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PSA: my miter saw kicking back on a baseboard job in Phoenix taught me the hard way
I was cutting crown molding on a Saturday in July. The miter saw grabbed the piece and threw it across the garage. I was using a dull blade because I didn't want to spend $40 on a new one. Now I replace blades after every 50 cuts or so. Has anyone else had a scary kickback moment that made them change their setup?
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lisab327d ago
That dull blade will get you every time. I had a similar thing happen with a piece of baseboard where it kicked back and took a chunk out of my finger. Switched to a 80-tooth Diablo blade after that and never looked back. Also started using a zero-clearance insert on my saw which helps a ton with small pieces. One thing that saved me was clamping the work piece down on both sides of the blade. Your 50 cut rule sounds about right for that Arizona heat, the blade just gets cooked faster.
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caseywalker6d ago
That thing about clamping both sides of the blade is something I read in a woodworking forum years ago and it really stuck with me. I thought it was overkill at first but after having a piece of baseboard pull a fast one on me (not a full kickback, just a scary jerk) I started doing it and it makes a huge difference. The zero-clearance insert tip from you is something I've been meaning to try too, especially for those skinny little pieces that want to wobble. I think people don't realize how fast blades heat up in the summer, like you said that Arizona heat is no joke for dulling steel faster than you'd think. It's the little changes that add up to way less pucker factor at the saw.
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