I’ve got a cheapie (Task Force – nothing but the best my budget could handle at the time) compound sliding miter saw. Given my skill level, and demands, it has served me pretty well for the last couple years, but as my skill has improved, its one area of significant inaccuracy is starting to annoy me.
I adjusted the fence square to the blade both ways, and the laser is at least parallel to the blade right to the edge of the kerf, none of that is perfectly square to the slide, so if I lock the slide out it cuts a perfect cut, but as I slide it towards me, it wanders about 3/64ths to the right. As near as I can tell, I need to adjust the whole head where it attaches to the rams, then readjust the fence to match. My problem is how do I adjust that? I see the set screws on the bottom of the rams, so logic would say I loosen one, but is there any tool I can use to line it up, or am I just shooting blind and hoping for the best, trial and error style? Or am I demanding too much from a cheap tool and opening a can of worms better left alone?
Honestly, I’m amazed at the accuracy of everything else on it, if it was just an obvious POS I wouldn’t bother, but all the preset stops are as on as my skill level demands. If I was a pro, I’d just upgrade, but I’m just a home hack, and I feel like if I can fix this one adjustment, this saw will be as good as I need it to be until (-if ever-) I get a LOT more skilled than I am.
so if its a slide remember its not a radial arm saw! don’t pull it towards you. you want to pull the saw out not engaged in the wood and then engage it at the outside of the board and push in. try that and you should be a bit better.
I can’t offer any advice on the saw in question. I would hit the internet and see if I can find other users. Google is your friend. Also, use the google image search. Some of the most valuable information that I have found is on people’s personal sites found by a picture that they posted of what I was searching on.
My only comment on the current situation… The dirty secret of cheap tools is that they lack adjustability. Heavy duty tools usually have settings and adjustments to account for misalignment. Inexpensive tools usually skimp here, only providing minimal adjustments. Guess they figure if you are buying a cheap tool you are also okay with +/-1/8” on accuracy. For rough carpentry and home DIY stuff they are probably right.
Yeah, I know what you mean about cheap tools, but when I needed it, it was ASAP (no time for Craigslist) and the budget was severely limited. I haven’t been able to find a peep about it on google, and nothing on image search but the stock picture. I think I might be in uncharted territory. “Here there be sea monsters!”
Failing any better advice, I’ll probably tackle this tonight. The saw has two round rams or slide bars, or whatever side by side, and where the head attaches, there is a set screw on the bottom, so here’s my plan. 1: I’ll mark the ram where the head clamps over it. 2: I’ll mark where the laser reads at the end of the table – if I mark where the laser reads extended, then rotated the head to where it matches when retracted, that should mean the laser is in the same plane as the slide, and since the laser is on with the blade, I think that should work. Here’s hoping. More than anything, I just hope I don’t make anything WORSE!
I purchased the same saw a few years ago, it too wonders about 1/64 and will not stay in alignment. I have had many frusterating moments working wth this POS….. an upgrade to a sliding miter is in the future
All this time and I never have fixed it. At this point I just lock out the slide most of the time. I wound up getting a table saw that I use for any longer cuts. I’m fairly sure this is fixable, but I just haven’t needed it. Honestly, for as little as I paid for the saw it works very well. Everything else is extremely accurate, so I just consider it a non-sliding compound miter saw.
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