finding 45 degree on the smt

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  • glencross
    Established Member
    • May 2005
    • 105
    • canoe, british columbia, Canada.

    finding 45 degree on the smt

    have had my 3000 for 7 years but have never had to use it for cutting a 45 degree cut...now i find i have to but i just can't seem to get the angle right...what do i have to do? help!!!
  • leehljp
    Just me
    • Dec 2002
    • 8429
    • Tunica, MS
    • BT3000/3100

    #2
    There are three things that come to mind and I am not sure if these are what you are describing. Apologies if I missed the point. It won't be the first time.

    1. Some people with a similar problem did not realize that the pivot pin on the bottom of the SMT fence goes into the hole on the right side (preferably) or left side of the SMT; NOT in the center slot. This has been by far the most common problem with getting the SMT fence to line up for a 45 degree cut, using the scale on the SMT.

    2. On the back of the SMT Fence is a small red (orange?) tab that slides. Once the above step (#1) is done correctly, move the sliding tab to the point it is over the SMT scale. If the SMT fence's Pivot pin is in the hole on the right side, then the red tab should be on the left side of the fence and it lines up on top of the scale.

    3. A few (very few) people have said that the tab on the back of the fence was too long and had to be sanded/cut down by a 1/16 to 1/8 inch for perfect accuracy.

    Another problem might be that the SMT is not square or has too much play. If these are the problems, then that is another ball game and requires going through the set up procedures for the SMT.

    90° Cuts:
    To get precise 90° cuts, on the left side of the SMT is a stop tab that folds down or raises up. With the pivot in the hole on the right side, raise the tab and pull the fence back against the raised tab. Measure to see if it is square with the blade. If not, use a flat blade screwdriver to adjust the tab to bring the SMT fence into square with the blade.

    Hope this helps.
    Last edited by leehljp; 10-31-2006, 01:48 AM.
    Hank Lee

    Experience is what you get when you don't get what you wanted!

    Comment

    • LCHIEN
      Internet Fact Checker
      • Dec 2002
      • 20920
      • Katy, TX, USA.
      • BT3000 vintage 1999

      #3
      The oriiginal poster did not say whether he was having gross errors (more than a degree) or slight errors (less than a degree).

      Hanks reply above should solve most of the gross errors.

      If you are having fractional errors where you can't make eight miter cuts to make a square frame, then you have cuts that may be off a fraction of a degree (1/2 degree each but with eight cuts adds up to 4 degrees of error) and a frame that will never close properly.

      In this case there are two common ways of getting those fine errors out - one, use an accurate 45 degree scale such as drafting triangle to check the final alignment of the blade to the SMT fence, making sure the triangle rests against the flat body of the blade and not the tips, and two, using the various sled jigs where it has a right angle fence that is split at the apex by the blade, as 90 degrees is easier to get. when the adjoining pieces of the frame are cut on each side then the sum is always 90 degrees making each corner perfect and sort of cancelling out the cumulative errors I mentioned earlier.
      Loring in Katy, TX USA
      If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to treat all problems as if they were nails.
      BT3 FAQ - https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...sked-questions

      Comment

      • glencross
        Established Member
        • May 2005
        • 105
        • canoe, british columbia, Canada.

        #4
        thanks for the replies..however, my problem is:

        where do i place the smt fence? i have the pivot post in the hole on the right side of the smt...could you tell me more details? i e where should the smt fence be placed on the right side and where on the left side of the smt? hope this clarifies my problem, because i just can't seem to get the fence to 45 degrees.

        Comment

        • leehljp
          Just me
          • Dec 2002
          • 8429
          • Tunica, MS
          • BT3000/3100

          #5
          If the pivot pin is in the hole on the right side, there is nothing else you need to do for that side. The Fence will pivot backwards until the left side of the fence, with the red tab on the back side, is lined up with the 45 degree mark.


          Below is the picture of the fence off of the SMT. Hole on the right for the pin. Center knob and bolt go into the center slot. Tab on the left.



          Fence set up and tab aligned to the "0" / "90" degree setting.



          The tab is setting on the 45 degree on this one. If you want the reverse the fence angle, you can put the pivot pin on the LEFT side and the red tab on the right side.


          Hope this helps.
          Last edited by leehljp; 10-31-2006, 07:17 AM.
          Hank Lee

          Experience is what you get when you don't get what you wanted!

          Comment

          • LCHIEN
            Internet Fact Checker
            • Dec 2002
            • 20920
            • Katy, TX, USA.
            • BT3000 vintage 1999

            #6
            Note that when you reposition the fence to 45 degrees, the pivot and/or the center knob/bolt need to be able to slide along the miter fence because the distance bewteen them will be changing. This may require a little more (but not a lot) of force than you would expect for justrotating the fence.

            I would suggest loosening the knob three or four turns, then using two hands, grasp the left end of the fence in your left hand and the ecnter knob/block in your right and pul them gently and firmly toward you, the left hand will travel farther than the right hand. Once you get the red indicattor to the 45 degree mark, tighten the knob back down.
            Loring in Katy, TX USA
            If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to treat all problems as if they were nails.
            BT3 FAQ - https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...sked-questions

            Comment

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