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A miter saw (also spelled mitre) is a saw used to make accurate crosscuts and miters in a workpiece.

Manual miter saw[link]

A manual miter saw

The basic miter saw is the manual miter saw. It is a saw suspended on rollers in a metal guide that works with a miter box that allows making accurate crosscuts and miter cuts. They are still used occasionally, such as in picture framing or by manual woodworking enthusiasts, but have largely been displaced by power tools in woodworking.

Power miter saw[link]

A motorized miter saw

A power miter saw, also known as a chop saw or drop saw, is a power tool used to make a quick, accurate crosscut in a workpiece. Common uses include framing operations and the cutting of molding. Most miter saws are relatively small and portable, with common blade sizes ranging from eight to 12 inches.

The miter saw makes cuts by pulling a spinning circular saw blade down onto a workpiece in a short, controlled motion. The workpiece is typically held against a fence, which provides a precise cutting angle between the blade and the longest workpiece edge. In standard position, this angle is fixed at 90°.

A primary distinguishing feature of the miter saw is the miter index that allows the angle of the blade to be changed relative to the fence. While most miter saws enable precise one-degree incremental changes to the miter index, many also provide "stops" that allow the miter index to be quickly set to common angles (such as 15°, 22.5°, 30°, and 45°).

Types[link]

There are several types of power miter saws:^[1]

• A standard saw has a fixed vertical pivot with rotating cutting table allowing horizontally angled (or mitered) cuts while the blade always remains vertical.
• A compound miter saw has a rotating vertical pivot allowing the cutter head & blade to be tilted (or beveled) sideways in addition to the horizontally rotating table. This allows vertical & horizontal angled cuts as well as cuts angled in both planes.
• A sliding compound miter saw is a compound miter saw with horizontal sliding arms for the cutter head allowing cuts on much wider boards.
• A dual compound miter saw is like a sliding compound miter saw, but its blade and motor can tilt both left and right. This provides more flexibility for cutting complicated angles such as required for crown molding.

Features[link]

Miter saws are dedicated cross cut saws, long rip cuts are not possible.

A laser guide provides a precise visual indication of where the cut will be positioned on the workpiece in the current configuration. Some models provide a single reference line for one side of the kerf, while others provide two lines to reflect the total kerf width. A blade guard is a cover for the teeth of the cutting blade. Most modern miter saws have self-retracting blade guards, which automatically retract when the saw is lowered onto a workpiece and re-cover the blade when the saw is raised. It is very dangerous to use the saw if these guards are removed or damaged. A dust bag connects directly to the saw, and helps to collect sawdust away from the workpiece during cutting. Optionally, many manufacturers sell adapters to connect a shop-vac in lieu of a bag to capture more of the dust and simplify disposal. Dust removal with these saws is notoriously poor. A safety clamp helps to lock a workpiece into position prior to making a cut. This is an especially important feature when cutting smaller workpieces (eight inches or smaller). The miter table is typically less than 24" in diameter^[2]. Typically, the work will need to be supported on the far end to stabilize the piece while cutting^[3].

Miter saws are inherently low hazard as the workpiece is held stationary against a fence while the saw head moves, making kick back almost impossible and normally keeping hands clear of the blade. Also the saw head is usually drawn back, then lowered and fed forward through the material so that binding is unlikely.

Sliding compound miter saws are relatively portable, easy to set up, and robust enough to maintain accuracy even when moved around. Because they cut from above it is not necessary to adjust blade depth for different thicknesses of work piece and, like any bench machine, repeat cuts are very easy. Most saws have an adjustable scale plate for table swiveling with positive stops at commonly used angles. Also, there are usually adjustable stops at 90 and 45 degrees for head tilting allowing easy and very accurate adjustment of the saw.

Table swiveling in both directions is universal but most saws only allow head tilting in one direction (counter-clockwise) although some saws allow head tilting in both directions. Normally the work piece is held flat on the table and so table swiveling will produce a miter cut (blade vertical and angled across work piece), head rotation a bevel cut (blade angled from vertical and square across work piece), and in combination a compound cut.

One of the main disadvantages is relatively poor wood chip and dust extraction, since so much of the blade is exposed when cutting, especially bevel cuts, there is a tendency for chips to fly around.

Development[link]

Power miter saws have been available in various forms since the 1970s as specialized cross cut saws but with limited width of cut, especially compared to radial arm saws. Simple miter saws allowed the saw table to pivot allowing miters to be cut in one plane. Compound miter saws also provided saw head tilting allowing compound miters to be cut. Miter saws with abrasive cutting wheels are often used in metal work where they are known as "drop saws" or more commonly "chop saws".

