How to Use a Miter Saw

A miter saw is a handy tool for any homeowner that wants to add custom woodwork, or anyone who wants to make their own picture frames. They allow you to make diagonal cuts that will help the wood fit together with a very small seam. Using one isn't particularly difficult, but there are some things that make it a little more different than other types of saws. Here are some tips and tricks for owning and using a miter saw that you might find useful.

First, when you're purchasing one, make sure to get one with laser sights. This feature allows you to see a red line across the wood, and can be helpful for when you're trying to line something up exactly. And since with miter saws you often must be absolutely precise, even to a degree that most other saws don't require, it's a handy addition to have.

When using one, make sure to use all the safety precautions, such as wearing goggles, safety gloves, and short sleeve shirts. These are not any different from other saws in the safety regard, and caution still must be taken.

Figure out the angle of the cut you need. For many projects, where you are creating boards that will be placed inside or outside of a 90degree angle, you will need to set and lock your miter saw at 45degrees. This is because the board on the other side will make up the other 45degrees, thereby giving you a 90degree angle for the corner. The only problem is if you do not have a true 90degree angle. If you have one that's slightly more, you will need to adjust accordingly.

A helpful way for remembering where to cut is to take your board and place it in front of the area you want to cut. Mark a small diagonal line in the direction where your cut will be. It's not necessary for your line to be the proper angle- all you're doing is reminding yourself which direction it should go. That way, if you lay the board down to cut and your laser line tells you that it's about to cut in the opposite direction, you need to check it a second time because you're probably about to make a mistake.

Finally, remember that with most miter saws, you have only a small area that you may cut. This is a saw that's made for cutting trim, so trying to do larger sheets of other wood, even with a 90degree cut, won't work. In other words, it will be almost impossible to cut a sheet of 4'X8' plywood, and you need a table saw or another different type of saw to manage the task. Most miter saws can handle up to about 7" or 8", but after that width, they are not the proper tool to use.