Calibrating a 12in sliding miter saw

[ronnie]

I bought a 12in sliding miter saw from Harbor freight. I am having problems calibrating it. I put a square beside the blade and adjusted it and It looks real close. But when I cut two 45s and put them together They are not square. What can I do? I adjusted the blade a the 45 degree and the 0 degree. They both look close..

Any advise would be appreciated

Thanks.........................

[PaulMarcel]

Normally the manual will list how to calibrate the stops. My SCSM has positive detents at +/-45. The theory is that i can move the fence sides (each independent) until I get dead-square cuts from either side of the fence. Once that happens, the detents are supposed to be correct. On mine, they are close, but not completely.

So, check your manual. Next, see if there are bolts behind the fence that allow you to position the fence and use that to get one side dead-nuts on 90. Then try the 45 detent on that side. If it is off, you'll have to see how to adjust the detent. As mine was good enough, I never looked under the deck. Likely it is something you could adjust. Key is 90 first. Then repeat for the second side.

Tedious, but you need to do it to virtually all sub-$1,000 SCSMs

[Bombarde16]

Try checking the fence itself.

The two faces of the fence on mine (10" Dewalt, non-sliding compound) weren't in a straight line. I took the fence off, set it face down on two blocks and jumped on it until they were. Fixed all the problems and it cuts perfect 45s now.