A compound miter means you can turn the blade to an angle just like you can do with a chop saw. A compound miter means you can turn the blade to an angle plus you can tilt the blade to the side at the same time. A chop saw doesn't do that as far as I know. The compound miter saw is better suited for picture framing and very exact crosscuts. The chop saw, if changed to a wood cutting blade will do very nice crosscuts and miter cuts. But if you want to get real fancy as in shadow boxes like many picture framers do, then you will have to opt for the compound miter.
It really depends on what you would be using it for. If you research this just a bit further you'll also see sliding compound miter saws. If you haven't seen one of these before it is much like the radial arm saw except that your blade raises up and you have to pull down on the motor to contact the wood. A radial arm saw was once thought so dangerous because you could pull the blade across your hand. I tend to think it would be just as easy with a sliding miter to do the same amount of damage to a hand. There are a lot of choices to check out before buying a saw. And you can go from 7 and a quarter up to 12 inches with the most popular models. You can go up to a 16 inch or more if you want to hand over a bunch of money. ----- Original Message ----- From: William Stephan To: [email protected] Sent: Monday, January 14, 2008 9:45 PM Subject: RE: [BlindHandyMan] Chop saws was: miter boxes Yeah Dale, I've thought about it, but it would mean building patricians since the basement is just one big open space. Also, for info sake, I looked at Harbor Freight today, and it looks to me like what they call a chop saw and what they call a compound miter saw are two very different animals. I had thought they were the same. Can someone clue me in on what I'm missing? Thanks. -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Dale Leavens Sent: Sunday, January 13, 2008 9:41 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [BlindHandyMan] Chop saws was: miter boxes Just a thought but you might be willing to isolate the laundry by lining the partitions with poly. You can also hang a good dust filter. They are pretty expensive though but it is remarkable how much dust they can take out of the air. Dale Leavens, Cochrane Ontario Canada [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:DLeavens%40puc.net> net Skype DaleLeavens Come and meet Aurora, Nakita and Nanook at our polar bear habitat. ----- Original Message ----- From: William Stephan To: blindhandyman@ <mailto:blindhandyman%40yahoogroups.com> yahoogroups.com Sent: Sunday, January 13, 2008 9:02 PM Subject: RE: [BlindHandyMan] Chop saws was: miter boxes Thanks Bob and Dale. Yeah, it's a real dilemma for me. My wife has her laundry plant in the basement, and the basement's really the only place it's convenient for me to do work. We have an old garage, but there's no electrical service, and it's just not a pleasant place to work. Maybe if I get a chop saw, which I think would actually be adequate, it'll just have to live out in the garage on extension cords during the warmer months, though having a good positive dust collection system without having to run a noisey vac would sure be nice in the basement. -----Original Message----- From: blindhandyman@ <mailto:blindhandyman%40yahoogroups.com> yahoogroups.com [mailto:blindhandyman@ <mailto:blindhandyman%40yahoogroups.com> yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Dale Leavens Sent: Sunday, January 13, 2008 5:25 PM To: blindhandyman@ <mailto:blindhandyman%40yahoogroups.com> yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [BlindHandyMan] Chop saws was: miter boxes So far as I know these saws are about as bad as it gets for dust control. I suppose with enough vacuum anything is possible but the overhead nature of the saw means that the teeth lift dust arcing into the air. Some actually does make it's way into the dust bags but much of it flies all over the place, mostly away from the operator. I built a cabinet with a hemicircular sort of baffle with a 4 inch hole in the bottom and a 1100 cu.ft. dust collector behind that as well as a tube from the dust port on the saw into that hole and it still doesn't collect all the dust.It does contain it so I can blow or brush much of it toward the extraction hole at intervals. Maybe a tent over the lot with a sleeve to accept the operators arm I don't know. The main disadvantage to a chop saw is the depth and width of cut, the capacity. If that meets your needs though they are quite cost effective. Now that dust control is becoming more of interest they may begin adding direct powered dust extraction right at the blade but I am not aware of that on any units yet. Dale Leavens, Cochrane Ontario Canada [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:DLeavens%40puc.net> net Skype DaleLeavens Come and meet Aurora, Nakita and Nanook at our polar bear habitat. ----- Original Message ----- From: William Stephan To: blindhandyman@ <mailto:blindhandyman%40yahoogroups.com> yahoogroups.com Sent: Sunday, January 13, 2008 3:44 PM Subject: RE: [BlindHandyMan] Chop saws was: miter boxes All: The time has come again to think about some kind of stationary saw. So, I'm thinking a chop saw might do pretty much all I need. I have some memories of these, but this is 25 plus years ago. My recollection is that these were made with a sort of tub you actually did your cutting in. And, if that's right, it would seem you could control dust easier with that kind of set up than with a normal table saw. Am I remembering this right? And, is it in fact easier to control dust with one of these? Thanks. -----Original Message----- From: blindhandyman@ <mailto:blindhandyman%40yahoogroups.com> yahoogroups.com [mailto:blindhandyman@ <mailto:blindhandyman%40yahoogroups.com> yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:spiro%40netaxs.com> com Sent: Sunday, January 13, 2008 2:33 AM To: blindhandyman@ <mailto:blindhandyman%40yahoogroups.com> yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [BlindHandyMan] miter boxes I need to replace mine. I don't see chop-saw money here anytime soon. The one I have is actually plasticand has served for just under 10 years. Are there some that are especially worth paying considerably more? Something metal, with adjustments? Curious. On Sat, 12 Jan 2008, Bob Kennedy wrote: > They are fine as a guide. Although you can get away without one, you need to use a back saw with a miter box because it is stiffer and won't flex when cutting. > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Shane Hecker > To: blindhandyman@ <mailto:blindhandyman%40yahoogroups.com> yahoogroups.com > Sent: Saturday, January 12, 2008 12:53 AM > Subject: [BlindHandyMan] miter boxes > > > What do you think of the miter boxes? Has anyone used them? Just wondering > as my mother's husband got me one. > > Shane > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
