For cutting boards and moulding, miter saws are the tool of choice. On a miter saw, the circular blade is suspended above a circular base by a radial arm. Running across the base of the saw is a fence with a gap for the blade. This back fence provides a stable surface to hold the board against, making it easier to cut accurately. If you clamp a stop block against the fence, you can easily cut as many pieces to size as you require without having to mark them.
Better yet, a miter saw can rotate relative to the base, so that you can set an angle and cut repeatedly at that angle. Most miter saws are also designed to tilt the angle of the blade vertically, so you can make bevel cuts with the saw. If you both bevel the blade and miter the angle, you can create pieces with compound angle cuts.
This makes a compound miter saw a must for working with pieces that need to fit precisely together. Many wood workers use miter saws for cutting moulding, but it's also necessary for making any kind of frame, or anything but the most crude pieces of furniture.
Miter saws are precise instruments, and like any instrument, you're going to spend time tuning it. It can take a good day to set and adjust the saw when you first purchase it. You also need to be careful about bumping the saw, because it can put the blade out of adjustment and ruin the cut. But once you have the machine adjusted, it will make your wood working tasks a lot quicker and easier.
Types of Miter Saws
Compound Miter Saw
In a compound miter saw, the blade is attached to the arm set at the back. You cut the wood by pulling the blade down. This is a choice if you mostly cut pieces that are fairly narrow.
Most miter saws these days allow you to tilt the blade so that you can get a beveled angle cut, as well as the miter cut. Manufacturers will usually make that obvious by putting the word "bevel" in the name.
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If you find a saw that uses "dual-bevel" in the name, that means that you can tilt the blade either to the right or to the left. This is very useful, since it gives you more options, and it's much easier for a left-handed wood worker, since you aren't stuck with angles more convenient for right-handed people. Also, because you can cut on either side of the blade, it means less clearing space is needed for the saw in your workshop.
Bosch has come out with a few cordless miter saws. These are very useful if you are working at a site without a power source.
Sliding Miter Saw
The main function of a sliding miter saw is to cut wider boards and mouldings. Instead of the radial arm of the compound miter saw, the blade is mounted on a track. You don't bring the blade down on the material, but slide it forward over the wood as you cut. Although you can cut fairly wide material on a compound miter saw, this design makes it much easier.
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There are a few disadvantages to a sliding miter saw. It's both larger and heavier. It is also designed with more moving parts, so it can fall out of adjustment more easily than a compound miter saw. Finally, it has a smaller vertical cutting capacity. So, in deciding between the two types, you need to figure whether you'll need the width or the height more often.
Another consideration is that the sliding miter saw are generally more expensive.
Things to Consider
The most important qualities to look for in a miter saw are the range of miter and bevel angles. Most saws will have a maximum miter angle of 45°. That is enough for most work, but it's nice to have a few extra angles when you really need it. With beveling, the best thing is the ability to tilt the blade to the left and to the right, inside of being confined to one direction.
Detents are set stops at the most common angles. This is very handy, as it makes it easy to set the saw quickly and accurately. However, it's very important to look for angle override. This allows you to set angles that are close to the detents without having the machine click into the set point. It's very annoying if you want a 47° angle, and the machine insists on sliding into a 45°.
Likewise, you want to be able to lock down your angle. The purpose of the saw is to be able to replicate the same angle multiple times. If the blade slides out of position, that ruins the purpose.
Another important consideration is the maximum blade capacity. Miter saws generally accommodate blades of 8", 10", or 12". The most common saws hold 10" blades. These are fine for most jobs, but if you are working with tall moulding or make bevel cuts, you might need the extra cutting capacity provided by the larger blades.
It will make your life much easier if you can see the angle markings clearly. Are the markings painted or cast into the metal of the table? Painted markings are easier to read. Are they nice and large? You're going to be using the angle guides all the time. It's worth making sure they are clear to your eye.
Check out how the fence works. All miter saw fences have a gap to accommodate the blade. When cutting a vertically straight line, the gap isn't so important, as long as it's small enough so that there's fence to support both sides of the cut. But when you are cutting at a beveled angle, you need a wider gap. How the fence accommodates the tilted blade varies. The easier it is to do this, the easier your life will be.
Safety is something you should consider with all power tools. Look for an electronic brake, so that you know the blade can be quickly stopped in case of emergency. Even without an emergency, it's frustrating if you have to wait for the blade to stop spinning each time you finish a cut--or don't finish and want to make an adjustment. Check the safety feature on the "on" switch. Different saws use different types.
Some blade guards can interfere with your line of sight. If a blade guard is in the way, it's tempting to remove it. But that's a bad idea. It's a very important safety feature.
Many miter saws include a laser guide system. But you must be careful, not all laser guide systems are equally good. They aren't always set accurately and it's frustrating if the beam isn't exactly right. What you want to look for is an adjustable laser guide--even if you have to buy it separately from the saw. A twin laser guide is good, because it shines on both sides of the cut, making it clear exactly where the blade will cut.
Take a moment and consider the handle. Some saws have handles that are vertical, some have a horizontal D-shaped handle. The most ergonomic handle will be adjustable
for vertical or horizontal use. But the most important thing is that it is comfortable for your hand.
Finally, you may want to think about any attachments that come included with the saw. These include extension rails, stop blocks and clamps. These can always be bought separately, but it's nice if they are provided.
Accessories and Attachments
Blades
The most important miter saw accessory is the blade. The more teeth per inch (tpi), the easier it is for the blade to cut through wood. A blade with 60 tpi will cut faster and last longer than one with 40 tpi.
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Stands
A stand for your miter saw is a very handy accessory, especially if you work at different locations or are cramped for table space in your workshop.
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Laser Guides
Unless the laser guide on your miter saw is adjustable, you might be better off foregoing the built-in guide and buying an after-market one.
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Stops
Stops are attachments that make it easy to set angles and lengths for identically cut pieces. Miter stops will help with setting the most common angles for specific projects. Length stops will allow you to replicate a specific length without having to mark each piece.
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Dust Bags
Dust collection is an issue for any power saw. Many users hook up the saw to their shop vac, but not all saws have chutes that fit the hose. In some cases you may be able to purchase an adapter to fix that problem. Another option is to purchase a dust bag and empty it as it fills up.
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Clamps
Clamps are useful for holding the material in place as it's being cut.
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Price Range
Under $250
If you are looking at doing light-duty carpentry, rather than a lot of bevel or compound angles, you should be able to find a good 10" blade capacity compound miter saw in this price range.
$250-$400
A compound miter saw that holds a 12" blade will probably cost $250 or more. This machine is going to be much more versatile than the 10" saws, but will be probably be worth the extra cost.
$450-500
The smaller sliding compound miter saws start at about $450. These machines are nice if you need to cut wide boards. Otherwise, you may be happier buying a less expensive, 12" miter saw without the sliding design.
Over $500
12" sliding compound miter saws are the most expensive, ranging from about $500 to $750. These saws are going to have the largest range for beveled and angled cuts on wide boards and moulding. But they will not be able to cut tall pieces as well as the simpler non-sliding 12" miter saws.
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