Bob Beecham | posted on February 22, 2021 at 9:58 AM

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Miter is probably the most common woodworking joint. You can use the miter box to manually cut simple miter joints. For example, this is a quick and easy way to make a photo frame. Electric miter saws are usually the tool of choice for cutting columns and narrow boards. Adding a bracket makes it an excellent choice for use on the job site.

However, when cutting wide boards or panels, the miter saw cannot compete with the table saw. The only disadvantage is that the blade of the table saw cannot be rotated to a cutting angle. The solution is to use a miter gauge to fix the workpiece at the required angle through a rod connected to the slot on the saw table to guide it into the saw blade.

These valuable tools range from budget models for basic joinery to high-precision equipment for making fine furniture. This comprehensive guide can help you find the miter gauge that best suits your woodworking needs.

Carpenters looking for good miter gauges are spoiled; however, as with any tool, some features should be included, while others should be avoided. The following will help identify the main advantages and emphasize the versatility and potential creativity that the best miter gauge can bring to a table saw.

The miter gauge is composed of three main parts: miter rod, miter joint and fence. The saw table has a slot that can accommodate various accessories. The design of the miter rod is suitable for this, so that the miter gauge can slide back and forth smoothly. The miter rod is usually rectangular, but it may have an extra part shaped to fit the table saw, which has a T-slot on the table. The fit needs to be tight enough to maintain accuracy, but not so tight that it gets stuck in the groove. The best miter gauge can be adjusted to provide the correct fit.

Miter joints are semicircular, and various angles are marked. The increment will be different, as described in the section on accuracy. There is usually a push handle, which is also usually used to clamp the head at the correct angle, but a separate device can also be used. The baffle is fixed to the head, and the workpiece rests on it. The fence can be solid or expandable. Longer fences provide better workpiece support, but may not be suitable for small saws.

Most miter gauges are made of steel or aluminum parts. Steel brings strength and durability, which are important for areas that are often worn, such as threads. However, steel is heavy and rusts easily. Aluminum is lighter and corrosion resistant, and is often used for fences. These are usually formed in sections to provide additional support and sufficient strength to avoid bending.

Nylon inserts or screws are often used to adjust the way the miter rod (or miter gauge rod) fits into the groove on the saw table. These will eventually wear out and need to be replaced. Fortunately, these are not expensive.

Brass is sometimes used for handles and clips. It is very decorative, but has no real impact on functionality.

To set the cutting angle, the miter joint is rotated around the center point. As mentioned above, a push handle is usually used to clamp it in the desired position.

The head rotates 180 degrees in total, and the desired angle can be set freely. However, certain angles (such as 90 degrees, 45 degrees, and 22.5 degrees) are most commonly used, so preset stops in the form of pins, holes, or grooves are usually added. This allows faster setting of miter gauges.

More advanced miter gauges can provide stop in single degree increments, although they usually still have a quick way to set these common angles.

When purchasing a miter gauge, it is important to consider the size of the saw table and the size of the material that is most commonly cut.

Budget miter gauges usually have a short fence of fixed length. If you have a compact table saw and use medium-sized materials, then this is not a problem. However, as the length of the material increases, it has a tendency to bend. If this happens, it will reduce the cutting accuracy. Some of the best miter gauges have longer or adjustable fences to solve this problem. The ability to set the fence to different lengths can maximize the control of the workpiece. In other words, it is important to check their minimum length. For smaller table saws, some models may actually be too long.

Manufacturing quality has an impact on overall accuracy. On low-cost miter rails, the head may be stamped from steel plate, while on better models, this part is laser cut or processed from a solid block.

A basic, low-cost miter gauge will allow the angle to be cut to about one degree. For those who make rustic furniture or yard gates, this is probably close enough. However, higher accuracy is possible. Machining stops in single-degree increments are common, and there are several steps that can be further refined to 0.1 degree. Those who require absolute accuracy may prefer a miter gauge with a micro adjuster that can be set to 0.01 degrees.

Although not a function of the budget model, the fence may also have a measurement scale used to accurately align the workpiece with the saw blade. Sometimes a flip stop is provided that connects to the fence and slides along the prefabricated forest. These help to accurately fix the workpiece in the correct position when cutting to a certain length.

One might think that the basic miter gauge is the easiest to use. To some extent this is true. However, on slightly more expensive miter gauges, you will get a stopping point that speeds up the setting speed, which may speed up your overall workflow.

The consistent accuracy of high-quality miter gauges can make repetitive tasks easier and help reduce errors. Although increasing accuracy at this stage of the work may be seen as making the tool more difficult to use, it usually saves time in later stages.

What matters is how well a particular miter gauge fits your daily work. It can be said that ease of use is not only simple, but also how easy it makes the whole work.

The following miter gauges were selected for their superior quality and effectiveness. Considered key shopping considerations, including accuracy, capacity, and ease of use.

