What the gauge does
SawStop describes it simply: the miter gauge is for crosscuts — cuts across the grain — and miter cuts. Its bar slides in a slot in the table, which runs parallel to the blade, so the gauge's head carries the work across the blade at whatever angle the head is set to. The rip fence plays no part: SawStop tells owners to move it out of contact with the work, and DEWALT never to use the fence and gauge together.
Fit in the slot
A gauge can only be as accurate as its bar's fit. INCRA describes the common slot as 3/4 in wide and 3/8 in deep, with or without a 15/16 in T-slot at the bottom, and makes its bar adjustable for slots measured anywhere from 0.740 to 0.765 in — real slots are not all the same. SawStop's gauge has a guide plate that runs in the bottom of its T-shaped slot, holding the gauge when its head is past the front of the table, and three spring bearings preset at the factory so the bar slides without excess play.
- Measure your slot before buying an aftermarket gauge, and compare it with the gauge maker's stated range.
- Check the fit: the bar should slide the length of the slot without binding and without side play.
- Adjust only as the maker describes: SawStop's spring bearings and INCRA's bar both have their own adjustment.
Angles, stops and scales
| Feature | What it does | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Angle range | The angles the head can be set to | SawStop: −60° to +60°; INCRA: 180° |
| Index stops | Positive stops at common angles | SawStop: −45°, 0°, +45°; INCRA: every 5°, plus 22-1/2° and 67-1/2° |
| Vernier or fine scale | Settings between the stops | INCRA: 1/10° vernier |
| Face or fence | Supports the work across its width | SawStop: optional wood face, at least 1 in higher than the maximum depth of cut |
| Bar adjustment | Takes out play in the slot | SawStop: spring bearings; INCRA: adjustable bar |
SawStop's index stops are set at the factory; to use one, it says to swing the head about 5° past the angle, push in the indexing pin and rotate back against the stop. For settings that must be exact, SawStop recommends setting the angle between head and blade with an angle gauge rather than trusting the scale. Whether the gauge supplied with the saw is enough, or an aftermarket one is worth buying, is the subject of choosing a miter gauge.
Crosscutting safely
A crosscut with the miter gauge
Clear the fence
Remove the rip fence or move it well clear — unless it carries a clearance block, below.
Choose the slot
For a bevel crosscut, SawStop warns against the slot on the side the blade tilts toward, which on its left-tilting saw is the left slot: the blade would lean toward the gauge and your hand. Check which way your saw tilts.
Set the height
SawStop and DEWALT set the blade about 1/8 in above the work.
Hold the work to the face
Square and firm against the gauge face and flat on the table. SawStop: grip the gauge with the hand nearer the blade, and hold the work with the other hand, away from the blade's path.
Cut, then clear the work
Push the gauge and work smoothly past the blade. For a through cut, SawStop shifts the work slightly away from the blade before pulling the gauge back, and leaves the cut-off alone until the blade stops.
Caution— Never trap the cut-off
In DEWALT's words, the cut-off piece in any through cut must never be confined; it must be free to move away from the blade, or it can be thrown. So never use the fence as a length stop, and never put a stop on the free end. For repeated lengths, DEWALT allows a cut-off block clamped to the fence: at least 3/4 in thick, and positioned so the work is clear of the block before it reaches the blade.
Checking square
Set the gauge to 0°, crosscut a wide, straight-edged board, and check the cut against the edge that ran along the gauge with a reliable square — see checking a square if you are not sure of yours. If the cut is out, reset the 0° stop as the gauge's manual describes and cut again. A crosscut sled offers a more sensitive check, the five-cut method, and more support for wide boards.
Before a crosscut with the miter gauge
- The bar slides freely without play
- The angle is set, and checked with a square or angle gauge where it matters
- The rip fence is clear, or carries only a clearance block ending ahead of the blade
- For a bevel, the gauge is in the slot away from the tilt
- The work is held to the face and flat on the table
- Hands stay out of the blade's path, and the cut-off is left alone until the blade stops
Sources
Ranges, stops and slot sizes are each maker's figures for its own gauge or saw. The miter gauge maker's accuracy claims are marketing and are not repeated here; check any gauge against a square.
- 1.
Owner's Manual, 10" Professional Cabinet Saw, Model PCS31230. SawStop.
Used for: The miter gauge in SawStop's T-shaped slots, its guide plate and factory-set spring bearings; a head adjustable from −60° to +60° with index stops at −45°, 0° and +45°; an angle gauge for precise settings; a wood face at least 1 in higher than the maximum depth of cut; hand positions; not using the slot on the side the blade tilts toward for bevel cuts; the rip fence moved out of contact with the work; shifting the work away from the blade before pulling back.
- 2.
INCRA Miter 1000SE. INCRA.
Used for: Slots 3/4 in wide and 3/8 in deep, with or without a 15/16 in T-slot; a bar adjustable for slots 0.740 to 0.765 in wide; 41 stops every 5° over 180°, plus 22-1/2° and 67-1/2°, and a 1/10° vernier.
- 3.
DWE7491 10" (254 mm) Job Site Table Saw, Instruction Manual. DEWALT.
Used for: Never using the fence as a guide or length stop when crosscutting; never a length stop on the free end; a cut-off block at least 3/4 in (19 mm) thick, positioned so the work is clear of it before entering the blade; never touching the free piece while the blade turns.
- 4.
DWE7485 8-1/4" (210 mm) Compact Job Site Table Saw, Instruction Manual. DEWALT.
Used for: Never using the rip fence and miter gauge together, which increases blade binding and kickback.
About this guide
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