Need a mitre saw for skirting, architrave etc.

[POD]

G'day guys, I've just had a delivery of blackwood mouldings for skirts, dado, scotias etc and need some advice on what I should look for in a mitre saw that will help me do a good job of the installation. I have lots of metalworking gear but not much carpentry tooling so this is a good opportunity to justify buying a small mitre saw but I don't want to go in blind; there are plenty of examples on the web of course but i don't know what my specific requirements should be, e.g. what sort of blade should I be looking at to get a nice clean cut in blackwood? Any particular RPM? What other features should I look for? Any specific recommendations? I'm looking to spend a few hundred bucks max, my woodworking gear tends to get very occasional use so much as I like buying the best gear, I can't really justify it in this case.

Edit: I went to ebay straight after posting and this Makita saw is just up the road from me;
MAKITA 1650W 255MM COMPOUND MITRE SAW LS1040 | eBay (https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/MAKITA-1650W-255MM-COMPOUND-MITRE-SAW-LS1040/392913461200?hash=item5b7b779fd0%3Ag%3ABOwAAOSwc0x e%7ECf3&LH_ItemCondition=3000)
would it be up to the task? Would I need a different blade, and how much would that cost? Thanks in anticipation.

[Don 130]

A blade with about 40 teeth will give a nice smooth cut without ragged edges.
Don.

[DieselLSE]

Edit: I went to ebay straight after posting and this Makita saw is just up the road from me;
MAKITA 1650W 255MM COMPOUND MITRE SAW LS1040 | eBay (https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/MAKITA-1650W-255MM-COMPOUND-MITRE-SAW-LS1040/392913461200?hash=item5b7b779fd0%3Ag%3ABOwAAOSwc0x e%7ECf3&LH_ItemCondition=3000)
would it be up to the task? Would I need a different blade, and how much would that cost? Thanks in anticipation.
No, that's more of a cut-off saw. You want a compound mitre saw. Makita make a very good one at a reasonable price. Worth buying new as it will last for yonks and you'll be surprised how often you'll use it.

[p38arover]

Don’t mitre both pieces - that only works with perfectly square corners in the room. There’s another method where one cuts one end square and does a scribed cut on the other.

See How To Install Skirting Boards - DIY At Bunnings - YouTube (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fgsvqz151Yc)

[Homestar]

Yep, that’s the correct method - was taught that trick by a workmate many years ago. Just did some new skirting last weekend - quite a bit more complex than that - I cheated and after cutting the 45 degree across the end I stuck the piece in my mill with a 1/2” end mill in it and milled the profile just using some hand eye coordination.

Pod - I know you have a mill, so if you’re not adverse to milling a bit of timber it does a good job. 👍

If not, grab a coping saw out and do it as per the video.

[350RRC]

I've got a 300mm Makita slide compound mitre saw that gets a lot of use. Will cut about a 300 mm wide board if laid flat @ 90 degrees, or maybe 125mm ish if on edge.

That ebay job will only cut angles with the board on edge and probably only about 100mm high. Be aware of that,,,,,,,,,,,,,, how 'high' are the skirts?

If you have blackwood everything already moulded I assume the finish will be clear so the joints will be visible.

They'll look like total crap using the the method in the video, which is really only suited for a painted finish.

You can measure the internal and external angles in a room with various types of devices and adjust a decent slide compound mitre saw to cut the exact calculated angles you need for absolutely perfect mitre joints.

I always cut the work slightly long because you can make the thinnest of trimming cuts to get absolute precision with the joints with one of these saws, very quickly when you get the hang of it.

BTW............ wear dust protection when working with blackwood. AFAIK it is carcinogenic.

cheers, DL

[POD]

Yep, that’s the correct method - was taught that trick by a workmate many years ago. Just did some new skirting last weekend - quite a bit more complex than that - I cheated and after cutting the 45 degree across the end I stuck the piece in my mill with a 1/2” end mill in it and milled the profile just using some hand eye coordination.

Pod - I know you have a mill, so if you’re not adverse to milling a bit of timber it does a good job. 👍

If not, grab a coping saw out and do it as per the video.

