Miter saws are an incredible invention. Miter saws make your life so much easier by allowing the user to create precision cuts.
Miter Saw Models
Miter Saw – The motor is mounted on a swinging arm that allows the user to make angle cuts only
Compound Miter Saw – Allows the user to make angle cuts, but also allows the user to make bevel cuts. The motor tilts, which is good for cutting wood to make molding, picture frames and a variety of other things. They are more expensive than the miter saw, but will come in handy. I would buy a compound miter saw over the miter saw. You will use the extra features somewhere down the road.
Sliding Compound Miter Saw – Does everything the Compound miter saw does, but as the name implies it also slides. This allows the user to cut a wider piece of wood. Heaviest and most expensive.
Items to Considering When Buying
Portability – If you are going to be moving the saw a lot you might want to stay away from the sliding miter, it is heavier and bulkier.
Blade Size – There is 7-1/4″ 8″ 10″ and 12″. The bigger the blade the wider the wood you can cut.
Power Type – Most miter saws are still corded, but over the years cordless miter saws have come into play. While they don’t offer the runtime a corded saw offers, it allows the user to be more free from needing a power source. Great if no power is available or if you are cutting outside.
Stops – These are preset stops in the table. This ensures your cuts are precisely at the correct angle and helps save time. Make sure the saw has a stop where it locks into place.
Blade Guard – Make sure there is a retractable blade guard. Most have the retractable blade guard, but some cheap models still do not.
Braking System – Buy one with an electric brake. This reverses the flow of electricity and causes the blade to stop within 2 seconds. I have seen a lot of accidents where there is no electric brake and someone tries to grab the wood too quickly and ends up cutting themselves.
Shaft Lock – Holds the blade in place to make changing the blade easier.
Dust Bags – Collects the dust and some particles from the cuts you make.
Sliding Fences – A fence on the back that helps support your piece during cutting.
Saw Blades
The blades are what do the cutting. Below are three types of blades. To see more blades please the blade section.
- Steel Blades – Good for softwood, inexpensive, will dull fast if cutting hard wood.
- High Speed Steel – Harder than the steel and won’t dull as fast.
- Carbide Tip – Stays sharper the longest, great for hardwood cuts, more expensive than steel.