How to Cut a 120 Degree Angle on a Miter Saw for a Beginner
Miter saw is one of the life-saving tools for craftsmanship. Whenever you are to cut or make anything well-defined from wood, a miter saw will come across to your mind. The reason is miter saw can cut any angle up to 45 degrees very accurately and its easy-to-use without any in-depth knowledge. Miter saw is used for specific types of cuts like Cross Cuts, Miter Cuts, and Bevels. However, one can even cut the acute angles directly through this tool. If you are wondering about “How to cut a 120 degree angle on a Miter Saw” then, the following instructions are for you to meet your inquiry.
So, what to do in case of cutting obtuse angles? Cutting an obtuse angle is all about some easy mathematical calculations. Well, you can cut the obtuse angles by following some tips and tricks.
Things you need to make a 120 degree cut
Before getting into the steps of doing the above task, let’s take a look at the basic parts of a Miter Saw. It will make your task easier. (You can skip this if you are accustomed to the equipment):
- Handle
- Power switch
- Guard
- Miter lock handle
- Slide rails
- Fence
- Table
- Miter Scale
How to Cut a 120 Degree Angle on a Miter Saw – Detailed analysis
120 degree angle is an obtuse angle. Mostly, you are allowed to cut up to a 45 degree angle in a miter saw. That’s why, to get a 120 degree angle cut, the following steps can be followed:
Step 1: Set the Miter Saw
If you set your miter saw to cut an acute angle, it will cut an obtuse angle by default.
You can set the saw easily by checking the slide rails, fence, table, miter scale is in their exact position. Also, check whether they are perfectly horizontal and flat or not.
Step 2: Find out the acute angle
Now, you need to find out the acute complement of the obtuse angle. For doing so, let’s do some quick calculations.
- Subtract 120 from 180 and the outcome will be 60
- Then, divide 60 by 2 and the result will be 30
This 30 means that if you cut the piece at a 30-degree angle according to the miter saw, you will get a 60-degree cut. Doing this calculation and finding the complementary acute angle is necessary as the miter saw cannot cut the 60-degree angle directly.
Step 3: Position the Miter Scale
Now, grab the miter lock handle and set this at 30 on the miter scale. Setting the lock handle at 30 will give you a 60 angle cut as 90-30=60.
Step 4: Place the wood piece on the table
After setting the miter saw in its position(at a 30-degree angle), take the piece of wood or whatever on which you are going to make 120 cuts and place that on the table of the saw.
Step 5: Finish Cutting
Now turn on the switch. Grab the handle and bring it downward steadily and gradually to make the cut.
And yeah, now the piece is cut in 60 angles. Cut another one and join them to get a perfect 120 angle cut.
Safety Measurements
Even if you are a pro in managing and working with various tools, it’s always better to keep and maintain some safety measurements. And it’s a must if the equipment is extraordinarily powerful. And Miter Saw is indeed one of them.
So, Let’s get acquainted with some safety measurements you can follow while working with Miter Saw.
- You must wear your eye and ear protection.
- Try to keep your fingers as far away as possible from the blade.
- Don’t wear or put on any ornaments while working with a miter saw.
- Check a few times whether the blade guard is in its right position or not.
- Always use the right and recommended size for the blades.
- Unplug the saw or turn off the switch when you are setting the arrangements.
- Try to do the cutting practice a few times before turning on the power switch.
- Finally, when you are done with the cutting, wait till the blade’s roaming stops completely.
Final Words
Miter Saw, Compound miter saw, Chop Saw, etc. are some of the varieties of Saws. These are capable of doing straight cuts at different angles. All of these have their features, distinctiveness, and maintenance processes.
Now you have a clear conception on how to cut a 120 degree angle on a miter saw. You can deal with various types of products like photo frames, door frames, window casings, crown molding, and more by following the tricks.
So, as long as you are familiar with the usage, process, tips, and tricks of Miter Saw, you can bring any project or creative work into existence quite smoothly.
