wrote

Aluminum. Wingnuts. Sliding. All these things scream "alignment" to me.

Not really. The aluminum part that moves is up against the heavy casting
that is the part that securely locks to the saw. Once you have the casting
set, the aluminum repeats accurately (it is metal on metal with nothing to
let it become inaccurate) when it is tightened against the casting.

I usually keep mine accuratly adjusted to under a 32nd of an inch, and it
stays there for a long period of time. It takes something hitting it really
hard to knock it out of adjustment.

I don't understand people that get out a tape measure to check their setting
for every single cut. I set up my machine and scale to cut what I set it
on, and go to town. If I really need a super accurate cut, I check the
setting with a trial cut on a scrap. It is nearly always what I had the
scale set on.
--
Jim in NC