The Miter Set for Segments Description. The mss is made from a block of aluminum approximately six inches by six inches. It has a miter slot down the middle of the block that runs from top to bottom. You can tell the bottom because it has the most blank space and if you run your fingers across this space you can feel some engraved writing. Also in this same area along the out side edge and about an inch from the bottom on each side is the hole for the pivot pins. They are easy to feel because there is no other holes a round them. The jig comes with two tapered steel pins. When using the jig one pin will always be in one of the pivot holes. Tip: If you put a pin in both pivot holes place your miter gage in the miter slot and slide it up against both pins this will zero out your miter gage. The face of the gage will be at a perfect ninety degrees to the miter slot.
The Miterset for segments is used to set the proper angle for your miter gage for cutting 4 to 20 segments. EG. An Octagon has eight sides so it would have eight segments and requires sixteen miter cuts.
There are positions for 15 segments because there is no position for nineteen.
Running down each side of the miter slot there are holes. If we could see there is a number next to each hole indicating the number of segments to be produced if the other pin is in that hole. Remember as I describe the patern I will be describing the right side of the jig. The left side is just a mirror image of the right side. You use the holes on the right side for left hand miters and the holes on the left side for right hand miters. What I mean by left and right hand miters is for a left hand miter the miter gage will be used in the left miter slot on your table saw and vice versa for the right. By doing this the face of your miter gage will be facing away from the saw blade. This is safer in my opinion.
Pin hole layout (right hand side). When you use the holes on the right side the pivot pin is positioned in the left pivot hole. For segments four thru thirteen the patern will resemble a greater than sign with the exception of seven which I will cover later. The holes are not in a perfect straight line because there is a slight arc to them. But as you follow the holes with your finger it will feel like a straight line. The first hole from the top of the jig is for four segments and is of course fourty five degrees and is right next to the miter slot. 5 6 and 8 run in order down and at an angle to the outside of the jig with eight being on the outside of the jig. This represents the point of the greater than sign. Nine is just below the eight. 9 10 11 12 and 13 run down at an angle and back to the inside of the jig with 13 being next to the miter slot. This forms the bottom of the greater than sign.
Here is where the patern changes just a little. Fourteen is back out to the outside and is just below nine. 15 16 17 18 and 20 run down at an angle back to the inside to the miter slot with twenty being next to the miter slot. This kind of gives the bottom of the greater than sign a double line. Remember there is no hole for nineteen. Now for that pesky seven. It is just about a half inch to the inside of the eight. So it is kind of in no mans land, but ironically makes it one of the easyest to find So 4, 13, and 20 run from top to bottom and are next to the miter slot. 8, 9, and 14 run from top to bottom and are on the outside of the jig.
Remember the left side of the jig is just a mirror image of the right. So instead of the pattern resembling a greater than sign with a double bottom line it resembles a less than sign. Trust me this will make since if you buy the jig. Note: This is just a jig for setting the proper angle of your miter gage and is not used in combination with your table saw. What I mean is there is nothing to fit in your saws miter slot. You can use this jig on your work bench set your gage and then take it to the table saw.
Tip: After you set your miter gage for the number of segments you want, you can copy the angle with a bevel and then use the bevel to set the angle for a miter saw. You could also cut a scrap piece of wood on the table saw and then use the scrap piece to set the angle on a miter saw. purchase here By Darrel Vickers
Dear Larry,
in January I had the need to do a seven sighted frame. After spending several days trying to sneak up on this very elusive angle I gave up. I began looking at the various options for setting the miter gauge. I even considered purchasing a very expensive miter gauge that would get with in half a degree and with sighted assistance down to very tiny increments. I then remembered something on our website and rediscovered the Miter Set, and I read through all of the materials. Then went to the website and confirmed that they were still in operation. I called and placed my order for both the angle and the segmentMiter Set. They arrived a few days later and I had my wife read through the instructions and describe the hole arrangement for cutting segments. I headed for the shop and using the Miter Set locked in my miter gauge for a seven segmented frame. Within minutes I had seven segments that came together perfectly.
I followed the recommendation and built a auxiliary fence for my miter gauge and attached a twelve inch aluminum tee slot that I can use to mount a stop block and holddown block using star knobs and ΒΌ inch T-bolts. This provided a dramatic increase in the accuracy of the segments and vastly improved the safety.
The Miter Set is reasonably priced, extremely accurate and its BLIND FRIENDLY ! My only regret is that I didn't discover it years ago.
Carroll Jackson