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MITER SAWS
1
PIN
ANGLE
STOP
RECESS
Distinct positive angle stops are user-friendly.
2
HAIRLINE
CURSOR
VERNIER
SCALE
Angle and bevel indicators should be easy to read. Hairline cursors are the best.
the spinning blade). Like a radial-arm saw,the head can be tilted for bevel cuts and angled for miters.Combine the tilting head with the slide and you can bevel wide stuff like big base moldings. Unlike with a radial-arm saw,you can’t rip or dado on a sliding-compound miter saw, but that’s what your tablesaw is for.
Features
Positive Angle Stops
Distinct positive stops are best (Photo 1). A spring-loaded pin firmly drops into the angle-stop recess as you’re swinging the saw to the angle setting. These stops leave no doubt about whether you’re on the right spot.
Easy-to-Read Angle Indicator
An easy-to-read angle indicator,like the hairline cursor in Photo 2, makes setting the saw quick and accurate. The vernier scale allows you to set 1/4- and 1/2-degree increments.
Fence Height
A tall fence is best because it allows you to cut 3-1/4-in. crown molding on a conventional miter saw without having to add a wooden sub-fence (Photo 3). The compound miter saws also ben- efit from the increased support offered by a taller fence.
Handle Style
Handles are either horizontal or vertical. Our testing panel preferred the horizontal style and the Hitachi and DeWalt were voted the most
What’s New?
3
A tall fence makes it easier to cut crown molding.
Double Lasers Show the Kerf Porter-Cable and Delta have added a new dimension to the laser-guided miter saw. Instead of a single laser line, these new saws feature a double-laser sys- tem that shows the exact line of cut on both sides of the blade. That means you can make cuts from the left or right side of the blade. That’s huge!
The factory-set lasers can be adjusted to exactly fit
the kerf of your
blade. The lasers operate inde- pendently of the motor so you can activate them for position- ing without a spinning blade to worry about.
Delta 36-255L and Porter-Cable 3802L,
12-in. compound miter saws; both available fall 2002 for under $400.
68 A m e r i c a n Wo o d w o r k e r 2003 TOOL BUYER’S GUIDE
