Kick-back on a Mitre Saw?

[Martin]

I was using my sliding mitre saw the other day and had a case of kick-back - not with the piece I was cutting but with the blade/motor assembly, which came back towards me. :shock:

Kind of suprised me at the time (of all the years I've been using the saw this has never happened). Have any of you experienced this? The workpiece was insignificant (bit of 2x2 at best, and cheap & cheerful spruce).

Thinking about it afterwards I can only think that either I hit a small knot or something, or pulled the saw towards me slightly after make the initial cut (i.e. the mitre saw equivalent of routing up-hill). I've recently got into the habit of cutting in several passes when using the saw, ever since cutting loads of rather thick decking timber, so maybe that's it...

Martin.

 

[Waka]

Martin

I experienced kick back on my Mikita some time ago, like you I couldn't understand why. After a lot of thought I changed the blade, mine had been in for quite a few years. With the blade change it now cuts like going through butter, even trested it with some knotty wood and no kicki back.

Waka

 

[Martin]

Thanks for the info Waka - coincidentally I've got the Makita as well (the LS1013) and I still have the original blade in. Haven't noticed any degration in its cutting performance, although I suppose it's likely to be one of those things that degrades gradually so you wouldn't notice easily.

I'll keep an eye on it and perhaps change to a new blade....

Cheers,
Martin.