutting on a miter gauge your material will tend to crawl (move) this can change the angle and the length, it’s very critical for parallel sides to be exactly the same length.

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

I use a speed square, those are long enough to give a good idea of where you are at. They are usually pretty dead on when it comes to accuracy, even the cheap plastic ones.

-- Tristin King -- When in doubt, sand it.

I always set my saw with a metal framing square I bought years ago. It’s dead-on, and I know that my saw is set right the first time.

Tallerman said: “ive used the head of a combination square before.”

As long as you combination square is not poorly made, remove the ruler and the head should have a good 45.

what you did not mention is that are your cuts short (less than 45) or long (more than 45). Even when set with a guage, square or digital tool, make test cuts in scrap and sneak up on the perfect angle.

-- Crashn - the only thing I make more of than sawdust is mistakes

I NEVER trust my positive stops for blade bevel angles. It wouldn’t take much sawdust to throw off your positive stop in your table saw.

The fastest and most accurate method for checking 45 is to use a dial indicator and an accurate 45 degree reference.

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