subject: 12 Inch Miter Saw:Do You Really Need One [print this page] Often the most frequently used woodworking tools that any carpenter is ever likely to purchase is his 12 inch miter saw, especially a compound miter saw. Attempting to make a compound cut without one is an extremely frustrating experience. If you are a serious woodworker you really can't do without a compound miter saw. In order to be sure that you buy the best miter saw for your requirements there are a couple things that you will need to think about
When it comes to the cost of miter saws there can be a substantial difference in price from one saw to the next. For the most part the cost difference is determined by the type of miter saw, the size and the quality. Without a doubt you will certainly appreciate the advantages of owning a top quality compound miter saw so you are going to want to buy the highest quality saw your budget will allow. A top quality miter saw will make your work so much easier and will save you a lot of headaches. It is almost always a wise investment.
Normally compound miter saws come in three different sizes 8, 10, and 12 inches. We are actually taking about the diameter of the blade when we talk about the size of the miter saw. A larger blade can cut a larger piece of wood. Even though miter saws come in three sizes the eight inch saw is so limited in what it can do that it's really not even worth considering. Which means that you are going to have to decide between the ten and twelve inch versions. The size of the blade is generally the single largest factor in determining the cost of a miter saw. Ten and twelve inch saws are the most common although you can get an eight inch miter saw as well. In reality there is no reason to get an 8 inch miter saw since its cutting capacity is far too limited for it to have any real value. The 10 inch compound miter saw is easily the most common because it can be bought at an affordable price and it meets the needs of most people. Most people will never have any requirement to cut a piece of wood that the 10 inch blade is incapable of handling. Twelve inch miter saws can handle pretty much anything but they also come with a pretty steep price tag. Normally only a professional carpenter is going to need a saw this large but some hobbyists might want to consider it.
Whether or not to get a standard miter saw, a compound miter saw or a sliding compound miter saw is another important factor to think about. The standard miter saw is limited to cutting miters which limits its usefulness and makes it hardly worth considering. The compound miter saw can cut both miters and bevels; this substantially increases its usefulness. The benefit of a sliding compound miter saw is that after you lower the blade into the wood you can pull the saw through it; this allows you to cut larger pieces of wood. As you progress from the standard miter saw to the compound miter saw to the sliding compound miter saw the cost goes up of course. At a minimum you should probably choose a compound miter saw but this is largely going to come down to personal preference.
