John wrote in, asking for recommendations about which miter gauge to buy to replace the one that came with his portable table saw. This is a question I answered a couple of times for myself, in theory, but have yet to take action upon. Hopefully you guys could throw some great ideas his way.
Miter gauges are most often used on table saws and router tables, but I have also seen them used with other power tools, such as disc sanders and vertical band saws.
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Generally, the miter gauges that come with portable table saws and some router tables are crappy. I don’t describe things as crappy very often, but I can’t think of a better way to describe them. But I guess a crappy miter gauge is better than nothing.
Most of the miter gauges that are bundled with power tools, at least those I’ve seen, are not very precise, nor do they lock in their settings very securely, and so they must be constantly checked for squareness or the correct miter angle.
John wrote:
After I downsized my living quarters recently, I sold my Bosch jobsite table saw and bought a smaller DeWalt. Not quite as capable (though with a better fence), but it meets my needs, which are rather modest, truth be told.
Still, the miter gauge is incredibly rinky dink, which sent me to your site searching for reviews of auxiliary miter gauges (either with or without a sled set-up). Am I not searching for the right thing, or has ToolGuyd not covered this topic before?
Thank you for your reply, and for anywhere else you might point me.
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p.s. I still can’t believe you don’t have a table saw! My new saw now sits on top of my fridge when it’s not being used… so it really is possible for just about anyone to accommodate a table saw, I think…
I’ve been meaning to buy a good miter gauge for a while, but the need has never been great enough for me to follow through. Even so, I know exactly which one I’d buy – the Incra Miter1000SE with telescoping fence and flip stops.
For more basic needs, the Incra Miter27, shown at the top of the page, is a less featured but much more economical pick. If you’re inclined, you could add your own fence to that miter gauge, and I’m sure there are aftermarket options as well.
But the Miter1000SE has all the bells and whistles I’ve wished for.
There’s also the option of building a portable sliding crosscut sled, but that’ll be a topic for another day. A miter gauge might be a better fit for a smaller portable table saw, and while I’m sure there are decent pre-built cutting sleds, most I’ve seen are DIY constructions.
I keep a Bosch GTS1031 portable table saw around in storage – here’s the review – for my occasional but not very frequent needs, as it’s extremely compact and portable while still being capable. There are some areas where it’s not quite as good as Dewalt’s same-class portable table saws, but I just cannot bring myself to donate the Bosch GTS1031 just yet.
My interest in miter gauges was more in regard to router table needs than a portable table saw upgrade. But my $99 Ryobi router table came with a half-sized non-standard slot, and so I never did pull the trigger. I’ve got a Woodpeckers router table on my long-term wishlist, and you can bet that an Incra miter gauge will be ordered at the same time.
Prices: ~$70 for the Miter27, ~$135 to $160 for the Miter1000SE
Buy Now(Incra Miter27 via Amazon)
Buy Now(Incra Miter1000SE via Amazon)
If the Miter1000SE is a little too pricey, and the Miter27 too basic, there’s also the Miter1000/18T ($106 via Amazon, up to $120 street price). It’s similar to the 1000SE, but with a non-telescoping fence and no flip stops.
There’s also a Kreg miter gauge with fence system and flip stops ($139 via Amazon), but I have heard so many great things about Incra that I would consider theirs over Kreg’s without hesitation.
Which 3rd party miter gauge or other portable table saw upgrade would you recommend?
Hilton
I bought the Incra Miter 1000HD (slightly different model to the SD) and whilst it’s a wonderful device, I’d first spend money on upgrading the fence with an Incra. This addition turns an ordinary table saw into a precision cutting machine that can slice 1/1000″.
Unless you are making multi-sided boxes or frames that require accurate measurement of degrees, the basic Incra will suffice.
Nathan
that big expensive one it a bit much I think.
but the other one I like – I just find I do little miter work on my table saw. I recently bought that new dewalt version also – love it. but yes it’s mitre gage is rinky.
Benjamen
If John has a small Dewalt table saw, he probably doesn’t have a T-type miter slot. There are two types of miter slots, square and T shaped. The T-shaped are better because they keep the miter gauge locked into the table.
A problem with both types of miter slots is play or slop. If the gauge rattles around in the slot, it isn’t going to be very precise. I solved this problem on my Dewalt table saw miter gauge by installing ball plungers on the side of the bar.
Like these: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00S4YXCSG/
An advantage to using the ball plungers is that the miter gauge will be snug in both your router table and your table saw even if the miter slots are slightly different.
You have to ask yourself are you really going to cut a a variety of angles or just one of two fixed angles. If the answer is one or two fixed angles, you’d probably be better off building yourself a miter sled or two.
In my case I rarely use anything other than 90 degrees so I use a miter sled.
If you are going to cut a variety of angles, I’ve never understood doing it on a table saw in the first place? That’s why you have a miter saw, I’d argue its safer. I guess that’s one strike against using a miter sled, because it’s harder to use the guard on your table saw.
A miter gauge on the router table is a little different story. I don’t think I’ve ever used anything other than 90 degrees.
For both table saw and router table you also want the ability to install a sacrificial fence on the miter gauge for backing up your cuts so you don’t get tear out.
John
Like Stuart, I have limited space, and my miter saw (chop saw) was sacrificed when I moved. So I’m now using the table saw for some cuts that I hadn’t before. I don’t think I understand the ball plunger concept. I clicked on the link you provided, but there isn’t any description of how this item is installed or how it functions. Do you have a photo, or can you describe to me?
Benjamen
I guess my thought was that for what you pay for some of these miter gauges, you can buy a chop saw. I can understand the limitations of a small shop though.
