The Miter Saw: Frames Made Easy

When it comes to woodworking, knowing what particular tool to use for particular cuts is important. When it comes to making miters and crosscuts, using a miter saw would be the best option. As you’d have probably guessed, a miter saw is used in making such cuts. A miter is basically a joint or corner formed by cutting two pieces of wood at an angle, then joining them. This cut or joint can be normally found in frames, considering the shape and wood-joining they require. A miter saw facilitates this demand in woodworking, making the creation of such cuts or joints easy, if not, fast.

(photo: Chris Muray {apeman.org})

As with most saws available for woodworking, miter saws come in manual and/or motorized. Manual miter saws are basically hand driven, utilizing brute strength for their successful operation. Motorized miter saws are powered by a motor, which are electric powered.

These days, when one refers to miter saws, one refers to a type of power tool, associating the term miter saw to the motorized powered breed of miter saws. Regardless of whether they are powered or not, these saws are geared to make accurate crosscuts in the quickest way possible.

They are often used to cut wood, but certain types can cut through certain light metals, as well as plastics. Powered miter saws aid woodworking excursions in cutting off mouldings during frame making operations. They are also quite helpful in making frames.

Common blade sizes for powered miter saws range from eight to twelve inches, though certain variety of blade sizes can be met for the various needs a woodworking project would require.

A powered miter saw owes its successful operation to a coordinated effort between its spinning blade and its user’s control abilities. What happens is as the circular saw blade is spinning, the cut it makes is directed to the said piece of wood, which is positioned against a fence. The fence provides a cutting angle, maximizing cutting precision. As a standard, the fence is positioned at a 90 degree angle. In adjusting the saw’s angle, relative to the fence’s position, the saw’s miter index is utilized.

This meter gives users the option to change the saw’s angle. Certain types of miter saw indexes step up on one-degree incremental changes while “auto set” features are also available for common angles like 15 degrees or 45, or 30. Certain brands even feature a laser guide, for more precise cutting.

Manual miter saws basically operate on the same principle, the only difference there in, would be the fact that they are manually powered.

So the next time you’re having trouble in making that frame, think about the benefits of using a miter saw. Quick, fast and precise, you’d be amazed at how fast and easy making a frame would be.

The most  beautiful Miter Saw is this  Bosch Miter Saw available from Amazon. Good Luck at the table!