How to Cut a 22.5 Degree Angle on a Miter Saw
If you want to know How to Cut a 22.5 Degree Angle on a Miter Saw, then you are precisely in the right place. In this article, I will teach you cutting the 22.5-degree angle on a miter saw. In addition to this, I will also teach you understanding the angles on the miter saw correctly.
After a short survey on different online platforms, I noticed most newbie woodworkers struggle with their miter saws. They can’t figure out the correct angles on their saw even after reading the numbers.
Understanding the numbers on your miter saw is very important. It is because some projects, such as picture framing, require cuts from different angles. If you don’t know how to make these cuts, you won’t finish the project.
I decided to write a detailed article on cutting a 22.5 degree angle on a miter saw. I am sure you must be excited; therefore, I won’t keep you waiting for longer.
Let’s learn how to cut a 22.5 degree angle on a miter saw in a step by step way.
If you are in a hurry and don’t want to read the full article then here is a quick summary for you.
Summary
How to Cut a 22.5 Degree Angle on a Miter Saw
- Step 1 Unlock the miter gauge
- Step 2 Select 45 Degree angle
- Step 3 Create a 45 Degree Jig
- Step 4 Clamp the jig to the saw table
- Step 5 put the wood piece under the blade inline with the jig
- Step 6 set the miter gauge to 22.5
- Step 7 make the cut
Things you will need for 22.5 Degree Angled Cut.
Before you start working on the project, there are a few things you will need. These items are essential as they can increase the perfection of the job in a significant way. Here is a list of items you will need during the project.
- A Miter Saw (10 inches or 12 inches)
- A decent Woodworking Blade (My choice)
- An angle finder for confirmation (Consider this one)
- A board that you want to cut
Understanding the Angles on the Miter Saw
Just as I mentioned earlier, most beginners struggling with finding the correct angles on a miter saw. You need to understand how it works, and once you figure it out, you will be able to finish the job with perfection.
I am going to teach you how to find the correct angle on a miter saw. As you all know, the miter saw has a rotating table that can turn up to certain degrees. In addition to this, there is a knob that locks the table and prevents it from turning unless you want to do it on purpose.
Once you unlock the table, you can rotate it freely in different directions and set it to certain angles. Now in front of the turning table, there is a scale with numbers printed on it. If you pay closer attention to these numbers, you will notice that they start from zero and go all the way to fifty on the left side of the turning handle.
This is the part where you need to understand these numbers and how a miter saw works. The 0 point of the scale is actually 90 degrees angle. As you start turning the table, you will reduce the angles.
Moving from 0 to 5 means you are reducing the angle by 5 degrees. If you move it to 30 it means you are subtracting 30 from 90 which means you will be making a 60 degree angle.
Understanding these angles will help you learn how to cut a 22.5 degree angle on a miter saw quickly.
The following picture explains how the will reduce as you start turning the table of the miter saw to the left.
How to Cut a 22.5 Degree Angle on a Miter Saw
I hope you won’t have any doubts in you mind about the miter saw angles now. Let’s learn how to make a 22.5 degree angle on a miter saw now.
Step 1 – Unlocking the turntable
the first thing to do is to unlock the turntable. You can do this with the help of the knob on your miter saw. Once you have unlocked the turntable, it should be free to move around without any issue.
Step 2 – Setting the Correct Angle
The next thing to do is to set the correct angle on your miter saw. There are different approaches to setting the correct angle on your miter saw. I love using a 45-degree jig as it allows cutting even acute angle without any issue at all.
Step 3 – Make a 45-degree JIG and Clamp it.
Take a piece of scrap wood and make a 45 degree jig. Once you have the piece, you will need to clamp it to the saw. You must be thinking why I need to make a jig to cut a 22.5 degree angle with a miter saw.
The thing is, a miter saw won’t let you cut acute angles easily. The jig will help you achieve your desired angle with a few calculations. Don’t worry; I have added a picture that explains how to deal with acute angles on a miter saw.
