Setting up a mitre saw

[UdderlyOffroad]

Hi All,

Am hoping one of you will be able to guide me with this!!

Have just purchased an Evolution Rage 3 255mm Sliding Mitre Saw. One of the ones that will also cut metal, with the aim being to use it for various fabrication projects, rather than relying on the 'by eye' grinder technique! I have to say it's pretty good, sawing cleanly through metal as though it was hardwood. You have to watch the feed and speed, and wear googles and long sleeves (hot, sharp swarf!!). The only trouble is, when set at the 'zero degrees' setting, the saw doesn't quite cut square. I can place a square over the cut end of the material and see daylight shining through the gap. Any tips on how to setup the saw?

Also the laser appears to bear no relation to what I'm sawing, but am less worried about that, as the adjustment for the laser is obvious.

[Night Train]

I've not worked with one though I have thought about getting one to play with.

For my big 305mm woodwork compound sliding mitre saw what I found was that the table is located on a detent for the commonly used angles. However, the detent is severly lacking in accuracy.

The fence on the other hand is located on over size holes and can be adjusted to sit square to the blade when the table is at 90deg

This is fine and I generally square the blade and fence prior to work by checking against a square and test cutting some scrap. The problem comes when I then need to swing round to, say, 45deg and it isn't.

[yalan]

Yup - I've got one of these and they're great.

Mine cuts pretty well in the 90degree set slot. Certainly straight enough to weld nicely.

The swarf shouldn't be hot though - Its a cold cutting blade that only really spits out hot swarf when the blade is worn.

I thought there was a fine adjust screw to get the angles exact? Haven't needed it myself.

I've used it for up to 4mm andgle iron without any problems at all. Great product.

[UdderlyOffroad]

This is fine and I generally square the blade and fence prior to work by checking against a square and test cutting some scrap. The problem comes when I then need to swing round to, say, 45deg and it isn't.

That's exactly what I was thinking...thanks, will try to adjust the fence w.r.t the blade and live with (try to over-ride) the detents. There's a locking mechanism that uses a thumb wheel to lock the angle as well as the detents so I should be able to.

Other than the accuracy out of the box, its an excellent saw, far better than any I've used to date (disclaimer: have only used 'value' saws of the £35 variety)

[jmattley]

The lasers on them are purely gimmicks, same as they are on cheap table and circ saws, I'd rip it off and bin it if I was you!

[secondjeremy]

My cheap and nasty (and excessively noisy) wood cutting saw has some small adjusting screws in and around the hinge mechanism which are used to set the thing accurately. When returning it to a pre-set position (eg vertical)it helps to check there's no dirt or swarf in or around the bolts.

Interesting to know presets on expensive ones aren't accurate!