Hands-on Review of the Craftsman MiterMate Miter Saw

There are quite a few questions about the new Craftsman 21226 MiterMate miter saw that we set out to address with a full no-holds barred hands-on review. Is the MiterMate gimmicky? Overly complex? Awkward and clumsy? Or is it as innovative and functional as Craftsman advertises?

Keep reading for our full review of the MiterMate, or skip ahead to the summary for our conclusions and recommendations. You may also want to check out our recent introductory post of the saw for a detailed write-up of its features and specs.

MiterMate Initial Setup

After unpacking the Craftsman MiterMate, as with any new miter saw, our first step was to check the alignment of the fence and blade, and to make any necessary adjustments. To our pleasant surprise, the saw was square and true straight out of the box.

This is not to say that the saw was immediately ready to go, however. During our initial inspection of the saw, we noticed that the left V-fence locking tab was rather tight, while the right fence lock was very loose. This was fairly easy to correct by loosening/tightening the respective adjustment bolts at the underside of the saw.

It is reassuring to know that, should the fence locking tabs loosen up over time, readjustment would be quick and easy.

MiterMate V-Fence

The main distinction of Craftsman’s MiterMate is its unique V-fence system, which was designed to be used to create perfectly matched miter joints. For such a perfect joint, one piece of molding is cut alongside the left fence, and another alongside the right fence. The two pieces are then installed with a perfect mirror-image miter joint where they meet.

After ensuring that the saw was properly squared up, we turned our attention to examine the MiterMate’s V-fence system. What we found was that both sides of the V-fence are independently adjustable, allowing for quick and easy setup and reconfiguration.

V-Fence Adjustment & the Angle Finder Tool

Each side of the V-fence featured two adjustments, one for their pivot angles, and the other for slide positions.

First, let’s take a look at the angle adjustments. Each side features a 0 to 45° range, with stops at 0°, 15°, 22.5°, 30°, 31.6°, and 45°. If you should need or want to cut miters at intermediate angles, you can disengage the detent lock at the rear of each fence.

This is an image of the adjustment controls at the rear of the two fence components. As you can see, this area is a bit cramped, and can pose a finger-pinch hazard if you’re not careful. The over-ride lever is used to disengage the detent mechanism to allow for intermediate angles, and the thumbwheel is used to lock and unlock the fence faces for slide adjustment.

Each V-fence face is constructed from textured aluminum, and can slide along a track to accommodate larger pieces of molding or lumber. Longer lengths of molding supported alongside one fence will then pass through between the opposite fence and the saw’s bevel adjustment, allowing you to place your cut exactly where you want it.

Angle Finder Tool

Included with the MiterMate is an angle finder tool which is intended to eliminate the need to manually measure and calculate the angles at which molding must be cut. Once the tool is used to measure the angle needed for a joint, it can transfer the angle setting to the saw for quick and easy setup.

The angle finder tool’s paddles pivot easily and smoothly, and are easily adjusted to measure both inside and outside corners. Once the tool is perfectly aligned with the two sides of an edge or corner, a thumb wheel allows the angle of the paddles to be locked in place.

Once the angle finder tool is set and locked in, it is placed into the center recess of the saw and slid forward. The angle of the MiterMate’s V-fence is then adjusted to match the angle finder’s paddles, and both fence faces are locked into place. Remove and stow the angle finder tool, and the saw is ready.

The handle of the angle finder is made of a very solid-feeling plastic, and its smooth-faced paddles are made from lightweight aluminum. We’re fairly judgmental about accessories that are essential to the operation of the tools they accompany, and this initially made us somewhat skeptical about the quality of the angle finder and its partial plastic construction. However, after handling the angle finder for a bit and seeing how sturdy it feels, we dismissed any concerns about it being prone to easy damage.

Ultimately, we feel that the angle finder tool can definitely reduce saw setup time for many users, and not only that, it should greatly reduce the number of mistakes and miss-cuts, leading to less waste.

Although the angle finder tool is designed to perfectly match and integrate with the V-fence system, its use is not necessary for the setup and operation of the saw. In other words, those who prefer to make miter cuts according to manual angle measurements and calculations could still use the MiterMate with its innovative V-fence to its full potential.

Features & Accessories, and Conclusions

Other Features & Accessories

Rear Dust Collection Bag

After only a few cuts, there was sawdust everywhere. The dust bag did collect much of the dust, but as you can see, there was still a light coating spread around the rear of the saw. To be honest, though, this is what we expected.

