If a miter saw can cut all types of wood and metal, surely plastic and PVC would be easy to cut. It does depend, however, on what blade you are using. This leads us the question, can you cut PVC with any miter saw blade?
You can use your miter saw to cut PVC as well as a wide variety of other materials. The ideal blade for cutting PVC is a multi toothed blade, as it is designed by manufacturers to cut non-ferrous materials like plastic. Remember that a saw blade with more teeth will provide you with a cleaner cut.
PVC often requires precise and clean cuts. This makes a miter saw an optimal choice due to the exact angles that the miter saw can cut at. If a clean cut for joining plumbing materials is what you need than you certainly should look into getting a miter saw as it will not only do the job for PVC, but also a variety of other materials.
If you are unsure about how to go about using your miter saw to cut PVC pipe or use it in general, read on to find out how and where you can benefit from using this power tool around your home. If you are using it specifically for plumbing purposes than we may have a cheaper solution below on cutting PVC quickly and easily.
How do I cut PVC with a miter saw?
In a word, carefully. Your safety and the safety of your limbs and digits are paramount. Manufacturers design miter saws to be pragmatic and user friendly. Mishandling any power tool, however, can have hazardous consequences. So start with the following instructions to help you safely cut PVC pipe.
Depending on the size of your miter saw, you should be able to cut through the most common sized PVC pipes. Miter saws come in variations depending on blade size. Your miter saw can have a blade size ranging from 8inch to 12inch. Due to this, the size of PVC and other materials you can cut varies. Although for home plumbing, even an 8inch bladed miter saw will work just fine.
NOTE: If your miter saw is an 8inch bladed model, you cannot swap out the 8inch blade for a 12inch blade.
How To Use A Miter Saw: Safety Tips And Instructions.
Getting to know your equipment might seem like an obvious one, but many people underestimate the difference a good eyeballing can make when using your saw correctly. If you have doubts, always refer to the manual provided by the manufacturer. Every miter saw is different, but most have these same essential components:
- The Handle with which you control the downward force of the saw. Inside the Handle, you can usually find the Power Switch or tab. The Power Switch needs to be depressed for the saw blade to start spinning. Most of these power switches work with resistance, meaning you have to keep the button depressed to keep the blade spinning.
- Covering the lower half of the spinning saw blade is a plastic casing called a Guard. The Guard will retract as you move the saw blade lower towards the object you wish to cut. The Guard both protects you and the saw blade, so do not remove it and do not hold it back with your hand or anything else as it is your secondary means of protection. The first is your brain.
- The area where you place the materials you want to cut is called the Table, and the metal backplate attached to it is called the Fence. The Fence’s purpose is to secure your PVC or materials by way of clamps.
- Protruding from the lower front of your miter saw’s Table is a knob or lever called a Miter Lock Handle. The Miter Lock Handle is attached to the Table, which is mounted on top of a Miter Scale area. The Miter Scale indicates the angle at which you are cutting in degrees.
- When depressed, the Miter Lock Handle makes it possible for you to rotate your saw and alter the angle you want to cut.
- Enabling the saw’s sliding motion that allows you to cut different sized materials is the Slide Rails located at the back of the miter saw.(This is only for compound miter saws. Many projects, however, do not require a compound miter saw and a non compound miter saw will work just fine)
- When inspecting your PVC, make sure it does not contain nails or metals that can potentially harm you or the saw. Fortunately, only four main types of PVC piping are available: PVC-U, C-PVC, PVC-O, and PVC-Hi. Although all four differ in composition, you should not have any issues cutting through any unless the pipe does not fit on your miter saw’s Table.
Use PPE
Personal protective equipment is a necessary precaution if you plan on doing any DIY. More so using a miter saw. Dust masks, goggles, and ear protection are the most common PPE used when cutting materials with a miter saw. It is essential to use all of PPE together as PVC particles can easily be breathed in or come into contact with your eyes. Either one can result in lung damage or blindness.
