When you replace your old miter saw with a new one, what do you do with the old one? Do you get rid of it, or do you utilize it in some other ways? Well, if you are a DIY enthusiast, there are a lot of ways to repurpose old miter saw.
You can turn your miter saw into a table saw, a disk sander, or cut metals with it. You can also utilize it for cutting firewood.
Let’s go through these ideas in detail.
How To Repurpose Old Miter Saw?
Miter saws can last a long time. However, they don’t always stay efficient in their performance. When you replace the old miter saw with a new one, you can reuse the old one instead of getting rid of it.
1. Turn It Into A Table Saw
You can easily turn your old miter saw into a functional table saw. All you have to do is to turn the miter saw upside down and install it on a workbench. By adjusting the blade’s height, you can utilize your miter saw as an excellent table saw.
Table saws are more versatile than miter saws. You can rip-cut large boards without any issues. So, if you decide to go with this fix, you’re not only letting your miter saw be useful again but also making it more functional than before.
If the blade of the miter saw is not sharp anymore, you can invest in a new one. Miter saw blades come pretty cheaply. As long as the motor is functional, there’s no reason for this DIY idea not to work.
2. Convert It Into A Disc Sander
If your miter saw is still functional but not mandatory for your workshop, you can turn it into a disk sander. All you have to do is to replace the blade with a sanding disc. Having another tool in your workshop can be an excellent idea and make it more versatile.
A disc sander can assist you in making your woodworking more precise and perfect. When rough cuts are on the table, they can be a useful tool for your work. So, before dumping your miter saw, make sure to explore this idea at least once.
3. Cut Metals With The Miter Saw
Cutting metal with your miter saw is not recommended. All experts will suggest that you only cut wood with your miter saw. However, once the saw is out of date, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t cut metal with it.
There are several things to keep in mind when it comes to cutting metal with your miter saw. First of all, you have to ensure your safety by wearing glasses and a mask. Secondly, you need to cut the material slowly and smoothly. Putting too much pressure will not only damage the miter saw but also ruin the material you’re cutting.
By investing in a blade suitable for cutting metal, you can dedicate your miter saw only to metal cutting. It can be a great idea for users who frequently cut pipes.
4. Cut Firewood With The Miter Saw
Cutting firewood does not require super preciseness. So, when your miter saw is not suitable for cutting with precision anymore, you can keep this miter saw only for cutting firewood or other materials that do not require precision.
Some miter saws only lose their ability to offer accurate cuts no matter how carefully you calibrate them. It’s a waste to throw out these miter saws because there are a lot of materials you can cut using these units.
So, instead of wasting an inaccurate miter saw, keep it for DIY purposes that do not require precise measurements.
5. Repurpose The Components
The last idea is for those units that are not functional anymore. If you can’t use the miter saw anymore, it’s time to take it apart. Sometimes, one or two components are at fault. The rest of the parts can easily be used again.
After separating all viable components of your miter saw, you can either sell them online or keep them to yourself. Label the parts and store them in your garage. These parts can come in handy as spare parts when some other tool has damage.
Alternatively, you can utilize these parts in some other way. For instance, you can use the stand for making a workbench. A miter saw stand can be an excellent way to make a DIY workbench. Many people wonder whether they can convert miter saw stand to table saw. It may sound like a good idea, but it’s not.
You can also use the blade for other DIY projects. For instance, it can work great as a wall decoration for your garage. Here’s an example of repurposing an old miter saw blade if you are interested.
Some Tips To Remember
- No matter what idea you’re going with, it’s essential that you ensure safety. If the miter saw is too damaged and cannot be used without compromising safety, it’s better to think about something else, like taking it apart and separating the components.
- If your miter saw is still running, even though not like before, there’s a chance that you will get some value by reselling it. In case you are not into fixing the miter saw or taking it apart, you can always try to sell it.
- Not using the miter saw and keeping it in the garage will only make your workshop more cluttered. So, if you decide not to repurpose your miter saw, you can sell it, donate it, or get rid of it.
- Always make sure that the miter saw is unplugged from the electric outlet before making any adjustments.
Frequently Asked Questions
What to do with an old miter saw blades?
There are several options to consider when there’s an old miter saw blade at stake. For starters, you can sharpen them and keep using them as a miter saw blade. You can check my article on is it worth it to sharpen miter saw blade if you want.
Other options include recycling the blade, making a knife out of the blade, or using it as a décor for your home or workshop.
Is it worth repurposing a miter saw?
Repurposing a miter saw takes a lot of time and DIY energy. Whether it’s worth it or not depends on a few different factors. For instance, the condition of your miter saw is a large contributing factor. If the miter saw can’t give you anything productive after spending a fair amount of time behind it, there’s no reason to repurpose the miter saw.
Final Words
As you can see, there are a lot of ways that you can use to repurpose an old miter saw. Of course, the limitations of your miter saw will determine whether you should spend the energy and time repurposing it or not. For instance, if your miter saw lacks accuracy, you can use the unit for cutting something that does not require accuracy.
On the other hand, if some parts of the miter saw are damaged, you can take the miter saw apart and repurpose the components separately.
