Miter saws are a must for any construction job to cut wood and other materials, and they can be easy to use if you know the safety features.
Miter saw Accidents often happen when workers don’t know how to use their saws correctly or they neglect safety precautions like wearing gloves or using push sticks.
In this blog post, we will outline some of the safety features of miter saws and offer some tips to prevent accidents while using one!
Miter Saw Safety Features:
1. Blade Guard:
The most important thing to remember for a miter saw safety is that the blade should always be covered with a guard.
The blade guard is a cover that will help protect you from the spinning blades in case of kickbacks or accidents while cutting. This can also reduce the risk of injury by preventing contact with the blade when it’s still spinning at high speeds.
Blade guard prevents debris from getting into your eyes or lungs, and it also protects you from cutting yourself on the sharp edge of the blade.
There are two types of the blade guard. One is transparent and the other is opaque. The transparent guard is more preferable because it keeps your line of sight clear while cutting.
2. Safety Clamps:
Safety clamps help to secure wood pieces in place before making any cuts. Ensure that the wood clamp attaches tightly onto both sides of the board so there’s no risk of it coming loose and falling off.
There are two types of clamps: one that attaches to a miter saw table’s front edge, which is usually used for narrower boards; and the other type, which has an angled head clamp with adjustable arms to secure wider boards in place.
To attach the clamp just place the board on the table and then tighten it tight against the board’s edge.
3. Blade guard release:
This is typically a button on the front handle of the saw that will allow you to disengage the blade from your work surface by pushing it up and out of contact with the material.
This will help prevent accidental movement and kickbacks while still allowing for a cut to be completed.
4. Feed Rate:
This is how fast you feed your material into a blade and it will typically be specified in inches per minute or centimeters per second.
Slowing down increases the chance of avoiding accidents. For example, picture frames require more precision when working on smaller pieces and if you slow down it will be easier to prevent any mistakes from happening that could ruin your work due to rushing through a project too quickly.
5. Electric brake:
The electric brake is designed to stop the blade quickly when you release it from the material. This will help prevent kickbacks and reduce the risk of injury by stopping all motion on contact with your hand or other parts of your body.
The manufacturer company is careful to remind its customers that the safety feature can’t be expected to work with materials thicker than the machine’s capabilities.
6. Dust Extraction:
Generally, miter saws don’t come with dust extraction. Manufacturers should consider the fact of sawdust and debris flying around the workshop and offer a dust collection system.
Dust extraction will help prevent the material from becoming too dusty and reduces the cleanup process after cutting each piece.
If your miter saw doesn’t have any dust extraction system then you can use an air filtration system for your workshop. An air filtration system will act as an extra layer of protection for your lungs and filter out dust particles.
7. Blade measurements:
Most blades have specific measurements which can guide you on how deep they cut through the material. These measurements are usually in inches, centimeters, or millimeters. If the blade is too deep for your material then it may not cut all the way through.
On the other hand, if it is not deep enough then you may end up with an uneven surface. So, before cutting any wood pieces, make sure that the blade measurement is perfect for your material otherwise you will end up in an accident.
8. Blade Tracking:
Blade Tracking is a feature that adjusts the blade’s angle to track the wood grain. This can help improve accuracy in your cuts and prevent splintering of unfinished or softwood lumber.
Setting up this function will vary from saw to saw but should be relatively easy with an owner’s manual included for guidance.
There are two types of blade tracking, side and center. Side trackers are the most common but some saws will offer both as an option for increased versatility.
9. Push sticks:
Push sticks should be used with both hands when pushing boards through the saw. These push sticks are usually long, narrow pieces of wood that place your hand out in front of the blade to protect it from being cut off if something goes wrong while you’re cutting boards.
If you are cutting a long piece of lumber or sheet stock that will not fit on your work surface fully, use push sticks to prevent kickback and possible accidents.
10. Featherboard:
A featherboard should be used on both sides of a workpiece when sawing to control how it slides against the blade.
This reduces binding and helps reduce kickback from going too fast or too far into the saw table since you can use one hand for each side of your material as you cut.
How to use a miter saw safely? [Safety Tips]
Before using a miter saw, It’s important to wear gloves, safety glasses, earplugs for protection from nails popping out as well as wood debris.
1. Do not remove a miter saw guard if you are using it because this increases your risk of getting cut by the sharp teeth on the other side.
2. Blades can be very sharp and should always be handled carefully when changing them or handling any other aspect of using the tool
3. If your blade ever gets dull, don’t try to cut anything with it. Just replace the blade when that happens
4. Running a miter saw on an extension cord can lead to power fluctuations which will make the blade jerk back and forth unpredictably.
5. Keep fingers away when cutting or slicing with a miter saw because the blades rotate quickly.
6. Be mindful that sawdust particles can be harmful to breathe in so always wear a dust mask when using this tool or any other power saws for extended periods of time
7. It is important to use push sticks or feather boards when crosscutting and mitering with a miter saw so that your hands are never near the blade while it’s rotating.
8. Stand to the side of a miter saw when crosscutting and mitering instead of in front so that your feet are not on either end, where they can be pinched by the blade or fence if it moves unexpectedly.
9. Do not reach behind or over the cutting material when using a miter saw because this increases your risk of getting cut by the sharp teeth that are still in motion on the other side.
10. It’s important to ensure that the area surrounding your miter saw is clear of anything you might trip on or put in front of yourself while using it.
You should also make sure there are no cords dangling around near where you’re working
11. When cutting pieces for construction projects, always work on a surface that is flat, such as the floor or a large table
12. If you’re making narrow cuts with repeated passes on either side of an object then put something non-slip under one foot so you don’t slide around as your sawing
13. When cutting pieces that are longer than 15 inches the miter saw should be locked in position so you can use both hands to push and guide materials.
14. And finally, never use it while standing on a ladder or any other unstable surface
15. Put safety first and be careful while using this powerful tool!
Conclusion:
The miter saw is the one tool that you can’t live without if you work on a variety of woodworking projects. Not only does it cut through materials quickly and cleanly, but also makes accurate crosscuts – all in an ergonomic position for your hands and arms.
It’s well worth taking some time to learn how to use this tool safely. Make sure your miter saw has essential safety features, such as a shielded blade and brake.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our customer service team. We are always happy to help and would love to hear from you.