Mitre Saws: The Craftsman’s Friend
For many years, craftsmen and others who took on woodworking projects used the mitre box, generally a wooden box with slots pre-cut at certain angles. This allowed the user to insert the mitre saw to cut 45-degree angles, 90-degree angles or one of several other corner angles necessary. The manual process using the mitre box helped prepare picture frames, wall and corner mouldings, trim and much more. This tried-and-true method is still used by those who employ mitre saws on a daily basis.
Others, however, have chosen to employ new technology and power, even with such basic concepts as mitre angles and corners. Power saws provide a very clean, quick cut that is sometimes preferable to the cut made by a hand saw. As craftsmen, carpenters and others adopted power tools over the past few decades, the mitre saw and other table saws with angle settings, have become very popular.
A saw on a mitre saw stand is one way to employ power and newer technology for those special angle cuts. A radial saw also allows the user to adjust the cut angle, using a guide that is adjustable by single degrees. Most of these newer saws have standard “stops” at 15 degrees, 30 degrees, 45 degrees and 90 degrees. With a select piece of lumber against the guiding “fence” the cut will match the angle selected almost perfectly.
But there is more to the mitre saw concept than this. In recent years, adjustable saws and special blades have made it possible to cut quickly and smoothly when installing table tops, counter tops and assorted furniture items. Some have taken quite quickly to the compound mitre saw for counter and table work, because they can get a nice bevelled edge (making sharp corners nearly a thing of the past). New saws provide more gradual angles that, with a little sanding, can be very, very smooth.
Radial arm saws make it possible to achieve a perfect, custom cut with minimal passes of the blade at various angles. For example, the Dewalt radial arm saw was very popular in the United States for years. However, the company stopped production on this particular equipment more than two decades ago. Yet, some craftsmen still employ this standard machinery in their workshops.
For those requiring something that will produce special projects, the panel saw can be an ideal addition to the workshop. This particular saw is most often used for cutting large panels or sheets of wood into varying sizes for cabinet-making. The mitre saw is generally employed after this to shape the front of the cabinet or a drawer face, for example. The better hardwoods used for the cabinet doors, drawer faces and other decorative outer pieces must usually be cut with a good mitre saw so that good bevelled edges complete the decorative front.
A number of different types of saws can be employed in the well-equipped workshop, ranging from the basic mitre saw/box version, to the more complex table saws and radial arm saws. It’s a matter of choice and work comfort.
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December 15 2008 | Home Improvement | 3 Comments »