The day I realized my miter saw was off by a solid 3 degrees

I've been cutting crown molding for years using a coping saw and never understood why my corners always had tiny gaps. Last week my buddy Dave pointed out my saw's detent plate was loose (like, really loose). Has anyone else had a revelation about a tool they thought they knew inside and out?

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davis.keith2mo ago

That hits close to home. I spent three years building a deck and wondering why my railings looked like they were designed by a drunk carpenter. Turns out my square was off by about two degrees and I never thought to check it. You just assume a tool is good to go straight out of the box or after years of use. The funny part is I used that square to check my other tools, so basically I was just making bad cuts with bad measurements. At least with crown molding the gaps can blend in if you're generous with the caulk.

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john6482mo ago

Well, at least you had caulk. I used duct tape once.

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