A miter saw tool finds itself at the center of most woodshops that is serious about their woodworking projects. Within this shop, a woodworker will locate a miter saw tool for one very important reason: to perform miter cuts with easy. A miter saw allows for angled cuts to be made with precision, and it execute this function with minimal effort from the saw operator.
Once an individual has used a miter saw to frame out a room or to create a picture frame with properly meeting corner, they will never be able to imagine there life without such a tool as a part of their workshop. Not all miter saw tool are alike, however. The various model of saws offer different features that are helpful to woodshop operators in the performance of their tasks.
Understanding these different saw models allows individuals to purchase the right saw for the task they perform within their workshop. There are a few main difference between miter saw models, each of which offers a set of features that are beneficial to those who use the saw. The differences between miter saw models mainly relate to the types of angles that those saws can cut, the size of the saw’s saw blade, and the amount of material that a miter saw can be capable of cutting in one pass.
Some miter saw models are designed to sacrifice some of the features of a saw for additional mobility and portability. Other saws may sacrifice the ability to make deep cuts in the material to be sawed for additional accuracy in making small trim saw cut. Choosing the right saw early in the project ensures that the saw is appropriate for the types of projects that are to be performed with it.
Choosing the wrong saw lead to the common problem where an individual purchases a miter saw that is not able to perform tasks such as cutting crown molding. The saw models are reviewed in order of their capabilities to perform different task. Sliding compound miter saws offer the widest range of motion for the saw.
Common Types of Miter Saws for Your Workshop
1. Sliding Compound Miter Saws
Compound miter saws with sliding features have the blade and motor components that sit on a series of rails. These saws enable those saws to slide forward and backward. These saws are able to cut boards that are up to approximately 14 inch in width, especially if the saw model features a ten-inch saw blade.
These saws still provide capabilities for both miter and bevel cut. These saw models are the preferred type of saw for trim carpenter. These saw models can perform tasks related to baseboards, casing for doors, and wide shelving within a building.
The added weight of these saws is a trade-off for there additional capabilities. Additionally, an individual will have to learn how to operate these saws to gain the benefits of their saw blade’s movement. The extra reach that these saw models can achieve come with one trade-off.
The saw has to perform additional maintenance to ensure that the saw’s saw blade moves smoothly forward and backward. If the saw becomes gritty, it will impact the saw’s ability to make smooth incisions in the wood. For individuals who work with boards that are wider than 10 inch, these saw models are the first to own.
2. Compound Miter Saws
These saw models can handle both the rough cutting of lumber for building frame, as well as saw pieces that are relatively delicate. Compound miter saws are similar to the models with sliding features, however, compound miter saws do not contain sliding feature for their saw blades. These saw models have the capability to both tilt and turn the saw’s saw blade.
The saw can create both bevel and miter cuts in one pass of the saw. These types of compound miter saws are essential for cutting piece of crown molding. These types of molding have the requirement that they are sawn at a specific angle to that which the molding will be installed.
Without this compound saw feature, there would be challenge in creating these angles for the saw. These saw models are lighter than the saws with sliding features, meaning that they are more portable. These compound miter saws are common among those who perform their task outside in the work area or job site.
An eight-inch or ten-inch compound miter saw can be transported in the back of a truck. Additionally, these saws do not claim one entire workbench in the shop. While these saw models can only cut materials up to six or seven inch in width, this might be adequate for those who create furniture leg, picture frame, and baseboards for trim on wooden structure.
3. Standard Miter Saws
Standard miter saws are the original models for these saws, with no additional feature. These saw models have the saw’s head that tilts left and right, but it does not have the tilting feature to make bevel cuts. The saws are used for standard task, and they are the least expensive models of miter saw.
These saw models may be used by the contractor in the building of stud, rafter, or decking boards that are cut at angles of 45 degrees. Although limited, a standard miter saw can produce enough capacity to build a deck or shed. The downside of buying a standard miter saw is obvious to those who need to make saw cut on the edges of the boards.
The model saw cannot create bevel cuts. In this case, an individual would have to use other tool, such as scrap boards or a table saw setup. However, for individuals who have a need to produce large quantities of standard saw cuts, especially for construction task, the standard miter saw will be hard to beat.
Additionally, the saw takes up less space than other model. Hence, a standard saw can be stored in the corner of a garage where an individual perform their projects. Laser-guided miter saw models or digital miter saws have the features and technology added to each type of miter saw model discussed above.
4. Laser-Guided or Digital Miter Saws
A thin red laser line show where the saw blade will land on the workpiece prior to cutting. Higher-end saw models may use an LCD screen that displays the angle that the saw blade is made. These feature help individuals who perform tasks like cutting crown molding, where accuracy is required to within a fraction of a second.
The features help to avoid mistake that might happen with the eye alone. The features of the digital saw models will increase the price of the saw. Additionally, it is another component that might fail with the sawdust in the workshop area.
However, those who require saw plane to show perfect angle for inside corners will save money with these feature. For those individuals who constantly find themselves second-guessing the angle of their saw cut, these feature will provide added confidence in the saw’s function. Cordless miter saw models are another innovation in the tooling industry in the last few year.
5. Cordless Miter Saws
Cordless miter saw models use the same type of battery as the other tools in the brand’s tool line. This makes it easy for the saw to be used on the rooftop of a building, or at any job site that does not have access to power source for the saw. A forty-volt cordless miter saw is capable of sawing four-by-six-foot pressure-treated lumber.
Additionally, there will be one less hazard for the saw operator to trip over the cord of the saw when working on scaffolding. The downside to cordless saw models is the limited time that each saw will run on a battery charge. However, professional with large amounts of cutting work will have a second battery that will be charging while they work with the saw.
For the occasional homeowner performing project in their garage that does not have access to electrical power, the cordless saw is as close to a magical tool as they will ever own. Finally, specialty saw models include feature that are specific and dedicated to certain task that are not performed with a standard miter saw. Some saw models have the feature of tilting both left and right, meaning that large amounts of crown molding can be cut without having to flip the molding.
6. Specialty Miter Saws
Additionally, there are model that have both the saw’s tilting feature and the saw’s sliding feature to enhance their capabilities. Additionally, there are compact saw models that are used for cutting metal. These model use abrasive wheel instead of the wooden saw blade that most saws use.
These saw models can cut steel, aluminum, and even thin stainless steel. These feature are beneficial to those with specific project or need within their workshop. For example, a saw model that is purchased by the individual who builds birdhouse every few month will be different than the saw that a contractor building custom stair will use.
Hence, understanding what type of project will be performed with the saw allows the individual to purchase the saw that will best suit their workshop need. The other essential skill for an operator to learn is to trust the detent and stop on the saw. Regardless of the model of saw blade that is purchased, learning to trust these feature will create professional result out of the saw.
Regardless of the saw that might be purchased, the operator will benefit from understanding which saw to choose for their workshop. Additionally, they will be able to create the project of their imagination as their corner finally begin to match up to the project of their mind.
