Miter saws are highly preferred for making complex cuts on the wood. These saws are easy to use and ideal for both professionals and hobbyists. But it can be hard to choose a miter saw for your works as they are available in two types, one is sliding miter saw and the other one is the non-sliding miter saw. Both types of saws are efficient to do different tasks and make your work easier. But they also have some differences that make people confuse while choosing a saw for them. If you also feel difficult to decide which saw can solve your purposes, then this article is for you. Here we are going to talk about the differences between these two saws. Therefore, by the end of this article, you can decide which saw is ideal for you.
Like the name, sliding miter saws come with rails that let you slide the blade forward and backward as per your requirements. But non-slide miter saws don’t include sliding rails that stop you from cutting wider workpieces. It is the most common difference between these two saws. Apart from this, they have some differences in their size, type of cuts, blades, application, etc. Let’s understand these saws in detail to choose the right one for you.
Sliding Miter Saw
As mentioned above, sliding miter saws can slide forward and backward with the help of sliding rails. This feature makes these saws ideal for cutting wider materials compared to non-sliding miter saws. If you usually work with longer pieces of wood, then a sliding miter saw can be handy for you. As it is more capable than non-sliding miter saws, they are heavier and stay in one place in your workshop. Many professional and DIY woodworkers love to use sliding miter saws because of their uniqueness.
These miter saws are usually flexible than non-sliding miter saws and offer brilliant performance for cutting wide pieces of wood. Because of their sliding function, you can cut the wood easily with a sliding miter saw. Also, the jobs which are difficult to cut with a non-sliding miter saw can be easily cut with a sliding miter saw. With a sliding miter saw, you can cut wooden boards around 12-inch to 16-inch wide conveniently. Another benefit of sliding miter saw is it doesn’t require you to adjust the board during the operation that you need to do with a non-sliding miter saw. Therefore, this saw can be ideal for those who need to do their work faster with accuracy.
With a sliding miter saw, you can make crosscuts, bevel cuts, miter cuts, and compound cuts according to your needs. But making complex angles can be difficult with a sliding miter saw because it can slide only on the rails it has. So you can’t use this saw appropriately if you want to make complex angles on your workpieces. Also, sliding miters saws are difficult to use compared to non-sliding miter saws, because there are multiple moving parts and that may injure you. Though these saws come with safety features, it is only ideal for trained professionals. As a sliding miter saw has more features and can cut large pieces of wood, they are usually expensive then non-sliding miter saws.
Who Should Use A Sliding Miter Saw?
The sliding miter saws can cut wider materials up to 12-inch to 16-inch. Therefore, they can cut the materials in one time with a high finish. If you work with wide wooden boards, then a sliding miter saw is a convenient tool for you. Also, they are bigger and heavier than non-sliding miter saws because of the additional parts and features. So, they are not portable and stay in your workshop for use. If you have no limits to the size of the tool and have space for installing a large tool in your shop, then you can get awesome benefits by using a sliding saw.
Non-Sliding Miter Saw
Unlike sliding miter saws, non-sliding miter saws don’t have the sliding option. These saws are ideal for flooring or trim functions. With a non-sliding miter saw, you can make different angles on the wood easily. They are portable and easy to use. As they can’t slide forward and backward like sliding miter saws, you can’t work with wider wooden boards with a non-sliding miter saw. These saws can be used to make angles and straight cuts on your workpiece. For cutting wider boards with a non-sliding miter saw, one needs to cut one part of it and turn it to cut the other part.
Non-sliding miter saws can make the same cuts that the sliding miter saws can. Unlike sliding miter saws, these miter saws can cut the complex angles effectively. Therefore, with a non-sliding miter saw, you can set the required angles and cut with ease. These miter saws can cut the wood boards with a width of 6-inch. As there are no rails in these saws, you can make different types of angles on your workpiece with ease. The angles that are difficult to make with a sliding miter saw can be made with a non-sliding miter saw easily. Also, these miter saws can make larger arcs compared to sliding miter saws.
The non-sliding miter saws can be used easily by following general safety precautions. Also, these saws are not difficult to use compared to sliding miter saws. They also come with many safety features to allow you to use them conveniently. Non-sliding miter saws come with auto shut-off features for added safety. Therefore, it can be operated by professionals and hobbyist woodworkers with ease. Non-sliding miter saws are usually affordable than sliding miter saws. But the price may increase according to the features they have. So, you can choose a non-sliding miter saw for your work considering the features and your uses.
Who Should Use A Non-Sliding Miter Saw?
Non-sliding miter saws are usually popular for making complex angles. They contain no rails for sliding and can make different types of angles conveniently. Therefore, you can consider the types of angles you want to make and choose a miter saw for your application. A non-slide miter saw can solve your purpose efficiently if you need to make different angles on the wooden boards. These miter saws can make complex miter profiles on fewer width boards conveniently. If you want to cut angles and make joint moldings, then a non-sliding miter saw can be ideal for you. Also, non-sliding miter saws are portable and convenient use. Those who need a lightweight saw for ease of carrying can use a non-sliding miter saw. As this saw is not ideal for cutting wider materials, you can’t use it for cutting large wooden boards.
Conclusion
Both sliding and non-sliding miter saws are efficient for particular types of projects. They come with unique features that make the woodworking task easier for anyone. Therefore, it can be difficult to say which miter saw is better. If you have a low budget and want to work with small wooden boards, then you can use a non-sliding miter saw. If you are a professional woodworker and have a higher budget, then you can consider using a sliding miter saw. Also, it can let you cut wider materials with ease.
For More Miter Saw Visit Links Below: