Uploaded January 2026 | Updated September 2026, 14 hours ago
This miter arm is easily my most-used jig on the table saw...it’s fast, accurate, and when it’s set, my cuts are right on. But there’s a flaw that shows up when you’re cutting short pieces from long stock...and then accuracy isn’t the real problem...control is.
When you’re fighting the size of a long board, you struggle with leverage, and you end up relying more on luck and hope.
In this video, I build a Miter Bar Reference Guide that lets me reference from the opposite side of the miter bar. The finished result is a simple, repeatable reference that allows long boards to be supported, avoids trapped cutoffs, and makes crosscutting safer...without sacrificing accuracy.
I walk through the full build, including:
• how the sliding reference works
• why the reference pivots out of the way before each cut
• how blade thickness isn't a problem (thin kerf, full kerf, or dado stack)
• why fiber washers are best for pivots and surfaces
• and how to make repeatable cuts using an sliding arm instead of a zero stop
All materials are listed on the website, including any wood blocks, dowels, or spacers are simple shop-made parts sized to fit.
Thanks so much for watching, and thank you to my patrons for helping make the website possible.
Website (step by step/tools & materials used) → makethingswithrob.com/miter-bar-reference-guide
Playlist of all bitesize tips used → youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEBXNh1Ik9Fkw18DDBsm4liTO5EzfMBcD
Become a patron! → patreon.com/makethings ←
Huge thank you to my patrons that keep this thing going!
*MAKER TEAM*
Michelle B
Keith Current
Rich Lightfoot
Tutor the Barbarian
Aubrey G.
Nukebert
Sam W.
Aaron Knows DIY
G. Salazar
David B.
Marc B.
Richard B.
Ben. K
Bill Patterson
Make Things
00:00 Intro
00:39 1. Materials
01:22 2. Miter track holes
01:56 3. Reference block
04:43 4. Slide measurement arm
06:36 5. Tapping the arm
07:57 6. Arm to size
08:31 7. Bitner nut
09:02 8. Example
09:49 Credits
#LetsMakeThings #makethigns
This miter arm is easily my most-used jig on the table saw...it’s fast, accurate, and when it’s set, my cuts are right on. But there’s a flaw that shows up when you’re cutting short pieces from long stock...and then accuracy isn’t the real problem...control is.
When you’re fighting the size of a long board, you struggle with leverage, and you end up relying more on luck and hope.
In this video, I build a Miter Bar Reference Guide that lets me reference from the opposite side of the miter bar. The finished result is a simple, repeatable reference that allows long boards to be supported, avoids trapped cutoffs, and makes crosscutting safer...without sacrificing accuracy.
I walk through the full build, including:
• how the sliding reference works
• why the reference pivots out of the way before each cut
• how blade thickness isn't a problem (thin kerf, full kerf, or dado stack)
• why fiber washers are best for pivots and surfaces
• and how to make repeatable cuts using an sliding arm instead of a zero stop
All materials are listed on the website, including any wood blocks, dowels, or spacers are simple shop-made parts sized to fit.
Thanks so much for watching, and thank you to my patrons for helping make the website possible.
Website (step by step/tools & materials used) → makethingswithrob.com/miter-bar-reference-guide
Playlist of all bitesize tips used → youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEBXNh1Ik9Fkw18DDBsm4liTO5EzfMBcD
Become a patron! → patreon.com/makethings ←
Huge thank you to my patrons that keep this thing going!
*MAKER TEAM*
Michelle B
Keith Current
Rich Lightfoot
Tutor the Barbarian
Aubrey G.
Nukebert
Sam W.
Aaron Knows DIY
G. Salazar
David B.
Marc B.
Richard B.
Ben. K
Bill Patterson
Make Things
00:00 Intro
00:39 1. Materials
01:22 2. Miter track holes
01:56 3. Reference block
04:43 4. Slide measurement arm
06:36 5. Tapping the arm
07:57 6. Arm to size
08:31 7. Bitner nut
09:02 8. Example
09:49 Credits
#LetsMakeThings #makethigns
