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.
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