Cordless mitre saw perfect for do-it-yourself Canadians
Canadians are some of the most do-it-yourself people in the world. We build and fix more for ourselves than any other nation I know of, especially when the work involves wood. I’m not sure why this is, but perhaps it’s because our country was still the destination of homesteading pioneers not that long ago.
Whatever the cause, DIY success comes down to tools. One particular kind of tool makes building projects more fun and more productive. If you’re thinking of tooling up to carry on with the Canadian tradition of building things for yourself, you’d be wise to start looking at mitre saws.
The ability to easily crosscut lumber and trim to precise angles is what a mitre saw is all about. The motor and blade of every mitre saw swivels down, cutting wood that’s held at specific angles on the table below. All this sounds simple enough, but it wasn’t that long ago that mitre saws were uncommon.
The remarkable thing about mitre saws is how much they’ve improved. I don’t know of any other tool category that has changed so much for the better since inception. And most impressive of all for backyard DIYers is the small, light, cordless mitre saws that are coming on stream. They’re easy to carry, they don’t take much space to store, and they really can do most everything needed while you’re building a deck, dock, gazebo or picnic table, all without a cord.
The most impressive combination of light weight, power and capabilities I’ve seen so far in a cordless mitre saw is the DEWALT 7 1/4” 20V model. This is not a brand new tool, but nothing else has come along to beat it since I first tested it in 2014. The consensus of every tool review site you’ll see online says the same thing. I get to test and use virtually any tool I want from different manufacturers, and my shop is full of tools. This little cordless model is still my go-to saw for most jobs that involve work out in the field.
Using the same battery and charger common to all 20-volt DEWALT tools, battery life between charges is long, power is great and there are no drawbacks compared with corded saws with the same crosscutting capability.
When tool manufacturers talk about a “sliding compound” mitre saw like this model, they mean the motor and blade assembly slide on rails to allow for crosscutting wider wood. Most sliding compound mitre saws are much bigger and heavier than the DEWALT cordless, and that translates into the ability to cut bigger wood and wider trim. That’s fine, but how big do you really need to go? This 32-pound saw crosscuts a 2x8 at 90 degrees, and it’ll handle wood thicker than any construction grade lumber you’ll find. If you need to cut a 2x12, you can always flip the wood over and do it in two passes. This isn’t practical for every application, but for most DIYers it’s fine. To see this saw in action, visit BaileyLineRoad.com/cordless-mitre-saw.
The ability to make things for yourself and save money is something like a campfire. The only way you’ll get heat out of the thing is if you put in wood first. Invest in good tools and you’ll find that it’s very easy to save way more money than you ever paid for them. Steve Maxwell gets so many tools for free that he gives most of them away. Visit BaileyLineRoad.com to see what tools he’s giving away now.