10 Inch vs 12 Inch Miter Saw: When To Use Each and Why

Woodworking is a vast field offering you endless opportunities and chances of making innovative patterns. When DIYing fever and many of you taking renovation and remolding matters in your hands, power tools are becoming famous with each passing day.

A few years ago, you might not have considered cutting using power tools in the house. Not anymore!

The new wave encouraging creativity and thriftiness is asking to push your creative boundaries. One power tool has become very famous in this regard.

A miter saw.

10 Inch Vs 12 Inch Miter Saw; How Are They Different?

Let’s have a birds-eye view of the difference between 10-inch vs 12-inch miter saw.

A 10-inch miter saw blade rotates faster than a 12-inch one. The apparent reason is that the smaller blade is light in weight while the bigger one is heavier.

The price is another diverging aspect between the two. A 10-inch blade costs less than a bigger blade. Thus, a 12-inch blade miter saw may be more expensive than its 10-inch counterpart.

If you are someone concerned about electricity consumption, you will go with a 10-inch blade as it requires more electricity to run. Therefore, you might see a 10-inch blade miter saw coming with a less amp motor. A 12-inch blade typically runs with a 15-amp motor.

Another difference lies in the amount of pressure exerted by the miter saw blade when cutting. Scientifically speaking, a smaller blade exerts more pressure than a larger blade and makes quick cuts.

If you own a 12-inch blade, you might have felt its comparatively heavyweight. Thus, it might be a little less portable than the 10-inch one.

The 12-inch blade miter saw may be more beneficial for people who travel between work sites. It also occupies less space than a 12-inch blade when stacking one above the other.

Concerning the cutting performance, a 12-inch blade is better equipped to make splinter-free finer cuts. It is all due to the teeth per inch ratio of these blades; you might not find them with a 10-inch blade. Generally, you find 24, 60, and 80 teeth 12-inch miter saw blades in the market, and choosing the right teeth blade for your job is very important for better efficiency.

You can cut larger blocks with a bigger blade and finish the task in one go. It also implies taking less time to complete a project.

A 12-inch blade can easily rip apart a 4×4 treated pine in one go. In contrast, a 10 inch might not do so aptly. Besides, for cutting your plywood, a bigger blade is more suitable. Similar goes for other hardwood types.

Whether it is a beveling system miter saw or a standard miter saw, the creative possibilities are endless. At the same time, users are also putting up many questions regarding their use of a miter saw. One of the regularly asked queries is: Can you use a 10-inch blade on a 12-inch miter saw? So embarked on answering this question today.

Can You Use A Smaller Blade On A Miter Saw?

The quick answer is yes, you can. The only condition to use a 10-inch blade on a 12-inch miter saw is having the same arbor size on both blades. However, never try to make it the other way round. Using a bigger blade on a smaller miter saw is not an option here

10-Inch vs. 12-Inch Miter Saw Blades—What To Prefer?

You might have seemed people who support the idea that bigger is always better. But actual suitability of a power tool is relative to the situation and its use. Similar goes for a miter saw blade and its use in the saw.

Thus, we can never say that a bigger miter saw is always better than a smaller miter saw. The better way to understand both these sizes is by looking at their pros and cons.

What We Like About 10-Inch Miter Saws

Price

As with any power tool, going higher in the size chart will increase the price bracket. So, we can infer that a 10-inch miter being small in size costs less.

You might argue that plenty of 10-inch miter saws out there need a pile of money, but generally speaking, a 12-inch miter saw costs more. Thus, with a smaller miter saw and blade, you save some bucks straightforwardly.

The difference in the price starts becoming more significant when you need to buy several blades. Adding the price for sharpening the blade, you will see a smaller blade’s cost-saving true impact over a bigger one.

A Woodworker working with multiple blades at a time will require a lot of blade sharpening at one time. A 10-inch blade can offer comparable performance with less teeth count than a 12-inch blade with more teeth.

Sawing Speed

Another nice feature of a 10-inch miter saw is its speedy sawing capacity—banking on a smaller blade diameter that can spin faster than a bigger blade.

You will get smoother cuts with a 12 inch blade. But if a project calls explicitly for a 10-inch miter saw blade, there is no other way but to prefer it over others.

Portability

A 10-inch miter saw is more portable and easier to take from job to job owing to its smaller size. The blade also requires less space in your workplace.

Things To Consider About The 10-Inch Miter Saw?

Cutting Capacity

This is one of the apparent aspects

can-you-use-a-smaller-blade-on-a-miter-saw

What We like About 12-Inch Miter Saws

Power

There is no denying that a 12-inch miter saw is more powerful than a smaller one. This comparison is about two similar quality miter saws. Besides, adding a 10-inch blade to a 12-inch miter saw offers you a beneficial combination of both machines.

Working Performance

The bigger size and depth of the allows you to work on larger wooden boards. If you are working on a project involving hardwood, going with a 12-inch blade will always be a wise option.

However, bear in mind that you are not working with a magic wand. So you will make multiple cuts to cover a large lumber piece.

Durability

The blade’s bigger size also requires a rugged and sturdier machine to support the weight. At the same time, remember, this comparison is among comparable quality 12-inch and 10-inch saws and blades.

Things To Consider About 12- Inch Miter Saw

Price

As we mentioned in the earlier section, a 12-inch miter saw is more expensive than a smaller one. So many of you might shy away from buying one when working on a constrained budget.

Additional cost occurs in electricity bills because a bigger saw will require more power to work. The mounting cost of the blades and power usage is one of the biggest concerns of a heavy saw.

FAQs

Are saw blades interchangeable?

YES, without missing a beat. They can be interchanged if they have the same arbor size and fits the machine.

How long do miter saw blades last?

They can last a long time if not used continuously. While using them constantly, you can get a work-life of 12 to 120 hours. Some factors affecting the life are blade quality and the type of material to be cut with them.

Final Words

Can you use a 10 inch blade on a 12 inch miter saw? is a frequently asked question. The question has its roots in the fact that looking for a suitable machine should be the priority.

Instead of a one size fits all mantra, the answer offers more options to be flexible with your work. Understanding your project and later selecting a miter saw blade and machine would let you express your expertise to the fullest.

Additionally, there are some suggestions about 10-inch and 12-inch miter saws for prospective shoppers.

Hitachi C10FCG is an excellent option for miter saws under $200. On the contrary, a homeowner can always go with DeWalt DW713 with a lightweight and portable body.

DEWALT DWS 780 is among the best miter saw for homeowners, with a 12-inch blade offering some impeccable additional features. Whether it is DIY or not, so professional projects, you have DWS 780 to support you.

Otherwise, there is DeWalt DWS715 for all the budget-constrained shoppers looking for excellent cutting capacity at less price.