Last Modified on Jan 3, 2023
T oday, In this blog, we are going to talk about the best miter saw for beginners, and we will also discuss different types of saws sizes, their parts, safety tips, maintenance and provide a list of 8 best miter saw for beginners, which will help you in starting your woodworking career.
A miter saw is great when you need to have angled cuts for crown molding, picture frames, window casings, and more this versatile, handy tool is
essential in your workshop or job site because it can help you get any type of cut you need.
If you're purchasing a miter saw for the first time,
you can experience a bit of intimidation, confusion, or even stress because there are so many to choose from. To address these issues, we want
to help you get through the selection process by giving you the perfect product to match your needs and budget.
So, we've compared the most popular
items in the market and have come up with the 8 best miter saws for beginners. It will be our pleasure if you can join us to become more familiar
with their distinct features and benefits.
The first saw in our list is a 12 inches sliding miter that comes from the brand DeWalt. The best thing about this brand is that no one can
question its quality as it serves everything as it advertises. There is not a single reason because of which it is at the top of our list,
but there are more than that.
It is a perfect solution for beginners as it assembles very easily and is very comfortable in use. It seems
that DeWalt has concentrated on safety as it is one of the important factors in any power tool. It comes with a trigger guard as not much
company offers that considering the safety of the user and also comes with all other safety features as the miter saw should have.
If I talk
about its dimensions then its length is 21, width is 17, and the height is also 17 inches, and it is a sliver colour miter saw which looks
really nice. It makes really smooth cuts with the help of 3800 rpm motor.
The dust collection port is a little bit far at the backside of
the saw so, sometimes this might frustrate you and also it is not as good as the company advertises and even after using it, there is not
much difference in dust collection. They provide a dust collector bag with it, which is quite good. It is backed up with the three years
of the limited warranty, and I think it is one of the best miter saws for beginners.
Pros
Cons
Next in our list is another sliding miter saw from the brand Tacklife. This miter saw comes with the laser marker which really helps save
the time as you don't need to make markings on the board by a marker and then set the blade first over it. This laser marker also helps
in making more professional and accurate cuts.
The saw itself has some great controls for us, we can turn the laser on and off with the
push button near the handle. One of the good thing about this miter saw is that it comes with an extensive table which will help you in
supporting the longer board and also in cutting them.
You also get a preinstalled clamp so that's a really nice feature and you can use
that clamp on both sides. You get adjustable stop rails as well on this tool that can come all the way out and then back in. It includes
a 15 Amp highly powerful motor working on 1700 Watts that can deliver around 3800 rounds per minute as the company advertises. It cuts
the wood very smoothly like butter all thanks to high grade 40 tooth tungsten carbide tipped blade.
This miter saw comes with dust
collecting bag and controls it's dust very effectively. It is also compatible with the other 12 inches blades in case you don't
like the blade later or a problem come in it, so you can change when needed. As a beginner, Just be sure to read the user manual
first before even plugging this device.
Pros
Cons
This is another best miter saw that comes from a reputed brand Bosch. It is a 12 inches gliding miter saw. Bosch is a brand
which is well known for its power tools. You can find a Bosch tool in almost every list of power tools. Like most other miter
saw this tool also comes with a 12 inches blade having a 15-amp motor that gives 3800 rounds per minute for providing perfect
and effortless cuts.
It can bevel 45 degrees to the left and 45 degrees to the right with a 2 degree undercut on both those edges.
The most striking and functional feature about this saw is the articulated arm at the back has an incredibly smooth action on it.
It is ideal for a workshop because another miter saws usually run on bars.
Suppose you wanted to saw with a good amount of capacity
front to back. In that case, the bars need to be able to accommodate that and having those bars there usually means you have to have
about five or six inches of dead space behind the sword just to allow clearance for them to slide back with this that flat section
there straight up against the wall no space is wasted whatsoever.
You still get the benefit of this massive depth of cut. Bosch also
provides a dust collecting bag with this tool which works very well, so you don't have to worry about the dust collection. I must say
that it is on the heavier side of the weight so, if this is a concern for you, then you can check other items listed below.
Pros
Cons
This double bevel miter saw again comes from the brand DeWalt. It is one of the best miter saw for beginners that is also recommended
by professionals and expert woodworkers. For cutting all the different types of hardwood, you need a miter saw that can generate more
power from its motor and with powerful 15 Amp, 3,800 rpm motor it cuts everything that comes in its way with ease.
Because of
its double bevel feature, you can save your time and effort as well. Sometimes due to its sliding feature, a lot of miter saw
misses in cutting, and if a saw is not able to be cut well then there is no use of buying it but, this problem will never happen
with this miter saw.
I know this miter saw is a bit pricy but trust me it comes with all the features that a miter saw should
have and makes the user experience good. It comes with adjustable stainless steel miter detent plate with ten positive stops
that allow you to adjust your miter saw very quickly. Due to its large size and power full motor, most of you might think that
this is a heavy miter saw, but you are wrong.
It only weighs about 50 pounds, and for a double bevel sliding, miter saw you
can consider it as a lightweight tool. Like other Dewalt, miter saw this tool also comes with the three years warranty, which
I think is more than enough for a power tool.
Pros
Cons
This Hitachi C10FCG 10-inch single bevel compound miter saw is another best tool for a starter who wants versatility in the job.
Just to inform you if you don't know that Hitachi Power Tools has been renamed to a new name called Metabo HPT, just selling
same quality with a different name.
Its miters range from to 0 to 52 degrees to increase flexibility. You can quickly make its
miter adjustment with its thumb actuated positive stops. This beast makes smooth and accurate cuts on wood, plywood, decorative
panels, soft fiberboard, hardboard and much more toughest woods.
Its large table is enough to provide support for longer boards
and hold them safely in their places. It has a 15 amp motor that generates up to 5,000 rounds per minute which make cutting
toughest applications an easy task. This is a lightest 10 inches miter saw which weighs just 24.2 pounds that makes this saw
highly portable, and also it does not acquire much space.
So if you want a powerful and lightweight miter saw which do not
acquire much space, then you should definitely go with this tool. You cannot find a better option in this price segment than
this beast. This miter saw comes with the Hitachi's five-year warranty.
Pros
Cons
Next tool on our list is a Metabo 10 inches compound miter saw. Like other miter saws of its competition, this tool also
comes with a 15 amp powerful motor for smooth and accurate cuts and as above Hitachi miter saw is It's miters also ranges
from to 0 to 52 degrees to increase flexibility.
It makes the marking on wood easy with its laser marker system also helps
the user to save his time and increases cutting accuracy. One thing to keep in mind about this miter saw that it is not a
double bevel saw so, if you are looking for that saw, then you need to skip this tool and check the others.
If I talk
about its weight, then it is the second lightweight tool in our list as it weighs only 26.5 pounds and its dimensions
are 13.7 in length x 20.6 in width x 15.7 in height.
It comes with a large pivoting flip fence and horizontal handle that
is made with soft, vibration-reducing elastomer grip which adds comfort and control while using this tool. This tool is
backed up with the five years warranty, so you don't have to worry about any problem with this machine.
Pros
Cons
This 10 inches double bevel sliding compound miter saw from Delta can give a tough competition to any Dewalt, and Bosch miter saw.
This tool comes in two variants one is the 10 inches, and the other is 12 inches, and for a beginner, I think the 10 inches version
is enough.
This saw slides pretty easily back and forth and gives you a really nice straight cut just like you would using a table saw. The numbers for the miter saw are actually slightly off-centre so that you're not peeking through at the actual number through
the slider instead the little widget over it, points to the number you're actually at.
It has also got a blade brake for an
unexpected cut to make the user safe. Any left and right handed user can operate this saw easily by the help of its moulded handle,
and full-size trigger and its 15 amp powerful motor is enough to cut various types of hardest wood. Its one-handed front miter
controls have got a push-button which makes the adjustments little easier than the triggers that most saws have.
This tool weighs
about 62 pounds which I think is on the heavier side for a 10 inches miter saw. This tool can bevel 45 degrees left and 45 degrees
right and comes with seven most popular positive bevel stops. This tool is covered with delta's five-year warranty.
Pros
Cons
Last but not the least on our list is a Skilsaw 12 inches miter saw. This tool is compact, lightweight, and provides you with
everything that the branded and expensive saw provides or you can say one of the best miter saw for beginners.
One nice thing
that this saw has that this saw got some buttons to extend the table which is a cool feature so if you need just a little bit
more space on the main table where it doesn't quite reach your stand or if you don't have a stand this can act as extra support.
I will say that this saw is a little bit louder, so the hearing protection gears should be your first priority before starting
this saw. Despite its small size, the power in it is amazing and all thanks to the 15 amp motor which gives it a no load speed of
4,500 rounds per minute.
Now, most of the miter saws come with the laser guide system, and this tool also comes with that which
helps a lot in saving time and making the accurate cut. But one thing to keep in mind if your like to work in the sunlight than
this laser system becomes completely useless for you.
For easy setup, this saw comes with the quick-mount system, so you don't
have to waste your time in setting its parts and also has nine positive stops for common miter angles.
Pros
Cons
Not only a miter saw, but all the other cutting tools require a blade to work. There are two sizes of blades that a miter saw mostly use 10 and 12 inches. You should also know about the blades before using a miter saw and choose the right blade for the right work. There are many types of blades.
Handle is a part located at the top of a miter saw, which a user holds and takes the saw down to cut. This handle holds a trigger that is pressed by the user to start the rotation of the blade. The handle is responsible for controlling the direction and movement of a miter saw.
Sliding rails are found in only sliding miter saw, or we can say that these are only made in sliding miter saw, which helps them cut the wide boards.
The sliding rails allow a miter saw to move forward and backward for cutting wider pieces.
These are two types of rails. One is where the rails are
fixed in a position, and the saw moves back and forward, and the other is where the saw is mounted to the rails, they both come backward and forward
to make the cut.
It is the most important part of a miter saw. The fence is where you hold the wood piece against to cut. It helps the board to become stable,
straight, and steady. It is set on the table of the miter saw and fixed perpendicular to the blade.
The fence system is made of cast iron or
aluminum or can also make you own a fence system by steel or wood. If the miter saw scale is adjusted to zero, the saw will 90 degrees crosscut.
A beginner can't make accurate and perfect cuts with the help of a fence.
The table is where all the mass of the miter saw is concentrated, and wood pieces are placed. It supports with wood while cutting. Sometimes the wood pieces are longer than the table because of which the user might face difficulty in cutting the wood. To solve this problem, you can first support your wood piece with some other materials on both sides of the saw to make it stable and then cut it.
A blade guard is one of the essential parts that a miter has. The guard protects the blade, and when we lower the saw to make a cut, the guard moves up and out of the way. It plays a crucial role in user safety and keeps them away from the risk of injuries.
Next, we a miter scale. It's the angle gauge on the table. It helps make the angled cuts across the board. There is a lever or a knob to loosen and turn the table to set to the angle you want. Almost all the saws come with built in angle stops to make common angles to help you.
This handle helps a user set a specific angle to make their desired cut. It is positioned perpendicular to the table but parallel to the cutting blade. This handle contains a lock placed at the bottom, which is used to fix the scale after setting the required angle.
The bevel gauge is under or behind the blade. It helps you measure the tilt of your blade. There are two types of bevel gauges. One is a single
bevel, and the other is a double bevel. A single bevel gauge allows you to tilt your saw only in one direction, but the double bevel gauge
allows you to tilt the saw in both the left and right directions.
Double bevel gauge saw have an advantage over single bevel ones as you don't
need to turn over your material to make another cut. You can simply make it by tilting the blade on the other side. This feature saves your
time and effort as well.
There are basically three types of saws in the market today.
A sliding miter saw can also be called as a simple miter as it is a basic version of a miter saw. This miter is used to make crosscuts and miter cuts. These miter saws are experts in making fast and accurate cuts. It is very less in price than the other type of miter saws, but are very bulky and heavy.
Compound miter saws are the upgraded version of miter saws as this saw can make any type of cut except cutting the large cut because these are static saws. These saws can crosscuts, miters, bevels and also make compound cuts, which are nothing but the combination of miter and bevel cut. Because of its capability of making all types of cuts, these saws are a bit expensive than standard miter saws but are perfect for any woodworker or homeowner.