Thanks Gav, the mill got a bit of sawdust through it just a couple of weeks ago as it happens, this ipad stand was designed around some leftovers of redgum from my canoe trim and the brass knobs turned and milled from bar stock cast from plumbing scrap
164395

I post that really just to save some face as I am showing an area where I completely lack both knowledge and experience! To be honest I just learned heaps that I didn't even know I didn't know about installing skirting boards just from watching some sub-10min youtube clips that popped up alongside Ron's link.

I realised the unsuitability of that ebay drop saw on a second look, more of a framing saw I guess and it looks like someone has already had the best years out of it, it caught my eye cos not often something I search for comes up just around the corner.
Problem is, of course, the quality tools are all more $ than I want to spend and the cheap ones are just that. I read a couple of reviews of the Ozito sliding compounds that said the cuts were not accurate, not much point having it if that is the case.

350RRC you are dead right, the finish will be clear so my work will be buck naked. Just watched a great youtube clip from a scouser who shows how to split angles to get perfect mitres on imperfect corners. That will be important on this job as we're in an owner-built kit home so the corners are anything but square. And thanks for the tip about the dust, I do have a tendency to be careless with that.

I guess I might be looking at a small Makita sliding compound at around $450. Something like this? Makita 216mm (8-1/2inch) Sliding Compound Mitre Saw | Total Tools (https://www.totaltools.com.au/114529-makita-216mm-8-half-in-sliding-compound-mitre-saw-ls0815fl-31)

Please keep educating me fellas, I'm a complete ignoramus here.

[mikegf]

As someone who has done a fair bit of the DIY over the years (and expert in none of it) when doing joinery equipment quality is key. A good joiner can probably get away with slightly dodgy equipment and finish accurately by hand, but it gets real expensive in time. For DIY it gets expensive in frustration and (often) poor outcomes. It can also add up quickly in $$ on wasted wood! 25yrs ago I was renovating and got really frustrated with the cheap mitre saw. There was not a lot around (quality wise) then, so I lashed out over $800 (equiv of over $1600 now) on a quality Delta (from a specialty shop) when I could least afford it (new mortgage, 3 small kids, one income). Never regretted it, still as accurate today as then.

The Makita you linked seems OK but my only hesitation is size. It should be fine for moldings and general interior joinery but much less flexible than a 300mm unit (like 350RRC has). My Delta is 300 (or so) and the only frustrations I have had is that it is not a sliding model (that doubled the price so was out!)- so while I can cut 4x2 OK, when I need on the odd occasion to cut 6x2 (or sleepers) it struggles, and I occasionally have to go to circular saw, dual cut etc.

Only you can figure what your likely future needs are, and having gone already from “a couple of hundred” to $450, the jump to over $1k may well unjustifiable (though the 300mm Makita with stand would be ideal). Although possibly difficult at the moment, it is also good to put your hands on the various models first. Things such as locking mechanisms, angle detents (not sure of proper name, but mine has detents at 22.5, 30 and 45 to assist with common angles), laser lines etc can make a difference to the usability (though not necessarily accuracy).

Mike

[Phideaux]

In general, 'the more teeth the better' for fine-work. Also, higher RPM.
I suspect that fewer teeth are better for rip-saw/lengthways cuts.
It's certainly better for crude/firewood cuts.
One option is to make close-rough cuts with a coarse blade and then fine it up with a 60T blade. Or a tabletop planer.

Lengthways cuts/shaves can have the blade 'bend away' - so you wind up with an 89 degree angle instead of 90. Flip it and cut/shave again is one solution. Faster RPM (slower, steadier cuts) also helps.

I suspect a tabletop sander might be worth it for a substantial job or seven. I don't have one, but most the work done by my belt sander is with the sander clamped upside down.

And - if you can stand the smoke, and have need or fondness for a burnished finish - a metal-cutting grinder drop-saw can do a very precise/smooth cut.

In terms of mitreing corners/framing, there's a bewildering array of techniques/accessories/gewgaws. I'd suggest you grabbed a bit of scrap timber and practiced till you got results you're content with.

Tungsten-tipped is worth the money. Years ago, I sharpened blades and saws, rotary and straight. I've probably forgotten how, by now! One tungsten-tipped blade actually met a nail - and is still usable.

