CROSS CUTTING
Cutting against the grain, to shorten the length of a board
is crosscutting. With some smaller-sized and rectangular
pieces, you often have the choice of ripping or crosscut-
ting. Always use the miter gauge,
, when crosscutting;
never cut a piece unsupported. The miter gauge may be
used in either slot, but most operators prefer the left
groove for typical work. When the blade is tilted for bevel
cutting, use the table slot that does not cause interference
with your hand or the saw blade guard.
To begin crosscutting, place the work on the miter gauge
and, with the motor OFF, slide it up close to the blade to
align the outer edges of the teeth with your cut mark,
.
Keep a firm grip as you pull the miter gauge and the
wood back away from the blade. Lower the blade guard,
turn on the saw and make the cut. When the work is cut
through, move one or both cut pieces — if long enough
to handle without danger — immediately off to the side,
away from the turning blade. Turn off the motor.
BEVEL CROSS CUTTING
This procedure is the same as cross cutting except that the blade is set to an angle other than 0. After changing the
bevel angle, verify the alignment of the guard and splitter and verify that there is clearance with the saw blade.
ADJUSTING THE MITER GAUGE
The miter gauge supplied with your saw has accurately adjusted
index stops at 90° and 45° to the right and left, with a 30° maximum.
To use a setting other than 90°, loosen the lock knob,
, by turning
it counter-clockwise, flip down the stop-lock tab,
, rotate the miter
head to 45°, or any angle shown on the numerical guide. Turn the
lock knob clockwise to tighten it.
To check the accuracy of the miter gauge’s factory settings, set it at
90° and check it with an L-square or T-square. To verify the setting,
make a test cut in scrap stock and then use a square to check the
cut piece.
If the miter gauge needs adjusting, manually turn the head so the
pointer is where you think it ought to be, tighten the lock knob and
loosen the nut,
. Turn the adjusting screw until it touches the stop-
lock tab. Tighten down the nut. Recheck the angle by making
another test cut. Repeat, if necessary, until a true 90° is achieved.