Miter Saws - How to find the Best  
 by Johnathan Bakers

Miter saws are an important piece of equipment for cutting miters in trim and baseboards. The basic miter saws only cut straight or horizontal angles. Compound models can also do bevelled edges. Depending on your needs and your budget, you may be interested in additional features. Sliding saws allow you to slide the blade forward for cutting larger pieces.

Compound Miter Saws

Compound miter saws cut horizontal angles or straight cuts. Because the motor tilts, they can cut bevels. Typical miter saws don't tilt and are unable to cut bevels in the wood. The miter saw sits on a table and the spinning saw is pushed down through the wood. These saws are durable. They are also light weight and portable. For this reason, they can be easily carried to and from the job site.

Dual power compound saws are also called double bevel saws. These cut straight and horizontally, like a typical compound saw. An additional feature of these is their ability to tilt in either direction. This makes them better for making bevelled edges. This is a more versatile piece of equipment than the typical compound saw.

Sliding compound saws work in a similar way as a typical compound saw, but have one significant difference. They can be pulled forward as the wood is being cut. This allows you to cut larger pieces of wood.

The highest technology of all compound saws is the dual compound sliding saw. These cut miters and bevels. They are able to tilt in either direction. In addition, they slide forward, which is great for cutting wider pieces of wood. These are portable and can be easily moved from room to room. This is convenient for professional use or when working on a home improvement project.

Radial Arm and Miter Saws

Radial arm saws are versatile, which makes them a much desired basic bench saw for many workshops. They allow you to do a wide variety of cuts including crosscutting, ripping stock and dado work. In addition, they tilt for cutting miters and bevels. You can also rout with them and use them for drilling stock.

The blade size is determined by the maximum thickness of the wood you work with. Choose a saw with sufficient cross cutting ability for the wood you will be cutting. The Dewalt radial arm saw is one of the best on the market. It is reliable, durable and easy to use. This saw fits most woodworking needs and is adjustable for working on a wide variety of projects and wood sizes.

Panel saws are most often found in lumber yards. They are designed to cut larger sheets of wood. Panel saws are often used for cutting large sheets, such as plywood, panelling or particleboard. Depending on the saw, they can cut either four by eight or four by twelve sheets of wood easily.

These are commonly used by contractors in new home building or home improvements. Some panel models are stationary and can't be moved. Others are portable. The portable models are preferred by contractors. Since they are easy to transport to and from the job site, they are the more practical choice. The stationery models are generally found in lumber yards.

About the Author

Johnathan Bakers contributed a lot of articles to http://www.inside-woodworking.com a website with resources. The author is featuring miter saws and various articles in the woodworking field.