Compound vs Double Bevel Miter Saw. Double mitre saw

Compound vs Double Bevel Miter Saw

If you have a workshop, then you will most likely need a miter saw. They are designed to create items such as window casings, door frames, crown molding, picture frames, and the like. There are different types of miter saws which include the compound and double bevel.

Difference Between Compound and Double Bevel Miter Saw

The main difference between a compound vs double bevel miter saw is that the blade head of the compound type can be tilted only to one side whereas on the latter you can pivot the blade to either left or right to cut bevels. The advantage of a double bevel miter saw is that you can cut bevels at whatever angle you desire without having to remove the piece.

Before getting to the details, it pays to understand what the terms miter and bevel cuts mean. Basically, this type of saw can make what is known as a miter cut, which is an angled cut across the width of the material. You see this type of cut when you see two pieces of wood or material with a 45-degree angle that allows them to join up, such as with a picture frame.

A bevel cut goes through the thickness of the board at an angle. If you see a doorstop, then you will see a bevel cut. The miter and bevel cuts can be combined which is known as a compound cut. Refer to our miter saw guide to see the different types of cuts you can do with this power saw. Miter saws despite their similarities do have differences. Knowing what each one does will help you make the best-informed decision about which is right for your needs.

Compound Miter Saw

This is the most basic type of saw. A compound saw has a rotating table that lets you cut different miter angles, and it will tilt in a single direction which allows it to cut a bevel.

You can cut all sorts of miter and bevel cuts with this saw. The only limitation is that the blade head tilts only in one direction.

If you need to cut two different angles along width and thickness, such as if you are creating crown molding, then a compound mitre saw is a good choice.

Double Bevel Miter Saw

A dual or double bevel miter saw is a compound miter saw that can tilt its blade head in both directions. That means the blade will tilt either left or right to do the bevel cuts.

Advantages of Double Bevel Saw: The double bevel miter saw blade offers the advantage of cutting bevels at any angle desired while keeping the work in place. While the compound miter saw is more limited, requiring you to remove and replace the work if you want to cut bevels at angles that otherwise cannot be accomplished.

There is also the sliding compound miter saw, which allows you to move your work either forwards or backward along the track. The result is that you can cut wider pieces of wood compared to standard saws.

Single Vs Double Bevel Miter Saw

First, a single bevel miter saw and a compound miter saw are the same power tool. It has a swivel base that can be rotated in both directions. But the blade can be tilted only in one direction; usually towards your left-hand side.

As you can see the key difference between the two types of saws lies in the ability to tilt the blade head.

Ability to Cut from the Same Side

On a single bevel miter saw, when you want to cut different bevel angles on both ends of a workpiece, you may need to flip the workpiece.

Certain materials such as plywood can have splinter problems at the bottom of the cut especially if the blade is dull. In such cases, you might want to make all the cuts from the same side of the sheet or board to keep the visible side clean. The dual bevel miter saw enables you to make compound cuts without turning over the workpiece.

The differences do not stop with the different angles for creating bevels. There are other differences that you should know as well.

Mobility

The single version is easier to move around because it weighs less and tends to be less bulky. If you are working on a job site, then the single version is probably the best bet since its lower weight and greater mobility make it simpler to transport.

Ease of Use

As expected, the single version requires less training to learn and use. The process is straightforward and quite intuitive when you want to make repeated cuts of the same angles.

However, it gets complicated when you want to cut different compound angles on both ends of the work. In such cases, the double bevel version makes it easy. This means that for the type of work it performs compared to the single bevel, it is a more complicated power saw.

Working Space

Imagine you are working indoor in tight spaces. The long crown molding needs bevels to be cut on both ends. With a single bevel model, you need sufficient working space on both sides of the saw to accommodate the length of the workpiece.

The double bevel saw, on the other hand, gives you the freedom to work with space only on one side to accommodate workpiece length.

Best AFFORDABLE 10” Dual Bevel MITER SAW (You Will NEVER GUESS The BRAND!)

