How to use a hand mitre saw?

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Before you begin

Secure your material

Most models should have a clamp or ‘foot’ attached to the bench, which can be used to hold your material securely in place while working. Some models allow you to secure the entire tool itself to your work bench, for added stability.

Check the angle

Most hand mitre saws have an angle guide, which is basically a curved metal plate with various angles marked on it. Align the saw with the angle you require using the pivot. On most models, lifting a lever on the side of the bench unlocks the pivot, allowing you to slide the saw around to align with the angle you want.

Practice makes perfect

If you’re not an experienced hand saw user, then do a few practice cuts on some scrap material before you begin work properly. This way you can see what works and what doesn’t without having to worry about ruining your final piece.

Should you push or pull?

Generally, the teeth on a hand mitre saw blade are designed to cut on both the push and the pull stroke. This means you can exert downward pressure on either stroke, or both, for quicker more aggressive sawing.

Starting your cut

Step 1 – Rest blade against material

Lower the saw blade onto the surface of the material you want to cut. This is usually done by releasing a lever near the handle.

Step 2 – Push blade away from you

Begin by lightly pushing the saw across the surface of the material, applying very little downward pressure in a smooth, slow stroke.