digest
Short Summary
Main recommendation: For a weekend woodworker, buy a 10 in nonsliding compound miter saw, since it offers the best value for most cross cuts, miters, and bevels. The speaker explains that a miter saw is best suited to cross cutting boards to length, and that a table saw is still useful for wide boards or rip cuts.
Key Points
- A miter saw keeps the board stationary while the blade moves, so cut length is limited to the blade diameter, making it ideal for repeated, accurate cross cuts across the grain.
- Saw sizes are 7 1/2 in, 10 in, and 12 in; the speaker advises against 7 1/2 in saws because their capacity is too small for most woodworking, and notes 12 in blades are expensive.
- A compound miter saw pivots for miters up to 45 degrees and tilts for bevels, and most saws sold today are compound models.
- Sliding miter saws can cut wider boards and are more affordable than ever, making a 10 in sliding saw a reasonable choice, but the speaker has never owned one, and very wide boards are uncommon in woodworking projects.
- Safety requires keeping the blade guard in place, clamping the workpiece, and never lifting the head while the blade is still spinning, especially when a stop block traps a small cut-off piece.
Details Worth Noting
- Concrete instructions:
- Before cutting, unplug the saw before changing the blade, and never operate it without the blade guard.
- Clamp the workpiece whenever possible and make sure it is against the fence before cutting.
- Perform an imaginary cut first: lower the head to the wood with the saw unpowered, keep your left hand well away from the blade, and confirm the path and hand position.
- For each cut, squeeze the trigger, let the blade reach full speed, lower it gently and slowly all the way through, release the trigger, and wait for a complete stop before raising the head—though he admits that in practice this full-stop rule is often skipped except when using a stop block, where it's essential.
- For a cross cut, draw a line, press the board to the fence, align one side of the cut line with the blade teeth (never cut down the middle, cut on the side of the keeper piece), and lay the board face down for more accuracy.
- For repeated lengths, clamp a scrap block to the fence at the desired length, measure from the blade edge with the head locked down, and use that stop block for each piece.
- For boards longer than the fence, screw a straight board or plywood strip to the back fence holes using four short screws (two per side), cut through it to create a zero clearance slot, then measure stop blocks from the slot.
- For miters, pivot the saw to the right so the cut is visible and away from your left hand; use the positive stops for 45 degree cuts, which suit picture frames and boxes. Calibrate the saw per the manual.
- For bevels, either stand the board on its edge and pivot, or unlock the head, tilt it using the scale, place the board face down, and cut slowly, paying special attention to your left hand since much of the cut is blind.
- Blade guards automatically retract during a cut and help direct sawdust to the rear dust chute and into a bag or vacuum.
- Support the overhanging end of long boards, such as by stacking a couple of 2x4s under it.
- Compound miters, which combine a bevel and a miter for trim molding, are considered advanced and beyond the scope of the video.
Bottom Line
A 10 in nonsliding compound miter saw, used with a blade guard, clamps, stop blocks, and full stops between cuts, is the practical starting choice for most home woodworkers.