Price

The single version is considerably less in cost. This makes it an attractive option, especially for those who are just getting started. The calculations will be different for those doing professional work.

Is a Double Bevel Miter Saw Worth the Cost?

Probably not for DIY enthusiasts and homeowners. Unless you are dedicated to your workshop and create items or serve your community, it is difficult to understand why spending the additional money will be worth obtaining a double bevel miter saw. Yes, it does make the work go somewhat faster, but not in a significant way if woodworking is a hobby.

The bottom line, it’s your money. If you are just getting started, then stay away from the double bevel version. Once your shop starts developing the need, then you can invest in a good double bevel type saw.

Miter Saw Buying Tips

If you are making the decision to purchase a miter saw but are unsure of which type of best for you, here are a few tips that will help you better make a decision when it comes to the right type of saw.

On the Cheap: If you only need to make a few cuts at a 45 or 90-degree angle and are quite limited in the cash department, then purchase a miter box instead and cut with a handsaw. Miter boxes are light, convenient, and do not require electricity to use. A typical miter box and saw set costs around 15 and is well worth it when you only need to make a few cuts.

10” or Less: Unless you are running a professional workshop, you should stick to a miter saw that is 10” or less depending on your needs. This is because the 12” versions are simply too large and expensive compared to the relatively small gain of the extra two inches. 10” is about right and offers better attributes when working with smaller items. Additionally most table saws use 10-inch blades. So you can you the same blade on your miter saw and table saw to save money.

Which Miter Saw is better Sliding vs Fixed

Portability: If you need to carry your miter saw and can live with a smaller size than 10”, there are cordless versions of 7 ½” that are available. They are small and limited, but for those who need to be on the move, you can use them in areas where larger versions are more difficult to set up.

Plus, because they are battery-powered, you do not have to worry about having a steady electrical supply. Simply charge up the battery and keep a spare or two on hand for extended work. Many of these portable versions use batteries that power other tools of their brand as well, making them even more versatile and convenient.

Compound or Double Bevel? Which Miter Saw is Best?

If price is no issue, then a dual compound sliding miter saw offers the greatest versatility. You can make longer cuts with fewer issues compared to any other type of miter saws.

A dual compound miter saw is the way to go if you want to cut wide boards, 4x4s, fence boards, etc.

It is more expensive, and you need more working space, but the results will be worth it if the money you spend is not that important.

DeWALT DWS780 12″ Dual Bevel Compound Miter Saw Review

This post is sponsored by The Home Depot. I have been compensated for my time and provided with product. All ideas and opinions are my own. This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

I’ll be honest, I’ve been wanting to review one of these DeWALT miter saws ever since I was tiling my sister’s house back in 2013 and the builder was using it to do all of the nice trim work. Maybe the saw was up sitting on it’s pedestal (stand) gleaming in the sunlight, but it’s been on my wishlist ever since. Needless to say, I had high expectations for this saw and it did not disappoint.

Tool Review: DeWALT DWS780 12″ Double Bevel Sliding Compound Miter Saw

Out of the Box

The DeWALT miter saw comes fully assembled and ready to get to work right out of the box. The only thing you need to do is plug the saw in and pull the lock down pin and you’re ready to roll. Push down a little on the handle and pull out the pin and the head will pop up.

The first thing that I noticed is that pushing down on the handle is really easy. The motor is mounted right above the hinge, and it has a belt drive to the blade. Also this saw is fairly heavy, not that bad, but I wouldn’t want to be lugging it around a lot. (I’ll be building it a mobile miter saw station for my shop).

Accuracy

Really, the only thing that I need my miter saw to do is cut straight, is that so much to ask? Not for this saw, everything is adjustable. I used a square and held it up to the fence and blade, I did this on each side and the miter angle was just slightly out. I cut a maximum width board and checked the square, it was out about 1/32″.

The included blade wrench also has a star head to loosen the adjusting screws on the miter scale/detent plate. I loosened the 4 screws and adjusted it slightly until it cut square.

