How to Use A Compound Miter Saw

Ever wondered when observing a picture frame that how it has been designed with all the perfectly angled cuts and corners?

This job is done by a tool named compound miter saw. One needs to know all the things about this tool before starting the work, or else, it can get a lot trickier to handle the device.

In this post, we are going to discuss how to use a compound miter saw and much more.

But before jumping into all the explanations and details, let us know what compound miter saw is.

What Is A Compound Miter Saw and Why We Need This Tool?

The compound miter saw is one of the most useful tools among the power tools. It is used for tight corners, precise angles, and fine finishing work as it can make adjustments to angles. A compound miter saw rotates horizontally and pivots vertically for angled cuts.

This saw really comes in handy for projects which would require different angled cuts. You can use this for tall baseboard, tall trim, tall door casing, and photo frames.

How to Use A Compound Miter Saw

Step by Step Guide for Beginners

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to use a compound saw. You should have no problems if you follow the instructions provided below.

Power On and Off

It’s easy to turn the device on with the trigger switch. Then, you need to adjust the base of the saw for angle cuts. You also need to set the head of the compound miter saw for a different variation of angle cuts.

Operation

To operate the saw, you want to place your board firmly onto the base and back against the fence. Keep your hands at least six or seven inches away from the blade. Bring your board to the saw and then lower your blade and adjust to make sure you have the teeth right where you want to make your cut.

Pulling and Releasing the Trigger

Pull the trigger to turn the power on and then gently lower your arm to make the cut. And then once you have made the cut, you want to release the trigger and make sure the blade has stopped before you lift it back up.

When Cutting A Lot of Boards of The Same Length

Here is a tip, for longer repetitive cuts, use the adjustable stop on your stand. For shorter repetitive cuts, use a line on your guide. When you need to cut down longer boards, it’s important that all the parts are resting either on your miter saw support stand if you have one, or on blocks that you have set up on your work surface.

Make Angle Cuts

Making angle cuts is as easy as adjusting the angle gauge on your saw. Thanks to the fact that the blade is angled at 45°, you can easily rotate the base of the machine right or left from the center.

Safety Issues to Consider When Using Compound Miter Saw

From outward appearances, the compound miter saw may look relatively harmless, but looks can be deceiving. There are some basic safety rules which apply to compound miter saw:

  • Always keep your hands at a safe distance away from the saw blade in accordance with the compound miter saw manual.
  • Use only saw blades specifically recommended for non-ferrous metal cutting.
  • When cutting an irregular work piece; plan your work so it will not slip, twist, rock or pinch the blade.

Conclusion

That’s all you need to know about the compound miter saw. The performance of a saw actually depends on its sharpened blade. So if you loose your blades cutting capacity then make sharpen the blade to get a better cut.

If you have any problem regarding using the device, then feel free to let us know.