For professional carpentry, you need to know the difference between miter saws and table saws. Knowing the difference will allow you to use each one properly and more profitably. Now, this article is going to comprehensively cover the difference between the two types. As you may have noted, most of the DIY specialist don’t want to incur cost buying each type of saw. Amazingly, they still want to get the best results.
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However, building toolkit slowly is an ideal way of collecting quality tools that will eventually promote your DIY projects to higher standards. In this article, we shall discuss these two machines and at the end, you will know which one to apply to particular projects. Besides, the one you select can proudly make a difference as per the accuracy and the time spent. We need first to know what the equipment is and then we can gauge the difference and the preferred functions for each.
A table saw is one of the widely used tools and is extremely versatile. Basically, the designs range from the simple tabletop version to the contractor’s version.
On the other hand, a miter saw is still another versatile type of saw that allows you to make cuts at various angles. So, in terms of the cutting angles, a miter saw is better than a table saw.
A miter saw is highly applicable in making unique designs such as crown molding, door frames, picture frames and much more. As the word suggests, a miter saw is used to cut miters and is widely used by carpenters, remodelers, contractors and other experts. It is particularly a great tool for cutting 45 degrees which are widely used in many projects.
Besides, it is powerful and can cut through a variety of materials such as concrete, plastic, wood, aluminum among others. There are lots of different types of miters saws ranging from simple to compound, but that will be a topic for another time. Now, we go straight to the differences between a miter saw and a table saw and you’ll be in an ideal position for you to answer any questions regarding the practicality of each type.
Here are the main differences between a miter saw and a table saw
However, you need to understand that the two types of the saw are very popular. And, it is difficult figuring out which is the best type to buy. However, after this, you will have no doubt which one is better and why.
- Considering the overall things a saw can do, a table saw is more versatile than a miter saw. For instance, a table saw can cut rips and also crosscut boards.
Also, it can cut various sizes of panels. But, in terms of quality and accuracy, miter saw surpasses the table saw.
- A miter saw crosscuts boards up to 6 inches for a 10’’ saw. For the 12’’ saw it cuts 8 inches. So, a miter saw does cuts fairly accurately. So, you can see there is an overlap of the capabilities of two saws. However, a table saw with a miter gauge is ideal for crosscuts on shorter boards which can be managed sideways.
However, it would be unsafe to crosscut boards that are over 20 feet long. Equally, it is very dangerous placing angled cut at the end of those long boards. But, a miter saw is ideal when doing kitchen renovations and also building your deck.
So, When Do You Use a Table Saw?
The budget table saw gives you more stability when cutting large timber pieces. It is an incredibly versatile tool in any woodworking shop. It can be used for various functions such as cross cut, miter cut, dado, rabbet joints and even shaping.
Miter saws are only ideal for cross cuts. And, with a non-sliding miter saw, you’ll enjoy 6 inches maximum cut width. But with the sliding miter,
this range can go up to 12 inches. On the other hand, table saws can make a rip and crosscuts excellently. The best explanation for this is that a blade moves while the material is stationary i.e. for the case of a miter saw.
On the other hand, the material moves while the blade is stationary for the case of table saws. So, generally speaking, you can cut any size of material with a table saw as long as you have enough room space. If you are planning to make high amounts of cuts, then you need some high degree of accuracy, and miter saw would be the best option. However, the table saw usually comes with a strong motor that can handle a whole day’s job.
Plus, the ability to make longer cuts gives a table saw more appreciations.
Besides, a table saw can do great crosscuts, but not as accurately or quickly as for the miter saws. In addition, the dual bevel design of the miter saw allows you to make hundreds of cuts within a short time. The position of the wood is another aspect which can give you the best explanation regarding the differences between the table and miter saw. For the table saw, it is ideal when you want to cut a small wood because you will need the best table saw blade to be stationary.
Summary of The Difference Both Saw
Miter saw
- 6? to 8? cut size- the size depends on the blade size and the sliding function
- Great cut precision- can make accurate miter, bevel and compound cuts
- Great for cross-cutting even longboards
Table saws
- Great versatility- can handle most of the cuts you would need
- Great flexibility- can handle crosscuts and rips
- Great for ripping long boards-can handle cutting wood panels 5’x10? in length
Final Verdict
In a win-win approach, we have discussed the differences and functionality of miter saw and table saw. As you can see the best type of the saw is dependent on what you are planning to do. Trimming and framing should be done using a miter saw. On the other hand, the table saw is great for large cutting capacity and when you are dealing with large pieces of materials.
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