In the late 1980s the sliding compound miter saw was introduced which combined all the best features of the compound miter saw with sliding tubes allowing the cutter head to traverse for a much wider cut. Since then it has become the primary cross cut saw for woodworking, largely supplanting the radial arm saw. Manufacturers warn of possible electrocution when used near water or other related saws in a close proximity.

See also[link]

• Miter box
• Diamond tools
• Backsaw
• Radial arm saw

Notes[link]

1. ^ http://www.finehomebuilding.com/how-to/articles/choosing-using-miter-saw.aspx
2. ^ "Using Power Tools". The Reader's Digest Association, Inc. 1997, p. 62
3. ^ http://bestmitersawratings.com/what-is-a-miter-saw-a-basic-introduction/

External links[link]

• NIOSH Power Tools Sound and Vibrations Database

Saw

A crosscut hand saw about 620 mm (24 inches) long
Classification	Cutting
Types	Hand saw Back saw Bow saw Circular saw Reciprocating saw Bandsaw
Related	Milling cutter

A saw is a tool that uses a hard blade, wire, or chain with a toothed edge to cut through softer materials. A saw may be worked by hand, or powered by steam, water, electricity or other power. An abrasive saw uses a powered circular blade for cutting metal.

Terminology[link]

Diagram showing the teeth of a saw blade when looking front-on. The teeth protrude to the left and right, so that the saw cut (kerf) is wider than the blade width. The term set describes how much the teeth protrude.

• Heel: The end closest to the handle.
• Toe: The end farthest from the handle.
• Front: The side with the teeth (the "bottom edge").
• Back: Opposite the front ("top edge").
• Teeth: Small sharp points along the cutting side of the saw.
• Gullet: Valley between the points of the teeth
• Fleam: The angle of the faces of the teeth relative to a line perpendicular to the face of the saw.
• Rake: The angle of the front face of the tooth relative to a line perpendicular to the length of the saw. Teeth designed to cut with the grain (ripping) are generally steeper than teeth designed to cut across the grain (crosscutting)
• Points per inch (25 mm): The most common measurement of the frequency of teeth on a saw blade. This is measured by setting the tip, or point, of one tooth at the zero point on a ruler, and then counting how many points are contained within one inch (25 mm) of length, counting inclusively. There will always be one more point per inch than there are teeth per inch (e.g., a saw with 14 points per inch will have 13 teeth per inch, a saw with 10 points per inch will have 9 teeth per inch). Some saws do not have the same number of teeth per inch throughout their entire length, but the vast majority do.
• Teeth Per inch : Another common measurement of the amount of teeth residing in any one inch length of a saw blade. Usually abbreviated as TPI, e.g. a blade consisting of 18TPI (Teeth Per Inch).
• Kerf: Width of the saw cut. On most saws the kerf is wider than the saw blade because the teeth are flared out sideways (set). This allows the blade to move through the cut easily without getting stuck (binding). However, some saws are made so that the teeth have no set on one side. This is done so that the saw can lie flat on a surface and cut along the surface without scratching it. These are referred to as flush cutting saws. Although the term kerf is often used to refer to the width of the saw blade, it actually means the width of the cut, which is affected by the width of the blade, the amount of wobble created during cutting, and the amount of material pulled out of the sides of the cut. This distinction can be important because the use of a blade that is too thin can result in excessive wobble and a wider kerf.

In a modern serrated saw, each tooth is bent to a precise angle called its set. The set of the teeth is determined by the kind of cut the saw is intended to make. For example, a rip saw has a tooth set that is similar to the angle used on a chisel. The idea is to have the teeth rip or tear the material apart. Some teeth are usually splayed slightly to each side of the blade so that the cut width (kerf) is wider than the blade itself and the blade does not bind in the cut. The kerf of the blade is adjusted with a tool called a saw tooth setter.

An abrasive saw uses an abrasive disc or band for cutting, rather than a serrated blade.

History[link]

Roman sawblades from Vindonissa approx. 3rd to 5th century AD

In ancient Egypt, saws made of copper are documented as early as the Early Dynastic Period, circa 3,000–2,800.^{[1][page needed]} Examples of saws and models of saws have been found in many contexts throughout Egyptian history. Particularly useful are tomb wall illustrations of carpenters at work that show sizes and the use of different types. Egyptian saws were set with the teeth projecting only on one side, rather than in the modern fashion with the more advantageous alternating set.

