Do you have a fully equipped workshop?
If you do, you must have a miter saw among your favorite carpentry tools. It’s a handy power tool that gets the job done every time. Although it might be a reliable tool for completing most of your woodworking projects, its performance can drop in time. This usually happens due to improper use. But not all is lost. To prevent this, you’ll need to perform maintenance on a regular basis.
And with our tips, you’ll know exactly what to focus on.
Tip # 1 – Saw Replacement
When your power tool becomes inefficient and unreliable, there’s usually a good reason for this to happen.
Being that the saw itself is the most important part on a miter saw, it’s best to invest some time and energy into replacing it as it can become damaged over time. Operating with any power tools that has a damaged saw is extremely dangerous. This is why you should inspect your blade every 2-3 months and make sure that it’s intact. As soon as you notice a drop in its performance, you should always check the blade first as in most scenarios it’s the main cause of gradual malfunction of your power saw. Simply Replace the broken/damaged saw and carry on with your woodworking projects.
Tip # 2 – Sharpening the Saw
If your miter saw is performing badly, but the saw isn’t damaged in any way, you might want to sharpen the saw blade. This way you’ll avoid spending money on a buying a new blade, and expand its lifespan.
So how do you sharpen your saw blade, exactly?
First, unplug you power tool and remove the saw from its place. Next, get a sturdy micro-fiber cloth and clean the saw blade from dust, dirt and stains. After you saw blade is clean and ready for sharpening, apply sharpening oil and get your sander ready. Fixate your saw, and start by sharpening the edge of the saw holding the sander toward the center of the saw.
This way you’ll evenly sharpen each segment of the saw with perfect accuracy.
Tip # 3 – Cleaning the Dust Exhaust System
Dust collection system on a miter saw is a feature that every experienced handyman likes to add to their original power tool’s design. It’s easy to craft and saves you a lot of time of cleaning the sawdust around you after finishing each project. To ensure that it’s functioning properly, you’ll need to clean it every once in a while.
First remove the holders securing the hose to the vacuum. Clean the interior of the hose thoroughly and connect it to the vacuum. After the hose is clean, it’s time to remove and sawdust around the entry point of the dustbin. This can clog the whole system making your vacuum to malfunction. Once you’ve removed remaining saw dust from your dust collection system you can safely continue operating your power tool.
Tip # 4 – Oiling and Lubricating
Essential parts that make your power tool tick can get greasy over time. This is why it’s extremely important that you clean and lubricate them. Many factors can affect the performance of your power tool.Humidity, dust as well as friction further decrease functionality of your miter saw. So, naturally you’ll have to restore their functionality.
So how do you do this?
The first part is to disassemble your power tool and expose the mechanism responsible for the mobility of your saw as well as its performance. Start with a handle and trigger then work your way to removing other body parts of your power tool. After this is done, it’s time to clean the joints on each part. Only after everything on the inside is sparkling clean should you apply lubricant. Use a soft cloth or a brush and apply the lubricant using circular motion on each stroke. This type of maintenance will significantly boost your power tool’s usability and make it more effective.
