No more scrap clutter all over your workbench. I use binder clips for a lot of things around the shop, and here’s one that I thought I’d share. Let’s start with the basics and then proceed to the tips and tricks section to learn how to use the miter saw to get the best results. Even worse, if the blade “grabs” the workpiece, pulling it into these gaps, it can take your fingers along with it. For a bevel cut using a compound miter saw: Place the marked board face-up, or flat, onto the saw base and its edge pushed against the fence. Use the slot to align the layout mark on your workpiece. below the top of the V (see inset photo). When I’m on a jobsite where time is money and I need to make a couple cuts on the miter saw I measure my cuts from both ends of the board. If you have a compound miter box, tilt the blade a degree or two to cut the back bevel. Here are some miter saw tips and tricks to think about before buying one. plywood to a 1x board, screw the 1x board to the miter saw fence and cut a kerf into the assembly with the saw. Buy two adhesive-backed measuring tapes (one right and one left) and trim and stick them to the tops of the fence for making cutoffs without fumbling for a tape measure. — Travis Larson. To install a temporary fence, just clamp it tight against the saw’s metal fence while you drive screws into the wood. When’s the last time you tried to read your saw’s bevel scale, the one that tells you how far the blade is tilted? thick blade of an automotive feeler gauge ($3 at auto parts stores) between the blade and the square. It is often used to cut moldings, baseboards, and trim with accuracy. Repeat until you’ve reached perfection and then cut the rest of the pieces. Line up your pencil mark with the fence’s slot and voil`a! Now cut into the new wood throat plate with your miter saw blade to create a zero-clearance opening. Raise the blade and finish the V shape. No one wants to be injured, so everyone should use the right gear to help reduce your chances of getting hurt. Check out our favorite miter saw tips and reviews here. Ignore the Carry Handle. high-tooth-count blade has 60 to 80 teeth; a similar 12-in. Learn more about using a miter saw safely. A 10-in. This is an incredibly easy beginning to some awesome jigs. Back up small pieces with a sacrificial board to prevent the cutoff from being thrown by the blade. Plenty of carpentry jobs require a bunch of short boards cut to the exact same length. Now, it’s always at hand and in the same spot, so that I don’t have to look around for it. Hold the saw down at the end of the cut until the blade comes to a complete stop. These are the best sliding miter saws out there. This not only adds a great deal of safety, it also makes it super easy to make accurate cuts. Then cut a slot partway through. I almost always smooth the sides and edges of each tool I purchase. boards, the first mark is at 12 in. At first glance, using a miter saw appears quite simple. – Simple Woodworking Projects. One day while I was using my miter saw on the ground, it occurred to me that my old grill could provide the perfect base for the saw. If you have a compound miter cut box, tilt the blade a degree or two to cut the back bevel. Do you own a woodworking workshop? With a circular saw you would have to mark out each angle by hand before cutting which is fine but with the miter saw it just goes faster. Adjust the fence until you feel uniform resistance all along the frame and blade, then retighten the bolts. With every mark, I add 1/8 in. Check out these 13 other dirt simple woodworking jigs, Do Not Sell My Personal Information – CA Residents. This stop is easy to make and adjust. We recommend our users to update the browser. Need a new grill after employing this trick? This simple miter saw table has some great advantages and takes less than an hour to make. Be sure the square touches only the saw’s plate and not the carbide teeth so you can make an accurate adjustment. We are delighted to share some of the best AW content here on the PW website. Step 1: Work Safe – Prepare Yourself and Your Saw. piece of 3/4-in. Thanks to Zachary Lesko for this handy idea! (This information may have changed since the original publication date.) Check out this handy plywood storage system! Read on for tips and tricks for how to safely and accurately cut with a compound-miter saw. This is great for crude projects. When offcuts fall into the miter saw’s throat plate, they become projectiles. With the blade down as deep as it will go in the throat plate, slide the .002-in. The cut’s back side will be as clean as a whistle with no tear-out. Home Tools, Gear & Equipment Tools & Supplies Saws Miter. With this tip from reader Robert Irwin, you’ll be able to line up crosscuts faster and cut boards with less tear-out. Be sure to    use a hold-down, so the blade’s steeper     cutting angle at the cut’s far side doesn’t lift the workpiece. A little creep can ruin a good cut. The amount varies from saw to saw. This tip is one of the most important tips you should learn about a miter saw. They are also useful for remodeling and flooring works. The Mitre Saw, in my opinion, would have to be on my ‘Must Buy List’ for anyone interested in woodworking or