Revised November 2024
Purpose
The compound mitre saw is used to make crosscuts, mitres and bevels. While it is capable of accurate cuts, it is not the most accurate way to dimension material.
The saw has a maximum cutting depth of 104mm and a maximum cutting width of 335mm. Assuming it can be secured safely, the minimum material length is 160mm.
This machine is not to be used for cutting metal materials.
Safety
- Always wear safety glasses or face shield and use hearing protection. Dust protection is recommended.
- Observe general safety guidelines regarding loose clothing, hair, lanyards and gloves. Remain alert, avoid complacency, and never operate when tired or distracted.
- Keep area around the saw (floor and saw housing) clear of obstructions, tools, and avoid dust build up.
- Do not look directly into the laser beam.
- Always secure the workpiece. Use a clamp where possible or hold with your hand at least 100mm from the blade. Only cut one workpiece at a time. If the piece of timber is too short don’t use this saw. The table saw aided by the cross-cut sled, or a handsaw aided by a mitre box or bench hook provide safer options.
- Always stand to the side out of direct line of the blade. Keep your supporting hand at least 100mm away from blade when cutting. Never hold your workpiece to the right of the saw blade with your left hand.
- The workpiece must be in contact with the fence and saw table at point of cutting to avoid binding and/or kickback. Never saw warped, curved or rounded workpieces unless properly supported and secured.
- Always ensure the ‘grip’ handle has been locked before sawing.
- Always give time for the motor to reach maximum speed before starting a cut.
- Wait until the blade has stopped spinning before raising the saw head away from the ‘cut’ work piece. The blade should stop spinning fairly quickly when you release the trigger. If this doesn’t occur, stop using the saw and consult the Shed Boss or SIG Coordinator.
- Cuts must always be made by pushing the saw through the workpiece toward the rubber dust hood or down and never in the opposite direction.
- Do not leave the saw running unattended.
- Ensure dust extraction is turned on and the gate is open before operating the saw.
- If unsure of any operation and before undertaking compound angle cuts, don’t hesitate to ask an experienced operator for assistance. Familiarise yourself with the manual instructions.
- Report any machine malfunction.

Components of the sliding compound mitre saw
- See diagram on the right.
- The saw ‘head’ can be angled to the left or right, and the whole assembly can be tilted from side to side, to make cuts at various compound angles. When moving left and right, there are a series of detents (indents in the base of the moving table) for quick location of the commonly used mitre angles. The saw can also be stopped at any angle in between the detents. The ‘grip’, the black knob used to move the table, twists clockwise to lock the table in place. There is a similar knob,’ bevel lock’, which locks the saw head in place for tilted operation. Both knobs must be locked before the saw is used or risk movement/tilting of the blade during the cut.
- The saw can be set to operate as a drop saw, a cut off (chop) saw, a sliding mitre saw, as well as a compound angle (drop or sliding) saw. The saw is fitted with a guard which is designed to retract as the blade is lowered to the saw table.
NOTE:
(i) Built in outfeed tables are level with the saw table.
(ii) Compound angle cuts require the adjustable fences and the kerf boards (blue plastic boards either side of the cut line) to be moved away from the centre point. It is important to test before cutting to ensure the fences and boards are clear of the blade path.
(iii) Both the screw and knob of the clamp accessory need tightening to secure the workpiece in place. It is important it is positioned so as not to interfere with operation of the saw head and can be placed behind either the left or right fence for this reason. - The saw includes a laser line to assist with placing your cut. It is turned on using the switch at the back of the saw head handle. Although adjustable, it is set to the left 1mm from the blade. When using the laser line always test to confirm its position relative to the blade.
- Prior to adjusting machines always consult the Shed Boss or SIG Coordinator.

Operation
- Check timber for, and remove any, metal inclusions and clean with a stiff brush as necessary.
- Make sure the saw head handle is fully raised before adjusting the saw table or tilting the blade head.
- Set up work pieces and the saw before switching on the power at the wall socket.
- Set up the saw based on the type of cut you want to make. Refer to Type of cuts.
- Place the timber to be cut firmly against the fence and secure preferably with the aid of clamp(s).