Molding Hold-Down Clamp & Extendable Supports

The hold-down clamp included with the MiterMate, works by holding a workpiece against either the right or left fence. There’s not much more to say about the clamp, other than it does what it needs to do without difficulty.

Another useful feature are the extendable support arms built into the two ends of the V-fence sides. However, they’re more of a convenience – most users will want to use rollers or something similar to support very long workpieces.

10″ 40-tooth Carbide Blade

Included with the MiterMate is a standard general purpose 10″ 40-tooth carbide saw blade. We had no difficulties with the blade, and it made very clean and smooth cuts. While this blade works well and should last quite some time if used properly, it won’t perform as well as (costlier) 3rd party woodworking blades.

Craftsman Laser Trac

Ah, built-in lasers. We love well aligned and accurate built-in lasers, and absolutely loathe those that are slapped on tools without care just so that “LASER” can be printed in the tools’ marketing materials.

Craftsman implemented a Laser Trac guide in the MiterMate, and we found that it does save some time when setting up a workpiece to be cut. The laser’s accuracy isn’t worth writing home about, but at the same time it’s decent enough that you won’t hear us complaining too much about it either.

Miter Saw Stand Mounting Points

In his comment to our first post of the MiterMate, ToolGuyd reader wantedabiggergarage mentioned a concern regarding how the MiterMate mounts to a miter saw stand given its pivoting V-fence. If you take a close look at the bottom of the Mitermate, you will see that there are three mounting points – two in the rear and one in the front.

This mounting pattern is similar to that several of Craftsman’s other 10″ miter saws, so it should be compatible with Craftsman’s universal miter saw stands and tool stands. It should also be compatible with other brands’ universal miter saw stands, but we were not able to confirm this in time for the review.

HOWEVER, mounting the MiterMate to a miter saw stand would have limited benefit when making miter cuts on long workpieces. 90° cuts would be okay since a workpiece would be fully supported by the stand, but once the V-fence was adjusted to any other angle, the workpiece would swing out and away from most miter saw stands’ supports.

Instead of a miter saw stand, a benchtop tool stand or portable workstand could be used in conjunction with one or two roller stands for full saw and workpiece support. In this case, the pattern of mounting holes is a little less crucial.

Edit: In his comment, Ben Johnson shared an observation that cuts placed in the middle of long pieces of trim would require substantially more space around the saw than with a traditional miter saw. Whereas with a traditional miter saw one only has to be concerned with horizontal clearance, the MiterMate may require front and back clearance as well. There are ways to easily compensate for this, but it is still something to be aware of.

Summary & Conclusions

Overall, we feel that the Craftsman MiterMate is great for cutting crown molding, baseboard molding, and other such materials typically cut on a miter saw. The saw feels very solidly constructed, and all movements were smooth and fluid. We found the V-fence to be easy to use and adjust, and it only took a few cuts before we were comfortably familiar with it.

At the rear of the fences, there is the potential for a pinch hazard, or at the very least awkward maneuvering when the fence slide adjustments are brought too close to nearby fasteners. This is not a major issue or concern, but just something to keep in mind.

Potential buyers should also keep in mind that, because of its innovative V-fence design, the MiterMate may not work well with universal miter saw stands.

Craftsman and the Sears Blue Tool Crew claim that the MiterMate will save time, reduce miss-cuts, and make miter saw setup simpler and easier. The MiterMate does satisfy these claims, but not only that, it blew our expectations right out of the water! We walked into the review open minded yet prudently skeptical, and at its conclusion we are satisfied and convinced.

While the MiterMate’s $250 price tag could be a little softer on the wallet, it’s still fairly reasonable. If you decide to wait around for a good sale, you should be able to knock the price down a bit.

Quite frankly, we’re incredibly impressed with the MiterMate, and expect that others will share this sentiment. As for the cocnern about workpiece support, the simplest solution would be to use a portable “tool stand” with two roller stands.

Given our [short yet thorough] experience with the Craftsman MiterMate, we feel comfortable in recommending it to DIYers and homeowners looking for a quality miter saw to use primarily for cutting molding and trim pieces, and especially those uncomfortable with manual angle measurements and calculations.

Craftsman MiterMate Miter Saw, via Sears

Photo Credits and Acknowledgements:
Douglas R. Sampsel, Brian S. Sampsel

Brian S. Sampsel (ToolGuyd special contributor) had the role of lead reviewer, and Stuart (ToolGuyd admin/editor) assisted with the write-up.

The Craftsman MiterMate sample featured in this review was provided by Craftsman, and will soon be returned to them. We thank them for giving us the opportunity to check out the new MiterMate firsthand.

Photo Gallery