Power saws are a great addition to any DIY enthusiast’s workspace. While a jigsaw or pruning saw are great options to start with, they are limited in the type of cuts they create. A dual bevel miter is the ultimate option if you want to improve your woodworking accuracy and range.
A dual bevel miter saw is a fixed saw that can produce both bevel and miter cuts besides other basic woodwork cuts. It has more scope than a simple bevel saw and doesn’t require you to move the wood into position for angled cuts. Dual bevel saws are, therefore, easy to use and more precise.
This article will cover what a dual bevel miter saw is in detail. I’ll also discuss the pros and cons of this saw, who should get it, and what woodworking projects it’s suitable for, so read on.
Differences Between a Dual Bevel Miter Saw and Other Saws
When choosing a power saw, you’ll find various options, from a simple jigsaw to a miter saw and more. Most saws can make straight cuts, and miter saws can also make slanted cuts. So, what makes a dual bevel miter saw different?
A dual bevel miter saw is designed to make both bevel and miter cuts without moving the wood into a different position. The saw is flexible on its table mount and can easily produce a compound cut. Other saws can produce both miter and bevel cuts, but they require you to move the wood into position.
This can be difficult if you’re working with heavy wood, and it often results in accuracy problems. With a dual bevel miter saw, you don’t have to worry about adjusting the wood for each new cut since the saw is flexible and ensures precision in every cut.
To understand how this works, you’ll need to know about the different types of woodcuts and when they are used.
Types of Wood Cuts and Why Dual Bevel Miter Saw is Ideal
Knowing the different types of cuts is important if you’re working on specific projects and want to take your carpentry skills to the next level. The basic cuts can be carried out with a jigsaw, but having a dual bevel miter saw becomes important for the more complex cuts.
- Basic Cross Cut. The cross-cut is the bread and butter of any carpenter – a simple, straight cut. Circular, cross-cut, or miter saws are often used for cross-cuts, but most power and hand saws will do the job. With a crosscut, accuracy is paramount.
- Rip-Cut. This cut is very similar to the cross-cut, but it’s done along the wood grain. This is often difficult to execute, but it’s possible with the right type of saw. While you can use many power saws to make a rip cut, it’s best to use a table saw for safety and accuracy.
- Miter Cut. The miter cut involves cutting the wood at an angle that is not a right angle. Typically, the wood is cut at a 45-degree angle. Miter cuts are also done along the wood’s grain and are always in a straight line. For a miter cut, a miter saw is ideal.
- The Bevel Cut. The bevel cut is one of the most difficult woodworking cuts. It involves cutting the wood along the grain at an angle and combines rip and miter cuts. With a bevel cut, the angle is consistent, but the difference is that you’re cutting into the grain.
Not all saws can make a bevel cut accurately, especially hand-powered saws. If you need to make a compound cut, it’s best to get a dual bevel miter saw, so you don’t need several saws for a woodworking task.
While other saws can be used for specific cuts, a dual bevel miter saw is flexible enough for all types of simple and complex cuts. While you could technically use a different saw for each cut when doing compound cuts, you’ll be sacrificing quality, and it’s not ideal for beginners.
If you’re doing woodturning, then it’s best to get a specialized tool for the job since you’ll struggle to get accuracy with power saws. Also, don’t overlook the type of wood you use for woodturning since tools aren’t everything!
What Dual Bevel Miter Saws Are Used For
Dual bevel miter saws are popular among professional carpenters and experienced DIY enthusiasts. While they look like something that only professionals should use, it’s actually one of the more beginner-friendly power saws.
Think about it: would it be more difficult to move the wood at the perfect angle when making a bevel cut or move the saw along the cut?
Dual bevel miter saws can be used for all types of cuts, from simple cross cuts to complex bevel cuts. However, there are specific situations when you’ll need a dual bevel miter saw more than ever.
You’ll need a dual bevel miter saw when:
- You need to make a compound cut on a frame.
- You need to angle the cut on wooden furniture.
- You need more accuracy with your angled cuts.
- You need to make several bevel cuts at tight angles when joining pieces of wood.
- Other advanced woodworking tasks that require complex cuts.
Because a dual bevel miter saw can make both basic and compound cuts, it can replace many smaller saws. However, you should keep a simple bevel saw in your toolkit for instances when you need a movable saw.
Benefits of a Dual Bevel Miter Saw
While it’s not the cheapest of saws, there are many reasons why you should add a dual bevel miter saw to your carpentry or DIY toolkit. The main benefit of this complex power saw is that it allows you to make a wider range of complex cuts.
Best of all, you’ll be more accurate with this saw than most simple saws.
It Helps You Make Compound Cuts
As the name suggests, this saw can be used to make compound cuts like the cross, bevel, miter, and even rip cuts. If you want to cut the wood at an angle and along the grain, you can use this saw’s rotation to make the compound cuts.
