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What’s a Miter Saw?
The miter saw is a circular one, designed to give you greater speed, precision, and control. They come in a few different varieties, each with its unique characteristics.
The discussion of unlocking one is not new, and there are several areas to be covered where this is concerned.
Depending on your application, there are three types of miter saw you can take advantage of. There is a standard variation, a sliding variation, and a compound variation.
Head Unlock
Depending on your saw, you are either going to find a number or a pin or a knob on the right side of the back of the blade. While putting some pressure on the saw’s head, you can remove the pin. doing so unlocks the head. If you have a sliding miter saw, loosening the lock is all you need.
Swivel Lock
With a swivel lock, you can use a knob to easily unlock your blade. The purpose of this design choice is to allow you to make changes to your cutting angles without too much difficulty. Once you unlock it, you lower the saw bar, rotate, and release it when you get the angle that you desire.
Down Position Lock
The down position lock is intended to make a miter saw safe to carry. The built-in guard provides coverage to the blade’s upper area, while the lower section and teeth are neatly tucked away under the saw’s workspace. The blade’s pivot back is the site of the lock here, which is a standard knob.
Bevel Locks
A bevel lock is not included with every miter saw. However, if yours can perform bevel cuts, then you are likely going to find one. Simply hold the lever down, press, and once you get to your desired angle, you can go ahead and release it.
If you notice a bevel pin included, simply removing it is an alternative method for unlocking.
Rail Lock
You’re going to notice that there is a knob on the blade arm, and this is specifically for unlocking the rail lock. Remember that the miter saw allows for portability, so there are going to be features like these that are dedicated to safe transport.
Preset Angle Lock
If you want to unlock the preset angle, doing so is barely an inconvenience. You need only lower the miter saw’s lever, and once you get to the preset angle, you can release it. It takes no more than a single finger to get this done, and your best bet lies with the middle of your index finger.
Blade Lock
There should be a pin on the backside of your miter saw, which is your blade lock. Once you put some downward pressure on the head, you can pull the pin, which unlocks the blade.
Table or Base Unlock
There is a knob at the base of your miter saw, and losing it unlocks the table, allowing you to easily shift the base to look for an angle.
Knurled Knob Lock
This one is more specific to a sliding miter saw that allows you a greater level of control over your blade’s cutting angle. All you need to do is rotate the knurled knob clockwise, and this allows you to unlock and take advantage of the left and right swivel features synonymous with your blade.
Angle Locks
If you pay attention to the front of your miter saw, you are going to notice that there are two locks there. Both complement each other in assisting you to make angle adjustments. There is a knob and there is a lever. Unlocking the miter saw here requires you to loosen the knob. You may also lower and release the lever to achieve a similar result.
Push or Pull
You want to ensure that you don’t have dirt stuck around the guard when doing this one. As the name implies, you unlock by pushing or pulling on a knob. Once you release the pin, the blade lifts and is covered by the guard.
Final Remarks
There is no shortage of unlocking mechanisms where a miter saw is concerned. Your owner’s manual should include details of all the different features, but you can also refer to the information above for a quick refresher.