The miter saw usage is widely for making crosscuts on woodblocks with accurate measurements. Its blade mounts on a swing arm which can pivot to make the cuts. A miter saw can successfully make angled, beveled or squared cuts on the workpiece without making any error. It can cut tight-fitting joints for various moldings such as crown molding, baseboard molding, windows, doors and many other types of workpieces.
There are different types of miter saw available now in the market. Some of them are- power miter saw, compound miter saw, dual compound miter saw, sliding miter saw or radial arm saw, LED miter saw. These various types of miter saw’s usage is actually a bit different from each other. But their basic usage is the same. We will discuss it later in this article.
Quick Overview
Power Miter Saw:
It is a general kind of miter saw which is used to make accurate straight crosscuts on the workpiece at a specific angle (mostly 45o). Its blade size generally ranges from eight to twelve inches.
Compound miter saw:
A compound miter saw and a normal power miter saw is not that much different from each other. The main difference between them is that a compound miter saw has a special ability of making cuts on the workpiece at various angles. The power miter saw’s angle is limited to 90o and 45o. Here, a compound miter saw can make cuts of different angles around 90o and 45o angles based on the choice of the worker and the type of cut he/she needs on their workpiece. The compound miter saw’s blade pivots left or right to make the accurate cut on the wood of any selected angle.
Dual compound miter saw: The only difference a dual compound miter saw has is while using this type saw, you do not have to move your workpiece to make a bevel cut because you can rotate the saw head to make the required bevel cut.
Sliding miter saw: It allows you to move the saw head forward and backward on a sliding rail to make the cut at a variety of angles. It increases the length of the cut on the wood because of its sliding feature.
LED miter saw: LED/Laser miter saw provides an extra service of a laser ray enlightening the way of the blade on which it is going to make the cut. However, an extra set of laser light can be installed on the non-LED saws.
How to use a miter saw
Choosing the best product:
The most important thing before you start to use a miter saw is that you have to select the type of saw you need to work with. For selecting a saw what you have to keep in mind is that for which work you need a miter saw for? Are you working professionally i.e. are you a regular DIY worker or are you doing it for one-time use? Again you also have to make sure that the saw is suitable for your working place. If you are using it for a one time purpose then you might consider whether to buy a new one or to rent one. There are different types of saws are available for different works. So you have to select the best one for your work.
Ensure safety
Always ensure your safety before using these tools. Remember to wear safety glasses and hearing protection before work. A power tool makes very loud noise which can lead to permanent hearing damage. They also produce a lot of dust of wood while and after cutting. So using goggles and dust mask is also mandatory.
Do not wear pieces of jewelry or too loose clothes or laced cloths or simply anything which has the possibility to get stuck with the saw blade and cause an unfortunate event.
While making any cut, always remember to place your hand at least 6 inches away from the blade. This instruction is to be strictly followed unless you want to lose your body parts forever.
Comfortable working space
Build a comfortable working space for your work with the saw. A very common problem everyone faces is balancing wood stock properly on both sides of the saw. The best solution would be to build a handy miter saw stand to support long pieces of woods. A simple work table or workbench can get you out of any discomfort you could feel while cutting.
Become an expert in using a miter saw
Before working on an actual project, try practicing your skill on scrap materials. This will help you gain some experience in using a power tool. Try making different types of cuts of different measurements. For this, you might be able to avoid any unsolvable mistakes on your actual work and also sharpen your cutting skill.
Joints & corner cuts
These cuts area unit created by moving the saw left or right. Your every move will count while making these cuts. Any slight mistake will create a defect in your work.
Uses of a miter saw
In the first part of this article, I have said that the uses of different types of miter saws are different. Later I have mentioned different types of miter saws with their special features. The difference I am talking about is just in these different special features which allow each type of saw to make special types of cuts.
However, no matter what type of miter saw it is and what feature it has and what kind of cut it gives, they all do the same common work. Cut the workpiece in a special way that no other saw can do.
A miter saw is the best tool to cut bevels and angles on different kind of workpieces such as miter joints, moldings (crown molding mostly), compound angles, squares, frames, doors and windows and many more. Besides, it can also be used to make very quick and accurate crosscuts on any type of material within seconds.
The miter saw usage includes all of the above on wood of any thickness, any size, hard or soft or any other variety. Its sharp blade can take on anything and produce a complex but precise cut.