Step 4 – Power the Blade
Press the power button and let the blade of the saw reaches its full speed. Make sure you have placed the workpiece under the blade along with the clamped jig.
Step 5 – Start Cutting
Once the blade is rotating at full speed, descend it on the workpiece slowly and let it do the job.
Step 6 – Let The Blade Rest
Once you make the cut, don’t pull the saw right away. Instead, let the blade come to rest completely. It helps in preventing the miter saw kickback issues.
Important Tips to Keep in Mind
Here are a few tips from my side that may come in handy when making a 22.5 degree cut with a miter saw.
Follow Proper Safety
Only knowing how to make 22.5 degree cut on a miter saw won’t be enough. You need to follow the right safety precautions before you start working on the project.
Although we won’t talk in detail about the miter saw safety precautions but here are a few things you must ensure.
- Make sure you are wearing a protective mask
- Always make sure you are wearing goggles
- Avoid working on the project with bare hands
- Avoid wearing loose clothing or jewelry while working
- Make sure to clamp the piece and hold it securely
- Make sure to use the right type of blade
- Make sure the blade is not dull and can cut through the wood with ease.
- Put your hand away from the blade at least 6 inches from the blade
- Do proper calculations and confirm it before making the cut
Place the Saw Somewhere Secured.
Another common mistake that most people make is not placing the miter saw securely. Most beginners put their saw on tables that may start to shake during the operation. It may also vibrate the saw, and as a result, you will lose your accuracy.
In woodworking, accuracy is as essential as oxygen. Even the slightest cut that is off from the actual value will ruin the project sometimes. Therefore, I always recommend using a dedicated miter saw stand or a workbench. It helps to keep the saw and firmly and reduces the chances of inaccurate cuts.
Also Read – Why does my miter saw kickback?
Make Sure Your Miter Saw Is Squared
Before cutting any type of wood, you need to make sure whether your saw is squared or not. Although miter saws come with a scale printed on them, still instrumental errors are possible.
Sometimes the saw maybe a few degrees or minutes off at the bevel angles. You can check that with the help of a speed square. It is simple just place the square on the saw table and align it with the blade. If there is an error, the blade won’t align perfectly with the speed square’s perpendicular.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you join two pieces of wood at a 22.5 degree angle
Here is the right way to join two pieces of wood at a 22.5 degree angle.
- Make cleaner cuts using a miter saw
- Clean the surface if there is any saw dust or anything else
- Apply wood glue on surface of both pieces
- Take 4 clamps and secure the pieces perfectly with these clamps
How do you Construct a 22.5 Degree Angle
Being a professional woodworker, you will need to know how to construct different angles. These angles can help you in completing different projects with ultimate perfection. Here is an easy and step by step way to construct a 22.5-degree angle
- Make an arc using a compass
- Without changing the compass opening, cut the main arc with sub arcs
- It will give you a 60 degree and a 120-degree angle
- Bisect the 120-degree angle by putting compass needle at the intersections of 60 and 120
- Now bisect a 90-degree angle with the same technique
- Finally, bisect 45 degrees by putting the compass needle at 45 and 0 deg intersecting points
- You will have a 22.5-degree angle
How to Cut a 30 Degree Angle on a Miter Saw
In order to cut a 30 degree angle, you will need to make a 45 degree cut first. Use that 45 degree block as your jig and clamp it to the saw. After that you can adjust the miter gauge to 75 degrees.
Once you set it and make the cut you will automatically get a 30 degree cut. This is how you can make acute angles with a miter saw without any issue at all.
Final Thoughts
I know miter saw angles may seem a lot confusing. Especially when you are a beginner, you may not be able to know the true angles of the saw. It is because miter saws have their zero at the right angle to their fences. Therefore, a lot of newbies make a mistake while selecting their desired angle.
Apart from that, making some basic cuts won’t be a headache unless you want to work on some exceptional projects. Some projects may require a 22.5 degree angled cut; therefore, you must know how to cut a 22.5 degree angle on a miter saw.
After reading this article, I am sure you won’t have any problem while working on any kind of project that requires 22.5 degree angled cuts.
