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Just Wondering Just Wondering is offline
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Default 5-cut method misconception

On 10/2/2013 9:10 AM, Leon wrote:
On 10/2/2013 7:25 AM, wrote:
***The below is referring to the 5-cut method of squaring a table saw
sled fence to 90 degrees.

Unless I am mistaken, it is a misconception to think that the 5-cut
method squares your table saw blade to the sled fence. What it really
does is square your fence to 90 degrees of the direction of travel
(miter track). If the blade was angled by a small amount the process
would still align the fence 90 degrees to the direction of sled travel.

If the table saw blade were a cutting laser projecting 90 degrees to
the table, the 5-cut method would still work. Because this is true,
the thought that the 5-cut method squares your fence 90 degrees to a
blade can not be true.

Am I missing something? I know it's picky but it makes me cringe when
people make that claim.



Your thoughts are mostly correct. With the assumption that the saw is
set up precisely to begin with, the 5 cut works for squaring the miter
fence to the blade "ONLY" if the blade is parallel to the miter guide
slot to begin with. It does this by squaring the miter fence to the
direction of travel, therefore the blade is square to the miter fence also.

If you blade is parallel to the miter slot to start with it works, if
not it does not.


You are supposed to square the blade to the miter slot first.