Miter Saw Blades | Tool Lab | Ask This Old House

In this video, Ask This Old House carpenter Nathan Gilbert discuses the main features of miter saw blades.
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Carpenter Nathan Gilbert goes on a house call as he helps a homeowner dealing with a dated kitchen floor. After explaining to Kevin what goes into planning a floor, such as materials and subflooring, he heads to the home to lend a hand.
Carpenter Nathan Gilbert takes us through the ins and outs of miter saw blades. Nathan tells us all about the different sizes of miter saw blades, explaining the most common (and most accurate) ones. He even explains the other parts that make a miter saw blade, the teeth styles, and which are the best for specific projects.
Miter Saw Blades: An Overview
Most stock blades with new miter saws in the box are general-purpose blades. These blades are fine for cutting a wide variety of materials, but they might not be as accurate or easy to use as a material- or project-specific blade. Having the right blade for a particular saw can significantly impact the quality of the cuts you make and your safety while performing those cuts.
These blades come in different sizes
Miter saws and their blades come in a variety of sizes. On the smaller end of the spectrum, there are 7 ¼-inch blades, and they’re typically used by DIYers who don’t need a large saw or pros for cutting moldings or flooring. On the other end, there are 12-inch blades used for heavy-duty construction or finish work, but these blades will often deflect a bit while cutting denser materials. When it comes to ability and variety of selection, 10-inch blades are usually best.
Parts of a miter saw blade
A miter saw blade might look like one solid piece, but it’s actually made up of several parts:
* The steel plate: The main body of the saw
* Laser etches: Small designs cut to reduce noise and vibration
* Carbide teeth: The sharp teeth that actually contact and cut the wood
* Gullets: The spaces between the teeth
* Arbor: The hole in the middle of the blade used to attach the blade to the saw
Types of blade widths
The term “kerf” refers to the width of the cut left behind by the saw, and there are two main sizes. Full kerf saws have carbide teeth that are about ⅛-inch wide, resulting in a ⅛-inch kerf. Due to their wider width, these blades are generally more stable and smooth and defect less during a cut. For a thinner kerf, some saws have 3/32-inch wide teeth, reducing the amount of wood removed with each cut and creating less resistance while cutting (a benefit for cordless saws), but they can deflect more.
Investing in quality miter saw blades
Many manufacturers offer a variety of blades meant for different uses. While it’s more affordable to purchase one blade that can handle all of those tasks, they’re typically not high quality. A quality blade will cost more, but it’s money well spent.
But, as an expensive item, it’s best to take care of those blades. Be sure to clean off any pitch buildup and sharpen the blade when it feels dull or cuts with more resistance than it used to. After all, a clean, sharp blade is a safe and accurate blade.
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Miter Saw Blades | Tool Lab | Ask This Old House
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[@davidj.leavitt249]

Great video. Thank you. You might want to lower the music though. It was loud enough to overpower your voice and it made it hard for me to hear you. Thanks again for your great video.

[@maximumtaco1]

Agreed, it was really distractingly loud.

[@alexcorona]

Sounded fine to me

[@edotjerome5560]

*Remember that this saw needs to have adjustments made to make 0 or 90 cuts accurately **MyBest.Tools** I had to use a right angle on the deck and blade and then adjust the bolt to get the correct reading. Once this is done, it works great.*

[@johnroberts9560]

HI TOH , thanks for showing us the different saw blades for a circular saw. 👍😀🛠

[@chantalfarr7743]

Superb quality throughout, easy to assemble. I found the saw to be highly accurate and a delight to use (I am a homeowner using this saw for various projects). I attached the saw to a folding mobile stand to save space and that works great kzbin.infoUgkxPeGkHOMe05FySypTOvYumxMn-xi39oRe as well. However, you have to be sure the saw is securely locking in position before collapsing the stand. I've had many of the brands over the years and have come to point where I only buy Bosch, the extra money is a small price to pay for the quality and ease of use. Treat yourself to the best.

[@Guardducks]

Nice tips Nathan.

[@bpatriquin123]

Great video! Can you please do a HOW-2 sort of video for sharpening saw blades?? Thanks!

[@SimonTekConley]

It wasn't until I got a new table saw, that I realized a mitre saw would've been a better purchase

[@Bremend]

Before this video: It's just a blade After this video: Which blade to pick, oh the choices1

[@michaelnobrega7403]

way to go Nate. Keep Toll Lab going.

[@runs3492]

Thanks for sharing 👍

[@Dirtyharry70585]

I had a problem this summer cutting deck wood where the painted surface of the blade spun on my miter saw. It was so covered it stopped the blade even though the bolt was tight as possible. My warning would be to grind off or sand off the red painted finish around the arbor hole

[@dalepoppenhagen8549]

I'd have loved to have naithen Gilbert take over for either Norm or Tommy

[@akadventurer7563]

you missed tooth count and applications...

[@geraldine6379]

*The economic hardship, recession, unemployment and the loss of job caused by govt and covid pandemic is enough to push people into financial ventures. I'm taking a trip into investing because I lost so much during this pandemic. Multi creation of wealth is the best strategy to ensure financial sustainability*