More Security With A Miter Saw Stand
Ray J. Walberg
In the past, a miter saw held a blade that was attached to a
box and perfectly angled to create a ninety and forty-five
degree angle with just a simple adjustment. This manual tool
could easily cut through crown, frame or chair moldings as well
as cuts to exterior corners on baseboard moldings. This could be
why so many people still use this manual saw and find it to be
perfectly suitable for their work.
Today, it seems to all come down to power, even with basic
tools. The greatest advantage of a power saw is the clean cut
it provides. Regardless of the skill of the craftsman, a hand
saw leaves the cut wood somewhat more ragged than a power saw.
With power tools becoming more popular, there is not much of a
difference in price between a manual miter saw and a basic
power miter saw.
For fancier versions of the miter saw, though, you will need
power. Generally, with a miter saw or radial saw users can
adjust the degree of the cut relative to the fence guiding the
wood. There are standard stops with the most common settings
being fifteen, thirty, forty-five and ninety degrees. When the
wood is securely anchored against the fence, possibly using a
miter saw stand, a forty-five degree cut will match perfectly
to a corresponding forty-five degree cut in the opposite
direction. This allows for a perfect mitered corner for frames
or window moldings.
Beyond frames and crown molding, the new compound miter saw
makes table tops, counters and other furniture safer and even
more appealing. A compound cut gives counters and table tops a
unique beveled edge that rounds the sharp corners. This makes
them a little safer and less likely to scratch or snag a
passerby. The gradual angles of the cut shape the edge while
some sanding will smoother edges to perfection.
Radial arm saws can create a similar effect as the compound
cut. It simply requires a couple passes of the blade at
different angles. The DeWalt radial arm saw is a good choice in
models, but stopped production in the United States in 1985.
However, this tool can still be found in many workshops today
throughout the country.
A panel saw is used during the first step in projects such as
cabinetry. The panel saw is designed to cut the face and sides
of the cabinet by cutting large panels of plywood into
rectangles. The miter saw would then be used to frame and face
the front of the cabinet door or draw to give the beveled edges
and decorative front.
As you can see, a number of saws are part of a complete
workshop. If you must substitute a miter saw for another saw,
the radial saw would be a good choice.
About The Author: Ray Walberg published especially for
http://www.insidewoodworking.com
, a website about saw blades
and panel saw. Working on his detailed publications like
http://www.insidewoodworking.com/mitersaws/index.html ,the
columnist established his knowledge on issues similar to miter
saws.
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