A miter saw (also called a miter saw or miter saw), is a machine that is used to make cuts at precise angles in materials such as plastics, soft metals and wood. It basically consists of a table —which is where the material to be cut is placed— and some predefined guides to angle cuts common (usually 30 °, 45 ° and 60 °). The most advanced models —the miter saws motorized – they also have guides, a goniometer and, of course, an electric saw that allows you to quickly cut the materials.
In this article we will see a little of the history of this tool, its types and applications that can be achieved with it. In another note we tell you how to choose it according to your needs.
Miter saw: its different types
There are three types of miter saw: two of them correspond to manual models, while the last two are of miter saws motor-of which the most common are electric.
Manual miter saws
Manual miter saws
These are the classic models that we can find among the tools of our grandparents. They are lightweight and efficient when it comes to cutting at common angles.
The most basic model is the one known as the miter box or box. Englishwoman; it is simply a guide made of wood or aluminum sheet, with one or more guides at different angles, the most common being 45 °.
The models with a built-in saw have it on the upper part and perform the same work as a hand saw, only that the cuts are made with greater precision, as the blade is guided.
Electric miter saw
Miter saw
For some years it has been the preference of all woodworking lovers. The motor, which is powered by electrical energy, is what generates the movement of the circular saw. For buy a good miter saw The size and power of the motor and the discs must be taken into account, since it must be adjusted to the daily use that we will give to the machine.
Motor blender
It is similar to its electrical pairs, except that the engine runs on gasoline. These models are rare, and are often used in remote areas where it is necessary to cut wood at precise angles. The railway industry is one of the main users of this type of miter saw.
Parts of a miter saw
Desk
Table Miter Saw
The table is the flat surface where the raw material that we need to cut rests. It is a rectified or flattened surface with milling machines, where the raw material to be cut can slide smoothly.
Attached to it is the twist, which we will see below.
Twist / Angle Cut on the Miter Saw
Angle Cut
It is a square with an angular graduation, which pivots on an axis orthogonal to the table. In this way it is possible to obtain a great variety of angles.
The maximum tilt depends on the model and manufacturer, although generally the maximum angle that is possible to achieve with a standard table is 60 ° to both sides (thus the total width is 120 °).
The raw material rests against the back of the square and slides along the table until it is located in the cutting position, at which time the guides are used.
Miter Guides
Miter Guides
They are used to adjust the object to cut against the table and the rotation, to prevent it from moving and hindering the cut.
They consist of a threaded rod, held by two nuts at each end. On one side they have a base that rotates freely at the tip of the rod; On the opposite side, a butterfly allows the rod to be rotated, making it move forward or backward as convenient.
Miter saw motor
Miter saw motor
It is the most important component of the miter saw; the motor is the one that provides the necessary torque to move the circular saw.
When it comes to a electric motor, it is mounted directly on the shaft that makes the disc rotate; when it is an explosion, it is located below and transmits the turn through pulleys or gears.
Disc for miter saw
It is made of steel in its entirety, and has a serrated outer edge. It is mounted on a shaft that has a clamping system, generally a hexagon on which a piece that locks the assembly slides by means of a left-hand thread.
Miter Saw Commands
It is the part of the miter saw that allows you to start or stop the engine and lower or raise the saw. The more advanced models have a sensitive trigger that allows to regulate the angular speed of the disc. In the basic models, there is a single speed, or a maximum of two in different positions of the trigger.
Differences between miter saws and sensitive saws
To the left a sensitive saw. On the right, a miter saw or miter saw.
A miter saw, as we saw at the beginning, it allows us to cut at an angle with great precision.
A precise cut allows for perfect miter joints, as we see in the frame of this door, built from a single wooden strip.
The sensitive sawOn the other hand, it is a tool aimed at making straight cuts thinking about speed and not so much about precision; the sensitive saw is intended to speed up the cutting process, while the miter saw It is designed to make precise angular cuts.
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