The miter saws are essential powerful tools for woodworkers or DIY enthusiast.
This type of saw has been popular since the 1970s, so it is sure not a new product. But there has been a development that improves on the efficiency, precision of the cut, and speed over the years. They are designed to add variety to cuttings in woodwork, especially cross-cuts at selected angles.
This has been found reliable over the years for picture frames, door frames, window casing, and general DIY as well as heavier duty works owing to its efficiency and accuracy.
Obviously, there are plethoras of miter saws on the market today. Knowing the type of cut each miter does and how it works is essential to choosing the right one that meets your need. The blade is a common feature of all miter saw. This is pivoted on an axis to help cut at the desired angle.
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Three Main Types of Modification of the Miter Saw
They are designed on specific needs, which are:
As good and handy as these tools may be, you can find yourself confused on which to pick when you finally go to the local hardware store or check online stores for your pick.
People do frequently ask, “What is the difference between the single and double bevel miter saw?”
Even as both are handy and versatile in making crosscuts, and miters cut to compound ones, the situation in which they are suited differs.
Taking a decision on which to buy necessitate critical examination and understanding of the capacities of both.
What is Beveling?
The most popular and perhaps what you know of woodcutting is right angle cut.
Even sometimes when you feel inspired or want to manipulate the wood in a creative manner, and need to make cuts that go beyond the conventional right angle you just give up on such project because you don’t know how the ‘pro’ came about it.
Hmm! Congratulations, this is what you need to make your dreams come true. Beveling is a complex shape cutting in woodwork. The ability to add details to woodwork makes it interesting. The cutting of angles is called bevels or miters in woodwork.
A wood board can be cut in four ways using a miter saw. It includes compound, miter, cross-cut (straight up and down cut at 90-degree), and bevel. Miter angle cut is often 45-degree cut across the board like the corner of a picture frame.
A bevel cut affords users to make angles through the wood board thickness like those seen on door frames while compound cut combined both miter and bevel cuts.
What is Single Bevel?
With earlier explanation, the single bevel miter saw is a saw that tilts only to one side, usually the left. It gives room to make bevel cuts in a direction hence the name single bevel.
It rotates in two planes but usually does not go beyond 90-degree. It means if you want to make cutting on the opposite side, you have to flip it and the angle must be set correctly.
Most importantly, it can both bevel, and miter cut singly and together but in one direction, left or right. It is a tool good for simple works as DIY projects and also where wood is too large to move.
The single bevel can perform almost the same function as the double bevel miter saw but at a slow rate and with much effort.
When repeated cuts need to be made on similar workpieces, single bevel miter has the floor. For picture frames, crown molding, and trims, it a sufficient tool.
- Affordable – For most people, especially woodworker, the cost is a factor. If you have a budget constraint, the single bevel miter is a recommended option. It is relatively cheap in comparison to the double bevel miter saw. The price ranges from less than hundreds of dollar to couples of dollar depending on the model.
- Simple to handle – It is great for beginners as it has limited functionality. It is easy to use because its blade only tilts in one direction when compared with the doubled bevel miter saw.
- For home improvement – It is handy for improving or renovation of the home. Whether as a professional contractor or just a DIY person, you will find this saw useful and powerful enough to carry out your works. It is a reliable saw for amateur woodworking projects used for different cuts.
- Lightweight – It is portable and easy to move about when compared with the double bevel miter saw. That is if you are considering moving the saw about to job sites.
- Bevel in only one direction – The most important shortcoming of the single bevel miter saw is the need to physically flip the workpiece to make a cut on both sides. By flipping, there is need to set your angles correctly again to avoid an error. This reduces the speed at which work is done, accuracy, and increases workload.
- Slow in cutting – Although the blade spins fast but the intermittent flipping and rearranging of materials to make matching cuts on opposite sides slow down the work and increase working time.
- Not ideal for working on long wood – Using the single bevel miter saw on long pieces is not very convenient, especially if your space is not that large for flipping the material.
Let’s see one of the best single bevel miters saw in the market
This single bevel miter saw is produced by Hitachi (new name: Metabo HPT) to satisfy artisans.
It is a portable compound tool comprising of 10-inch blade and base that can take 2/6 lumber. Its flip fence raises 4-inch for ease of crown molding vertically. Also, it makes a miter cut at 0-52 degree for flexible right and left cuts, and bevel cut at 0-45 degree which can be controlled for precision cuts.
Additionally, the miter saw comes with thumb- actuated positive miter stops for fine-tuning the miter to the desired angle.
It is versatile in use and can be maneuvered easily. An elastomer grip is included, and this reduces vibration and makes the machine easier to control and use. This product is built with 10-inch tungsten carbide tooth saw blade, which makes woodwork simple and helps in making delicate cuts and trims.
The Metabo HPT Compound Miter Saw has an extended raise of 4-inch that gives room to accurate cut up to 2 5/16 inches and 5 21/32 inches deep.
Included is the 15-amp motor which is supposed to be for a 12-inch miter saw. This makes the product run faster at 5000RPM. This feature is significant because the faster RPM gives more even cut surface with less tear-out and help save time.
Also cutting efficiency is maintained when working with harder materials. It can take a tough job because of the maximum 195-watt power delivery. The package comes with dust collector to keep dirt and dust from taking a toll on your work and destroying the interior of the machine. Also, the warranty given is five years.
This durable, portable, and versatile single bevel miter machine is a good one to have around.
What is a Double Bevel?
A double bevel miter saw is like the single bevel miter saw just that it can bevel on both rights and left directions unlike the single bevel saw.
While a wood piece remain on the machine, you can make opposing bevel cuts in it using the double bevel miter saw. A professional contractor or DIY enthusiast will find this tool handy to meet strict deadlines.
