what is the easiest way to square a blade on a compound mitre saw...other that paying someone else to do it.?

Answer 1

James? a dial indicator? are we doing carpentry here or our we machining our wood.The question was what is the EASIEST way to square a blade on a compound mitre saw
You must be an engineer or an arcitect.
One of the first answers were right, use a 2' framing square and set it against the fence and the blade, if it's not square loosen the adjustment bolts on the back of the fence, square up the blade and retighten bolts, very EASY.

Answer 2

You cannot do it with blocks of wood or iron. Those are not accurate enough. You need a "dial indicator" to do that job.

Buy a dial indicator with like .001 increments on it They cost around $10. Then take a TRYsquare and indicate between the raised blade just inside the teeth to the blade using the dial indicator inbetween the two. It helps if you clamp down the TRY Square. Then move that lock nut to suit the new adjustment on the saw's crank handle end. Be sure to loosen that enough first so you can crank the handle sufficiently one way or other before indicating it in.

You can also use this indicator to indicate off the slider groove and set the blade parallel to that groove. Handy too and a MUST to get your saw in good order. Surprising how poorly set the thing comes out of the factory . I also use the indicator to square up the slide miter to the saw blade itself.

Answer 3

it's easy, take a piece of 1x4 and cut it. then take one piece and flip it over and press it against the other cut end. if the ands meet together with no gaps you're fine. if there is a gap get a square - drafting squares work best because theyre most accurate. put it against the fence and lower the blade, the blade should be tight to the adjacent side ( careful the carbide teeth dont touch the square, it will throw your measure off). if theres a gap you will need to loosen the fence a bit and tap it until the square lies up with the blade and the fence. once adjusted tighten the bolts on that side of the fence and do it for the other side. after you have both sides perpindicular to the blade, place a good straightedge in the saw and make sure both fences are straight and in line with each other. if so try a test cut with another piece of 1x4, flip one over and see if the pieces mate together with no gaps. no gaps you're square.

you can do the same thing to check your 45 degree stops, but if you're square at 90 and out at 45, the miter stops arent set properly and on some cheaper saws this happens alot and it involves alot more work and some filing to re-index the stops.

browse the woodworking magazines, every now and then they have good articles on how to take care and 'true' up eqipment that goes out of adjustment - and it happens, even on my $400 dollar makita mitersaw.

online is a good place to search. try woodmagazine.com, or americannwoodowrker.com, finewoodworker.com, or just do a general search on 'squaring a mitersaw'

ps: when i say flip the 1x4, i meant top to bottom and not end for end - you're checking the ends you just cut

Answer 4

Ummmm, with a square?