Now this is a miter gauge...

The tiny miter scale on the hub of my radial-arm saw leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to accuracy. A very small angular error at the hub can have a huge effect at the end of the yoke. Because I use my radial-arm saw to cut segmented rings and barrel staves, accuracy counts, so here's my solution.

I made an angle gauge by attaching a 3/4 x 1" stop to one edge of a piece of 3/4" plywood sized to fit on the right side of my saw table. Then I set this aside.

Next, I went through my normal trial-and-error process of finding the precise miter angle for the segments I was about to cut. Once satisfied, I returned my blank gauge to the saw table, placing the stop against the tabletop and the adjacent edge against the saw's fence, as shown below. With the blade set to cut 1/2" deep, I fired up the saw and made an index cut the full length of the yoke. I then repeated the angle-finding and index-cutting process for other angles I use frequently.

To use the gauge, I simply place it in position on the saw table, pull the saw head out to the end of the yoke, swing the yoke until the blade lines up with the correct index cut, and lock the yoke. The time on the initial setup was well spent, and I get perfect joints every time.

–Dee Baxter, Murphys, Calif.