- Bowed, warped, curved or rounded workpieces should be well secured with the outside bowed face down toward the fence and back of the table. Optimally there should be little or no gap between the workpiece, fence, and the table along the line of cut. If the workpiece moves it may create a wedge and bind the blade. If this happens turn off the saw immediately and wait until the blade stops spinning before attempting to remove the workpiece.
- Plan your cut. It is easier and safer to check the blade location by lowering it against your marked line and check the path of the blade is free of any obstruction (e.g. fence) before switching on. Adjust as required and re-clamp. Think through how the workpiece could move during or after the cut is done. If there is any chance it will move or pinch the blade, then use a different tool.
- If using the laser guide function (on/off button for laser is on the back of the handle) check its accuracy on a suitably marked off cut.
- Turn the power on at the wall. Grasp the handle with your right hand, pull the saw head fully towards you and lower toward the workpiece on the saw table. This action will retract the blade guard.
- Without touching the workpiece squeeze the on/off switch trigger (inside the hole in the saw head handle) and the button opposite this switch at the same time. The button is a safety lock to avoid unintentional starting. Allow the blade to reach full speed before making the cut by pushing the saw down and away from you toward the fence.
- On finishing the cut, release the trigger switch, hold the saw head down and wait for the blade to stop before lifting the saw head up and before removing any part of the cut workpiece.
- Do not use excessive force to push the blade through timber too hard or fast and avoid stopping partway through. Pushing too fast will cause the blade to overheat and blunt it more rapidly. Stopping will leave a mark and may affect the accuracy of the cut. The best quality cuts are produced through a combination of a sharp blade and a slow feed rate. Consider making a couple of passes through a thick workpiece.
- If required, it is possible to set a depth stop. Consult an experienced operator before using this feature.
Type of cuts
Drop saw
For 90° cut ensure the saw table pointer is aligned with the 0° of the scale at the table base and the ‘grip’ handle is locked. If not, loosen the ‘grip’ handle (counter clockwise) and while holding the lock lever in front of the grip down, rotate saw table back to the 0° position and tighten the grip (clockwise) to lock the table in place. Do not overtighten the ‘grip’ handle. The table should always be returned 0° scale drop saw position after use.
Mitre angle cut
Loosen the ‘grip’ handle (counter clockwise) and then either hold down the lock lever or depress the releasing lever (located under the lock lever) and turn the table to the desired angle. Tighten the grip to lock the table in place.
Commonly used mitre angles (45°, 31.6°, 22.5°, 15° and on right side 60° are available using the detent positions. Move the table close to one wanted, release the locking leaver and move the table until it locks into the detent. Re-tighten the grip (clockwise). Do not overtighten the ‘grip’ handle.
The releasing lever allows the table to be moved freely without having to hold down the locking leaver.
Bevel angle cut
This is a specialised cut. It requires careful planning and supervision by an experienced operator.
Read the manual (page 13-14) and consult an experienced operator, Shed Boss or SIG Coordinator before attempting a bevel (sideway tilt) or compound (bevel and mitre combined) cut.
For such cuts it is necessary to adjust the fences, kerf boards and clamps to ensure the blade will clear them prior to starting the machine and it is sensible to use a test piece to check the accuracy of the set-up before cutting the workpiece. Users should always return the saw to zero on both axis (drop saw position) when finished.
Although this type of cut is not covered by the basic accreditation, all users should check that the saw is set in the zero on both axis (drop saw position) before starting a cut. If the bevel scale needs resetting to zero, and you have not been briefed on bevel cut set up, please seek assistance.
When you have finished your job
- Turn the power off and make sure the machine has stopped running before leaving the area.
- Always return the saw to the zero setting(s) on completing your job and tighten the grip and bevel handles.
- Close the dust extraction gate.
- Clean up all sawdust and offcuts. Offcuts should be placed in the bin provided and when that is close to being full, should be emptied into the trailer. Sawdust should be swept up and the area vacuumed.
- Report any maintenance issues or malfunction to the Shed Boss or SIG Coordinator and make a record of issues in the maintenance book.