(Newswire.net — April 8, 2020) — Are you just starting your woodworking journey?
If so, a miter saw is arguably the most indispensable tool you could add to your arsenal. These versatile power saws are ideal if you need to make a series of quick, repetitive cuts. A basic miter saw lets you make crosscuts along with miter cuts. Invest in a compound miter saw and you’ll also be free to make bevel cuts and compound cuts.
Today, we’ll give you some simple guidelines so you can start using your new saw effectively. Let’s get right down to business…
7 Ways To Use a Miter Saw Like a Pro
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Get Started By Tuning Up Your Saw
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Using a Miter Saw Stand is Indispensable
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Look for a Laser
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Swap Out The Stock Blade
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Clean Up The Board Ends
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How To Handle Small Pieces Safely
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Make Full Use of Stop Blocks
1) Get Started By Tuning Up Your Saw
When you get your spanking new saw, it should come pre-set so the blade sits correctly. That said, saws can easily come out of line during shipping.
You’ll also find problems with your saw coming out of adjustment after regular use or being moved around in the workshop. You’ll see what we mean the first time you encounter kickback when you saw into a knot in the wood.
So, check your saw from alignment right out the box. Check again if you move your saw then regularly throughout the year.
Tuning a miter saw is straightforward. Make sure the blade is set square to the table with the fence square to the blade. For a short but detailed explanation on tuning your miter saw, go here.
2) Using a Miter Saw Stand is Indispensable
With your saw set up, you’ll need a stand of some kind for best results.
Some good news if you’re based in a home workshop: a regular work bench is more than fit for purpose.
How about if you’re out on the jobsite, though?
Well, a mobile miter saw stand allows you to position your saw accordingly even if you’re nowhere near a fixed bench. You should consider this an investment rather than an expense if you’re serious about woodworking.
3) Look for a Laser
Many modern miter saws come with a laser on-board. This illuminates the workpiece with a thin beam of light along the line your blade will be cutting.
The addition of a laser means you’ll be able to cut quicker. You won’t need to keep bringing the blade down to the line to make sure it’s matched up.
With the laser line demarcating where you’ll be cutting, fire up your saw and lower it to the material.
4) Swap Out The Stock Blade
While miter saws are remarkably effective, they typically come bundled with poor quality stock blades. These stock blades might serve a turn for studwork but they come up short for DIY furniture projects.
The more teeth a saw blade has, the cleaner the cuts it will produce. Blades with fewer teeth deliver rough and choppy cuts. As a rule of thumb, for most projects in the home workshop, look for more teeth.
5) Clean Up The Board Ends
What do the boards you buy have in common? Well, chances are, the ends are in pretty poor shape. After sitting in storage bins and being subjected to some rough handling at the lumberyard.
Even if the ends of the boards you pick up are not chipped or split, there’s every possibility they weren’t even cut square down at the mill.
Luckily, this is easily remedied.
As standard, slice a little piece of the end of each new board. Ever tossed away that first mangled slice of bread? It’s the same principle here. By removing as little as a half-inch from the bottom of the board is often enough to square it up and leave a good clean end.
6) How To Handle Small Pieces Safely
When you’re becoming more confident and start working on more elaborate new projects, you’ll inevitably need to cut very small pieces of wood from time to time.
If the workpiece you’re using is less than a few inches long, do not put your fingers anywhere near the blade.
Instead, use a lengthy strip of wood or a dedicated push stick to keep the shorter piece of wood in place. Even a pencil can work effectively. The instrument is not important. What’s vital is keeping those digits well clear of the lethal blade.
7) Make Full Use of Stop Blocks
Once you’re confident using your miter saw, how can you increase efficiency?
Since so much woodworking involves making multiple pieces all the same length – think table legs or box sides – you’ll want to make this process as seamless as possible.
Stop blocks are the simple solution. Once you’ve determined how long you need your workpieces, attach some scrap wood to the fence in that position. Now, all you need to do is line up your board against your stop block and begin cutting. All your pieces will end up exactly the same length.
Final Thoughts
Well, we hope today’s primer for woodworking beginners has given you a solid overview of how to get started with your new miter saw.
If you’re still stuck for ideas for your first project, Family Handyman has some great inspiration for beginner-friendly projects. Get stuck in and learn as you go.