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Mitre information

complete wear get your safety a training glasses spotter

Operate only with instructor’s permission and after you have received instruction.

Remove any jewelry, secure loose clothing, and confine long hair.

Make sure all guards are in place and operating correctly.

Always use personal protective equipment (PPE).

All materials should be inspected for defects such as warps, knots and foreign objects.

Make certain the rotates in the correct direction and that the teeth at the bottom of the blade are pointing to the rear of the .

Install a new table kerf plate if the current one is damaged or excessively cut.

Hold the stock firmly against the and the table keeping your fingers at least 1 50 mm (6”) away from the blade.

Do not perform any operation freehand and ensure small pieces are properly secured. Never hold work piece on the right side of the blade with left hand or vice versa. This is called cross-armed and exposes the user to serious injury.

Allow the blade to reach full operating speed before letting the blade enter into the stock. Be aware that the saw moves up or down slightly upon startup and stopping.

Ensure that the saw is in the full upright position when starting and in the full down position when stopping.

If the blade begins to bind while cutting stop immediately.

When finished turn off the compound miter saw and wait for the blade to come to a complete stop before retracting from the work piece.

Disconnect the compound miter saw from the power source before beginning clean-up procedures.

Make all blade changes and angle adjustments with the power supply to the compound miter saw disconnected.

Only install clean, sharp, cross-cut type in the compound miter saw.

After changing a blade you should ensure the saw is turned off, the blade moves freely, and the guard is functioning properly before plugging in the saw.

Do not reach around, behind or underneath the saw unless it is turned off and unplugged.

Do not cut iron, steel, brick, or tile. Mitre Saw

complete wear get your safety a training glasses spotter Before You Start Make sure the saw is clamped or bolted to a worktable Make sure the floor and worktable around the mitre saw are clean and safe Make sure you and your spotter know where the stop button is Check that all the guards are working and in place Make sure the is on Lock the angle adjustment Do a dry run of the cut without power to check your accuracy Faulty equipment must not be used - report problems immediately

While Cutting Use clamps to cut shorter than 6" (1 50mm) Keep fingers at least 6" (1 50 mm) away from the blade Do not cut more than one piece at a time Do not cross arms when cutting Let the blade get up to full speed, then cut slowly Let the blade stop fully at the bottom of the cut before lifting

Afterward Leave the machine in a safe, clean, and tidy state

Too dangerous Cutting very small or metallic items (look for staples, nails, or screws) Cutting wood that does not sit flat on the table (round without a , for example) Cutting wood along the grain Get More from Your Miter Saw Use it to break down rough stock, but get furniture-quality cuts, too

BY MARC ADAMS

ecause miter were not around when many of us took furniture-quality cuts in half the time it takes to drag out your a high school shop class (remember the radial-arm saw?), crosscut sled. Of course, the miter saw is also the quickest way Bthe majority of us were never taught how to use them. The to rough-cut to size, and I have tips for that, too. hosts of those television DIY shows are no help. My tips and techniques are based on the type of saw that I favor, Although relatively lightweight and portable, the “chopsaw” de- the simple chopsaw (see “Basic chopsaw is better for woodwork- serves as much respect as any machine in the shop. It certainly ing”), but many will work for sliding miter saws, too. carries as much potential danger. On the other hand, it is capable of more than you might know. A few key upgrades With a few tips and upgrades, you’ll be able to do almost all of The first step is to replace the blade that came with your saw. your crosscutting and mitering on the miter saw, like I do, getting It will struggle through big lumber, and it won’t have