The last but not the least in our list is a sliding compound miter saw. Now this saw kind of does it all. It crosscuts, it miters, it bevels, makes compound cuts and slides giving, and can cut wider boards. This saw is a bit larger than the other miter saws, and you need to pay extra for its features because of its sliding ability. Professionals and experts mostly use these saws.
The two most common sizes of saws on the market are the 10 and the 12 inches saw. Now the 10 and the 12 represent basically the diameter of the saw blade itself. so generally, the 12-inch saw can cut bigger, wider boards.
So now that we've covered all these saws and what they can do? The question arises here, do you really need a saw that does it all. No, of course not most people would be completely happy and satisfied with a 10-inch compound miter saw, but I would recommend you not to buy a conventional saw for a few more bucks you can get a compound saw, and you'll be very, very glad that you did.
Let's talk a little bit about safety. Be sure to read and understand the manuals that come with your saw, and second make sure that you're
wearing safety glasses and using some sort of dust collection system or the bag that comes with a saw.
These saws love to spray sawdust and
chunks of wood everywhere. Trust me, catching a piece of oak in the eye is not a joyous thing. Lastly, be sure to support your workpiece on
either end if it's longer than the saw table itself.
Maintenance is very important in any tool, these saws really don't require a lot from you, but one of the first things you want to do is actually
get the saw and verify that the positive stops are accurate, meaning that when you set it to a 45 degree that the scale itself and the cut is
actually 45 degrees.
Now the manual does a fantastic job of helping you make those adjustments. The other thing that some of these solves require some lubricant,
so be sure to be doing that on a regular basis if your saw needs it and always keep a sharp blade.
Keeping a sharp blade is definitely part
of the maintenance, and it makes all the difference in the quality of work and safety while using it. Lastly, periodically remove sawdust
and woodchips from around all the moving parts so that the saw could move freely and work safely.
The five most common types of cuts that a miter saw can make are cross-cut, miter cut, bevel cut, compound cut, and the fifth type of cut that we're going to talk about is a repetitive cut, one that you often do. Now that type of cut or setup can be used with almost any cut that this miter saw can do.
The most simplest cut that a miter can make is a crosscut. The basic motion is to lay your workpiece flat tight to the fence, use the clamp
that comes with a saw if you have it, or use your hands.
Just make sure you keep your hands free from the rotation of the blade once you ready
start the saw and allow the blade to get up to full speed and then lower the saw into the material. It would be best if you always waited for
the blade to come to a full stop before moving your workpiece from a safety standpoint.
The miter cut is used for door and window casing or picture frames, really any material that needs to come together at an angle. For example, we are joining two pieces together at a 45 to make a 90, swing your miter handle, block it at 45 degrees, place your board tight to the fence and table, start the saw and make your cut.
The bevel cut is used for baseboard or really any other materials that need to come together at a particular angle. To make the bevel cut, you first have to loosen the bevel handle and tip the head to 45 degrees. Once tighten, though, place the board down tight to the fence and slowly make your cut. Bevel cuts can be tricky, especially when the board gets really wide.
The most complicated of all these cuts is the compound cut. The compound cut includes miter and a bevel all in one. You need to adjust your miter angle and then your bevel angle, hold the material type and make the cut.
Last but not least, the repetitive cut. The miter saw is a master of making quick repetitive cuts, but in order to do them quickly, you have to
eliminate the one thing that takes the most time to make the cut, and that is measuring each piece.
For example, if I need to make 20 pieces at 4 inches, it would be well worth my time not to measure each one but to set up a stop block.
Measure from the blade to the edge of a block 4 inches, clamp that wood in place, and now all you have to do is slide your board tight to
the stop block and make your cut.
We hope that you have gone through this article best miter saw for beginners and get to know everything about the miter saws. We have tried to give our best in this article by providing you with a list of the best miter saw. You can select any of them according to your budget. But I highly recommend you guys to think about your purpose first before buying any of them, or you might waste your money on a feature that you don't need.