So, if you’re working on specific carpentry tasks or want to enhance your woodworking skill set, the dual bevel miter saw is a good investment.
You’ll Get More Accuracy When Cutting at Angles
Another benefit of dual bevel miter saws is that you’ll get more accuracy on angled cuts.
You can also use other saws for angled miter or bevel cuts, but you’ll have to move the wood into position for each new angle. This can cause slight problems in accuracy, even if you’ve marked the angle.
With a dual bevel miter saw, you don’t have to worry about changing the wood position with angled cuts. The saw can be rotated on both horizontal and vertical planes, so you can keep the wood steady for angled cuts.
You’ll also save more time on complex woodworking tasks since you don’t need to move the wood around for each cut.
Some dual bevel miter saws also come with a track system that fits on your work table. This way, you can make multiple cuts without moving the wood.
It’s a Beginner-Friendly Saw
While most experts wouldn’t list the dual bevel miter saw as a beginner-friendly option, it’s actually much easier to use than circular saws and most table saws.
Firstly, you won’t have to worry about changing the angle of your wood for every cut. If you’re a beginner and struggle to keep your hand steady, this can be helpful.
Secondly, the dual bevel miter saw is more stable than many other table saws since it can move around on several planes. As a beginner, moving a heavy saw around and measuring specific angles can be difficult and this saw helps you avoid that by providing support on a stable base.
So, don’t get fooled by the complex design of the dual bevel miter saw. It’s much easier to use than a simple-looking hand saw or jigsaw!
Downsides of the Dual Bevel Miter Saw
While it’s a great option for beginners and pros alike, the dual bevel miter saw has its downsides. Some of these include price and flexibility. Let’s look at a few downsides of the dual bevel miter saw in detail:
It’s An Expensive Saw
Getting a complex saw isn’t always light on your budget, but the tradeoff is usually worth it if you regularly do carpentry work.
The dual bevel miter saw is more expensive than a simple circular saw or even other bevel or miter saws. However, while other power saws can make limited angled cuts, the dual bevel miter saw comes with the complete package of features.
Another factor to consider when looking at the price of a dual bevel miter saw is that it’s an all-in-one saw. So, if you need a separate saw for bevel and miter cuts, it makes more sense to get a single saw for both bevel and miter cuts.
It’s a Fixed Table Saw
Another downside of the dual bevel miter saw is that it’s fixed on a table and can’t be used for tasks requiring a handheld saw. So, if you want to make cuts on large pieces of furniture without disassembling it or need a movable saw for other practical scenarios, the dual bevel `miter saw won’t work.
For such tasks, always have a backup handheld power saw, preferably a battery-powered one. A handheld jigsaw or bevel saw will be sufficient for such scenarios.
The Best Dual Bevel Miter Saws Available Online
While Home Depot and Lowes are great options when you’re shopping for a dual bevel miter saw, Amazon is still the best option when it comes down to variety and pricing (in most cases). Here are the top 3 dual bevel miter saws on Amazon:
BOSCH CM10GD Compact Miter Saw
This BOSCH compact dual bevel miter saw is the preferred option for many professional carpenters due to its cutting accuracy, stability, and options for different angled cuts.
It’s easy to use, and you can clean up easily using features like the dust collection chute. You can also get an option with a built-in laser for precision cuts. The saw is also easy to store and move around despite its weight, and is extremely handy to have in your workshop.
DEWALT Miter Saw
This 12-inch dual bevel miter saw can complete most compound cuts accurately thanks to a stainless steel miter detent plate and a cam lock miter handle which keeps the saw stable when you change the angles for different cuts. The motor on this saw is especially powerful and extremely handy to use.
The safety clamps and LED light that comes with this saw aren’t the most accurate, so you might have to get a separate clamp. Nevertheless, the precision and power offered by this saw make it great value for money.
Makita LS1019L 10″ Dual-Bevel Sliding Compound Miter Saw
Makita is another reliable power saw brand. This dual bevel miter saw has a precision laser for accuracy, a 10-inch sliding plane, and a larger vertical cutting capacity than most other saws. It’s semi-portable, lightweight, and can easily adjust against a wall for stability.
The accuracy of this saw is incredible, and it cuts through most wood types easily. It is also quieter than other iterations of the saw by Makita, and it’s easier to store. All of these features make this saw an excellent purchase.
Final Thoughts
If you’re in two minds on whether to get a dual bevel miter saw or not, then by now, you should have made a choice. Dual bevel miter saws are more accurate and give you a wide range of wood-cutting options.
Best of all, it’s beginner friendly, so there’s no reason to avoid it just because it looks difficult to use. Having a dual bevel miter saw is handy when you’re developing your skills and lets you work with a wide variety of wood as well.