# miters (45') with a smile . . .



## TomCT2 (May 16, 2014)

typically I do a fair amount of "banding" on edges - which most often entails 45' bevels / miters on the corners.

it can be a PITA to keep changing the miter gauge back&forth. in the pix below it's just a rectangular banding so one can just 'flip' it - but if there's any profile then one needs to change the miter set up. often I do a quarter-round over on the edge before glue up - which means changing the miter set up . . .

anyway - picked up a Rockler "fixed miter" - it was about $12 as I recall. fibre reinforced plastic, set screws to adjust for the gauge slot, can be drilled for "extensions" - etc etc - all that nice marketing fluff.

well - if you need to do mitering a bunch - this is a cute tool that will ease/speed the set up issue. being light weight / non bulky / non-sticky one can shave off mini-mini-mini slices with ease. highly recommended - it's accurate and non-flimsy.

on these thin edgings, I use a 10" - 80 tooth blade.


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## woodchux (Jul 6, 2014)

Many "Thanks" Tom for sharing your tried & testing of the Rockler fixed miter accessory. Sometimes WW members can give a "hands on" review that is much better info than from the manufacturer. Be safe.


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## Kerrys (May 2, 2016)

Thanks for the review. However, I searched for this accessory without success. Do you have a link to it?


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## Toolman50 (Mar 22, 2015)

Thanks for the info. I need one of these. Needed it today in fact.


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## TomCT2 (May 16, 2014)

the link is
http://www.rockler.com/45-degree-miter-sled
either the price went up or my memory went out . . . 

a lot of stuff like that tends to the gadget side - but this one is dead duck easy and is very handy, if you do much in the 45' cornering department . . .


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*The price is for ....*



TomCT2 said:


> the link is
> http://www.rockler.com/45-degree-miter-sled
> either the price went up or my memory went out . . .
> 
> a lot of stuff like that tends to the gadget side - but this one is dead duck easy and is very handy, if you do much in the 45' cornering department . . .


For $26.00 you get to cut both angles, for $12.00 you just get one side .... :surprise2::wink2:











just kiddin'


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

If you need one really quick, make it yourself, it can't be that hard to make one accurate. I am going to give it a try to see if I can make one. Thanks for the heads up, that is a nice tool.


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## TomCT2 (May 16, 2014)

the tricky part of a DYI is making the doohickie for the slot - I'm working on finding a source of scrap Corian counter top material - wood is 'easy' but it swells/shrinks/etc which means checking/calibrating/adjusting/squaring up every time I want to use it.

using something stable like Corian would mean just getting 'whatever' attached square to the slot.
or, if you're into hacks like me.... make it oversize and cut it on the saw - instant parallel..... need different jig for left and right as the distance blade to slot is not the same on my Delta, but heh, no biggie.... it's all being made with scrap from some other project.

I'm a one dust maker hobby shop - most everything I do is 'one off' so I wind up with a lot of odd-ball thingies for the power machinery.... now and then I actually get to reuse it!


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

I am looking at this and wondering how it is better than my stock Delta miter gauge with the 45 - 90 degree stops?


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## TomCT2 (May 16, 2014)

Frank -

I agree, it isn't any 'better' - the benefit is set-up and side-to-side swapping is easier / faster / zero tedium. 

one possible "better" point may be it's low mass and low effort movement - which I find makes nibbling half-a-hair off a 45' significantly easier/more accurate compared to a big sled or even a wood faced miter gauge.


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

TomCT2 said:


> Frank -
> 
> I agree, it isn't any 'better' - the benefit is set-up and side-to-side swapping is easier / faster / zero tedium.
> 
> one possible "better" point may be it's low mass and low effort movement - which I find makes nibbling half-a-hair off a 45' significantly easier/more accurate compared to a big sled or even a wood faced miter gauge.


Fair Enough. :smile3:


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## sanchez (Feb 18, 2010)

I have one of those too. I think it's worth the $25. It's better than me spending precious shop time to make one.

I leave it on the same side of the blade. I cut my pieces using the front side of the jig first, then the back side.

The last time I used it was for mitered cabinet doors for the basement. They turned out great.


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## Brian(J) (Feb 22, 2016)

TomCT2 said:


> Frank -
> 
> I agree, it isn't any 'better' - the benefit is set-up and side-to-side swapping is easier / faster / zero tedium.
> 
> one possible "better" point may be it's low mass and low effort movement - which I find makes nibbling half-a-hair off a 45' significantly easier/more accurate compared to a big sled or even a wood faced miter gauge.


I have a slider table saw and keep it tuned to a high degree of accuracy, both 90 degree and 45. Instead of moving and resetting the miter gauge I make a jig somewhat like the one shown and then can switch from 90 to 45 or whatever very quickly. 
If you use a sled it is a bit like a slider, you would be able to have 45's that snap in and out of either side to make these miters very quickly. 

I use a Lamb Square (http://tinyurl.com/z8ocs9k) to set the various angles and to calibrate back to 90 when I use the miter square, which is an Osbourne E3 (http://tinyurl.com/hpebuwm) fixed in place on the slide.


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