The flipping and rearrangement of material which waste time experienced with a single bevel miter saw are eliminated as it bevels on both sides. The saw head is designed in such manner that allows it tilt to both the right and left so that matching bevel and miter cuts in both directions are made possible.
It is a good tool to use when continuous work is to be carried out. Produce uniform cuts for people involved in fancy crown moldings.
Working with the double bevel miter saw makes your job faster, easier, and neater as there is no flipping that takes time neither is there resetting of angles which may amount to errors.
- Flipping of workpiece is eliminated – The ability to swing the head to bevel on both sides helps to remove flipping and possibly rearrangement of a workpiece to carryout matching bevel on the opposite side. You only tilt the saw in the opposite direction and properly position the wood piece.
- Cut fasters – It cut faster and makes work easier. The sole advantage it has over the single bevel miter saw is of being able to bevel in both directions, which helps to save time. The time used in flipping, rearranging, and resetting angles drag cutting time, but this time is saved to make cutting fast through the removal of the time consumer factor: flipping. Again, it is more convenient when longer wood is to be crown mold.
- Accuracy and precision – It gives more accurate and precise cut. No need for placement and positioning of material anytime matching cuts are made. At anything you rearrange the wood board and blade, you use up time and also the chance for human error is created. The work done tends to be as set in the angles and bevel. This is more of professionals concern than rookies’ especially those working with premium wood. If you belong to this category or you work on high-end woodworking projects, this is the ideal machine for you.
- Complex functionality – it offers more complex and accurate cuts than a single bevel miter saw. It provides a huge range of cuts setting that can be used by professionals.
- Heavy – when compared to the single bevel miter saw it weigh much more and therefore may not be ideal for those who desire portable compound saw but it a huge investment for professionals.
- Expensive – it is relatively expensive; nevertheless, the efficiency and accuracy shouldn’t be compromised.
Read more —
Here is one of the best double bevel miter saw
Are you looking for a convenient, portable, and yet sophisticated compound saw?
I present to you Dewalt’s DWS780 sliding saw. This product comes with a 15-amp motor that rotates at 3.800 RPM. This product is suited for hard word, aluminum extrusions, and plastic sheet cutting with no hardship.
The double bevel gives room for a vertical and horizontal angle cutting concurrently. It means, with a single section, users can make complex cuts. Additionally, sliding property enhances width cuts compared to non-sliding saws.
When set at zero degrees, DWS780 can make a cut up to 4.4” thick and 13.75” wide. A straight-cut of up to 16 inches can be achieved with the ‘back fence’; this needs a bit of space behind for ease of slide of the rails.
It consists of positive locks that allow you to set the miter rule as desires. Bevel controls are found on each side, which provides bevel stops of 22.5o and 33.9o. Also featuring is the bevel override, a 45-degree override that functions to move the bevel angle above this value in either direction when adjusted.
It also features XPS light rather than a laser’s that needs adjustment. The light cast a shadow of the saw blade thickness onto the workpiece and therefore makes it easier to use the saw appropriately.
Also, this product is truck-loaded with a 12-inch fine finish blade having 60-tooth. The blade does not give fine woodwork; rather, it is made for general construction tasks. But it is a good wood cutting blade for starters.
Inclusion of dust collection chute helps retain 75% of dust for a clean working environment.
Single Bevel Vs. Double Bevel Miter Saw: What is the Difference?
Both single and double bevel miter saw have the same use, but some factors need to be considered to determine which is suited for the work at hand.
Check out the quick comparison table below
Features | Single Bevel Miter saw | Double Bevel Miter saw |
|---|---|---|
Number of cutting direction | 1 | 2 |
Time consume in cutting | High | Low |
Functionality | Simple | Sophisticated |
Work with long pieces | Not convenient | Very convenient |
Ease of cut | Hard | Easy |
User | Amateur | Enlightened amateur and professionals |
Effort required | Much | Little |
Weight | Light | Heavy |
1. Speed
This does not only mean the fast rotation of the blade. If it is, then we could assume the blade on some single bevel miter saw moves faster than the double bevel miter saw.
But it is more of how long it will require you to complete your task using an individual machine to make a cut. It is determined by the type and complexity of the work. For everyone, time is precious, especially professional.
The double bevel miter saw is repute for making the project easier and achieving cut faster. In a single bevel miter saw you need to flip your workpiece frequently to accomplish matching cut on the opposite. This exercise consumes a useful time and makes working hour slower.
The ability to tilt the saw in both directions helps achieve a faster cut when crown molding.
2. Accuracy and Precision
It relates to speed.
While single bevel miter requires that you flip your workpiece each time an opposite bevel is needed. Because of this, you also have to rearrange and properly position, creating chances for human error. A double bevel miter saw is superior and does not require an adjustment that might lead to errors.
For a DIY hobbyist, the single bevel is good enough, but for a professional that is more concern with accuracy, the double bevel is a more appropriate option.
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3. Value
The price of the single bevel miter saw sure compensate for the time wastage. It is relatively cheaper than double bevel miter saw.
For amateur and DIY enthusiast working on a tight budget, it a good option but professional should not compromise the price for the many benefits he stands to gain from the double bevel miter saw.
It is more expensive but worth the investment for endless quick, easy, and accurate cuts.
Final Words
You can accomplish your task using either of single or double bevel but let your task determine your tools so you wouldn’t end up hating your task and blaming your tool at the end of the day.
For general home improvement and renovation, the single bevel is sufficient for use, especially for DIY hobbyist and budget constraints artisans.
While professionals that seek to upgrade and broaden their customers base should invest in the double bevel miter saw for a thorough job and fast delivery.