Once the miter angle was squared up, and with the saw in the 0 deg detent slot, I adjusted the red miter pointer to be right on 0 deg. I also checked the bevel angle and it was true. It can be adjusted if needed too. It is so nice to have a saw that you know will cut at the angle you are expecting. Kudos to you DeWALT.

Operation

The DWS780 DeWALT miter saw is simple to use, pull the trigger and let the blade get to full speed and smoothly lower down to cut the board. The widest board I could cut at 90 deg cleanly is 13 3/4″, this is without the ‘special setup’ to get a 16″ crosscut. When cutting wider pieces pull the saw out toward you, lower the saw down toward the board, and slowly push the saw back to make the cut. The rails run really smooth on this saw.

Changing the miter angle is simple, press down on the button in-front of the handle. The miter angle can go up to 60 deg on the right side and 50 deg on the left, that is pretty generous. The miter scale has convenient detents (the notches) for common angles. The small level on the side of the button will bypass the detents. Once the miter saw is turned to the angle that you want to set it at, simply press the handle down to lock it.

Adjusting the bevel angle is also easy, simply loosen the bevel lock knob and rotate to the angle desired and tighten up the knob.

The bevel angle will automatically stop at 45 deg, but there is a small lever that you can pull to continue rotating the head to 49 deg.

If you need the bevel angle to go in the other direction, there is another knob to pull out and it will pass through 0 deg and keep rotating.

Great Features

This miter saw is packed with handy features. The first is my favorite, the CUTLINE LED worklight. There is a switch on top of the saw to turn on a light that will cast a shadow of the blade onto your board so you can see exactly where it will cut. This feature works great on straight and angle cuts and makes it super easy to see where the cut will be made. (Remembering to turn the light off may be an issue ).

Another handy feature is the depth stop that will control how far down the saw blade will cut. The little thumb screw can be adjusted for the cut depth desired and it rests against the depth stop. Flip the depth stop out of the way to go back to normal cutting.

The cutting capacity is quite impressive:

In addition it is capable of cutting baseboard moldings held vertically 0.8″ thick by 6 3/4″ tall on a 45º right or left miter.

This saw also has some angle stops (pawls) built in for easy and repeatable bevel angle cuts on both the right and left side bevel.

The tall double fence system is very convenient and easy to use. There is a knob to loosen the screw and the upper fence will slide left and right.

So far I really like using the DeWALT DWS780, it’s worked like a champ on some pretty complicated angles. But there’s always a few things that aren’t perfect.

Not So Great Features

The saw blade that is included isn’t the best for fine woodworking, brand new it will tear out wood on a cut. It is perfectly fine for general contracting, but I’ll be upgrading to a finer tooth blade.

The worktable is small, not that it’s been a problem.

The dust collection on this saw is much less than stellar. You can see how dusty it is around the saw in my pictures, and that is only from a few cuts. The dust is suppose to enter a small port, travel down a long tube into a small collection bag. I need to tinker around with a vacuum set up and see if I can get it to work better.

These few not so great features are very small compared to great features the saw has.

Who Will Benefit From This Tool

The DeWALT DWS780 miter saw is simple enough to operate that a beginning DIY’er will have no problem using it, but it has enough add-on features and convenience that the pro will love it. For those that are using the saw for cutting trim, molding and fine woodworking, I would consider upgrading the blade to 80T or 100T.

Summary

There is a reason why the DeWALT DWS780 12″ dual bevel sliding compound miter saw is top rated in miter saws. It is easy to use and a power horse. The cutting capabilities are impressive, 13 3/4″ wide cross cut, 50-60 deg miter angle cuts and up to 49 deg bevel angle cuts. It includes so many convenient features like CUTLINE LED light, depth stop, bevel angle stops, miter angle detents, tall fences and easy accuracy adjustments. If a miter saw is on your tool wish list, you can’t go wrong buying the DeWALT DWS780.

“I acknowledge that The Home Depot is partnering with me to participate in the Tool Review Program. As a part of the Program, I am receiving compensation in the form of products and services, for the purpose of promoting The Home Depot. All expressed opinions and experiences are my own words. My post complies with the Word Of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) Ethics Code and applicable Federal Trade Commission guidelines.”

