Something I forgot to add, If you want to get even more precise get yourself a marking knife instead of a pencil! Be sure to check out my website for Woodworking Plans, Blogs, Tools I use in the shop and more! - www.walkersww.com
Although I adamantly agree, the added expense might be too much for some weekend warriors just starting out. To add on to your tip, I prefer a single bevel as it gets right up against your square (or whatever alignment tool you use). Also a marking knife is good for short cuts, if you use it properly. Ha ha ha
Another helpful habit to have for preventing tear out is to support the piece along as much of the stock as you can. Both the final, and the "waste" side. Of course that is something that has helped me for years, and the people I have shown tend to use the practice in their cuts... so maybe it isn't for everyone as it does potentially add a bit more time to set-up.
If your really looking to get precise (OCD) you can do a hold-over on the tape to the 1" or 2" mark. Of course you have to then add this offset to your end measurement. Best to be on your game with no distractions when using this method. It can really cause your project to end up a lot smaller if you don't.
Great tips! Stupid question - does your dust collector automatically start when you use the miter saw? Or do you have to go turn it on before using the miter saw?
Cool vid, so I finally go'ogled the latest by Hyezmar and got his book, or known as Woodworking Bible as well. It’s pretty solid, there are some gems in there that are worth a look, and at no cost, it's a no brainer :)