Three of the Best Miter Saws Available

The right power tools can make any job that much easier. Versatile power tools can be used on a large variety of projects. One of the most reliable tools a do-it-yourself-er can own is a miter saw. A good miter saw can make quick work of several different projects including: framing, decking, molding and trim, and even vinyl siding.

Using a Miter Saws for Your Construction Projects

A mitre saw is the tool to use on construction projects to create perfect corners and angles for detail work. A compound mitre saw allows you to make a mitre cut and a bevel cut at the same time. The saw can be used to cut precise cuts like those used for picture frames, baseboards, moldings and other angled construction projects.

Compound Mitre vs Miter Saws

While a miter saw is a more powerful version of a circular saw, a compound mitre saw is a miter saw with blades that can be used in different ways than a standard miter saw. Here are some comparisons between the two.

Miter Saws

Today, a miter saw (also called a chop saw or drop saw) usually refers to a power tool used to make a quick, accurate crosscut in a workpiece. It is most frequently used to cut wood, although some plastics and light metals can also be cut with the tool. Common uses include framing operations and the cutting of molding. Most miter saws are relatively small and portable, with common blade sizes ranging from eight to 12 inches.

Ultimate Miter Saw Stand

When I worked in professional shops, there was always a chop saw on some kind of cart. The less organized shops put the saw on the nearest work cart. It didn’t take up much space, but it was not as useful as it should be. The better shops mounted the miter saw to a rolling cart and attached permanent wings to support long pieces and to hold a fence with stops for doing repetitive cuts. This setup was useful, but it took up a lot of space.

Hitachi C10FCE2 10-Inch Compound Miter Saw - Review

The Hitachi C10FCE2 10-Inch Compound Miter Saw and accessories can be in a few minute, and comes accurately calibrated. The saw provides accurate and effortless cuts through most types of wood. It can cut through 2x6 and 4x4 easily with little motor lag. The strong 15 Amp motor rotates the blade at up to 5000 RPM easily making crosscuts and miters, even on the tough cutting projects. The soft start mechanism allows for trouble-free smooth operation.

Miter Saw Tune-Up

Every carpenter should know that when you buy a new chisel or hand plane it’s not razor sharp out of the box — you have to sharpen it before using it. Well, the same is true for miter saws. They don’t come from the factory in perfect tune. Besides, after you’ve dragged your saw in and out of the truck a few dozen times, or jammed heavy stock against the fence, or maybe even had it flip off the back of a saw stand — or a tailgate — all those precise adjustments can get seriously out of whack. If you’ve noticed joints not quite closing up for you lately, it’s probably time to tune up your saw. Here are a few tricks to get that big investment dialed in just right.