According to Chinese tradition, the saw was invented by Lu Ban.^[2] In Greek mythology, as recounted by Ovid,^[3] Talos, the nephew of Daedalus, invented the saw. In archeological reality, saws date back to prehistory and most probably evolved from Neolithic stone or bone tools. "[T]he identities of the ax, adz, chisel, and saw were clearly established more than 4,000 years ago."^[4]

Handmade manufacture[link]

Until at least the mid-19th century, saws were made laboriously by hand. The teeth were filed out individually, then "set" by striking alternate teeth with a hammer against a "stake" or small anvil. Due to risk of breaking teeth, beginners were given saw set pliers which set even more slowly.^[5]

Saw pits[link]

In early English North America, the pit saw was one of the principal industrial tools. It was a two-man saw, generally operated over a pit across which the logs to be cut into boards were mounted. The saw was "a strong steel cutting-plate, of great breadth, with large teeth, highly polished and thoroughly wrought, some eight or ten feet in length"^[6] with a handle on either end. The pit saw took at least two men to operate. The "pitman" stood in the pit— to raise the saw for the backstroke—and the "sawyer", standing above, guided the cut. Pit-saw workers were among the best paid in early colonial North America.

The pit saw is also known as a whipsaw.^[7]

Types of saws[link]

Hand saws[link]

Sawing circa 1425

Hand saws use the blade thickness to remain stiff. The pull stroke also reduces the amount of stiffness required. Some examples are:

• Coping saw for cutting wood patterns
• Crosscut saw for making cuts perpendicular to the grain
• Fret saw for cutting intricate wood patterns
• Hacksaw fine-toothed tempered blade under tension for cutting metal, bone, and other hard materials.
• Pad saw, keyhole saw, jab saw narrow bladed saw.
• Plywood saw fine-toothed blade to reduce tearing of plywood
• Rip saw for cutting along the grain
• Two-man saw for cutting large logs or trees
• Veneer saw two edged saw with fine teeth used to cut veneer

Back saws[link]

The second category of hand saws utilize a thinner blade by reinforcing it with a steel or brass back. Back saws are differentiated by the length of the blade. Some examples are:

• Miter saw used to make accurate crosscuts and miters in a workpiece
• Tenon saw also called a Dovetail saw or sash saw is used in woodworking for precise work

Mechanically powered saws[link]

Circular blade saws[link]

• Circular saw, used in industrial sawing of log and beams, typically found in sawmills – also name given to smaller hand-held saws
• Table saw, circular blade rising through a slot in a table. A smaller direct-drive versions can be set on a workbench is called workbench saw. If set on steel legs it is called a Contractor's Saw. A heavier version, which is more precise and more powerful and driven by multiple belts with an enclosed base stand is called a Cabinet saw. A new version, called a hybrid saw, has the lighter weight mechanism of a Contractor saw but with an enclosed base like the Cabinet saw.
• Radial arm saw is a versatile machine used mainly for cross-cutting. The blade is pulled on a guide arm through a piece of wood held stationary on the saw's table
• Rotary saw is used to make accurate cuts without the need for a pilot hole in wallboard, plywood, and other thin materials. It can be called a spiral cut saw or a "RotoZip".
• Electric miter saw, (also called chop saw, cut-off saw or power miter box) is used for making accurate cross cuts and miter cuts. The basic model has its circular blade fixed at a 90° angle to the vertical, a compound miter saw's blade can be adjusted to other angles. A sliding compound miter saw has a blade which can be pulled through the work similar to the action of a radial arm saw, which gives a greater capacity for cutting wider workpieces.
• Concrete saw, usually powered by an internal combustion engine and used with a Diamond Blade to cut concrete or asphalt pavement.
• Abrasive saw, which uses an abrasive disc for cutting rather than a toothed blade. Abrasive saws are used for cutting very hard materials, such as metal.
• Pendulum saw or Swing saw, the saw is hung on a swinging arm. Often used for rough cross cutting wood in a sawmill. Also for cutting ice out of a frozen river.

Reciprocating blade saws[link]

• Jigsaw or saber saw (US) has a narrow blade for cutting irregular shapes. The term jigsaw was also commonly used for what is now called a scroll saw.
• Reciprocating saw or sabre saw (UK and Australia) use an action similar to a jigsaw. They are larger, more powerful and use a longer stroke with the blade parallel to the barrel. It is useful for demolition work or for cutting pipe, and is sometimes powered by compressed air.
• Scroll saw is a saw for making intricate curved cuts (scrolls).
• Dragsaw is used for bucking logs before the advent of the chainsaw.
• Sternal saw is used in surgery to open a patient's sternum.