Related

Attention: Any do-it-yourself project involves risk of some sort. Your tools, materials, and skills will vary, as will the conditions at your work site. Hertoolbelt LLC will not assume any responsibility or liability for damages or losses sustained or incurred in the course of your project or in the use of the item you create. Always follow the manufacturer’s operating instructions in the use of tools, check and follow your local building codes, and observe all commonly accepted safety precautions.

Комментарии и мнения владельцев

Great Article, one thing I would add is to make a zero clearance insert for your miter saw. This helps reduce tear out and if you are like me and mainly use your saw primarily with no angle the insert will last a while. However, they are easy to make so if you need an angled cut and the gap gets larger it is easy to replace.

Miter Saw Guide

Miter saws are versatile woodworking tools created for cutting a variety of building materials such as lumber, siding, flooring, or even PVC pipes. Used primarily for crosscuts, which are cuts that go across the grain of the wood, miter saws have mounted circular saw blades that you pull down to cut the workpiece. Many miter saws are stationary saws, as you bring the mounted blade downward, rather than running it horizontally along the workpiece. One that slides horizontally across the piece as you cut would be a “sliding” miter saw. Miter saws go by many other names, such as a chop box saws, chop saws, and miter box saws.

A miter saw’s standard cutting angle is 90 degrees. However, both single and dual bevel miter saws allow you to make bevel cuts, which are cuts that are along the material’s thickness at an angle other than 90 degrees. The bevel of a miter saw is useful for intricate work and often a major differentiator for buyers. The saw blade rotates — either to the left or right — allowing you to adjust the saw positioning to different angles, such as a 45-degree angle. Typical miter saw applications include making trim, molding, baseboards and other fine carpentry work. Miter saws allow you to achieve complex angles that are often required with woodworking and carpentry projects.

This guide to miter saws will explain the different ways you can achieve bevels cuts with two different types of circular saws: single and dual bevel miter saws.

Single Bevel Compound Miter Saws

A single bevel miter saw only adjusts its positioning in one direction: to the left or right. Therefore, a single bevel miter saw allows you to make one-directional bevel cuts. Single bevel miter saws can make both bevel cuts and miter cuts independently or together.

Depending on your project, you may need to make bevel cuts on both sides of the workpiece. Because a single bevel miter saw can only make bevel cuts in one direction, you’ll need to turn your workpiece around to achieve an additional bevel cut on its other side.

Even though a single bevel miter saw can only make bevel cuts in one direction, the saw can still accomplish the same thing a dual bevel does, just with a little more brainpower. If you need to make multiple cuts on both sides of your workpiece, it will take longer and require more effort using a single bevel miter saw.

Dual-Bevel Compound Miter Saws

The blade angles of a dual bevel miter saw can adjust to both the left and right, as opposed to just one side, like the single bevel saw. Some people call this type of tool a double bevel miter saw because it can be adjusted to make cuts in any direction.

Because the saw head can rotate on a fulcrum towards both the right and the left, you can make identical bevel cuts in your workpiece without having to turn your material around. Double bevel miter saws allow you to make precise and uniform cuts on both sides of your workpiece. It also makes the job easier and quicker, as you can make faster repetitive cuts even on longer workpieces.

For contractors or highly committed hobbyists, a dual bevel miter saw will improve your workflow and efficiency.

Single vs. Dual Bevel Miter Saws

Both single and dual miter saws can make miter and bevel cuts, and both use circular saw blades for cutting. They are also both referred to as “Compound” miter saws because they can make miter cuts and cuts in 1 or 2 directions. Despite these basic similarities, there are some differences between each.

Pros and Cons of Single Bevel Miter Saws

Single bevel miter saws are more straightforward machines, ideally suited for the beginner craftsman or home improvement hobbyist. If you’re new to woodworking or looking for a lower maintenance saw, consider these pros of single bevel miter saws:

• They’re Cheap: Single bevel compound miter saws are typically a few hundred dollars cheaper than dual bevel saws of the same brand.
• Simplicity: Single bevel miter saws are straightforward and easier to use. If you plan on making most of your cuts at 90-degree angles, then this will do everything you need.
• Versatility: Single bevel miter saws are great for beginners or professionals since you can accomplish what you can with a dual bevel, with a hair more effort.