I hate linking to my old site, but http://oldshop.electronsmith.com/content/tightening-miter-gauge
I can’t claim credit for the idea, I got it here:
http://community.woodmagazine.com/t5/Tools-and-Tool-Buying/FIX-A-SLOPPY-TABLE-SAW-MITER-GAUGE/m-p/965#M148
You basically drill and tap holes in the side of your miter bar and install the ball plungers. The balls are spring loaded so they take up any slop there is in the miter slot. My miter gauge had so much play that it was practically unusable. Now there is no play unless you really twist the miter gauge.
I would suggest bigger ones than I used, the amazon link form my site is dead, but I think I used 4-40 size. One of the ball plungers failed, I think a larger one would be more robust.
Benjamen
My mistake they were 8-32 sized ball plungers.
Ryan
Osborne Excalibur EB-3. There is a Delta copy cat as well. After playing with several different miters as a high school shop teacher, I found this to be the most robust and my favorite. Students were more able to keep miter settings with this design. A triangle is always a stronger form than to standard two point support system.
fred
I too like my 50-EB3 – but find it a bit unwieldy for some stock on my Bosch 4100 (used in a garage shop and/or on-site). I also use an Incra 1000SE on the Bosch saw – which has less room in front of the blade – and hence shorter miter slots than a full sized cabinet saw. My old Unisaw has a sliding table.
Enzo
come fai ad usare Incra 1000SE su Bosch se ha le guide più strette?
SawdustTX
I bought the JoinTech SmartMiter many years ago. This one: http://lumberjocks.com/assets/pictures/reviews/28058.jpg . It’s a cross between a sled and a miter gauge. Worked fantastic, very accurate, flip stops, large capacity, built in ruler that was accurate for both right angle and miter cuts with no adjustment necessary, and zero clearance support both below and behind the workpiece. But, it broke, and JoinTech has gone out of business.
Looking at replacement or repair options I decided that while the JoinTech is great, it’s kind of big to store and cumbersome, and with the miter arm in the middle, it reduced cut capacity (width of material).
So I decided to go simple and inexpensive, and make my own miter gauge using Kreg rail, which also lets me re-use the flip-stops and other attachments I already have for my miter saw and bandsaw Kreg fences. Total cost will be around $40, for a miter gauge that will be almost as capable as the $100+ models.
Just got the parts and starting making it, picture here: https://goo.gl/photos/ijTT2rPnSELNavSY8
SawdustTX
Also, to answer your specific question, if I was buying or recommending a third party miter gauge, it would be the Kreg. Accurate, easy to use, very well made, lots of attachments that can be shared with other Kreg fences/jigs, and highly configurable.
John
Just so I understand, is the miter gauge in your photo part of the Kreg system, or did it come with the saw? As Benjamen correctly noted, my DeWalt portable saw has a square slotted gauge, and there’s a lot of play/slop, which is a big part of the problem. (The other problems are that it has no fence, and that it’s difficult to dial in — and repeat — exact degrees.)
SawdustTX
The miter gauge came with my Delta Unisaw, then I added the long board to create a zero clearance support that goes past the blade – pushed the stock on both sides of the blade. Then I’m adding the blue Kreg rail to the top of that board.
SawdustTX
In your case, I can see why you would want to buy a new miter gauge, not just add on like I’m doing. If I end up buying one, it will be the Kreg Precision Miter Gauge. The rail on the Kreg (like most others) comes with adjusters for a perfect fit in your miter slot. The Kreg has 5 adjusters along the length of it’s 24″ rail.
Eric
I’m pretty sure I’ve had the incra 1000 miter gauge in my shopping cart every time it drops in price on amazon and/or goes on sale at Rockler. The miter gauge that came with my sawstop jobsite saw wobbles in the track and is a plastic paperweight. But I always end up not buying it because I use my miter saw for anything that I would use the tablesaw/miter gauge for. Still, if I ever buy one, it will be the incra 1000hd/se
Allen
I have the 27. I do a lot of wood working and it does all I need.
A cut-off box is a great project and will replace the miter gauge for many uses. I have several, each for a different purpose.
I put a piece of Formica between the head and bar of my inca. Try it, it makes a real difference if the wood isn’t sliding on the table. Most useful on angle cuts.
SawdustTX
Do you have a picture? Trying to understand where you have that formica as I’m building my new miter gauge (see my earlier comment and picture).
Allen
Take the bar off, place a piece of Formica between it and the head. Mark the holes and drill the Formica .
Mine is about 12 by 18 inches. Have it so the blade cuts it off and that will be a good reference mark.
SawdustTX
Cool idea – thanks.
BikerDad
I have an older Incra similar to the 1000, and would heartily recommend it except for one thing. The microadjustable stop is mickey mouse. Yes, it’s micro adjustable, but I just don’t like it. Also, they don’t have a decent flip stop, like the one on the Kreg. Thus, my recommendation is either the Incra 1000 or the Kreg.
Mike
I’ve had the Kreg one for a couple years now. I love that thing. I added a fence extension made out of MDF so I can cross cut up to 36 inches. Once you get the thing squared up with your blade and locked down you never have to worry about a miter being off again.
Grady
I bought an OSBORNE for my Rigid Tablesaw many years ago , liked it so much I gave it to my SawStop. Still have the POC ( piece of crap ) that came with my router table but have been looking to replace it with a Kreg.
That’s my two cents!
Jeff palmer
I’m looking for a good zero clearance insert for my Bosch 1031 but seem to be striking out. Would rather buy a perfect fitting one than build another one.
Anyone have any ideas??