How to Use a Table Saw to Make Perfect Crosscuts

Set the miter gauge perfectly square to the blade

The key to accurate right-angle cuts is to square up the miter gauge to the saw blade. Don’t trust the angle indicators on the gauge; they’re far too sloppy. Instead, go to an art supply or woodworking store and buy a 45-degree drafting triangle. Set one side against the blade and align the gauge to the other side.

Be sure the side of the triangle against the blade falls between the teeth tight to the blade “plate.” For greater accuracy, have the blade cranked all the way up so you’re squaring to the widest part of the blade. Choose a straight 1×2 or 1×3 board at least 12 in. long for the extension fence.

Sometimes, you’ll need a longer fence— but more on that later. Screw the fence to the miter gauge, with the right side projecting a few inches past the saw blade. All miter gauges have a pair of screw holes or slots for this purpose. Choose screws short enough so they don’t penetrate all the way through the wood.

Steps 4 and 5 show you how to test the accuracy of and fine-tune your miter gauge setting. You’ll find that even tiny adjustments have a big effect.

Square the miter gauge handle

Loosen the handle on the miter gauge and square it to the saw blade with a drafting square, then retighten the handle.

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Attach an extension fence

Screw an extension fence to the miter gauge from the back side.

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Saw off the end of the fence

Start the saw and cut off the end of the extension fence.

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Test cut a piece of wood

Hold a 4-in.-wide test piece against the fence, start the saw and push the wood through the blade. Shut off the saw and remove the two halves.

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Examine the test pieces

Flip one half over and butt the cut edges together against the rip fence. A gap shows that the miter gauge is slightly off. Adjust it and retest.

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Make Precise Square Cuts

To make precise square cuts, start by rough-cutting long boards a few inches longer than the final length, with either a circular or a miter saw. (Boards longer than 4 ft. are awkward to cut on a table saw.) Then raise or lower the blade so it’s about 1/8 in. higher than the board’s thickness.

Position the factory end of the board just past the end of the extension fence so the blade will just shave it, and then start the saw. Always recut factory ends; they’re rarely perfectly square. Hold the board snugly against the fence and slowly push it through the blade. After each cut, slide the board away from the blade and turn off the saw before you remove cutoff pieces.

Now mark the exact length at the other end and align that mark with the end of the extension fence. Then, make the final cut.

Align the board with the fence

Mark the board for length and align the mark with the end of the extension fence.

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Cut the board

Start the saw, hold the board firmly against the fence and push the board completely past the saw blade.

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Remove the cutoff piece

Pull the board away from the blade, then shut off the saw and remove the cutoff piece from the other side.

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Make accurate 45-degree miter cuts

Perfect miters are almost as easy as crosscuts. Start by setting the miter gauge to 45 degrees.

Mount an extension fence, moving it toward the blade far enough to cut the end at a 45-degree angle. Then, make the fine cuts on your material. Hold your material very tight; the saw blade will try to pull it offline. In general, it’s best to make all your miter cuts first, and then any square cuts at the opposite end, where it’s easier to be accurate.

For the kind of extreme accuracy needed for complete squares such as picture frames, cut two test boards, push the miters tightly together and check the assembly with a drafting square. If it’s not perfect, adjust the miter gauge and repeat. Again, it only takes very small adjustments to make big differences.

Set the miter gauge to 45 degrees

Raise the blade and set the miter gauge to 45 degrees, using the drafting square. Then, mount an extension fence to the miter gauge.

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Cut the board at an angle

Hold the board very firmly against the fence and push the board through the blade to make the cut.

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Cut long boards with support

Any board much over 4 ft. long is tougher to cut accurately because the table on the saw will no longer support it. As you struggle to keep it flat on the table, it often binds in the blade. Clamp a piece of plywood or closet shelving (the slippery edge helps the wood slide) to the top of a sawhorse.

To adjust the height of the support board, hold a level or a straightedge flat to the table until the board is even with the table top. Resist the temptation to have a buddy support the other end while you push it through the blade. That’s dangerous. Avoid that dicey human element.

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Perfect crosscuts on thick stock

Cutting newel posts, table legs or other thick stock to length has to be done in two steps. Set up your fence exactly as before. A higher fence, at least two-thirds the thickness of the wood, gives better support. Then the trick is to make a first cut halfway through and flip the wood over to finish the cut.

With this technique, the blade guard will block the wood from going all the way through the blade. You’ll have to remove it for this task, so cut with caution. Be sure to keep your fingers well away from the blade while you make the cuts.

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Make multiple, identical cuts

When you’re building a cabinet, a piece of furniture or nearly any other project, just about every component will need a matching partner (or several partners) of identical length. The trick is to cut the first board at exactly the right length and then use it to establish a stop block to cut all the others. Here are two techniques for that process: one for short boards and one for long ones.

Short boards
If boards will be shorter than 18 in. or so, it’s best to use a slightly longer extension fence and clamp a stop block to the fence. Cut a slight angle on the stop block. That’ll keep saw dust from accumulating between the block and the board. Sawdust buildup will result in boards that are just a wee bit on the short side.

Long boards
It’s impractical to have an unwieldy extra-long fence to cut long identical boards. Instead, clamp a secondary fence above the boards and clamp a stop block on the end of that fence as shown in the second photo below. Select an extension fence stock that’s tall enough to handle both the thickness of the board and the clamp for the secondary fence. A 1-1/2-in. x 3/4-in. board works well for the secondary fence.

Attach a stop block to the fence

Cut a board to the exact length, align one end with the fence end and clamp an angled stop block to the fence. Push each board against the stop block and make the cut.

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Attach a stop block to a secondary fence

Clamp a stop block on the end of a long secondary fence. Adjust the position of the secondary fence and clamp it to the extension fence. Then, cut long boards to length.

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