Mold Making + Miter Saw Training

Chop/ Miter Saw Training

The miter, or sometimes called a chop saw, excels at making clean, smooth and accurate cross-cuts. It can be used to cut material to finish length as well as rough cutting lumber into short pieces for milling operations. It is normally used to make precision 90° cuts, but can be set to both miter and bevel cuts from 0 to 45°. As useful as this tool is, it can also be very dangerous. Kickback and ‘climbing’ of the blade toward the user are common. Small cutoffs can be ejected.

1. Never remove or hold the guards out of the way while using the miter saw.

2. Be sure all scraps have been removed from around the blade before using saw.

3. Never allow your hands or fingers closer than 6”.

4. Never cut any material shorter than 8”.

5. Always place material against fence, never attempt to cut anything without material firmly held in place.

6. Allow the blade to reach full speed before attempting to cut.

7. Always pull the saw and out to match the width of the material being cut before initiating cut. As the cut is being made, push saw back, this maintains control of saw and helps to prevent the saw climbing towards the user.

8. You should almost always hold the material with your left hand and control the saw with your right.

9. If you have to cut curved material, place material with curve facing out so that blade doesn’t bind during cut.

10. Be sure to use a blade designed for the miter saw. Never attempt to rip material on the chop saw.

PLAN YOUR MOLD, PREP PIECES