On this model, the probe is machined by computer numerical control (CNC) instead of being pressed, and then calibrated to within 0.003 inches. Positive stops of 0, 10, 22.5, 30 and 45 degrees allow quick setting of common angles. Additional accuracy comes from a vernier scale that can be adjusted to 0.1 degree and a fine adjuster that can be adjusted to 0.01 degree.

The miter rod has five screw adjusters to ensure a close fit with the table slot. The fence is 24 inches long-ideal for guiding long slabs or large panels-and is made of cast aluminum for rigidity. It has a slot for installing the Swing Stop workpiece positioning system, which also helps to improve the accuracy of beveling. Kreg's miter gauge has a competitive price and high performance, making it an excellent choice.

The Fulton miter gauge is a well-thought-out device that provides many of the features of more expensive devices. The sturdy aluminum head has an angle setting of 22.5, 30, 45, 60, 67.5 degrees, and can be angled left and right. Spring-loaded pins allow quick positioning. The main gauge is marked in single-degree increments.

The miter rod is 18 inches long and is designed to eliminate gaps in the saw table slot. It fits most straight tables and T-slot tables (though not for Craftsman or Sears brands). The end of the extruded aluminum fence is pre-cut to 45 degrees, which makes the workpiece support closer to the saw blade. The flip stop can easily perform repeated cutting.

Precision usually carries a high price tag, but this Incra model is not only affordable, but it maximizes its value by designing it for band saws, routers, sanding tables, and table saws. Most miter joints have some presets, and the name V27 comes from 27 locking notches, even unusual angles can be set quickly and easily.

The miter rod has an optional T-slot washer and suitable adjustment, allowing it to be used with many different woodworking machines. The only thing missing is the fence. However, the head is machined with two slots for connecting store-made substitutes. The structure is made of highly durable chrome-plated steel.

Many woodworkers never need to saw material to 0.1 degree. For home stores that make garden furniture or high-productivity environments, a sturdy, low-cost meter like Powertec may be more useful than an extremely accurate meter. This does not mean that it lacks functionality.

The head is thick, laser-cut aluminum, providing the necessary accuracy and durability. There are 27 dents on the edge with a fast and easy-to-use rotary positioning mechanism. The miter rod has an adjustment device, so it can be tightly installed on the saw table or used with other machines. Although fences are not provided, there are fixed troughs that can be used for after-sales or self-made additives. It is a basic miter gauge, which is an ideal solution for some people.

This Incra miter gauge is designed to meet the most demanding woodworking requirements, providing fine details and great flexibility. The heavy-duty aluminum steel head is laser cut and processed with high precision. It has fast, aggressive lock increments at every degree, and can be further fine-tuned to 0.1 degree. The patented miter rod can be installed almost perfectly in the slot of the saw table. There is also a removable T-slot adapter.

The aluminum fence extends from 18 inches to 31 inches and provides excellent work support while being compact enough for small saws. The included adjustable flip stop can accurately control the cutting length. The Incra Mitre 1000 is a considerable investment, but for those who need a high level of accuracy time and time again, it may be worth it.

The stops on the standard miter gauge head are great for quick adjustments, but when they are only 1 degree apart, it may make setup a little difficult because the markings on the miter joints are very small and not always easy to read. Miter sleds (or cross-cut sleds) use a large number of angler scales, which are easier to see. Larger spacing helps to improve accuracy. The main part of this sled is MDF coated with melamine, so it can slide easily over the sawing machine.

This Rockler model offers all the components that the best miter gauge should have: a sturdy fence, a turning stop for length adjustment, and in this case, an additional clamp for holding the workpiece more safely. Please note that due to its overall size, the sled is not suitable for smaller saws or other woodworking machinery. However, on large saws—especially in specialty stores—their combination of precision and productivity is hard to match.

When your new miter gauge arrives, you may be eager to use it as soon as possible. Before that, please take a few minutes to check and make sure that it is not lost or damaged during transportation. The following quick tips will help you maximize performance.

This comprehensive guide on choosing the best miter gauge gives you an in-depth understanding of how these tools work and how to choose the right model for your table saw. Nevertheless, it is natural to have questions, and the following problems often arise.

The blade can usually be tilted 45 degrees to cut an angle at the edge of the board, but this cutting is called a bevel, not a miter. You need to add a miter gauge to cut the right angle for the miter when the saw blade is in the upright position.

The grooves on most table sawing machines are the same, so they should be suitable for universal miter gauges. However, although rare, there are exceptions. Before buying a miter gauge, it is worth checking the saw specifications quickly to ensure safety.

You might argue that the standard miter cut is essentially a 45-degree taper. You can also cut both sides and four-sided tapers at a 45-degree angle, and creatively use miter gauges to cut at various other angles. However, these are very short. If you need a long taper, you may need to invest in a taper fixture.

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