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Bosch Mitre Saw
Bosch Mitre Saw
In the Creative Labs, we have a Bosch GCM 8 SJL Mitre Saw and Stand. This powerful Mitre saw will professionally cut wood at a variety of angles on two axes.
Technical Specifications
Cutting Capacity Straight - 70mm vertical x 312mm horizontal
Cutting capacity, 45° mitre - 70mm vertical x 225 mm horizontal
Cutting capacity, 45° bevel - 45mm vertical x 312mm horizontal
Find out more and watch the videos on the left to introduce you to this great tool for woodworking.
Safety features
The Bosch Mitre saw is a very safe saw with a disappearing blade guard and side clamp. The dust extractor also allows for a large proportion of the dust to be collected at the point of cutting. You must tie your long hair back, remove any loose bracelets or necklaces, wear safety goggles, an apron, and ear defenders when using this equipment
Advantages - This saw is great for cutting wood with precision. It can create straight, mitre, or angled cuts very precisely. It uses a laser and precision engineering to guide it.
Disadvantages- It is limited by the length and width of wood it can successfully cut. It cannot follow a curved line at all and it can’t cut wide boards of wood such as kitchen tops.
Your First Learning Task
To safely use this saw you must have an induction with a qualified teacher. the induction will go through the following key points:
1) Safety equipment and instructions before use.
2) Power management of the saw and unlocking it.
2) Securing your wood for cutting.
3) Dust extraction during cutting.
4) Using the laser for precision.
5) Turning on and Moving the saw through a straight cut and an angled cut.
6) Locking and Cleaning the Saw after use.
Learning about Wood
Wood has been used for thousands of years for fuel, as a construction material, for making tools and weapons, furniture, and paper.
As of 2020, the growing stock of forests worldwide was about 557 billion cubic meters. As an abundant, carbon-neutral renewable resource, woody materials have been of intense interest as a source of renewable energy. In 2008, approximately 3.97 billion cubic meters of wood were harvested. Dominant uses were for furniture and building construction.
Preparing Wood for Construction
To prepare wood for us to create things we go through a process.
Harvesting - This is the part where the particular tree type is felled (chopped) and then brought to a woodmill for processing.
Seasoning - Wood that is freshly cut is typically very wet and not usable straight away. Wood ‘seasons’ for usually a year to dry it out.
Cutting - Once seasoned we can start to cut the wood into elements that we need it for.
Preserving - In theory wood can last forever if we treat and preserve it correctly. As it is an organic material it can ‘rot’ if not preserved or treated correctly.
History of Woodworking
There is a long history of humans working and creating with wood as a material. In ancient China, it is thought to have been Lu Ban who brought basic tools to the country in 771 BC. Some of the very first tools were discovered in Tanzania thought to be 1.6 million years old. As wood is an organic product that can be sustained it is a great material to work with. As technology has improved we are now able to complete more complex projects with more sophisticated tools.
Your Second Learning Task - Your First Project
You will create a birdhouse to add to our woodland area around the lake. Birdhouses are great to encourage bird species into our area to increase and support biodiversity. To complete this project, you will need to complete the learning on the Drill Press and the Electric Drill.
Project Steps
Step 1) Measure, mark, and cut the following pieces in 20mm plywood:
140mm x 300mm (the back)
140mm x 250mm ( the sides) X 2
140mm x 200mm (the front)
200mm x 140mm (the top)
140mm x 180mm (the bottom)
For the two side pieces, you need to create the angle from 200mm height to 250mm height (See diagram below).
Step 2 ) The birdhouse will need some holes drilled into it in order to construct it. The birdhouse will need an entry for the birds but will also need what is called pilot holes for the screws. Why do we need pilot holes? What purpose do they serve? Please read the link below to find out more.
Find out more - Watch this introduction video
See the images below to see where to drill the pilot holes.
Make sure you have completed the learning on the Drill Press before you use it for this project.
Step 3) Now we have to construct the birdhouse using screws of 4mm * 40mm. Using the pilot holes as guides screw your construction together with the power drill. Key Point - Don’t forget to include the felt roof when securing the top of the birdhouse.
Make sure you have completed the learning on the Electric Drill before you use it for this project.
Step 4) Now the birdhouse is built it needs to be sanded. You can use the belt sander, orbital sander, or sandpaper to get your birdhouse tidy and finished. Remember to complete your learning on these sanding tools first.
Step 5) Now you can think about how you can finish your design. Do you want to add colour to the design using paint? Do you want to finish the product with a varnish or oil to protect it? Explore the materials cupboard and ask your buddy and teacher for advice if it is your first time using this cupboard. Remember the basic health and safety guidelines when applying glue, oil, or paint. Remember it is going outside so the finish will need to protect the wood from the weather.
Your Third Learning Task - Reflection and Evaluation
Complete this questionnaire to reflect on your learning and your performance in your first project for laser cutting. Now you are qualified to use the laser cutter for your projects and consider how you can use it to help build and bring your ideas to life.
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