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Thread: Turn your old miter saw into a precision compound miter sander

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
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    Southern California
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    Turn your old miter saw into a precision compound miter sander

    Just thought I'd share a solution for creating perfect mitered corners I came up with since that is something people often ask about.

    I am installing some wainscot right now that has a ton of small moulding parts that have to be mitered. Since the trim is small it can easily be torn up with a miter saw and although good results can be had using a shooting block with hand plane when you're cutting and fitting 70 parts, the charm of doing things the traditional way wears thin. When I am woodworking in my shop, I tend to cut mitered parts to close to final length and finish up with a disk sander but even that has its draw backs because there's a gap between the miter bar and the spinning disk and if you're not careful the part you're precision sanding can flex.

    So what am I getting to??? Thinking about the number of small pieces to be fitted, I had decided to pick up a disk sander to drag around when I'm doing woodworking out of my shop. When HF's shipment didn't come in yesterday, I started thinking about alternatives and then the idea of using a sanding disk in a miter saw struck me. It works wonderfully and I'm stoked.

    I have an older Delta 10" compound miter saw that I don't really use any longer and I also have a 10" sanding disk I bought for use in my table saw that I also don't use since I have a stationary disk sander. The sanding disk is a metal plate like a saw blade but without teeth and it has adhesive backed sandpaper applied to it. Together, I have a very useful precision miter sander that is both accurate and portable. Now, I cut my parts to rough length - if they're really small, I can snip them with large wire cutters, and then with the miter sander in the locked down position simply slide the part into the spinning disk and watch as the part quickly and efficiently removes the waste and sands down to the desired mark.

    What is neat about using a miter saw as a miter sander is that now I also have a compound sander. Its not limited to 45 and 90 degrees and if your miter saw is in tune, it will be highly accurate. Just thought I'd share it with others who are interested...of course after I already sent in the tip to Fine Woodworking Magazine yesterday I picked up a deadman pedal so that I can hold the part I'm sanding with two hands and not have to pull the saw's trigger. My only other suggestion is if you try it, watch your fingers.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
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    Clifton Springs New York
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    77
    Very ingenius Paul, wish I had an old saw. Im hoping to get a Grizzly combo sander hopefully that will full fill my needs.

    Jim
    I started out with nothing and I have most of it left

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Cape Cod, Ma
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    762
    Great idea, Paul. The only sad thing is that I just gave away an old mitre saw!

    Lou
    Procrastination.......

    Maybe I'll think about that tomorrow

  4. Hi Paul,

    I think your application ingenious--I've used the sanding discs for table saws before with a near-zero clearance insert and a sled. Same thing only different.

    But I've also used a Lion Miter Trimmer for the same task and while it is a manual operation, it is also a good tool to use for outside corner trimming of moldings. And is pretty portable.

    Coping is still better for inside corners and is fairly quick and the results long lasting through the seasonal expansion/contraction.

    Take care, Mike

  5. #5
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    Jul 2003
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    Wixom, MI
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    Same here, Lou. This tip came about two weeks late.

    Great idea, Paul! I'm sure it will get put to good use by more than just you.

    - Keith

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
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    Southern California
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Wenzloff
    Hi Paul,

    I think your application ingenious--I've used the sanding discs for table saws before with a near-zero clearance insert and a sled. Same thing only different.

    But I've also used a Lion Miter Trimmer for the same task and while it is a manual operation, it is also a good tool to use for outside corner trimming of moldings. And is pretty portable.

    Coping is still better for inside corners and is fairly quick and the results long lasting through the seasonal expansion/contraction.

    Take care, Mike
    Mike, I cope all my inside corners on crown and I never miter anything except outside corners so I agree that coping is the way to go for inside corners. However, coping starts with a mitered corner still and you can't cope an outside corner. I wasn't thinking of crown when I suggested this tip. I was thinking more of something like fitting rabbeted panel moulding to a rail and stile wainscot wall or running base shoe around a floor. If you've done this kind of work, you'll know that you make a cut and go to nail it in and discover that you need to take a little bit off or need to tweak the mitered end to close a gap. Choices are to use a shooting block and plane, hand sand it, try to re-cut it on the miter saw, etc OR just buzz a little off the end using this technique.

    I've got a combination Grizzly disk and spindle sander for the shop. Its a stationary power tool and it gets used a lot. This is an answer to having a tool outside the shop that provides the precision and control of a disk sander with a bonus of having quick and accurate miter stops.

    ps This is a motorized Lion Trimmer with miter stops and instead of taking only paper thin slices off the end, a person can buzz off inches of an end in seconds if needed. A Lion Trimmer depends on starting with stock that is already close to size and just slicing off the end working like a hand plane or meat slicer.
    Last edited by Paul Comi; 04-14-2006 at 10:38 AM.

  7. Hi Paul,

    Like I said, ingenious use of the miter saw. Wasn't arguing at all there. Just giving the readers another view towards other portable tools.
    ps This is a motorized Lion Trimmer with miter stops and instead of taking only paper thin slices off the end, a person can buzz off inches of an end in seconds if needed. A Lion Trimmer depends on starting with stock that is already close to size and just slicing off the end working like a hand plane or meat slicer.
    But like you said originally, you cut close to the length.
    I tend to cut mitered parts to close to final length and finish up with a disk sander ...
    ...OR just buzz a little off the end using this technique.
    Inches isn't a requirement, just a capacity. The only people I've seen carry a section of molding to fit that was too long by inches is a new worker--and more often than not they've cut it too short. They need a board stretcher...

    I've installed countless feet of moldings, picture rails, crowns, base and chair rails using nothing more than a saw in a good miter box, a coping saw and a miter trimmer. I've found the motorized approach no faster, but I also use a CMS. I may even try the sanding disc.

    Take care, Mike<!-- / message --><!-- edit note -->

  8. #8
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    May 2004
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    N Illinois
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    Great idea...Thanks for sharing
    Jerry

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    Southern California
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    Someone mentioned adding a psa sanding disk to the side of a fine finish blade in my primary miter saw. Make the cut, then sand to the line or test and come back for tweaks by sanding. As long as the thickness of the paper on the side of the blade is "covered" by the kerf of the blade that idea sounds like a winner as well.

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