Miter saws are suitable woodworking power tools for making angled cuts or crosscuts. They are available in a vast array of sizes.
However, the most common sizes include the 12 inch and 10-inch sizes.
As a woodworking enthusiast, you might wonder if the size of these power-cutting tools matters.
What you should know is that size plays a significant role in terms of productivity and performance.
This blog post will compare and contrast between 12 inch and 10-inch miter in terms of performance capabilities to evaluate which one is better. This helps you make a rational and informed decision.
What is 10 Inch Miter Saw used for?
Some of the impressive aspects that make 10-inch blades idea over their bigger counterparts are that they are readily available and less costly.
You can easily access them in your local woodworking store at a reasonable price.
10 Inch miter saw to be smaller in size and also lightweight as compared to the 12-inch versions.
They are convenient as you can easily move them from one working station to the other without much hassle.
They come in different variety thus giving you sufficient options you could choose from.
Their compact size and lightweight enable them to spin at an electric speed while the motor’s power remains constant.
Thus, they are ideal for making smother and fine cuts thanks to the advanced RPMs (Revolutions per Minute)
Due to the small size of their blades, the minimal wobble is generated by a 10-inch miter saw, enabling them to make smoother cuts.
What Are Pros And con Using 10 Inch Miter Saw?
They have the capability of cutting up to 6 inches thick molding and trim boards.
As a result of their finer cuts, you can comfortably joint trim boards will less hassle and much efficiently.
Pros
- Ideal for making smoother cuts
- They are less costly
- Their smaller size makes them convenient as they are highly portable
- 10-inch miter saws are energy efficient
Cons
- Not ideal for cutting thicker pieces of lumber
- Their table area is minimal; thus may be challenging to work on immense workpieces.
What is 12 Inch Miter Saw used for?
The 12-inch blades feature outstanding benefits over their smaller counterparts.
First, they can cut thicker and wider boards, making them ideal for heavy-duty and immense woodworking projects.
Their electric motors are powerful and robust and only uses 15 Amp of electricity.
Despite their outstanding heavy-duty performance, this woodworking power tool provides performance versatility.
To boost the revolutions per minute and improve on cutting using your 12-inch miter saw, you may opt to use a smaller blade.
Compared to the 10-inch miter saw, they tend to be more durable and will give your service for an extended period.
What Are Pros And con Using 12 Inch Miter Saw?
Their bodies are larger and more rugged, making them more productive even on challenging tasks.
Pros
- Better and advanced cutting capacity
- They are longer lasting
- Ideal for challenging and immense woodworking projects
Cons
- They are costly as compared to the 10-inch miter saw
- They are bigger and heavier; thus may be challenging to transport
The Difference between 12 Inch and 10 Inch Miter Saw
Its specifications or features majorly determine the performance and productivity of a miter saw.
To make a rational and informed decision on which miter saw to go for, let’s scrutinize them based on their specifications and features.
Weight
12 inch miter saws are bigger as compared to their 10-inch counterparts. Additionally, 12-inch miter saw have rugged and immense bodies.
Their immense size attributes the heavyweight feature to their overall design.
12-inch miter saw weighs approximately 56 pounds, while the 10-inch miters saws weigh about 25 pounds.
If you are seeking a miter saw that is portable, then it will be ideal to go for the 10 inch miter saws.
They are much convenient and easier to move from one working station to the other as compared to the 12-inch miter saws.
Revolutions per Minute (RPM)
The spinning speed of a miter saw matters.
10-inch miter saw tends to spin at a faster rate as compared to the 12-inch miter saws.
For instance, a 10-inch miter saw blade with a 3 horsepower motor would rotate faster than the 12-inch counterpart.
Due to the faster spinning speed, 10-inch blades are ideal for smoother and finer cuts, especially during angled cut operations.
12 inch miter saws can spin for up to 3,800 RPMs, while the 10-inch miter saw can spin up to 5,000 RPMs.
If you seek finer and smoother cut finishes, you should opt to go for a 10-inch miter saw.
Cutting Performance
10-inch miter saw blades are smaller as compared to the 12-inch miter saw blades.
10-inch blades can cut wood material with a thickness of up to 6 inches.
They are ideal light working projects, including cutting molding and trim boards and sizing of 4×4 workpieces.
If you are cutting thicker pieces of lumber, then a 12-inch miter saw will be much beneficial.
Additionally, their motors tend to be more robust and powerful, making them perfect heavy woodworking cutting performance.
Durability
Compared to the 10-inch miter saws, 12 inch miter saws have more rugged bodies and thus tend to be more long-lasting.
They can also undertake heavy-duty woodworking projects better and more effectively, and for longer.
If you seek a longer-lasting miter saw for your challenging woodworking projects, you should consider going for a 12-inch miter saw.
The Cost
12 inch miter saws tend to be more costly as compared to the 10-inch miter saw.
However, they are worth it due to their heavy-duty performance and robust and powerful features.
Additionally, 12-inch miter saws are costly to repair when they break down or malfunction. Also, the blades are relatively expensive to sharpen or replace.
On the other hand, 10 inches miter saw are budget-friendly.
If you seek light-duty performance and affordability, then a 10-inch miter saw would be the ideal choice.
Verdict
Your budget and the nature of work will determine the type of miter saw to go for.
For those who go for value over cost, the 12-inch miter saw will be the ideal choice as they offer outstanding performance.
However, if you on a low budget and you are working on light woodworking projects, the 10-inch miter saw will be the ideal choice for you.