Continuous band[link]

• Band saw, with motor-driven continuous band
• Chainsaw, motor-driven, for felling trees

Types of blades[link]

Blade teeth are of two general types: Tool steel or carbide. Carbide is harder and holds a sharp edge much longer.

Band saw blade

A long band with teeth on one side welded into a circle. Less waste than circular saws due to blade being thinner. More heat disapation because there is more blade to do the cutting. Usually run at a slower speed than circular saw.

Crosscut

In woodworking, a cut made at (or near) a right angle to the direction of the wood grain of the workpiece. A crosscut saw is used to make this type of cut.

Rip cut

In woodworking, a cut made parallel to the direction of the grain of the workpiece. A rip saw is used to make this type of cut.

Plytooth

A circular saw blade with many small teeth designed for cutting plywood with minimal splintering.

Dado blade

A special type of circular saw blade used for making wide grooved cuts in wood so the edge of another piece of wood will fit into the groove to make a joint. Dado blades can make different width grooves by addition or removal of chipper blades of various widths between the outer dado blades. This first type is called a stacked dado blade. There is another type of dado blade capable of cutting variable width grooves. An adjustable dado utilizes a movable locking cam mechanism which causes the blade to wobble sideways more or less. This allows continuously variable groove width from the lower to upper design limits of the dado.

Strob Saw Blade

A circular saw blade with special rakers/cutters to easily saw through green or uncured wood which would otherwise jam the saw blade.

Materials used for saws[link]

There are several materials used in saws, with each of its own specifications.

Brass

Mostly used in back saws because of its low price, its flow characteristics that make the material relatively easy to cast, and unlike other types of saw, the forces that take place in back saws are relatively low because of the pulling motion used.

Steel

Used in almost every existing kind of saw. Because steel is cheap, easy to shape, and very strong, it has the right properties for most kind of saws.

Diamond

Fixed onto the saw blade's base to form diamond saw blades. As diamond is a superhard material, diamond saw blades can be used to cut hard and brittle, or abrasive materials, for example, stone, concrete, asphalt, bricks, ceramics, glass, semiconductor and gem stone. There are many methods to fix the diamonds onto the blades' base and there are various diamond saw blades, which are used in a variety of fields.^[8]

High speed steel (HSS)

The whole saw blade is made of High Speed Steel (HSS). HSS saw blades are mainly used to cut steel, copper, aluminum and other metal materials. If high-strength steels (e.g., stainless steel) are to be cut, the blades made of cobalt HSS (e.g. M35, M42) should be used.^[8]

Tungsten carbide

Normally, there are two ways to use tungsten carbide to make saw blades:^[8]

1. Carbide tipped saw blades: The saw blade's teeth are tipped (via welding) with small pieces of sharp tungsten carbide block. This type of blade is also called TCT (Tungsten Carbide Tipped) saw blade. Carbide tipped saw blades are widely used to cut wood, plywood, laminated board, plastic, grass, aluminum and some other metals.
2. Solid carbide saw blades: The whole saw blade is made of tungsten carbide. Comparing with HSS saw blades, solid carbide saw blades have higher hardness under high temperatures, and are more durable, but they also have a lower toughness.

Uses[link]

• Saws are most commonly used for cutting hard materials. They are used extensively in forestry, construction, demolition, medicine, and hunting.
• Musical saws are used as instruments to make music.
• Chainsaw carving is a flourishing modern art form. Special saws have been developed for this purpose.
• The production of Lumber, lengths of squared wood for use in construction, begins with the felling of trees and the transportation of the logs to a sawmill.

Plainsawing: Lumber for structural uses is typically plainsawn (also called flatsawn), a method of dividing the log that produces the maximum yield of useful pieces and therefore the greatest economy.

Quarter sawing: This sawing method produce edge-grain or vertical gain lumber, in which annual growth rings run more consistently perpendicular to the pieces' wider faces.

See also[link]

• Diamond tools
• Saw chain
• Saw pit
• Sawmill
• Sawgrass (disambiguation)
• Sharpening
• Two-man saw
• Watersaw

References[link]

External links[link]

Look up saw in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Saws

• Blade Terminology, Tooth Forms & Tooth Set
• Selection of band saw blade advancements
• Saw Blade Tooth Shape
• Number of Teeth You Should Have on your Saw Blade