What Is a Miter Saw Used For?

A miter saw is a cutting tool that can be adjusted to make angled cuts. Usually, miter saws are used by carpenters for cutting wood. They can come in the form of a power tool or a hand saw, set on a swivel joint. A miter saw can make a straight perpendicular cut or it can be adjusted to either side to make cuts up to and including a 45-degree angle.

Significance

A miter saw is a common tool highly prized by anyone who does trim carpentry. The 2 most common cuts made on a miter box are the straight 90-degree cut and the 45-degree cut, an angle that frequently occurs when installing moldings.

Types

A miter saw can be either a power tool or a hand tool. Even though a power miter saw is more expensive, it is preferred by most woodworkers for its ease of operation and its ability to cut tiny slivers off the edge of a board.

Function

A board, when cut with a miter saw, can be placed in many different positions to be cut. It can be in a flat horizontal position, in a vertical position with the back of the board set firmly against the back of the saw or in any position in between.

Warning

Safety glasses should be worn when using either type of saw because small pieces of cut wood will fly off the end of a board as you cut. These slivers have a tendency to become airborne often in the direction of the woodworker. Unless they land in your eye, they are more of a nuisance than anything else.

Expert Insight

Cutting angles for inside and outside corners in moldings that are installed at an angle along a wall seam (as in cove or crown moldings) can become complex.