48 FINE Photos: Asa Christiana

Basic chopsaw is better for woodworking Designed for carpenters and contractors of all stripes, miter saws come in a bewildering variety of configurations. One advantage of running a woodworking school is that I get to purchase lots of and learn which features are truly worthwhile. For woodworkers, I’ve found that the simple chopsaw is the best bet and the most accurate. You don’t need to pay extra for a big sliding model if you have a tablesaw and crosscut sled for wider stock. But the cost savings don’t end there. You also can skip the double- feature, since you’ll get better cuts when pivoting the head rather than tilting it. And I’m not a fan of laser guides. They don’t work in every blade position, and they need regular adjustment. On the other hand, I would go for the full 12-in. blade over the 10-in. size, and I’d make sure the saw has an automatic brake (most do) that stops the blade when the trigger is released. You’ll see why shortly. Another feature I find enough teeth for the finest cuts. You don’t have to buy the most handy is a miter range expensive one, but do get a good blade designed for a miter saw. of 50° or more. With any crosscutting , you have to deal with tearout. One of the best ways to enhance your miter saw is to add a zero-clearance throat plate and a sacrificial fence. These simple upgrades do three Replace the stock great things: They eliminate chipout at the bottom and back edges blade. Get a high- quality blade de- of the cut; they show you exactly where the blade will cut, at signed for miter saws, any angle, making it easy to line up a mark accurately; and they with 100 or so teeth make the saw safer, preventing small offcuts from getting trapped for finer crosscuts. against the blade and kicking back at you.

Set up for success ZERO CLEARANCE IS ESSENTIAL This is a crosscutting tool, so without sacrificial surfaces below and behind the cut, you’ll get tearout.

Replace the plate. Remove the stock throat plate and trace around it (left) onto ⁄ -in.-thick MDF. Saw and sand it to fit, and then screw it into place (above), or attach it with carpet tape. You might have to the MDF to make it flush with the base.

Add a fence. A 6-ft.-long piece of ⁄ -in. MDF or makes a good sacrificial fence. Attach it with carpet tape.

Cut the slot. Make a cut through the plate and fence, and say good-bye to tearout. The zero- clearance slots also show exactly where the blade will cut, making it easy to line up a mark precisely.

50 FINE WOODWORKING Drawings: Kelly J. Dunton

LONG FENCE HOLDS STOPS

SIMPLE BUT EFFECTIVE STOP This basic hangs on the fence. The cleat keeps it to the blade, with a slight gap between it and the table so dust doesn’t interfere.

Using a stop safely. Always hold the workpiece on the stop side. That part is trapped against the blade, and should be controlled at all times.

To tame tearout along the bottom edge, some woodworkers sary, you can plane the insert to bring it flush with the surface. To cover the base of the saw with a full layer of plywood, but I pre- install it, you can use thick (exterior grade) carpet tape, or redrill fer to replace the throat plate. That way, you don’t lose thickness the screw holes and use those. capacity. Also, the saw always comes down in the same slot, even To prevent tearout along the back edge of the board, you can’t when pivoted for miter cuts, so you don’t have to replace that easily make a sacrificial insert in the metal fence. So I use a full shopmade plate unless you change blades or make a bevel cut layer of plywood there, which does steal some width capacity. I with the head tilted. recommend 1⁄ -in.-thick MDF or plywood cut roughly 6 ft. long I’ve made these inserts successfully for at least five different and just wide (tall) enough to fit under the motor or handle in its brands of saw. Just trace the standard plastic insert on a piece of lowest position. The extra length comes in handy for attaching ⁄ -in.-thick MDF. Then and sand the edges to fit. If neces- stops. Again I use carpet tape to hold the fence in place, making

ADVANTAGES OF TABLE-MOUNTING SIMPLE SUPPORTS, SNAZZIER STOPS If you can dedicate some counter space to your saw, there are Adams bolts his saw in place, and also screws down these work supports, so their fences line up with the center insert. Shim the a number of advantages. saw to bring it level. Improved stop hooks over fence and slides.

Slots stabilize dedicated clamps.

Replaceable center insert

Plywood, MDF, or particleboard

Replaceable insert. You don’t have to replace the whole fence every time you make a miter cut and ruin the zero-clearance slot. You just replace the center insert, which is held in place with carpet Better work support. Bolt down the saw and build long boxes to extend tape. the fences and support long boards and stops.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 51

Get furniture-quality cuts You can get smooth, accurate cuts of all kinds with this lightweight machine. Proper technique is the key. THREE STEPS TO CLEAN CUTS

1 Power up. Let the blade get to full speed before lowering it.

2 Let it cut. It takes time to get 100 teeth through a big piece of wood, so let the blade cut at its own pace.

3 Now wait. This is the most important part. Let the blade come to a full stop before lifting it or moving the stock. This is where an automatic brake speeds things up.

it easy to change. You’ll need to replace it when you change PATIENCE REWARDED cutting angles. Using stops for repeat cuts is one of the best moves you can make on a miter saw. You can place them on either side of the saw, but for shorter cuts, the stop might need to go on the op- posite side from the motor to avoid bumping it.

