Is a Miter Saw Necessary?

[DanielOB]

Making furniture, from small boxes to large table, cabinets, ...
Is mitter saw really a must

It has limited feed of around 300 mm, so cuts are short. It can make mitter cuts but carvex can do it also

So, one having a carvex with a rail, can skip a mitter saw and be even much more versatile ???

 

[Marshall Monnett]

In my shop I rarely use my Kapex to make any cuts, but on the job site i use it for everything.
I use my track saw and a table saw for making all of my different cuts, in sheet goods and hardwood, miters and crosscutting is done on the table saw with a sled. You could use a carvex to do miters and such but it will get old very fast, and making repetitive cuts for frame parts will take a long time.
 

 

[DanielOB]

Why ca vex will get old very fast?
There is a guy using 95% of his cutting with a jigsaw. It comes even to construction work, and he is as fast as other with circulars...

 

[Marshall Monnett]

I would think that cutting parts for kitchen cabinets doors and front frames would take a long time with a jigsaw. Im not saying that a jigsaw isn't fast, but personally I would not want to use a jigsaw for making a lot of the same cuts 

 

[duburban]

I can't imagine the cut being of the same quality as a circular type blade. A "miter" saw is absolutely critical but it seems like you'll need to see that by trying it out.

 

[Just F Me]

Why ca vex will get old very fast?
There is a guy using 95% of his cutting with a jigsaw. It comes even to construction work, and he is as fast as other with circulars...

Seems like you want to use a jigsaw to do 95% of your work...go ahead and do it.  Don't let anyone here tell you how you should do something...even if the way you want to do it is ridiculous.

 

[mastercabman]

Jigsaw just as good as a miter saw?
Really?

 

[Brent Taylor]

In my shop I use my mitre saw almost daily, that said I could and do use my table saws for a large amount of my work. I do use the Carvex for some tasks such as sizing rough stock, cutting non-straight cut and some detail work. I was taught and learned my trade/craft in a different way, but as is said there are different way to the top of the mountain and all that counts is getting to the top. So if it works for you and is more comfortable for you, enjoy. That's the great thing about wodworking, as long as you enjoy it and it give you something back, than that is al you can as for. B

 

[mouppe]

I also make all types of furniture and I sold my mitre saw several years ago. Just wasn't using it enough to justify the noise and mess. (It wasn't a Kapex.)

With the use of a bandsaw, tracksaw and jigsaw I get by fine. But I wouldn't say a jigsaw equates to a mitre saw. No way. It will get you close but you need something else to get you to the finish line. For me it's hand saws and planes but for most people, especially professionals, it would be a mitre saw or table saw.

 

[roblg3]

One could use an abrasive string to make cuts.  It's not going to be fast.

 

[#Tee]

Why ca vex will get old very fast?
There is a guy using 95% of his cutting with a jigsaw. It comes even to construction work, and he is as fast as other with circulars...

Seems like you want to use a jigsaw to do 95% of your work...go ahead and do it.  Don't let anyone here tell you how you should do something...even if the way you want to do it is ridiculous.

+1 a jigsaw? lol ..go ahead its your life

 

[sancho57]

Is a mitre saw necessary?

That would depend on what other tools you have. I used to get along fine with out one. I used a jig on my TS that had a adj fence to make andy angle cut I needed and very accurately. If you have a TS with a MFT you could get away without a miter saw.

With that being said for quick cuts with repeatability and the same accuracy a miter saw with a fence is hard to beat. Quick being the operable word.

 

[AlexThePalex]

Not necessary. People made furniture for thousands of years without it.

But it will greatly speed up your work and accuracy if you have one.

I don't think a jigsaw can do cuts as nice and easily as a miter saw.

 

[Stone Message]

Making furniture, from small boxes to large table, cabinets, ...
Is mitter saw really a must

It has limited feed of around 300 mm, so cuts are short. It can make mitter cuts but carvex can do it also

So, one having a carvex with a rail, can skip a mitter saw and be even much more versatile ???

Everyone will tell you that you cannot compare the cut from a Carvex with that of a Kapex. The Carvex does make an excellent cut but nowhere near the quality required for the type of work that you describe. I doubt whether there is a cabinet maker that would use a jigsaw for anything other than roughing out or hidden cuts.

I make furniture and also small boxes and the quality of my work and the enjoyment of doing it has quadrupled since getting the Kapex. Before that I had a Radial Arm Saw which struggled to deliver the quality that my work demands.

A Kapex cut will be 100% square and will be so smooth that not only will it not need planning but will not require sanding either (unless you have to do either to get a flush fit). I say this regularly in my videos - take a look at the early videos in the Pedestal Desk series.

Peter

 

[PreferrablyWood]

Just use the Carvex for a while see how close you can get to what your trying to achieve, if you only do this occasionally you can perhaps live with some of the drawbacks.. I don't want to get a mitre saw either, but will likely cave in at some point.. I just cut a perfectly square cut with the carvex through 30mm beech.. Take your time and clamp the work..

I think though a Kapex would be a nice addition to my setup at some point..

 

[Paul G]

Making furniture, from small boxes to large table, cabinets, ...
Is mitter saw really a must

It has limited feed of around 300 mm, so cuts are short. It can make mitter cuts but carvex can do it also

So, one having a carvex with a rail, can skip a mitter saw and be even much more versatile ???

I really like my carvex for straight cuts, but try using the angle base attached to the guide rail.

Can't begin to imagine a carvex replacing a miter saw in the many situations I use a miter saw, so for me the answer is a big NO!

 

[Loren Woirhaye]

No. But having one set up in a shop makes for convenience in doing custom work.  The drawback is that proper  tables and stops take up a fair amount of space.  I don't have space for one right now, so I get by without.  As with all these matters, it depends on the style of work you wish to do.

 

[donwon]

I bought a mitre saw about ten years ago. It was a sliding compound. I had a table saw too.

Personally I found that I used the mitre saw for about 60-70% of the work. It is quick, accurate and always setup to go.  I found the table saw to do all the cuts of sheet goods to width first.  Borrow one from a friend to try it.

I have used it so much, that is one of the reasons I bought the kapex.  Other reasons too but many threads about why it is so good and trust me it is a great machine. 

The only other setup that I would think to use is the MFT table.

As many say the choice is yours with what you like and feel comfortable with. 

 

[rst]

Every thing depends on what and how often you do certain tasks...you could, and people did, build houses with an axe...but why would you now?

 

[Loren Woirhaye]

I'm not a Gary Rogowski groupie or anything, but I generally agree with him on machinery priorities for making furniture.  The table saw does not make his top 5, nor mine.  I think it's band saw, jointer, planer, drill press and plunge router/router table.  He did admit in one article how attached he'd become to a modest miter saw next to his bench as I recall... probably something like a regular 10" model.