Originally posted by blodal
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Originally posted by ctEaglesc
<br />A compound miter saw is the LAST saw I would cos for accurate precise cuts on small pieces of wood.
The impact of the blade is almost"traumatic" to the wood, there is too much waste, even with a thin blade.
I'll stick with a tablesaw, a 7&1/4" blade and an accurate sled and jigs.
There sure are a lot of compound Mitersaws used in the articles on this web site. Eagle, maybe you should tell them they are wrong.
First off this thread is about the use of a clothespin as a hold down for a miter saw, not what tool is best for a particular use.
But since you started down the slippery slope I will reply to your comment suggesting I tell people who have made relatively simple blanks with a miter saw <b>that they are wrong</b>.(Your words not mine)
They are not wrong, and I didn't say they were.I said it was the last tool <b>I</b> would choose
I can kill a fly with a hammer but it is not my tool of choice.
I could not make the blanks I make with the accuracy and joints I need using a miter saw.
Most using a miter saw are using a standard 10" blade with an 1/8 th kerf, too much waste.
Every 8 cuts with a standard blade yields 1 inch of waste.
Even using a thin kerf blade the waste is a third more than I have.
I get 16 cuts yielding an inch of waste.
You cannot rip 6" long pieces with a thickness of .020 with a mitersaw.
Tools have specific uses.I own 2 mitersaws,I have more accuracy and and can work with finer detail with less waste with a tablesaw.The mitersaw is too limiting.
Even with 2 mitersaws at my disposal I use the tablesaw for the intricate blanks I make.
A mitersaw can only make a "through cut".
You cannot make a blank like this on a mitersaw.
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If I could only have one saw in my shop it would be a tablesaw.
"If the only tool you have is a hammer, everything becomes a nail"
(edit in)
I have installed a 7&1/4 inch Diablo blade on one of my miter saws to reduce the thckness of the Kerf of the blade resulting in less waste.
It is a double edged sword.When doing so you reduce the width of cut from front to back on the mitre saw.
It is necessary to raise the bed of the saw and add an auxillary
fence.
A tablewsaw has these limitations also but I can cut stock at least 1&1/8th inches thick even using a sled that is 1/2" thick.
You can"argue" the benifits of a miter saw all you mant, it is excellent for cutting a Myriad of angles,I can make a jig for any angle I want or need with an infantessimal amount of variations.
I can make a constant depth of cut for inlay blanks.
My hands never come within cutting distance to the blade.
I have been using a tablesaw to make the blanks I make for over 2 years which I believe is long before some listed on this forum ever made a pen let alone a segmented blank.
My third pen was a spiral segment made on the table saw.
Use what ever you feel comfortable with.I have adapted 30 years of WOODWORKING skills( and mistakes) to making the blanks I make with the tools I use.
Do this with a miter saw.Bear in mind I make my own veneers with a tablesaw.
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or this
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yes you can use a miter saw to makle simple blanks with angles in them but it extremely limited in it use.(and more dangerous for someone with limited experience as is the case with most tools.)
<b>Keep your fingers away from sharp spinny things!</b>