What Is Miter Saw?
Miter saw is a very useful tool to cut at proper angles and mitered corners in buildings, finishing woodwork projects and in doing renovations. Miter saw is also called “chop saw” and for cutting accurately, this tool is very useful. Things like baseboards and crown moldings can be framed at corners and at proper angles by using this tool. For crafter, builder and woodworker, miter saw is considered to be a must have tool.
However, the box which is made from plastic and wood and with the help of which accurate angles can be cut with a handsaw is called miter box. 90 degree is the angle at which it works most effectively whereas smooth cuts can be made using a portable miter saw. The angles ranging from 45 to 90 degrees can be created by using power version of the miter saw. The saw which can be rotated for creation of beveled edges is called compound miter saw.
Although there is wide variety of blades available for miter saws but the commonly used have diameter which ranges from 8” to 12” (20.30cm to 30.5cm). The blade which comes pre-installed in miter saw can be used for common tasks only as it is not enough fine-toothed for smooth and precise cuts needed for pictures and moldings. So for these purposes, you need to buy a separate blade and make sure it is fine toothed.
It is recommended to try few cuts on scrap wood before using a miter saw. You will see a more accurate and smoother cut if you try to cut slowly. You can also apply painter’s tape if you observe heavy splintering during cutting. Just make sure that you cut directly through tape. To limit splintering, try to cut more slowly.
Apart from using miter saw with wood only, the other materials with which miter saw can be used are aluminum, vinyl siding, plastic and Plexiglas.
Category: Technology