Cutting an angle, say 45 deg.

[techmonkey]

I'm not getting something about the BT3100. Say I want to cut a 45 deg. angle. I set up the SMT so everything is parrallel to the blade. Then I eyeball the red thingy on the miter fence to 45 deg.? It can't be done. On a solid cast table with a machined and unmoveable miter slot I set my Incra miter gauge to the 45 deg stop and off I go - no eyeballing. I guess I could buy a 45 deg precision triangle to setup the SMT fence. That will do for that one angle. If I want 30 deg/60 deg. I buy another triangle. There is no way to cover many angles without more accessories and setup time. If I want a different angle that has a stop on the Incra gauge all I do is select it.

BTW: A new SMT top plate with precision holes and a precision pair of pins on the SMT fence would be nice.

[Tom Miller]

I'm not getting something about the BT3100....I eyeball the red thingy on the miter fence to 45 deg.? It can't be done....

I agree, you're not getting something.

What exactly do you mean by "it can't be done"?

How is your SMT set up? E.g. is it to the left of the blade? Is the pivot pin that's on the bottom of the SMT fence in the right hole? Then the angle indicator should be to the left of the clamp facing you.

Start by getting the indicator to indicate zero degrees when the fence is butted up to the flip-up stop.

If possible, posting a pic would help, too.

BTW, once you get the setup right, you should be able to read to fractions of a degree.

Regards,
Tom

[LCHIEN]

yeah the SMT angle scale is huge.
First, make sure the 90 degree (or 0 on the SMT) is set correctly and calibrated by setting the zero stop.

Use the back of the red indicator to set 45 and you'll be really close.

You're missing something.
The pin in the hole on the right? Locking knob not assembled correctly?
Slide the red thing so it aligns with the scale readings?
The pins are a squeeze fit so should not have any slop.
Should work great. Does for me.

[scorrpio]

I think he means that aligning the red tab to the SMT marker seems too imprecise. Being part of the casting, the markers are about 0.05" thick.

If I want a very precise miter, I usually check the SMT fence angle with a comb. square - and use protractor head if the angle is not 45.

[techmonkey]

eyeballing still required?

I think I'm setup correctly. But I'm still "reading" the position on the red thing against the numbers in the SMT table. So I have to make sure the red thing is never damaged, that it is manufactured to some tight spec that is not possible with a piece of plastic, that I place my eye directly above the red thing (no parallax). And when I come back tomorrow I can repeat this procedure and get the same angle again. Do you skilled users perfer this to a machined miter gauge with a precision stop? The reason I bought the BT3100 was to improve on my cast aluminum "Craftsman" table saw with the sloppy miter slot and 2-bit miter gauge that came with it. I like the SMT. I like the depth of cut. I like the really large rip cuts possible by moving the rails. I just find the miter accuracy and repeatablity questionable.

[LarryG]

I just find the miter accuracy and repeatablity questionable.

You're correct, this part of the saw leaves a lot to be desired. It is dependent on the SMT table being precisely aligned, and even then it requires a critical eye due to the coarseness of the cast-in degree marks.

Which is one of several reasons I have the dual miter slot accessory installed on my BT3100. I have the SMT fence calibrated with the quick-stop so that 0deg is 90deg to the blade. For everything else, I use my miter gauge. Once in an ultramarine moon I'll use the SMT fence to cut an angle, but not often ... and when I do, I typically set it using a bevel gauge.

[LCHIEN]

I think I'm setup correctly. But I'm still "reading" the position on the red thing against the numbers in the SMT table. So I have to make sure the red thing is never damaged, that it is manufactured to some tight spec that is not possible with a piece of plastic, that I place my eye directly above the red thing (no parallax). And when I come back tomorrow I can repeat this procedure and get the same angle again. Do you skilled users perfer this to a machined miter gauge with a precision stop? The reason I bought the BT3100 was to improve on my cast aluminum "Craftsman" table saw with the sloppy miter slot and 2-bit miter gauge that came with it. I like the SMT. I like the depth of cut. I like the really large rip cuts possible by moving the rails. I just find the miter accuracy and repeatablity questionable.

Well, Parallelax is always a potential problem with scale and needle readouts, but its easily cured by looking striaght overhead as we've been taught to do. The back edge of the red tab is suject to no wear and tear, so I don't think that's a real problem. I can easily split the hash makrs on the scale when I set the Miter angle. I find the large radius a help rather than the small radius of most miter gages. The lack of hard stops at popular angles could be a valid complaint vs. other gages. But I don't always use the popular angles so I have to be able to set them accurately without stops.

I guess its to each his own, you need to use what you feel works well for you. If you have no confidence in the SMT gage then use the Incra or whatever floats your boat.

Good luck.

[Tom Miller]

Do you skilled users perfer this [SMT] to a machined miter gauge with a precision stop?

Well, when you consider that I got the SMT for free with the saw, then YES!

Regards,
Tom

[tribalwind]

yea i dont even look at the #'s on the SMT anymore..
i made some masonite triangle templates fro degrees i use often,
anything else i use a protractor for. thats pretty much as accurate as i need...
the pain in the butt fro me has been getting the SMT perfectly alighned and setting the zero-stop for 90'.. once thats good you're golden.for a while at least lol..i have to move my saw around alot due to space constraints so i guess it gets out of whack from that or removing the SMT.

[Tom Miller]

...i made some masonite triangle templates fro degrees i use often....

Now there's some clear thinkin'!

Regards,
Tom

[Ken Weaver]

While I use the table numbers to get close, I don't rely on them any more than I do the tape on the rails for measurements. When I need accurate work, everything gets checked and double checked. If I don't, I cut the wrong side of the board disregarding the angle or measurement. I guess its a habit thing for me.

[LCHIEN]

While I use the table numbers to get close, I don't rely on them any more than I do the tape on the rails for measurements. When I need accurate work, everything gets checked and double checked. If I don't, I cut the wrong side of the board disregarding the angle or measurement. I guess its a habit thing for me.

That's true of everything measured or set in this hobby.
Especially in a piece of wood worth $10, OR worse,
a piece of wood I already have three hours invested in with the other cuts, routing and preparation.

[techmonkey]

I've got the picture. measure twice, etc. Sort of takes the sails out of the
"precision" buzzword in the name of the BT3100.
But here's a thought. One of you jig creators make a metal piece the attaches to the left side of the SMT that has predrilled holes for standard angles. It would key off the 0 deg. popup stop. You would add a second post pin to the SMT fence.
Or you could make V notches in the SMT table and some sort of gadget to attach to the SMT fence.
Or i could just buy a dual miter slot accessory table.

[gmack5]

[quote]"If I want 30 deg/60 deg. I buy another triangle. There is no way to cover many angles without more accessories and setup time. If I want a different angle that has a stop on the Incra gauge all I do is select it."[End Quote]

There is a thing called an "Adjustable Triangel" that would allow you to have ALL the Angles between "0" and "90" degrees. The cost would be something less than $25.00 for an 8" version, including shipping. That's a heck of a lot less than a Precision Miter Fence!
http://www.artstuff.net/staedtler_ad..._triangles.htm