DIY in general as it is such a versatile machine. Most throat plates are set slightly below the saw’s table, as indicated by this piece of paper. This tip is super-useful for making this favorite backyard game. It’s just a piece of plywood or solid wood with a carefully cut slot (see inset photo). Miter Saw Maintenance – Tips & Tricks. I only need to take out my tape measure and pencil once. Be honest: How many dangerous missiles have you launched from your miter saw? Firstly, examine the edges of the board and see where it is chipped. plywood and screw it to a pair of 8-ft. 2x4s, as shown, for the base. – Travis Larson. Rotate the saw table to the angle you want. This creates a small gap for sawdust, so you can hold your workpiece tightly against the subfence. Crosscuts and miters, but does not tilt for bevel cuts. Even if your mitersaw comes with a zero-clearance throat insert plate, it … Most miter saws have holes drilled through their metal fences for screwing on these wooden fences. – Brad Holden. To create a back-beveled cut on a standard miter saw, place a pencil under the molding. Use the gauge on the front of the saw to set the miter angle, if needed, for the cut. One Blade Can Do It All. Cutting small parts on a miter saw is dangerous. But it’s not rocket science to figure out how to ground them: Don’t lift the blade until it stops. How To Unlock A Ryobi Miter Saw. This allows smooth cuttings too. Back up your cuts. The cup is full of pencils, and I always have a pencil ready for marking wood. But to get good ... Push Your Fence Back. But to get good results—that’s another story! Mark, drill and countersink any screw holes and install the wood throat plate. Just mark the cut line on your workpiece and line it up with the kerf. A miter saw is a handy tool for any DIY furniture project. Try this classically designed tailgate game. When you need to trim just a smidgen off a board or molding, try this: Lower the blade of your miter saw and press the end of the workpiece against it. We may receive a commission from sales referred by our links; however, we have carefully selected these products for their usefulness and quality. I can remove my saw and store it underneath, giving me a mobile workbench as well. This partial-cutting method prevents the waste from shooting back at you at the end of the second cut. This way, the blades’ teeth don’t interfere with the alignment check. Just set it on top of the next piece, line up the ends, slide the template piece against the blade and cut. Use your miter saw to cut off one of the block’s corners so sawdust won’t be trapped between the block and your workpiece. To create a back-beveled cut on a standard miter saw, place a pencil under the molding. At first glance, using a miter saw appears quite simple. A negative rake means the teeth lean slightly backward and cut less aggressively. the blade cuts exactly on the mark. If you’re using a miter box to cut lots of pieces all the same length, install a temporary fence with a stop. If yes, then the miter saw must be one of your favorite carpentry tools. – Travis Larson. We may receive a commission when you use our affiliate links. It’s good practice to check yours now and then and readjust as needed. Using my miter saw, I cut off a corner to shorten one of the square’s sides. Cut a back bevel on miter joints that are open in front but touching at the back (acompound miter cut). Rotate the table back so it’s square to the fence. Now, any time you need a block cut to that specific length you can just slide your board to the mark and make the cut, no measurement required. Check a few test cuts for square, and you’re done. How smooth and accurate your cuts are with any saw will have a lot to do with the types of techniques you use, But for getting the most of your miter saw, you should know all those little tricks that will help you mastering the miter saw. Snap off the waste piece by hand. Every product is independently selected by our editors. American Woodworker July 2006, issue #122. If you buy something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. so that if sawdust or wood chips pile up against it, they won’t affect the cutting length. I cut about 6 in. Tips for Mastering the Miter Saw. Unfortunately, most miter saws don’t have flat surfaces underneath the table to receive a clamp. In this article see which saw has the features you want and Tom's tips for using miter saws correctly. Screw the board to your saw’s fence and cut a slot all the way through it. These are the best sliding miter saws out there. How to Use a Sliding Compound-Miter Saw Ian Worpole If your miter saw isn’t cutting square, the problem is easy to fix. Then raise the blade, pull the trigger and cut. When the offcuts are actually the finished pieces – like these thin coasters – it’s not only dangerous it’s maddening! Simply place the wood on the table against the fence, set the angle and bevel, adjust the position of the board on the table, start the saw and plunge the blade into the wood. To make the block, leave the blade at 90 degrees with no tilt. My solution is to place a couple layers of tape over the saw’s throatplate and cut a kerf. 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