Miter saw is a very important tool used in several applications especially in carpentry and woodworking industries to make accurate miter cuts and crosscuts. With this type of tool, you will be able to make cuts at various angles. The blade of this type of saw is normally positioned on the swing arm which can move right or left in order to make the desired cuts. Miter saw can be used in cuts for such things like door frames, picture frames, crown molding, window casing and similar types of cuts. Just like other types of saw or cutting tools, it is available in the market today in a number of types, brands and models. When you want to buy a best miter saw, it is advisable that you first obtain much information about this tool, its various types, top rated brands and models and also learn about miter saws buying tips. Read on to know much about this important tools and tips to help you pick the best mite saw in the market.
What are the Types of Miter Saws
As it has been mentioned above, miter saws are available in a number of types made to serve different cutting needs. Besides, they differ in many aspects such as the type of cut they are made to give, their functionality, precision in cutting, quality, structure, cutting systems, weight, size of blade, the materials they are meant to cut and others. It is important that you purchase the right type of saw suitable for the type of cut you want. Owning the right miter saw is a veritable means of having easy and fine cut and reducing the time you put in cutting. Here are the various types of miter saw that you should know.
- Standard miter saw
This is meant for basic cutting. The vertical pivot of this type f miter saw is fixed and the blade is vertically positioned. With this type of miter saw, you will be able to make mitered or horizontally cuts thanks to the rotating cutting table. Another distinguishing aspect of this type of miter is the absence of slide and bevel.
- Compound miter saw
Unlike the standard miter saw, this type of saw comes with a rotating vertical pivot with a horizontally rotating table. The cutter head as well as the blade is can bevel or tilt sideways because of the rotating vertical pivot. Given this, compound miter saw is capable f making cuts angled in both planes and angled cuts. Compounds cuts are available in two types, the single action type and the dual action type. The major difference is that the former does not tilt to both sides of the vertical pivot while the latter is capable of tilting to both sides. Despite this difference, one can still use both types of compound miter saw to make the same type of cuts. But if you are using single action saw, you may need to flip the work piece between cuts.
- Sliding compound miter saw
This type of miter saw is designed for making cuts on wider boards. It has horizontal sliding arms for the cutter heads fitted to serve this purpose. Just like compound miter saw, it is available in two types, namely, dual and single action types. With this type of compound miter saw, one can make compound and bevel cuts as well as basic cuts. Thus, it is more versatile than the other types of miter saw.
Miter saw can also be classified based on how it is powered. Under this classification, there are cordless miter saws and miter saw with cord. Cordless miter saw does not require electricity in order to function while the corded type requires electricity to be powered.