Table Saw Blades Vs. Miter Saw Blades

Appearance

• Table saws, as their name implies, are mounted underneath the surface of a workshop table, so that the saw blade protrudes slightly from the tabletop and follows a straight track cut into the surface of the table. Controls that dictate the depth of the blade and its speed are mounted to an interface at the side of the table. Miter saws, by contrast, are small and portable, designed for hand-held operation.

Blades and Blade Replacement

• Both table and miter saws use circular blades, which can be sharpened or changed as they are worn down with use. Though only a few simple steps are required to remove and replace a miter saw blade, saw exchange on a table saw can be far trickier. In some cases, panels of the table must be removed to access the saw assembly.

Cost

• The cost of both table saws and miter saws is highly dependent on the size and manufacturer of the unit. Small table saws can cost roughly the same as a large miter saw. Prices often start in the mid-$100s, but in some cases may exceed $800, as of 2011.

Use

• Miter saws are fitted with a pivot on the arm that allows users to make beveled, angled and curved cuts in addition to straight cuts, and is small enough to be transported easily. Table saws, by contrast, can have difficulty with finer cuts, but are ideal for long straight cuts and beveled cuts, and for working with and supporting larger pieces of lumber.