# Single or Double Bevel Miter Saw



## alexbarlage (Jan 26, 2010)

Single Bevel $329


Double Bevel $399​
I have some gift cards to Depot from my Chase rewards. (Something 5/3 would of never done, a different story there!) I've used all types sizes and brands of miter saws, for rough framing to trim carpentry.

Miter saw will be in a: low prouduction/hobbyist type atmosphere. (bird house, tool holders, jig building - I won't be building china cabinets…yet) So my question, *is the double bevel for $60 bucks worth it, or will I never use it?*


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## boyneskibum (Nov 24, 2008)

I would honestly assess whether or not a miter saw is needed. If you have a table saw and a cross cut sled, you should be all set. The sled that I built is this one…. http://www.eaglelakewoodworking.com/post/Super-Sled-Crosscut-and-Miter-Sled.aspx . To me the benefits of the table saw (Dust collection, width capacity, making perfect repeatable cuts, etc…) far outweigh the benefits of a mitre saw (Unless you are going to be doing a ton of crown molding). Just my two cents, and I will not be offended if you ignore it


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## TheDane (May 15, 2008)

If you feel like you really need a miter saw, I'd go for the single bevel. The double bevel might be nice, but how often are you really going to use it?

I built a Universal Tablesaw Jig (Wood Magazine plan) a couple of years ago, and since I started using it, my miter saw has been stowed away under the bench.


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## UrbaneHillbilly (Jan 18, 2010)

Hey,
I have the double bevel, sliding 10 incher by Dewalt. For household stuff the double bevel is great. For shop stuff the slide feature really nice. I agree that a table saw can do most cuts better, but I keep a rip blade as my default in the table saw and a fine cross-cut blade in the miter saw. I recommend the 10 incher because then blades are interchangable between when you want to move your $125 cross cut blade to the table saw for some accurate work. I have had to put effort into getting reliable and precise cuts out of the miter saw (fixturing and jigs and material support) but it still saves time. With the 10 slider I can cut 12-14" crosscuts and for stuff that is going to get hand fit later, the "measure with the first one you made" save time too.

Dust collection in my opinion is the biggest drawback on the miter saw. Mine throws dust everywhere. Also, I think the slide feature makes it more dangerous than the fixed. If you don't have a table saw, get it first. If you are looking at home depot, I know that the Rigid table saws are getting very good reviews for the cost, particularly as a starter saw.


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## alexbarlage (Jan 26, 2010)

I would love to purchase a table saw but I'm limited to Home Depot this time and only have $150 ish to spend with the $200 gift certificates. Their Dewalt table saw was around $530, little over my budget this go around.

Also, I find myself borrowing my dads miter saw more so then his table saw. I do have a platform bed in the works, but that is the only project I'll need a table saw for and that project is about 6 months out and still in design stage.

Boyneskibum: When I do purchase the table saw I will def. revisit your crosscut sled. Nice job on that.

I just noticed your name and was trying to get my family to go back to Boyne this year, its been about 10 years since I've been skiing up there.


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## alexbarlage (Jan 26, 2010)

UrbaneHillbilly - I never considered that for the size of blades, I will definitely take that into consideration now. I always thought bigger is better but having (2) tools with the same blade size is the best!


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## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

double bevel !

i have done handrails , with single bevel .
easy to lose the angle ,
( flip this way ,turn over ,spin around , turn over ,
do i need the right side , or the left side ) ?

besides that , isn't your dream and your work advancing ?
don't limit your self !


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## RedShirt013 (May 17, 2008)

I bought a single bevel, thought it'd be nice to save $100. But I do regret it now. It's really annoying to swing around pieces of trims, 14-16' and all, to cut each end, when you can just change your saw angle. Also my shop is quite small and I can't afford 8' on each side of the mitre saw, so I do wish I had spent the extra $ for the double mitre in the beginning.


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## therealSteveN (Oct 29, 2016)

When I was doing trade work. A lot of crown trim, and similar I had a Bosch dual bevel slider. Since I have given that to my BIL, his Son is a Cop, and on days off he does what I used to do, and uses that Bosch. I am using a plain Jane DeWalt single bevel. If you make the occasional bevel, and mostly 90's a single will more than suffice. If you are constantly doing a lot of angle cuts, a dual will be the better choice.

For just 60 bux and you don't really know????? Yeah I can see it being worth it, from a resale point of view if nothing else. Advertising has so hyped dual bevel, it may be hard to unload a single bevel.


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## Kirk650 (May 8, 2016)

12" double bevel slider would be my choice, and is what I have. Not the first miter saw I've owned, but over time I realized what I needed. Note that lower cost miter saws are likely to have cheap blades. Higher end saws have better blades. You want a good blade.


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## ChefHDAN (Aug 7, 2010)

As above 12"double bevel is what I run. I dislike the slider for the depth of the footprint it requires and the additional movement of the slider adds another issue to deal with to dial in the saw's accuracy. If your plan is future growth of a shop, or eventual inheritance of tools from your father, you'll appreciate being able to put the MS up against the wall and not 24" away from the wall. As for blades, it really depends on your planned work, I only have 2 for the MS and about 6 for the TS. I have negative hook blades for the MS and different counts & grinds for the TS. In the past 17 years I don't think I've ever been in a position where I wished I could take a blade out of the MS and put it in the TS. Alternatively, the 12" blade width of cut is often appreciated on the MS. With a non slider you can get the adjustments pretty well dialed in, will it be as good as a sled on the TS, no, but if you've got a sharp plane and build a quick shooting board, you'll be set.


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## DrakeP (Sep 9, 2019)

I would eat the extra cost and get the double bevel. I rarely have to use mine, but when I do, it saves a lot of math and remarking the piece.


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## reverzed (Mar 31, 2020)

If the difference is only 60 it might be worth getting the double bevel miter saw. It all depends on whether you are actually going to use it of course. What kind of projects will you be working on? You can check all the added benefits to a double bevel miter saw here: https://www.thesawbros.com/single-vs-double-bevel-miter-saw/ Hope this helps.


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## tvrgeek (Nov 19, 2013)

I have the Ridgid 10 inch compound saw. Might look at the threads on curved cuts. After the difficulty I had, I was finished with that project and never put on my thick Carbide blade to see if that solved it. I was using a Diablo thin 80 tooth. Next time I have to do crown molding, it is a toss up if a thick blade would solve the problem or if I'll just make a jig to hold the trim at the install angle.

Check out the forum and WEB for how to true one up. Many do not come very flat and square. It took me quite a bit of fiddling to get mine dialed in and I mean honing and shiming , not adjustments. They are construction tools, not cabinetry.

Cutting 12 foot trim on a table saw is not in the cards. Neither is trimming 8 foot shelves. I did not get a sliding saw, so I am limited in crosscut length. It would have been smarter to get a slider, but not sure they make a non-sliding , non-compound one any more and a good one is getting mighty expensive. I don't put anything over 5 feet on my table saw.

As they are construction tools, check out Craig's list and local pawn shops. Bosch, Makita, Dewalt in that order. My Rdigid is not bad, and a step above some of the cheaper ones. Kind of like Craftsman used to be. Not bad, but not the best. Search the WEB for reviews. Most are sponsored BS or just reprinting specs, but a few are actually using them.


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## tvrgeek (Nov 19, 2013)

BTW, your links take me to pictures of an old pick up truck.


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