Chop Saw Vs Miter Saw Comparisons

As a woodworker, it is prudent to invest ample resources and time to have the right power tools in your facility. But understanding the importance of the right tools to have in the workshop and selecting the best ones are two different things.

One of the most challenging, or do we say confusing, decisions that a lot of workshop owners, construction site managers, and DIY (do-it-yourself) people like us face at one point if deciding to buy a miter saw or chop saw.

Although the two are some of the handiest and top-performing power saws, their functions are almost similar, so you do not need both. Keep reading this chop saw vs miter saw comparison to understand the fundamental differences and pick the ideal piece for your situation.

Short on Time?

Are you in a hurry and simply want an answer? A miter saw, such as DEWALT DWS780 12-inch Sliding Compound Miter Saw, is the best for workshop cutting, home improvement, and DIY tasks because you can make both straight and angled cuts. However, if you target cutting heavy-duty materials such as iron and steel, a chop saw such as Evolution Power Tools EVOSAW380 Steel Cutting Chop Saw will be the better option.

Miter Saw vs Miter Chop Saw Summary

Both miter saws and chop saws utilize circular blades and drop-down type of motion to rip your material from top to bottom. A quick poot at thse two types of power saws reveals that chop saws are more powerful and larger compared to miter saws. They are designed with stronger materials, heavy bases, larger motors and bigger blades that make them ideal for cutting large metal sheets and blocks of metal.

The rugged and powerful nature of chop saws has made them the top preference for professionals. Most of them use abrasion discs that are considered more effective, especially for cutting metal. This is why they are common in many industrial and commercial shops that require cutting a lot of heavy-duty materials.

However, if you are dealing with common around-the-house and home improvement projects, a standard 10-12-inch miter saw would more appropriate compared to a chop saw. They are strong and firm, but not as the chop saws. Further, they use pretty normal looking round blades with teeth for cutting wood.

Miter saws allow you to make neat cuts on small pieces of materials such as pictures and door frames. We also found miter saws a more appropriate choice if your target is general-purpose woodworking around.

Further, miter saws are designed to make angle cuts easy. Miter saws are able to make common up-down as well as sideways movements for angle cuts. However, most chop saws can only make up-down movements and cut materials at 90 degrees.

Chop Saw vs Miter Saw Category

Both chop saws and miter saws have undergone huge evolution over the years. They are both stronger and more versatile for your projects. Here is a comparison of the two categories:

Miter Saws

Miter saws are designed to sit on fixed bases, with blades mounted to arms that can be supported horizontally between 0 to +45/-45 degrees. Well, as the name indicates, the saw is ideal for miter cuts. Notably, miter cuts fall into different categories.

• Standard miter saw: This is the commonest and simplest type of miter saws. It is designed with a blade on the arm, mounted to the base, and can make between 0 degrees and 45 degrees.
• Compound miter saw: This is an improvement of the standard model. In addition to being able to make angle cuts, it can also make bevel (sloped) cuts.
• Sliding compound miter saws: Notably, the compound miter saws have cut a name for different cuts, but they are often criticized for their limited cutting capacity. The sliding compound miter saw was designed to address this shortcoming.

Unlike the standard and compound models whose arms are fixed, meaning you can only make up-down movements, the sliding compound miter saw has a sliding mechanism. This means that the blade can move up-down and in-out.

The rich features of the sliding miter saws also mean they are expensive. Indeed, they are the most costly in the miter saw category.

Chop Saws

Chop saws are power tools used for making straight cuts. Like miter saws, these power saws are constructed to work on fixed bases with blades mounted to make straight (90 degrees) cuts. However, modern designs are versatile and allow chop saws to also make bevel and angle cuts. But when such features are included, the saw ceases being referred to as a chop saw; it is now a miter saw.

Miter Saw vs Chop Saw About the Brand

To select the best miter saw or chop saw for your workshop, one of the factors to consider is the brand. You should only consider the power saws designed by top brands. Here are some of them:

DeWalt

DeWalt is one of the best manufacturers of power cutting tools in the market today. The company was started in 1922 by Raymond DeWalt, who is also credited with inventing the radial arm saw.

They have made a name for designing high-quality miter saws that are used by millions of professionals and woodworkers not just in the US, but the entire globe. Well, whether you want a miter saw for DIY tasks around the home or more professional work, DeWalt designed models will never disappoint.

Makita

Makita is another brand that has made a name for designing top quality products. They started with lighting products before expanding to power tools. Technicians and woodworkers always praise Makita miter and power saws for their performance, durability, and affordability.

Bosch

Bosh is one of the oldest and respected power tool brands in the market today. It was started in 1886 by Robert Bosch, and its power tools are some of the most recommended by woodworking and construction professionals across the globe. Its miter saws and chop saws are very powerful and work very well for heavy-duty operations.

Hitachi

Although Hitachi is mostly associated with heavy earth moving types of machinery, they also manufacture power tools such as chop saws and miter saws. The company was started in 1910 by Nahimei Hitachi and has cut a name for producing high-quality power saws such as the C10RJ sliding dual compound miter saw.