How to Use a Double Bevel DeWALT Miter Saw

Trim carpenters everywhere recognize that double bevel DeWALT miter saws are the tool of choice when completing trim projects of many kinds, including baseboards, door and window trim, and crown molding. Stair builders also depend on these miter saws to get the job done quickly, accurately and safely. Miter saws are a hands-on tool (not a hands-in-the-way tool), and the best way to get experience with them is to use them. Find a small project or a piece of scrap wood and learn how to cut it.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• DeWALT Double-Bevel Sliding Compound Miter Saw Miter saw stand (optional) Extension cord (optional) Safety glasses Hearing protection

Get to Know Your Saw

1. Look the tool over and become familiar with its pivot points. For a double bevel miter saw, these are at the back end of the saw for the bevel and on the work table area for the miter.

2. Adjust the miter angle by lifting the front lock lever and by pushing the front release button directly behind front lock lever. Use the lock lever to adjust the miter angle to the left or to the right. If you do not hold down the release button as you adjust the miter angle, the miter movement will stop at the most-often-used angles: 0 degrees, 15 degrees, 22.5 degrees, 30 degrees, 45 degrees and 60 degrees. Place the blade back at the 0-degree mark.

3. Loosen one of the bevel lock handles and lift the bevel latch lever. Notice how each different movement affects the position of the blade and the blade's path. Having the ability to make a miter cut and a bevel cut at the same time is the definition of a compound miter cut. Doing this will help you to understand how the miter angle and the bevel angle work together to help you create multisided objects, like boxes and picture frames.

4. Put on safety glasses and hearing protection before turning on the saw. This saw produces about 107 decibels.

5. Plug the saw into a power supply and turn on the saw. Place a scrap block of wood onto the saw's cutting table and slide it firmly back against the fence. Perform a practice cut on the piece of wood. Adjust the miter and bevel angles and perform multiple different practice cuts at these angles. Understanding how the saw feels when it is working is important to understanding what it can and cannot do.

Create a Multisided Picture Frame or Box

6. Wear safety glasses and hearing protection.

7. Make a marked miter cut: mark the wood with a pencil and set the miter at 0 degrees to make a straight crosscut. Without turning the saw on, take the handle and drop the blade down to the wood near the pencil mark and eye the pencil mark into place at the very edge of one of the blade's teeth.

8. Start the saw and drop the blade to the wood and barely touch the wood with the blade to see how close the blade cut is to the pencil mark. If the blade cuts right on the pencil mark, finish the cut and try another cut. If the blade cut is right outside the pencil mark, lift the blade, slide the wood over a bit and drop the blade again until you get right to the pencil mark and complete the cut. This is called nibbling.

9. Make another mark on the wood and adjust the miter to make a 22.5-degree cut using the same nibbling technique. Do the same for a 45-degree cut. This will help you understand what is required of you as the saw's operator when completing marked precision cuts. This is an important skill to master because all finish-quality cuts (projects, baseboard installation, crown moulding installation, etc.) require it.

10. Design a multisided project, like a box or a picture frame, simply by deciding on the number of sides you want the box or frame to have. Divide the number of sides into 180 to find out what angle to make the miter cuts. For example, a four-sided box requires four 45-degree cuts (180 / 4 = 45); a six-sided box requires six 30-degree cuts (180 / 6 = 30); a 10-sided box requires 10 18-degree cuts (180 / 10 = 18).

11. Set the miter angle to the required angle according to the directions above, and then set the bevel angle to 15 degrees. If you decide to make a box, the bevel angle will cause the walls of the box to angle outward.

12. Place the end of a whole piece of lumber onto the miter table and support the end of the board with a lumber stand. Trim the end of the board at the desired miter and bevel angles for the first side.

13. Flip the board over and mark the lumber at the desired length with a pencil and a tape measure. Then complete the cut as described above. Repeat for each side of the box. Note: Picture frames require only miter cuts to build.

14. Assemble the box or frame by gluing and nailing each joint. Let the glue dry, and then finish the wood by painting, staining and clear-finishing it.

Tips & Warnings

• Tools are best understood when you use them in many situations. Look for project ideas and use these ideas as an excuse to use and get to know your saw. Quality cuts are completed slowly with sharp, fine-toothed blades. Especially when using hardwoods. Install and use the material clamp, and use it whenever possible. Longer material must be supported.
• Do not allow your hands, or anyone else's hands, to be anywhere near the blade when operating the saw. Do not cut ferrous metals with this saw. Do not use an abrasive blade with this saw.

Resources

• 12-inch Double-Bevel Sliding Compound Miter Saw--DW718 Owner's Manual