Contractor told me my miter saw cuts were off by 2 degrees

Guy came to check my baseboard work and pulled out a digital protractor. Showed me every joint was off just enough to gap. Switched to a zero-clearance insert and a new Diablo blade and now my corners actually close up tight. Anyone else had a pro call them out on something small like that?

2 comments

2 Comments

diana3145d ago

And actually 2 degrees is pretty massive for baseboard work, that's way more than just a small thing. A good blade and stable insert makes a shocking difference though, I've seen guys swap blades and suddenly their miter station stops lying to them. Did he show you how much the blade wobble was contributing before you switched it out?

rowanc295d ago

You mentioned "stable insert" and that got me thinking about something I don't see folks talk about much. It's not just the insert itself but how the saw is actually bolted down to whatever it's sitting on. I've been in shops where guys have a brand new saw with a perfect blade and zero wobble but they've got it sitting on a wobbly workbench or a stand that flexes every time they push through a cut. That two degree thing you mentioned? Sometimes half of that is from the saw shifting slightly under pressure and not from the blade at all. I always tell people to check their mounting surface before they start swapping blades or adjusting fence angles. It sounds basic but you'd be surprised how many people overlook it. The insert is important sure but if the whole saw is dancing around your angles are gonna be garbage no matter what.