Miter saw
USES
rough cutting boards to manageable size
fine cutting to final dimensions
cutting simple angles or miters
cutting compound angles or compound miters
TERMINOLOGY
sliding compound miter saw: cuts with three motions – back, down, forward
compound miter (or ‘chop’) saw: cuts with single down motion
miter cut: cut with blade tilted at an angle, on horizontal axis
angle cut: cut with blade rotated to left or right, on vertical axis
compound cut: cut with blade both tilted and rotated
PRE-RUN CHECKLIST
Determine best orientation for board
If board is bowed along the face of the board, have the bow arcing up (like a smile, not a frown) so the location of the cut is firmly on the table
If board is bowed along the edge of the board, have the bow arcing away from the fence, so that there is no gap between the location of the cut and the fence
OPERATIONAL CHECKLIST
Hold board securely, pushing board toward fence with left hand, at least 6” from blade.
For narrow boards, a simple down-up motion is sufficient.
For wider boards, bring saw back, then down, then forward, release switch, and then up
For a thick board, cut about half through the board, then cut through with the second cut.
If the cut does not feel safe, stop and don’t do it.
POST-RUN CHECKLIST
Clean up sawdust and wood scraps on and around machine.
Put all except very small scrap pieces into one of the two bins outside wood shop.
Scraps shorter then 18” long – “toss” bin
Scraps longer than 18’ long, and of usable condition – “save” bin