Compound miter saws are the most versatile and accurate power tool to make both angle and beveled cuts in wood. The machine is a large mounted circular saw powered by a motor. It can be swung from side to side to make miter cuts and tilted left or right (only some models allow tilt on both sides) to make a beveled cuts.
What Is Miter Saw?
A miter saw is used to make precise crosscuts on a plank of wood, pipe and other materials. An ordinary miter saw has an axis at the bottom of the machine on which the saw assembly swing side to side enabling precise angle cuts.
How Compound Miter Saws Are Different
While a standard miter saw allows for adjustable angles on cut with the blade staying in a stationary vertical position, a compound miter saw allows for the blade to be tilted to an angle of up to 45 degree to the left and to both left and right in the case of a Double Bevel Miter Saw. This feature allows a worker to cut more complex and precise sets of cuts on wood and other materials.
The Cuts of Compound Miter Saw
A compound miter saw can cut both angled, miter cuts ideal for corner joints and bevel cuts for crown molding and other applications.
- Miter cuts: miter cuts are 45 degree angle cuts that you may identify making the corners of a picture frame and other applications.
- Bevel cuts: these are sloped angled cuts using a compound miter saw that are common in crown molding.
- Crown molding: usually a standard miter saw would suffice for cutting a crown molding. But when the molding is too large to be tilted against the fence of the machine, a compound miter saw is used.
Features found in both standard and compound miter saws
- Guards: the self retracting blade guard is the signature safety feature of a miter saw. While you lower the saw, the guard automatically clears off the stock and returns to the normal position when released.
- Guides: both laser guides and reference cutting line blades are seen in the miter saws for precision cuts.
- Dust bag: a dust bag is a useful feature if you are working indoors as it collects the dust in the bag fitted to a nozzle in the back of the machine.
- Safety clamps: safety clamps holds the material on the cutting table down for more accurate bevel cuts.
The Sliding Compound Miter Saw
The sliding compound miter saw is the most versatile tool a worker can put his hands upon. Its ability to slide back and forth allows the user to cut larger, wider objects using the same smaller blade. The blade assembly of the sliding miters saw is mounted on a rail system that allows enables the blade assembly to be moved back and forth
Suits Your Budget
While a standard miter saw can be obtained for as low as $100, the more versatile compound miter saws can be worth more than $1000. But as in everything, it is your needs that have to be thought about before any purchase. However, there are models in the market with advanced features well within your budget range.
The Compound Miter Saw World 