Despite their advantages, single bevel miter saws do have some drawbacks:

• Fewer capabilities: The main disadvantage of the single bevel miter saw is that it makes one-directional angled cuts, meaning you have to turn your workpiece around to make matching cuts. This matters most when installing crown molding or other types of trim.
• Less uniformity: Because you can’t make double cuts at once with a single bevel miter saw, any matching bevel cuts you make on the other side of your workpiece might not appear as uniform.
• Longer work time: If you’re working on a more intricate project requiring double cuts, it will take you longer with a single bevel cut miter saw.

Pros and Cons of Dual Bevel Miter Saws

Many professional contractors and advanced woodworkers prefer double bevel miter saws. If you’re a more experienced craftsperson, then here are some of the benefits of investing in a dual bevel miter saw:

• Take on more work: With a double bevel miter saw, you can take on more projects because you’ll be able to cut in both directions efficiently. This is very helpful for crown molding projects and other projects with trim.
• Meet tight deadlines: Being able to make bevel cuts in two directions without rotating your workpiece saves time, meaning you can get more done faster if you’re on a tight deadline.
• Make precise cuts: Having the ability to rotate the saw head allows you to make more precise matching cuts on both sides of the workpiece, improving the quality of your work.

It’s essential to choose the right miter saw for you, so first consider some of these possible disadvantages of dual bevel miter saws:

• expensive: Dual bevel miter saws are typically at least 100 more than single bevel miter saws from the same brand, so it’s important to consider the return you’ll get from your investment.
• complicated to use: Dual bevel miter saws have more extensive capabilities, making them more complicated and not as suitable for beginners. Typically the projects where these are most helpful, such as crown molding as mentioned above, are not beginner woodworking projects.

The Miter Saw Says it’s Sliding. What does that mean?

Both single and dual bevel miter saws can be sliding. Sliding miter saws are designed to expand the capabilities of the miter saw. The blade sits on a rail and slides across the board you’re cutting. This will allow you to cut wider boards. Some sliding saws allow you to cut boards that are 12″ or even 16″ in width, which you couldn’t accomplish with a normal miter saw. Instead of “chopping” through the board, you’ll slide the blade across the board since the blade sits on rails. To use a sliding miter saw, you simply pull the blade toward your body and push away as you cut. Typically single and dual bevel miter saws that are sliding cannot be adjusted to angles that are as steep as the non-sliding saws. This is because the rails used for sliding interfere with the side to side motion.

Blades You Can Use With a Miter Saw

Whether you use a single or a dual miter saw, the quality of your work still depends on the right type of blade for the job. Miter saws are versatile woodworking tools that you can use with a variety of circular saw blades. Here are some of your best saw blade options to use with a miter saw:

• Crosscut blade: Miter saws are meant for crosscutting, which is why your miter saw needs a good crosscut blade. For best crosscutting results, choose a blade with a high tooth count, so you can achieve smoother cuts.
• Combination blade: If you use a variety of materials besides lumber, then a combination blade is a good option. Combination blades allow you to achieve smooth cuts in materials other than lumber.

When selecting your saw blade for your miter saw, be sure to choose high-quality blades that are built to last longer and perform better.

Choose Luxite Saw Blades for Superior Woodworking

Whether you’re a professional craftsman or carpenter or you’re new to hobby woodworking, choose Luxite woodworking blades for high-quality woodworking results. We offer superior carbide-tipped circular saw blades that are made to last, giving you a better return on your investment.

For more information on Luxite saws, reach out to our representatives today. Call us at 1-800-654-7297 or contact us online.

Single vs Double Bevel Miter Saw

Ever wonder what’s the difference between a single bevel and a double bevel miter saw? Is it worth spending the extra money for just one type of cut? In this article, I’ll explain what each type of saw does, and help you determine if your project requires this special feature.

