Which type of mitre saw protractor should you choose?
Which type of mitre saw protractor
|
||||
 |
There are two different types of mitre saw protractor to choose from, and the factors you need to consider are:
Below is a guide to help you decide which type of protractor would benefit you. |
|||
 |
Each mitre saw protractor has the ability to determine the angles for a single cut or mitre cut, then transfer these angles to a mitre saw. Some mitre saw protractors come with additional features so they are able to perform specific tasks.
When choosing a protractor, bear in mind the size of the space in which you will be working, as certain protractors may be more beneficial than others, such as the standard mitre saw protractor with narrow arms. |
|||
Standard mitre saw protractors |
||||
 |
If you are looking for a basic mitre saw protractor that measures single and mitre cut angles, this type of protractor would be suitable for you. | |||
 |
If you often measure single cut and mitre cut angles in confined spaces, or if you often carry tools in your pocket, then the standard mitre saw protractor with narrow arms would be particularly ideal. | |||
Combination mitre saw protractors |
||||
 |
A more expensive option is the combination protractor, which performs the same tasks as the standard mitre saw protractor and comes with a few additional features.
These features include a scale to determine the pitch of a roof, an additional two scale protractor and a conversion table to produce compound cuts when installing crown mouldings. If you often use mitre and single cuts, work with roofs, or tend to install crown mouldings, then a combination protractor would be suitable for you. |
|||
Things to consider |
||||
 |
Even though the standard mitre saw protractor does not have the capability to produce compound cut angles on its own, it can do so with the use of a compound cut conversion table.
The table is available to download from certain manufacturer’s websites. |
|||
 |
However, when using a conversion table with these types of protractor, you will need to either own or purchase another angle measuring tool.
This is because standard mitre saw protractors are not able to measure the spring angle when producing compound cuts for crown mouldings. Combination protractors already contain a two scale protractor that determines the spring angle. |
|||
 |
If you did purchase a standard mitre saw protractor, you would then have to purchase an angle measurer, costing you even more just to perform this one specific application.
It may be a better option to purchase a combination protractor if you are going to be cutting compound cuts, as this will save money and time. |
|||