The right technique makes all the difference All miter saws have a degree of slop in the arbor, which allows blade runout. That’s why proper technique is so critical to getting accurate cuts. I don’t actually like the term “chopsaw” because it reminds me of words like “hack” and “slash.” Forcing the blade will make it de- flect and wobble. Also, a blade with more teeth needs more time to get through the wood. On the other hand, if you go too slowly, See for yourself. The left board was cut with good technique. On the you’ll get a burnt or burnished cut. So let the blade cut at its own right sample, Adams lifted the blade back up through the cut while pace—not yours. Go by feel. The same blade will cut differently the blade was still spinning. in soft and hard wood, through larger and smaller workpieces.

52 FINE WOODWORKING

Perfect miters

NO

Stay away from the blade. Pivoting the saw toward your body (above) is less safe and makes it hard to reach in and hold the stock steady. Change hands and stand on the other side (right) Yes to give yourself more room.

NO

Turn tricky into happy miters. A miter- saw motor is less stable when tilted on its side (above), affecting the quality of the cut on this base . Also, too much of the blade is exposed. By standing the molding up (right), you turn a bevel cut into a safer, more accurate miter. Yes

Convert compound If yours is a sliding model, pull it all the way toward you before angles, too. Laid lowering it and pushing it through the cut. Again, go by feel. flat on the saw, The second important rule is to let the blade come to a stop be- this fore raising it back up through the cut. The cutting action tends to would require a stabilize the blade, but it can wobble again when the cut is done. combination miter Also, you tend to raise the blade faster than you cut with it. That’s and bevel cut. Add why you will hear that “twangggg” sound when you bring a spin- a sacrificial base to the saw with a ning blade back up through the cut, and will see deep sawmarks. cleat that stands If the brake is working well, you’ll only have to wait a couple the molding up in its of seconds for the blade to stop, but the quality of the cut will installed position. be considerably better. So force yourself to develop this habit. Then you can make Miters vs. bevels—Because of the way the guard works, I do a simple 45° miter not like using a miter saw’s bevel function, in other words, tilting cut for perfect the head. There is just too much blade exposure, and it ruins the joints. www.finewoodworking.com 53

Going bigger and smaller GET MORE WIDTH IN A PINCH zero-clearance insert. It also puts the weight of the motor on the When chopping up boards into rough lengths, the saw’s width side of its pivot point, causing it to flex sideways as you pull it capacity often falls short. These tricks add capacity. downward, compromising the cut. The good news is that you can stand a narrow board up against the fence, turning a wobbly bevel cut into an accurate miter cut. There is also a great trick for avoiding compound-angled (bevel and miter) cuts on crown molding (see p. 53), turning those into simple miters, too. Coax extra width out of your saw—There are a number of ways to get more width capacity from your saw. This is most often a problem when cutting rough lumber to approximate length, and usually on a chopsaw. Sliding miter saws are not my favorite, but they do have significantly more cutting capacity. First let’s cover an important safety tip. When cutting bowed, twisted, or cupped boards, always make sure the stock is touch- ing the fence and base in the cutting area. Otherwise it will dive down or backward as you finish the cut, pinching and binding dangerously against the blade. The first tip is that if your cut leaves ⁄ in. or less to be nicked off at the end, you often can simply lift the front edge of the board a bit to finish the cut. The other trick for rough lumber is to make as wide a cut as possible and then let the blade stop, flip the board Lift it. If you have only a over, realign the blade with the kerf or mark, and finish the job. sliver of wood left (above), For accurate, furniture-quality cuts, I have another handy tip. you can safely lift the near edge into the spin- Just put some scrapwood underneath to raise up your stock to ning blade (right) to finish the bigger part of the blade. You can add an inch or more to the the cut. width of the cut this way on a 12-in.-dia. blade.

