# Miter Saw Angle Cuts Safety Demo

How the guards protect your hands, how to read the miter scale and how 0, 45 and 22\.5 degree cuts are made

By Laura Hales

Topic: Home & DIY

[Open the interactive Jig](https://ask.jig.com/j/AmGyxAmKMvgX)

## Transcript

### 1. Miter Saw Angle Cuts

A 12\-inch miter saw drops a spinning blade straight down through the wood\. Turning its round table sets the angle of the cut\. First the guards, then the miter scale, then three cuts\.

Wear safety glasses and hearing protection\. Check that the blade is sharp and the guards move freely before you plug the saw in\.

### 2. 1 · The Fixed Upper Guard

The metal hood over the top half of the blade never moves\. It stops your hand from touching the upper teeth, and it catches chips the blade throws up\.

### 3. 2 · The Retracting Lower Guard

The clear lower guard covers the bottom teeth\. A linkage lifts it into the upper guard only as you pull the arm down onto the wood, and it springs back as the arm rises\.

Try it unplugged first\. Never tape, wedge or hold the lower guard open\.

### 4. 3 · Hands Clear of the Blade

Lay the board flat on the table and push it firmly against the fence\. Hold it with your hand flat on top, at least 150 millimetres, or 6 inches, from the blade\.

Never reach across the blade or into the red\-marked zone\. Clamp short pieces instead of holding them\.

### 5. 4 · Reading the Miter Scale

The red pointer on the table shows the angle on the steel scale\. Squeeze the latch and swing the table: it clicks into stops at 0, 15, 22\.5, 31\.6 and 45 degrees on either side\.

Between the stops, line up the pointer by eye\. Tighten the lock knob before every cut\.

### 6. 5 · A Square Cut at 0°

With the pointer at 0, pull the trigger and let the blade reach full speed\. Lower the arm slowly through the wood, release the trigger, and keep the arm down until the blade stops\.

### 7. 6 · A 45° Miter

Swing the table right until it clicks into the 45 degree stop, lock it, and cut the same way\. The blade crosses the board at an angle; two 45 degree ends make a square picture\-frame corner\.

### 8. 7 · 22\.5° the Other Way

Swing the table left, past 0, to the 22\.5 degree stop\. Eight pieces cut at 22\.5 degrees make an octagon\. Keep your hand where it was, well away from the angled blade path\.

### 9. Done

Return the table to 0 and lock it\. Unplug the saw before you change the blade or clear offcuts from the table\.

Let the blade stop completely before lifting the arm or reaching for a cut piece\.