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. Purchases made through these links may earn me a small commission at no additional cost to you. Please visit my disclosures page for more information.

What is a bevel cut?

Let’s start with the basics. A bevel cut often gets confused with a miter cut, so hopefully this section will help! If you’ve never used a miter saw before, consider reading my beginner’s guide to the miter saw first.

All miter saws can make a mitered cut (hence the name). This is achieved by swiveling the platform that the wood sits on. Most miter saws can cut at least a 45 degree miter, and many can cut even wider angles.

A bevel, on the other hand, is a more specialized cut that not all miter saws can perform. It involves adjusting the angle of the motor and blade by tilting it to the side. You can see the resulting beveled cut below.

What’s the Difference Between a Single Bevel and Double Bevel Miter Saw?

Single bevel miter saws can only tilt in one direction (either left or right). Dual bevel miter saws can tilt in both directions. I go into more detail about this feature and why you would want one type of saw over the other below.

Single Bevel Miter Saw

Let’s start with the single bevel miter saw, as it’s more common than the double bevel miter saw. You may also see it referred to as a compound miter saw, because it can create both a mitered and beveled cut at the same time.

What is a Single Bevel Miter Saw?

Single bevel miter saws will only tilt in one direction when making bevel cuts. Depending on the saw, the blade will only tilt to the right or left.

It is called a single bevel miter saw because it can only cut a bevel in a single direction. Think of the blade like a clock, with 12:00 as a vertical 90 degree cut. A single bevel miter can only tilt to 10:00 or 2:00, but not both. It will stop at 12:00 if you try to move it to the opposite side.

People run into problems with the single bevel miter saw when they need to make a lot of bevel cuts in opposing directions, like when installing crown moulding. With a single bevel saw, you need to flip the board to make the cut in the opposite direction.

When Should I Use a Single Bevel Miter Saw?

You can use single bevel miter saws for most cutting tasks. If you’re on a budget and don’t want to spend a lot of money on a miter saw, I would recommend a single bevel miter saw.

A single bevel miter saw is also lighter, making this a better choice if you need to lift the saw off a shelf or the floor whenever you plan to use it.

On the other hand, if you find yourself on a larger project that requires frequent bevel cuts, then you may find the single bevel miter tedious.

How to Use a Single Bevel Miter Saw

It’s important to know how to use a miter saw. Making a mistake can result in a spoiled project or even serious injuries. To stay safe, and get the perfect cut, follow the guidelines below:

Wear Safety Gear

Always wear ear and eye protection. Get in the habit of putting them on every time you make a cut.

Secure Your Board

You don’t want your board moving around, especially if it’s standing on edge. Clamp your board into place. this will keep your cut clean and prevent the board from binding the blade. Use a stop block for your miter saw if making multiple cuts of the same length.

Tilt the Blade

Every miter saw is different, so check the manual to see where the lever is located. Most of the time, it can be found somewhere on the motor housing, although mine is on the front arm.

The gauge on the saw will indicate the angle of the blade. It can be difficult to get this angle exactly right based off those tiny lines, so consider buying a magnetic digital angle finder that sticks to the blade to show the exact number.

You should always check to make sure the blade will clear the fence when tilted at an angle. Some models require you to widen the opening by sliding the fence to the side before making the cut. That’s what this knob on the back of my miter saw fence is for!

Make the Cut

Before you start the saw, pull the blade down to check where the cut will be made. Remember to position the blade on the edge of your marked line, instead of down the center. This will prevent the board from being cut too short.

Once everything is in position, fire up the saw to full speed then bring it down through the wood. Don’t bring the blade back up until it stops spinning. this will prevent any small offcuts from spinning away from the blade and hitting you.

Here’s a helpful video explaining how to use a single bevel miter saw.

I’m Vineta, otherwise known as The Handyman’s Daughter!

My goal is to teach people how to fix up their homes and furnish them with custom woodworking projects that are perfect for their space.