Flip it. To almost double your cutting capacity, make a full cut on one side (above), and A trick for fine cuts, too. To add an inch or more to a cut without then flip the board to finish compromising the quality, raise the board on a sacrificial piece in order the job (right). to use a wider portion of the blade.

54 FINE WOODWORKING

HANDLE SMALL WORK SAFELY

Area for clamping

Small protruding stop allows hold- down to reach workpiece.

LOW-PROFILE STOP

Hand goes here, safely away from blade.

LONG HOLD-DOWN Cut precise pieces. A low-profile stop and special hold-down let Adams safely control Small footprint small, precise parts for segmented turnings, for example. holds workpiece.

A few more safety tips In 2010, the University of Cincinnati did a study at our school on woodshop noise levels. The miter saw pro- duced more decibels than any other tool in the shop. So always wear ear muffs or plugs, and of course, protect your eyes at all times. Never cross your arms. Most people do this when cutting miters, choosing to use their normal trigger hand no matter which way the miter is pointing. Miter- saw triggers will work with either hand, and for miter cuts you want to stand opposite where the saw is pointing. That might mean putting the board on the opposite side you are used to, and switching hands. This will give you better visibility and help you hold the stock more tightly so it isn’t pulled sideways by the blade. Another time you might want to switch hands is to hold onto the piece that is trapped against a stop. I have a 3-in. rule on all power tools, making sure my hands always stay out of this danger zone. So for Trim veneers smaller pieces, I use a special stop and hold-down to keep the cleanly. Veneers stock safely in place against the fence and table. These are easy (and plastics) will to make (see drawings, above). shatter on the miter So make a few upgrades to your saw, let it come to a stop after saw, but if you hold them down with a each cut, and follow a few simple rules. Then you’ll really see sacrificial board what a miter saw can do. □ (above), you can get a perfect cut on a whole Marc Adams runs Marc Adams School of Woodworking in Franklin, Ind. stack (left). For a full class list, go to MarcAdams.com.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 55

Mitre Saw Safety Quiz Name: Check the box next to the most correct answer 1 When should permission be obtained from your instructor to operate the mitre saw? always never sometimes none of the above 2 What is proper dress when operating a mitre saw? remove any jewelry secure loose clothing confine long hair all of the above 3 When must personal protective equipment (PPE) be worn to operate the mitre saw? sometimes never always all of the above 4 What should you do before changing the blade or performing any other maintenance on the mitre saw turn off the machine turn off the machine and disconnect the machine from the power source ensure the saw arm is in the down, locked position keep the safety guard in place 5 What checks should be made after changing the blade on the mitre saw? Check all that apply. rotate the blade completely by hand before plugging in the machine be sure the switch is in the OFF position before inserting the plug into the outlet ensure that the safety guard is in place and operating correctly ensure that the teeth at the bottom of the blade are pointing away from the fence 6 What should you do before cutting stock on the mitre saw? Check all that apply. ensure that the safety guard is in place and operating correctly ensure that the stock is free from defects make sure the stock is held tightly against the fence let the motor reach full speed before allowing the blade to touch the stock 7 Where should your hands be placed when operating a mitre saw? on the right side with your left hand holding the stock (cross-armed) such that your fingers are at least 1 50mm (6") from the blade away from the saw, you don't need to hold the stock in place as close as possible to the blade 8 When finished cutting stock on the mitre saw, what should be the next step? turn OFF the saw and wait until the machine has come to a complete stop before unplugging leave your debris and off cuts lying around leave the saw immediately all of the above 9 What is the correct type of blade for the mitre saw? a cross cut blade any diameter blade a dull and dirty blade a blade with missing teeth 10 While cutting, when can you safely start and stop a mitre saw? in the full up position in the full down position starting in the full up position and stopping in the full down position in the half way position Get your quiz results faster! Do your safety quiz online.