[POD]

I had to go out for essentials this afternoon so went into a couple of local tool shops- including the large green one- and it seems that the reasonable quality saws have been in high demand, I could get a cheapo that probably wouldn't last a room full of skirting or I could pay a grand and up, but not much available between. Bunnings had an AEG 255mm sliding compound for $549, seemed to have all the right attributes but not sure about the quality. The Makita 250mm sliding compounds were on back order at both places.
Anybody know anything about AEG gear?

[gromit]

You're going to laugh at this but I've had a lot of use from one of these ....

https://www.carbatec.com.au/images/ProductImages/500/CPT-350.jpg

Borrowed one in the UK many years back when I wanted to mitre some skirting to go round a blanket box I was building. A mate loaned it to me and I thought he was having a laugh. Worked brilliantly and the fine teeth gave a good edge to the cut.
Got one from Bunnings maybe 15 or so years back and use it for beading to hold glass, skirting even square cuts when I can't be bothered to get the mitre saw out, I'm sure it only cost abut $15 at the time.

I have a Ryobi mitre saw and a Ryobi compound sliding mitre saw and can't kill them but to be fair I now belong to a woodwork club and have access to a range of much bigger machines.

If you're doing a lot of skirting & architrave by all means buy a professional sliding compound mitre saw but you might be surprised at what something like the above piece of junk can do.


Colin

[350RRC]

I used to have a nice version of one of those saws, and you're right..... they'll do the job in MDF or pine.

I can't even remember what I did with mine after I bought the Makita (which more than payed for itself in one job).

Saws like mine can be hired.

cheers, DL

[Slunnie]

The Makitas are pretty good, they're a long lived saw and when you set the angles on them for cutting just be aware that they're not necessarily going to be dead accurate. Fine for carpentery like skirting boards and smaller work, but its not accurate enough for fine woodworking.

[POD]

You're going to laugh at this but I've had a lot of use from one of these ....

https://www.carbatec.com.au/images/ProductImages/500/CPT-350.jpg

Borrowed one in the UK many years back when I wanted to mitre some skirting to go round a blanket box I was building. A mate loaned it to me and I thought he was having a laugh. Worked brilliantly and the fine teeth gave a good edge to the cut.
Got one from Bunnings maybe 15 or so years back and use it for beading to hold glass, skirting even square cuts when I can't be bothered to get the mitre saw out, I'm sure it only cost abut $15 at the time.

I have a Ryobi mitre saw and a Ryobi compound sliding mitre saw and can't kill them but to be fair I now belong to a woodwork club and have access to a range of much bigger machines.

If you're doing a lot of skirting & architrave by all means buy a professional sliding compound mitre saw but you might be surprised at what something like the above piece of junk can do.


Colin

I think you're missing the point here Colin; I have a legit excuse to buy a new power tool.[biggrin]

[gromit]

I think you're missing the point here Colin; I have a legit excuse to buy a new power tool.[biggrin]

I'm with you but I've been in the situation where you justify a tool on a project and years later it's unused and getting in the way.


Colin

[POD]

You're going to laugh at this but I've had a lot of use from one of these ....

https://www.carbatec.com.au/images/ProductImages/500/CPT-350.jpg

Borrowed one in the UK many years back when I wanted to mitre some skirting to go round a blanket box I was building. A mate loaned it to me and I thought he was having a laugh. Worked brilliantly and the fine teeth gave a good edge to the cut.
Got one from Bunnings maybe 15 or so years back and use it for beading to hold glass, skirting even square cuts when I can't be bothered to get the mitre saw out, I'm sure it only cost abut $15 at the time.

I have a Ryobi mitre saw and a Ryobi compound sliding mitre saw and can't kill them but to be fair I now belong to a woodwork club and have access to a range of much bigger machines.

If you're doing a lot of skirting & architrave by all means buy a professional sliding compound mitre saw but you might be surprised at what something like the above piece of junk can do.


Colin


Well I have been giving this a bit more thought and I think you may be onto something Colin; the skirting, dado and scotia i need to install is all small stuff and the most important element will be accurate cuts rather than powering through it. I'm worried I could spend several hundred on a middle-of-the-road power saw that will not do accurate work. I could tool up with quality hand tools for far less than the cost of a middling power saw.
I've been looking at these hand mitre saws online and there is a big range of prices, I'm a bit shy of the plastic ones like in your picture. Any comments on plastic framed vs metal framed models?

