Easier Precision Miters on a Radial Arm Saw

A nicely fitting miter joint is very rewarding.  Radial arm saws allow the user to swing the saw arm 45 degrees left or right to cut miters.  It seems like a good system until you begin to use it for something precise, like a picture frame.  Swinging the arm to the right allows a good view of the material and works pretty well.

Step 1 The problems appear

When you need to swing the arm to the left there is no table  remaining for material support to the left of the blade.  The operator cannot see any marking lines on the material and he may need to reach under the motor to secure the material against the fence.

Comments

[Ak-49]

Just a heads up... Not sure if your radial arm qualifies, check:
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml01/01031.html

The safety of a Free GUARD is a great thing!!!

Ak-49

[Phil B]

Thanks. Someone else mentioned that. I checked the site with my serial number and my saw is too old to qualify. "They" want me to cut the electrical cord and send the saw motor to them, which destroys a perfectly good saw. I have used that saw 40 years and never even scratched myself, other than while changing the blade. The video that illustrates the alleged danger shows someone with his hand firmly planted in the path of the blade. No one with any sense would ever do that. That is one of the first things covered in the operator's manual.

[rimar2000]

Yes, Phil, miter cutting is frustrating. One is sure that the cut is correct, until one try to connect all parts...

Your method is perfect, the parts MUST connect at 90 degrees, even if the cutting angle isn't exactly 45 º.

[Phil B]

I like to say the first three corners will always fit.  It is the fourth corner that is always the problem.  But, that is just a piece of humor and not really accurate.  The beauty of a miter guide like I have shown is that, as you said, so long as the guide provides a 90 degree corner, the cuts can be 44 and 46 degrees, but they still make a nice tight 90 degree corner.  Thank you for your comment.

[rimar2000]

HAHAHA, it's true!  I always went out winning 3 to 1, then!

[zieak]

Thank you!  I get frustrated with mitre cuts.  I just finished trim on 12 windows... The only drawback to this is when you're trying to cut a long or heavy piece it is more difficult to support.  But I'm sure i can rig up something!

[Phil B]

If I were mitering long, heavy pieces I would move my saw out to the middle of my garage floor so I had plenty of room.  Then I would get my hands on some supports so the pieces I am cutting are very well supported at the same level as the surface of the miter guide.  Roller systems, commercial or home-built, have been very popular in years past.  They look a lot like roller systems you see in package shipping depots.  I have used sawhorses and clamped a 1 x 4 vertically to each of the sawhorses so the pieces I am cutting can rest on the tops of the 1 x 4's.  Thank you for your comment.