Prepare Your Work Space
Ensure that you have enough space for your miter saw and the PVC that you want to cut. Whether you are doing this inside or outside, always be aware of your environment to avoid tripping or falling. A clean work area is always a benefit when cutting materials with a miter saw, double so when cutting PVC because of particles and dust it produces.
Set up your Miter Saw
Most miter saws are very easy to set up quickly. Some might require that you mount or bolt them to a bench. Others come manufactured and sold bolted to a base. Regardless of what type of miter saw you are using, ensure that it is mounted securely. I recommend connecting either a vacuum cleaner or a dust bag to your miter saw to collect the PVC particles and avoid a messy work area.
There is a Craftsman Foldable Miter Saw that I have used in my shop for quite some time through apartments to single family homes. It folds up into about 7″ wide and 20-3/4 ” tall 20″ deep with a 10″ blade. I have cut 4x4s with it and can cut longer boards by flipping the piece over.
Measure twice, clamp once
Grab your PVC pipe, measure the length or area you would like to cut, and mark it using a permanent marker or box cutters. If you do not have a saw blade that is multi toothed, try applying masking tape to the area on the pipe you have measured and remark where you are going to cut. This simple trick should prevent the miter saw blade from chipping the PVC pipe and provide you with a clean cut. Now clamp your PVC to the Fence of the miter saw with either a pipe clamp or regular clamp. Do not rely only on your hand to steady the pipe, as this is a perfect recipe for skew cuts and lost fingers.
A Quick Tip is to cut it once and in order to clean off any rough edges, cut just a very small amount off of the edge so that you don’t create another piece. This makes a beautifully flat edge perfect for joining.
Adjust, Power-up, and Cut
Your miter saw is now correctly set up, and you have measured twice and clamped that bad boy tight. Now, all that’s left to do is decide on the type of cut you need, adjust your miter saw accordingly, power up the saw, and let her rip! In case you did not know, your miter saw can cut up to 45-degree angles by either adjusting the rotating base of the miter saw or the blade itself.
If you have decided on a standard vertical 90-degree cut, grab the Handle, gently but firmly squeeze the power switch, and move the saw in a downward motion, making sure the other hand is a safe distance from the blade. Because the PVC pipe is hollow, the saw blade should pass clean through without much resistance.
Do not lift the miter saw blade while it is still moving. This can cause a material kick back(not back at your because of the direction the blade spins), but can be very dangerous none the less. If you don’t think that miter saw kick back than think again and check this out.
What else can I do with a Miter Saw?
Miter saws are used globally in construction operations to cut wood, pipes as we established, and vinyl flooring. Although not recommended without cutting fluids and a change of blades, it is possible for you to use your miter saw to cut through aluminum, copper, brass, or even tiles.
Miter Saws are used in all sorts of projects and can make quick work of your shed framing or your fencing. By the way, thinking of framing your shed with 2x3s to cut costs, than check this article out before you do.
I would advise against extended use, though. For the simple reason that your miter saw has higher Rotations Per Minute or RPMs than a regular cut off saw or chop saw. The saw blade also heats up quicker, which can damage the blade, and more than likely, the material you are trying to cut.
Blades and Cutting Fluid
Freud LU77M012 D1296L 12-inch blade is an industrial class blade with 96 teeth, made from high-density Carbide. It also has a Silver Ice blade coating that protects the blade from corrosion and heat. The coating is also non-stick, which decreases drag and prevents the blade from gumming. For clean cuts, this is probably going to be your best bet. This blade also comes in 10-inch sizes for smaller miter saws.
Trim MicroSol 585XT is a semisynthetic cutting fluid with high lubricity and microemulsion coolant. What this translates to is that it will keep your saw blade cool and lubed up. Because it is semisynthetic, you can use it on a wide variety of metals and plastics without worrying about its adverse effects on the material you are cutting.
Conclusion
If you want to use your miter saw to cut PVC, go ahead. Even with a stock standard blade, you should not encounter any problems. However, for a superior and smoother cut, use a multi toothed saw blade.
If you want to learn more tips and tricks about the power tools to get the jobs done, check out our articles about if you can use staple guns on plastic or LED strip lights.
