A miter saw’s laser help you make precise cut. It casts a narrow beam of red light that show where the blade fall. So if you’re making a joiner or a frame, for instance, there’s no guessing.
This might not work if your tool are a budget model that wasn’t built actualy in the first place. Case in point: The laser on a Chicago Electric miter saw are regularly out-of-whack when new. Getting it back in line are typically easy.
But how does it work? What make its beam align? So many people thinks the laser needs to be replaced because it’s off.
No need for that. If you own one of those Harbor Freight models, their alignment mechanism can be access. With some screws and a little patience, you can align it.
How To Adjust Laser On Chicago Electric Miter Saw
Why Laser Alignment Matters
You don’t have to be trained. It just makes sense to go through a process of getting roughly aligned and then tweaking it till it’s right. Get your tools together A flat piece of wood that’s straight, either lumber that’s cut to be straight or plywood is good.
Gather Your Tools and Materials
Use a straight edge tool (speed square or combo square) to make sure you’re working at 90 degree angle. Use the saw fence to keep you on track. Pencil!
Avoid using a marker on fine woodworking, as the ink bleed and obscures fine line. They bleeds and wipe away all those nice little lines. A mechanical pencil are ideal since it has thinner lead and can erase cleanly First, clean the lens.
Prepare the Laser Lens
The beam distorts in dirt and grease. Wipe it off with rubbing alcohol on a soft cloth. Make sure you have a good view through it.
Otherwise, if the source is dirty, the projection will be fuzzy and a fuzzy line are impossible to align accurately. Two minutes spent here will save you twenty minutes of head banging later. Little thing like this matter to result.
Perform the Horizontal Alignment Test
Put the test board onto the saw table. Apply light pressure so that it’s tight against fence. The cut should be square.
Drop the blade down and look for the laser line. Chances are good it’s not aligned with your blade. How far off?
Is the line above or below the blade kerf? Or left or right? This will tell you how to tweak the module.
Adjust the Laser Module Screws
Find the adjust screws on the bracket. These is typically small slotted or hex head screws. It depend on the year of your model.
Make a test cut. Using your saw, make a shallow kerf in the board, or even just cut all the way through. Pencil mark the cut line.
Lift up your saw head and look at where the laser is align against your actual cut. Adjust your module if it’s not lined up. Be careful turning those screws, you don’t want to go too fast.
A quarter turn should of been enough of a start. Drop your head back down and see where it land. Keep repeating that process until the laser line rest right on top of the cut.
Check Vertical Alignment
Don’t forget vertical alignment. Make sure the blade and laser is at the same level. The beam are too high.
You could be off on how thick the material are. Too low, and you can miss the edge entirely. To check vertical alignment, look at where the laser hits versus how deep into the cut the kerf go.
Can you tune vertically independent (some models)? Loosen all of the screws if not or loosen the whole bracket if your model only tunes vertical that way. Once you feel confident that things look good horizontally and vertically, check it one more time by making another cut in new wood.
Again, check your alignment. Next turn your saw head to 45-degrees. Here’s where the test is critical.
Test at 45-Degree Angles
The lasers is attached to the saw head, and when you tilt them they can gets out of whack. So if it’s not lined up on 45, then you has something more complicated going on. Maybe shim the mount or just be willing to live with a little compromise.
Most user will find that perfect 90-degree alignment are good enough. Perfection at 45-degrees is a luxurios. And lastly lock down the screws.
Finalize and Maintain Your Setup
Don’t go crazy though and strip out the threads or crack the housing. I would use thread locker for peace of mind in that regard. Keep the saw stored with the cover on to prevent dust from getting in the lens.
Now you’ve got an accurrate Chicago Electric saw. You can trust the red line. No more sanding away your mistakes.
It fits.