Replies

1. 
   hammer1 | Jul 06, 2010 07:49am | #1

   To avoid raising "hair" you

   To avoid raising "hair" you may cut with the good face down. It depends on your blade and the material. Certain moldings may have to be cut face up since they won't lay flat up side down. A sacrificial fence and/or a sacrificial base under the stock can also help with raising hair or getting chip out. Chopping with the saw can give different results than sliding. You make the call based on the results of the cut.

2. 
   flairwoodworks | Jul 07, 2010 12:20am | #2

   I say UP

   I find that without zero-clearance back-up support, the cleanest edges are on the top and the edge nearest me.

3. 
   forrestb | Jul 07, 2010 11:22am | #3

   compound miter (mitre) saw use

   IMHO,

   The least amount of surface splintering occurs when the teeth of the blade go down into the wood.  On a compound miter saw you should not make a climb cut for safety reasons.  Those said would lead you to putting the visible surface where you want the least splintering face down on the table, pull the saw out go down and cut on the push stroke.

   An alternative when the surface must be up is to make a very shallow climb cut on the pull stroke then go down and finish the cut on the push stroke.

   On crown molding, the visible surface is up when canted but you most likely can make a simple chop cut.  That should cut with the teeth going down into the wood for the best surface.