Compound miter saw?

Submitted by Justjanet on Wed, 07/11/2012 - 14:20

I am a beginner. Thanks to a keg jig , jigsaw and sander I have built outdoor garden planters, $10 shelves,a decorative box and a vanity stool in my bathroom all thanks to Ana's plans.
I am ready to expand and think the miter saw is the way to go so I can start with frames and plans with angles. I bought a box saw for a few dollars ( I think that's what they are called...plastic frame and hand saw) but I can't seem to get the hang of it.

My question is, is the (compound) miter saw the way to go? And, what do you recommend in a reasonable budget?

Thanks. Janet

Jamaunzie

Sun, 07/22/2012 - 18:30

I am not an expert but I just bought a sliding compound Miter Saw for 95 dollars and I really like it I have always done all my work with just a Skill Saw and Jig Saw free hand and it is frustrating if you don’t get the cuts straight, but the Miter saw helps a lot with that and it speeds up the wood cutting not to mention the measuring and turning the bottom plate on your other saws for those angle cuts.

claydowling

Tue, 07/24/2012 - 18:49

The compound miter saw is really cool. If you're within a reasonable drive of Detroit I'll sell you one on the cheap. Doesn't slide, but if you tune it up pretty regularly it will cut nicely for you.

I've also had excellent luck with a good hand saw. Lowes is currently selling one for $26, which is hard to beat. They cut quickly and accurately, and they won't take fingers.

Zosk

Mon, 10/01/2012 - 18:57

When I was installing new baseboards in our house I had a lot of trouble using the hand miter saw contraption I bought at a local big box store for around $40. It tended to wander off the cut part of the way down and I couldn't cut straight with it no matter what I tried.

I bought a Hitachi compound miter saw and it has worked really well for me. I bought the 10" one that doesn't slide. I think I spent around $120 on it. I sometimes wish I had purchased a sliding miter saw, but they take up more space, and since my workshop is in the unfinished part of my basement, space is kind of at a premium. The 10" saw pretty much cuts anything under 6" tall and I can cut through a 4x4 board with it if I need to. Also, the 10" blades are less expensive than the 12" blades.

So to answer your question, Yes, I think the power compound miter saw is the way to go if you're struggling to get accurate cuts by hand it will take a lot of the frustration out of your woodworking.

Hope that helps!

LMBJCK (not verified)

Thu, 10/04/2012 - 17:53

If you want to cut sharp corners quickly and easily, a miter saw is definitely the way to go. I just upgraded to the DeWalt 715 and love it. This is a mid-size miter (713 is smaller) and does not slide. Unless you're cutting a lot of wide boards, I'm not sure the extra for the slide is worth the price. They just updated the 715 design, and the old one accepts a laser attachment while the new one does not. The frame on the new one is a little more rugged though, with thicker permanent stops and a cleaner cast to the frame. Whichever is in stock at your local store will do you well. Be sure to pick up an 80 tooth blade or better for finer wood cuts, since the rough blade (32?) is in the box. Nothing beats a perfect corner cut.