The best way to learn how to use a miter saw is to understand its anatomy. Generally, there is a blade that is connected to the head. But this blade IS held by a string in an upright position when not in use.
There’s also a blade guard that covers the blade and retracts automatically when the blade spins.
So, if you want to understand how to use a sliding miter saw, you’ll need to make sure that the blade guard is in place. In terms of metal cutting saw terms are almost the same.
But that is not all, there is to know about miter saws. To help you understand better how easily you can use a miter saw, here is a guide for you;
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Step By Step Guideline On How to Use a Miter Saw
For making cuts, simply measure and mark the wood depending on how you want to make the cuts. From here, before starting make your miter saw set on your top-rated miter saw stand and you can line the wood along the fence and test the blade placement.
Lower the blade to the wood without turning it one and make any necessary adjustments. After you confirm the adjustments, you can power on the saw and start working on the wood pieces. Let’s start with the step-by-step guideline.
Step 1: What Safety Gear is Needed?
Before you even think about working on your sawing project, you must ensure that you have the necessary safety gear. The protective gear that you will use for your miter saw is the same as that used in other types of saws out there.
In this case, you will only need two types of protective gear. They include safety goggles and ear protection. You can either go for protective earmuffs or opt for earbuds. Whichever protective gear you choose for your ear, make sure that it is reliable enough.
The safety goggles will also protect your eyes against flying wood chips or other debris. Ensure that the goggles are not loosely fitting
Now that you know the needed safety gear for the miter saw,
Step 2: Always Maintain a Steady Hand and a Firm Grip for Clean Cuts
We have just mentioned that gloves are not recommended when using a miter saw. One reason behind this is that the miter saw might not feel firm in your hands when using it with the gloves.
You can use the miter saw to cut tight-fitting joints on almost every type of moldings out there. Whether they are windows, crowns, door trims, or baseboards, the miter saw will come in handy. So, if you have a power miter saw and a sharp saw blade, you can fine-tune a joint to meet your preferences.
If you are using the miter saw for the first time, you will have to be extra careful. Normally, the saw will whine and jerk as the blade is spinning. This will happen when you press the switch on the saw. Nevertheless, you should only start making cuts when the blade has reached its top speed.
After that, you can then lower the blade gradually to the workpiece. From there, you can hold the saw carriage down in that position and release the power switch. Make sure that the blade comes to a complete stop before you raise it up.
Above all, you must ensure that you maintain a firm grip on the workpiece all along as you are cutting the workpiece with the saw.
One quick tip that is useful when using the miter saw is to line up the blade with one side of the mark. To do this, you can lift the blade guard using your thumb and sight down one edge of the blade to align the cuts.
Remember to remove your fingers from the switch when aligning the cut and hold or clamp the workpiece firmly whenever you are making the cuts.
Step 3: Change the Angle to Make Ideal Miter Cuts
Usually, miters won’t fit on the very first try. For that, you can adjust the angle slightly to make them fit. Here, the angle adjustment can be as little as 0.25 degrees. You can then slice off tiny slivers of the wood as needed.
Step 4: Handling Short Pieces
Making cuts on short workpieces requires some special techniques. You must also be extra careful to avoid slicing off your fingers. If the piece of wood that you are cutting with the miter saw is less than 8-inches, you will need to cut it from a longer piece. This will allow you to keep your fingers safely away from the blade.
to cut one miter of on the end of a long piece of base and mark for the other miter. After this, you can change the angle of the miter saw and cut off the 6-inch piece that you need. Ensure that you hold the Let’s say you want a 6-inch baseboard piece with miters on each end. In this case, you will need a longer end when making this cut.
You can also screw a taller wood fence to your miter saw, which will help to support the wide trim and minimize the space near the blade. Luckily, the holes on the fence can help you with this. Each miter saw will have some quirks, which you must get used to them. More experience will help you achieve accurate results even with the quirks.
Step 5: Utilize a Jig for Holding Coves and Crowns
You can make a jig that can help to hold crown moldings at the perfect angle. Once you have the jig ready, you can set a scrap of the molding upside down in the jig and mark the position of the stop. From there, proceed to screw the stop to the jig and place fasteners away from the blade’s path.
FAQ
Q. How To Use a Miter Saw to Cut Angles?
Ans. Well, you’ll first need to use a blade that can make angled cuts before you get started. You’ll also need to set the miter angle as you prefer before you start making the cuts.
Here, you will need a wooden or aluminum block of 1×2. From there, apply instant glue on the bed close enough to the fence. Attach the block using glue with the back against the fence. A clamp can also be used in this case.
After this, you will have a V-shaped cut, which will form a 90-degree angle. This customized V-block jig can act as your fence. If you set a 0-degree miter angle on the compound sliding miter saw, it will make a 45-degree angle cut on the workpiece. However, you will need to ensure that you put it against the surface of the V-block jig.
From here, you can then adjust the miter angle based on the angle you wish to cut on the workpiece. Just keep in mind that it will add that set angle to the 45-degree default angle on the V-jig block.
Final Verdict
That is the easiest way to learn “how to use a miter saw”. Above all, always ensure that you handle your miter saw with care and practice severally to help you achieve excellent results.