[gromit]

Well I have been giving this a bit more thought and I think you may be onto something Colin; the skirting, dado and scotia i need to install is all small stuff and the most important element will be accurate cuts rather than powering through it. I'm worried I could spend several hundred on a middle-of-the-road power saw that will not do accurate work. I could tool up with quality hand tools for far less than the cost of a middling power saw.
I've been looking at these hand mitre saws online and there is a big range of prices, I'm a bit shy of the plastic ones like in your picture. Any comments on plastic framed vs metal framed models?

Bunnings used to have a metal one but I haven't seen it on the shelves for years.

It was similar to this but with an aluminium handle on the saw https://www.ebay.com.au/i/264763169673?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=705-139619-5960-0&mkcid=2&itemid=264763169673&targetid=919947811646&device=c&mktype=&googleloc=9071258&poi=&campaignid=10892897993&mkgroupid=107582961032&rlsatarget=pla-919947811646&abcId=9300398&merchantid=7364522&gclid=CjwKCAjwqML6BRAHEiwAdquMnZx2AC1xb6N3d7FVcco6 K1YajlT4b4at8t1pESKye9gvgwFETPi0jRoC6WcQAvD_BwE


Colin

[POD]

I'll have to have a look next time I'm in town. I'm as wary of Bunnings as I am of eBay for quality.

[fredd63]

Regarding AEG tools. Most of mine are that brand; battery powered lawn mower, line trimmer, hedge trimmer, reciprocating saw, drill and driver kit. Am quite happy with them, they are good quality and nice to use. They have a 6 year warranty on the machine, and 3 years on batteries.
No I don't work for them [bigsmile1]

cheers
Pete

[DeanoH]

For casual use the $300 Ryobi from Bunnings is probably as good as anything, just ditch the factory blade and replace it with the largest tooth count carbide tipped blade you can find :)

Deano :)

[Roverlord off road spares]

Just remember if you do stuff it up there's products like Selleys "NO MORE SKILLS" aka no more gaps

[1950landy]

I bought my Workzone mitre saw from Aldi about 10 years ago when it was on special , dose everything I need to do & has had plenty of use building the quilting shed & deck for my wife. It has a good deep cut & good length slide It also has a lazer light . I also bought a folding stand for it from them as well.

[350RRC]

If it's just a one off job with only a hundred cuts or so........... get a hand held with hardened teeth. (you can tell by the band of colour).

Take your time, support the work piece fore and aft and clamp or screw the saw frame down and all the cuts will be good.

The previous to latest generation of Makita saws, like mine (2000 ish?), are incredibly accurate. That's why I didn't update to the later version with a different slide mechanism, it had too much play.

DL

[bikeman]

Hi guys, just my 2c worth. Architraves should be mitred but skirtings should be scribed as has been suggested. This is because if you get any movement in the corners of the room, a mitred skirting will tend to open, hence you loo into an open joint. With a scribed joint, any movement will not be as visual. This is more important with clear finish.
I hope this is of some help. Also Mikita make a smaller 71/4 compound miter saw which will cut 300mm, it will cut 45 or more side to side but only drop to 45 one way. I have never found this a problem. If you have other Mikita battery tools, you can get this saw in 18v battery form.
cheers.
Phil.

[POD]

An update on this by way of acknowledgement to those who offered advice...which was much appreciated...I found I was unable to obtain either a quality hand mitre saw or a mid-range power mitre saw locally, seems the lockdown had every man and his dog doing projects at home, I could either buy rubbish or spend $800+ so I decided to make a start by roughing the angles with an old plastic mitre box and hand saw, then trimming with my 300mm disc sander. I'd only done a few this way when my painter offered to loan me a little Ryobi saw, so I rough cut with that and finished with the disc sander which can give me very precise compound angles. I scribed all the internal corners. None of the external corners are anything like 90 degrees but I was able to get a nice crisp mitre on all of them so am very happy. Thanks again to those who shared their knowledge, this is a job that is a little different for me so it was very helpful.
A pic of the disc sander for the curious; I built it last year primarily for pattern making but it has proven very handy.
165200165201