sliding mitre saw...A NO NO?

[dicktimber]

After discussing safety and riving knives, it has dawned on me the risk we put ourselves at by using sliding mitre saws?
Now you may disagree, but I started out with a straight chop saw, no slide.
This has done me well, but after several years I now consider a change.
We are all looking for eutopia, a saw that will go through 2feet at 90 deg!!!!!
But we have all turned the air blue when we can't just chop through that last 2 inches and if only we had bought a saw..blah..blah...
The sliding miter saw can overcome this.

Looking at sliding mitre saws my mind drifted, as it does at my age, to the safety aspect and after long deliberation about the pros and cons, I am sticking with a straight chop saw.
Why.....????
The sliding miter may cut wider stock, but at what risk?
Some of the sliding mitre saws are so slideeee, one slip and your wrist is off, while some are so bloody stiff a double hernia would result.
I reckon the risk factor is at least doubled on a sliding mitre saw.
Anyone out there to convince me otherwise.....safety only now!!!!!

Mike

 

[Rich]

Mike, I have never encountered any difficult or risky situation with a scms, I did have one that could manage 17 1/4" which I purchased from Toolstation, I sold it as it was taking up valuable space, I kept the stand and put my Dewalt 733 on it, I still have my Mclaren and there's no probs with that, they ALL need fettling and setting up but I have never felt uneasy using one, are you having specific problems?

Rich.

 

[Shultzy]

Mike, sliding mitre saws are are supposed to be slideeee. If you don't want to cut your wrist off, clamp the wood and put your arm behind your back

 

[Lord Nibbo]

some are so bloody stiff a double hernia would result.
I reckon the risk factor is at least doubled on a sliding mitre saw.
Anyone out there to convince me otherwise.....safety only now!!!!!

Mike

Do you pull or push to cut?

 

[neilyweely]

LN - I look forward to the answer to your question here, as I have it on good authority the correct way to cut is down into the wood then towards you, ie the pull stroke. However I am always uncomfortable working like this, so what do you reckon?

With baited breath!!

Neil

 

[Mattty]

LN - I look forward to the answer to your question here, as I have it on good authority the correct way to cut is down into the wood then towards you, ie the pull stroke. However I am always uncomfortable working like this, so what do you reckon?

With baited breath!!

Neil

I have always cut that way too.

I don't really think a sliding mitre saw is any more dangerous that a standard MS. Also I've maybe only once or twice clamped the workpiece down while cutting. I only find it necessary when cutting very small pieces.

 

[dicktimber]

me tooooo....

I do take the point that all wood should be clamped and hands behind the blade.....

But I still don't get a warm feeling for them...{ no pun intended)

Mike

 

[Rich]

LN - I look forward to the answer to your question here, as I have it on good authority the correct way to cut is down into the wood then towards you, ie the pull stroke. However I am always uncomfortable working like this, so what do you reckon?

With baited breath!!

Neil

NO, the correct way to cut is to pull the head towards you, lower the blade and push away from yourself and if you are not comfortable in holding the workpiece yourself then use the supplied hold down, let the blade come to rest upon completing the cut before raising the head, hth.

Rich.

 

[Jake]

With things that can chop bits off you, it really is even more of a good idea to RTFM, chaps.

 

[dicktimber]

Init good this forum.......

You can ask all those questions you know niggle you, knowing that they won't be laughed out of court.....
and when a reply comes back, after you posted and then re read it, thinking you are a total plonker for asking that question,...low and behold someone has a similar concern, or puts a different light on it...or....well....still thinks you are a plonker for asking it in the first place...which was the answer you expected to start with......

I luv this place.......

I'm still not convinced they are as safe a a chop saw though.....

Thanks
Mike

 

[mailee]

I am with Rich on this one. With a SCMS you should pull the blade oout and then lower it into the wood and push back. However! if it is a Radial Arm Saw then the blade should be pulled through the wood toward you. HTH. :wink: p.s. I have never felt uneasy using either of these saws. :wink:

 

[dicktimber]

What are rftm.......

 

[Mattty]

With things that can chop bits off you, it really is even more of a good idea to RTFM, chaps.

LOL when i managed to wio.

It doesn't make it right, but in 20 years in the trade i don't think i've ever seen another tradesman use a clamp when using a mitre saw of any description.

 

[seaco]

I nearly always pull the saw out then cut on the push stroke as It feels easier to me and I feel in more control if you start at the begining of the stroke there is a chance the blade could dig in and catapault the blade towards you but cutting from the end of the stroke back pushes the wood to the fence!

It shouldn't matter how easily your blade travels as your hands should be nowhere near the spinny cutty bit?

One last thing is if I'm cutting thick wood I tend to do a couple of light passes on the wood before the final cut...

 

[Rich]

What are rftm.......

read the fxxxxxg manual.

Rich :lol:

 

[9fingers]

What are rftm.......

That should be RTFM!

Read The Flippin' Manual .......or a slight variation that!!

Bob

 

[Nigel]

The question of which way you cut through the wood with a SCMS has come up a few times and I was convinced to cut the way Matty says

( ie cutting down into the wood and pulling the saw towards )you by Scrit

Scrit put up some drawings and technical augments for this method on this forum which a search would reveal,

I still haven't mastered putting links up sorry,

Cheers Nigel

If you search under Advice on SCMS and author =Scrit, its still there

 

[Rich]

That is NOT what the manufacturers instructions say, perhaps Scrit was referring to a radial arm saw, but with a "sliding compound mitre saw" the recognised method is to cut away from the operator.

Rich.

 

[9fingers]

The question of which way you cut through the wood with a SCMS has come up a few times and I was convinced to cut the way Matty says

( ie cutting down into the wood and pulling the saw towards )you by Scrit

Scrit put up some drawings and technical augments for this method on this forum which a search would reveal,

I still haven't mastered putting links up sorry,

Cheers Nigel

Try this thread
https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/view ... hp?t=19045

 

[RogerS]

............
Scrit put up some drawings and technical augments for this method on this forum which a search would reveal,

..........

Wonderful thing, the Search button :lol: