B
Bllaaddee ((4400TT ccoommbboo oorr 8800TT ffiinnee ttrriimm)) D
Duusstt--ccoolllleeccttiioonn bbaagg BBllaaddee gguuaarrdd rreettrraaccttss a
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H
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woorrkkppiieeccee T
Tiilltt--lloocckk wwhheeeell
A
Annggllee lloocckk B
Baassee
D
Duusstt--ccoolllleeccttiioonn ppoorrtt
M
Moouunnttiinngg hhoolleess
F
Feennccee ssuuppppoorrtt
((aadddd yyoouurr oowwnn wwooooddeenn a
auuxxiilliiaarryy ffeennccee))
T
Thhrrooaatt ppllaattee
T
Taabbllee lloocckkss aatt aannyy aannggllee..
A
Annggllee ssccaallee
T Taabbllee
M
iter saws excel at accurate crosscuts, whether they’re square, angled, or compound cuts. The head runs back and forth on rails to cut boards up to 111⁄2" wide.H
Haannddllee aanndd ttrriiggggeerr
Compound Miter Saw 59 M
Moobbiillee ssttaanndd ffoorr eeaassyy ttrraannssppoorrtt..AA mmoobbiillee mmiitteer r--s
saaww ssttaanndd mmaakkeess sseennssee iinn aa ssmmaallll sshhoopp.. TThhiiss oonnee h
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A
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cuuttttiinngg ccaappaacciittyy.. TThhiiss ccoommppaacctt ssaaww iiss lliimmiitteedd ttoo c
cuuttttiinngg bbooaarrddss lleessss tthhaann 5511⁄⁄22"" wwiiddee..
new kerf. Build the improved fence knowing you’ll replace it regularly.
Before you can use your miter saw with any degree of safety and accuracy, you’ll need a way to support the boards so they won’t fall or bind at the end of the cut. If they shift or tilt while the blade is turning, the ends are no longer accurate, not to mention the damage that could result from crashing to the ground.
Rig up a way to hold the boards that’s easily adjustable for various lengths.
If your saw simply sits on a bench, you can make heavy L-shaped brackets that sit on the benchtop, support the wood and can be moved around as needed. Or put the miter saw in a well so its table is level with the benchtop.
Roller stands also work well as supports, or you can buy one of the lightweight adjustable stands favored by trim carpenters (see the photo above).
C
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T
Tiilltt tthhee bbllaaddee ttoo tthhee rriigghhtt oorr lleefftt.. SSttaarrtt yyoouurr ccuuttss iinn aa ddrriilllleedd hhoollee..
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CC UU TT CC UU RR VV EE SS CC UU TT SS CC RR OO LL LL SS W
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Jigsaw
U
sing a jigsaw adds a new dimension to your woodworking—curves. From the long arches of an Arts and Crafts–style bookcase to the tight scrolls of a decorative shelf bracket, this saw can handle every type of curve. It also handles straight cuts, and it is one of the safest tools to grab for making quick cuts by eye. Because the blade on a jig-saw moves up and down, as long as you keep the sole on the workpiece and don’t twist the blade too much, it won’t kick back or other-wise misbehave.Making a cut with a jigsaw is easy. If the saw is hard to push or steer, something’s wrong. The blade may be the wrong type or dull, the cutting speed may be wrong, or the orbital adjustment may be set incorrectly for the type of cut. The orbital adjustment adds a back-and-forth component to the saw’s usual up-and-down motion.
The highest orbital setting cuts aggres-sively, powering through the wood and
leav-ing a ragged edge. Use this settleav-ing for rough cuts in solid wood. For smooth cuts, zero out the orbital action. The saw cuts more slowly, but leaves a smoother edge.
Most jigsaws have variable speed. Some build it into a sensitive trigger switch; others use a dial for speed control and a simple on/off switch. In most cases, you won’t need to vary the speed as you cut, but you might need to vary the speed to suit the material you’re cut-ting. Use lower speeds for metals, higher speeds for wood.
What to buy
Don’t bother buying a jigsaw without orbital action; it’s not up to serious work. Make sure you choose one with electronic speed control, and a base tilts in both directions. Have a good look at the blade lock and choose a method that’s simple and secure. Some of the
“tool-less” methods are so fussy it’s easier to use a tool.
Jigsaw 61