Industrial Hand Tool: A Miter Saw Guide
Industrial hand tools are devices capable of being manually operated. It can run on mechanical force or electrical power. One of the basic industrial hand tools is a miter saw used for cutting.
An industrial hand tool is a device that is operated by hand. Such tools are used in maintenance and repairs of machines and equipments. One example is the miter saw.
Miter saws cut with a spinning circular blade. It is small and portable, having blades ranging from 8 to 12 inches in diameter. A miter saw can be a manually operated or motorized. It has 3 general models:
Miter saws – A miter saw is the least expensive and simplest model. Its motor is on the swing arm that can be turned right or left to create angled cuts. It is best used in trimming windows or doors.
Compound Miter Saws – Compound miter saws are useful in making picture frames and crown moldings. Its motor swings to the right and left. It can be tilted to get beveled cuts. It comes with 10 inches and 12 inches blades. Compound miter saws are generally more expensive than the other models.
Sliding Compound Miter Saws – It is a versatile saw that has a sliding feature similar to a radial arm saw. The saw is plunged on the work area for a narrow stock. The blade can pass through the rail for a wider cut.
Components of a Basic Miter Saw
Blade
The blade is the most important part. Sizes ranges from 8, 10 and 12 inches. Larger saw blades make longer cuts. Different blades of a miter saw are used in different applications. Common blades include:
Steel blades – An expensive blade that works well in cutting softwood but gets dull quickly in hardwood.
Carbide-Tipped Blades – This kind of blade stays sharp much longer than other blades. It is more expensive than steel and high-speed blades.
High-Speed Steel Blades – It is harder than steel blade that also stays sharp longer.
Miter Index
The miter index gives flexibility to the blade. It angles the blade conveniently depending on the work area. Most miter saws enable exact one-degree incremental changes onto the miter index. It has a stop function to set the miter index to commonly used angles (15 °, 30° and 45 degrees).
Positive Stops
These are factory set points allowing a precise cut on specific angles. More positive stops create less setup time.
Self-Extracting Blade Guard
It gives a better view of the cutting line by keeping the guard far from the stock. The guard is lowered to cover the blade completely, especially when the saw is raised.
Electric Brakes
This reverses the flow of electricity when the trigger has been released. It can stop the blade in two seconds or less, especially when compared to saws without electric brakes.
Other features include:
Shaft Locks – Immobilizes the shaft and the blade, making it easier to change.
Table Extensions – Balances the longer stock for an accurate cut that mounts directly to the saw.
Dust Bags – Connects directly to the saw, for collecting sawdust.
Sliding Fences – Gives additional support to tall stock and glide out of the way to make bevel cuts.
Portable Strands – Gives the saw a strong base for added safety measure.
Safety clamp – Helps fasten a work piece securely.
Laser guide – Gives a fixed visual indication in positioning the cut. Some models offer a single reference line to one side of the kerfs. Others provide two lines to reveal the total kerfs width.
The Specialized Industrial Hand Tools
The industrial hand tools are equipped with powerful and innovative features. They are more precise, accurate and efficient.
The industrial hand tools are used in big working constructions for cutting, installing, adjusting, and repairing. It has special features made specifically to make jobs a lot less difficult, more manageable, and quicker.
Kinds of Industrial Hand Tools
The industrial hand tools can be a basic screw driver, hammer, wrench, chop saw, hole saw, jigsaw, miter saw and more to specialized industrial hand tools. The industrial hand tools available in basic types also come in specialized forms with added features and functionalities.
Some commonly used specialized industrial hand tools:
DeWalt Heavy-Duty 14-Inch Chop Saw- D28715 with Quick-Change
The DeWalt D28715 is a heavy-duty 14-Inch chop saw ensured of durability and great performance. It is ideal to cut metal drywall studs, specialty wheels and angle iron. This tool is equipped with a 15 amp and 5-1/2 horsepower motor. It could handle big jobs with overload capacity.
It features a quick-change blade change system. This means one can easily replace the wheels without the need of a wrench if necessary. It also features a quick-release fence which does not need wrenches to adjust. It boasts of an exclusive quick-fence tool-free, a 45-degree adjustable fence. It makes faster and more accurate angle cuts.
The handle is ergonomic for better and more comfortable hand positioning and lessens hand fatigue. It also features a durable lockdown pin for the head to safely lock when being carried. The durable compression spring is very durable and smoothly moves to make the saw easy to use.
The DeWalt Chop Saw comes with a 14-inch abrasive wheel, blade washer, blade change wrench, and blade bolt. It measures 44.5 pounds.
Bosch 5412L
The Bosch 5412L Miter Saw is an impressive powerful tool loaded with innovative and friendly features. It has a laser tracking for more accurate outputs. The laser produces bright, smooth and thin cuts. This visible line directs the user where the blade will run through.
It is equipped with a 15-amp motor, powerful to offer 3 horsepower maximum motor output at a speed of 3,800 rpm. This is sufficient to handle the most difficult cutting task. It also boasts of a large and thick blade capable for handling very big jobs. It can be angled to 45 degrees and handle very thick blocks of wood.
Other features of the miter saw include up-front angle adjustments, slide mechanism, and electric brake. The wedge is very precise and patented. The handle can be positioned in four ways.
This tool comes handy with a dust collection bag, saw blade with 60 teeth, blade wrench set, instruction manual, and batteries. The tool measures 59 pounds. The crown is easy to flip down.
Black and Decker JIGSAW – VAR SPEED 450W- KS600E
The Black and Decker KS600E is a compact, small, and lightweight industrial jigsaw. It is ideal for general wood cutting and basic 45 deg beveled and curved cuts. It is also commendable for metal pipe and light sheet metal cutting.
The 450 W Black and Decker jigsaw features variable speed strokes of 3000 per minute. It enhances the quality of cut through a variety of tasks and materials. It is equipped with universal blade clamp which holds both U and T Shank Blades.
The jigsaw also features Integral Dust Blow, useful to maintain clear the line of cut. The dust extraction feature helps keep clean the working place. The sightline channel feature makes it easier to follow a line when cutting. The lock-on switch is a safety feature when it is not in use. It also comes along with 3 meter cord.
The jigsaw uses a voltage of 230 V. Its bevel cut is from 0 to 45 degrees. It has a depth of cut of 60 mm in Wood, 5 mm in steel, and 10 mm in aluminum.
