Miter saws are one of the workhorses of a building site. They’re used to cut everything from framing and flooring to window casing and crown molding for cabinets. You won’t get very far on a building or remodeling project before you need one.

If you are new to miter saws, before you start to look at reviews and compare the latest and greatest tools, it would be worth taking the time to see which style miter saw is right for you. You’ll need to choose the right blade size for the work do, between single- and double-bevel features, and between a slider or a fixed saw. There are even cordless miter saws available now. Once you choose a saw, take some time to learn to use it safely and look for some tips and techniques to make the most of your new tool.

This older saw may still be available in the used tool market:

With the motor positioned toward the rear of the machine and the blade arbor being driven with a multi-V belt, the DW706 achieves its full double-bevel capacity.

I hoped the belt-drive design would afford soft starts and stops, but I found the tool jumpy. When I initially tried to make a cut, the motor’s torque sent the blade into the stock prematurely. I avoided the problem by dropping the blade to my mark, starting the motor after raising the blade back up and then lowering the blade into the cut.

I spent about half an hour adjusting the saw for precise cutting. For instance, the miter table on the saw I tested flexed considerably around the spring-loaded center pivot bolt. The flexing throws the table out of square with the fence every time the blade presses into the stock. By removing the six screws holding down the plastic table insert, I could tighten the center bolt with a socket wrench. I traded easy rotation for a flex-free table, but my cuts were better for it.