Sliding Compound Miter Saw recommendations.

of walt make of good models .qui are strapping man and precise. after giving council on machines these delicate .ayant a dewalt has my work I peus to say that C is a good machine

-- jeanmarc manosque france

I am biased and a true deWalt guy. I owned the non-sliding 12” mitre saw since 2001 and just recently upgraded to the sliding DW716R (R for reconditioned). I upgraded and got the laser guide which is nice as well. There was a promotion running where you got the saw and stand for a lower package price, but I cannot find it anymore and I already had a stand so didn’t need another one.

The saw has a built in work holder that pivots around from the back and the spec sheet says you can cut up a 2×10. My only complaint is that the work area in front of the fence is only about 4” wide except for a 4” wide section that juts out where the saw blade cuts. So only for 4” in the center of the saw do you have the entire board supported. Since I am on a stand this is not really a problem for me.

I have been using the deWalt factory blades and never had a problem.

I have never had a problem with any deWalt tool and usually get the reconditioned ones if available.

Anyway, I have been purchasing all my power tools from toolking.com for the last couple of years, always free shipping and the best prices I have found. Plus the free gifts are nifty too. Can never have enough LED work lights…

I didn’t mean for that to sound like a commercial…good luck in your search.

-- Rich, WNY, www.nyrockingchairs.com

Here’s my take on the Hitachi 12 inch SCMS ” I bought last fall.
If you use the search engine on Lj’s you can pick up more comments on various offering as well.

Cheers
Bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

I second the Dewalt recommendation. I have the first Dewalt 12” slider model and have been very impressed with it. I am still using the Dewalt factory blade and it cuts very nice. I aslwo have an after market laser on it. That is great for rough cuts, i.e. the deck boards, but I don’t trust it for fine cuts for furniture.

I also have the Dewalt mitersaw stand and I wouldn’t waste my money on it if I were you. It is not on wheels for one thing. That would be more handy. Also the wood supports are flimsy I think. If you needed a stand, I like the looks of the Ridgid.

-- Kevin, Wichita, Kansas

I, ll third the Dewalt . I have been using them for years and i am still waiting for it to die just so i can get a new one .

-- John in Cranbrook http://www.extremebirdhouse.com ....http://community.webshots.com/user/cranbrook2

OK time to go against the flow. I did exhaustive research before i bought my SCMS. The new DeWalt, while chock full of some great features takes a serious hit for accuracy and fit and finish of the parts. I tossed it out of the running right away. For me it was the BOSCH or the Makita. As far as quality, features, fit and finish and accuracy they both were equal. I liked the feel of the Makita better, and I also liked the light and the laser, and the fact that you don’t have to spin the blade to see the laser. I know allot of guys think that lasers are a gimmick, but if you have it tweaked properly it can be a very handy feature. I bought the 12” Makita SCMS. paid around $600 for it. The blade it came with is decent and I am still using it. When it gets dull I will probably replace it with a Forrest Chopmaster. It was dead on accurate right out of the box, and 10 minutes after I bought it i was cutting miters on 10” wide AZEK laying flat on the saw table, and you couldn’t pass a piece of paper between the finished joint! I love the saw and highly recommend it.

-- Women love me.....trees fear me

I will add the the Hitachi can accurately determine not only the side to side angles by digital readout to .5 degrees but also the compound angle with similar accuracy and from in front of the saw.

I believe Dewalt still expects you to make this adjustment from the rear of the machine.
That is a huge pain if you are doing many at a time. Mouldings come to mind.

Yesterday afternoon I cut 45 bevels with my Hitachi for a siding design.
If I was setting it each time with the Dewalt it would have taken much longer and the accuracy would have suffered.

Secondly, the Hitachi has a forward adjustable slider so rather than having to park the saw an extra 12-18” from the wall you can cut that distance down by at least half.

In a small shop like mine that is a plus.

There is also a 5 year guarantee which may come in handy, maybe not, but it indicates to me the confidence Hitachi has in their engineering.

Cheers

Bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

Those 12” saws are awfully heavy. I was a pro at one time
and I never saw a use for a big slider. I had a 12” saw and
later got an 8 1/2” slider. The 12” was great for cutting
moulding against the fence and 4×4s. The slider is more
precise has greater crosscut capacity.

When I scaled back I got rid of the 12” saw and kept the
slider.

At the end of the day I curse any tool that weighs more than
50 lbs. – but if you don’t plan on moving your stuff daily
that’s perhaps not something you should concern yourself
with.

-- http://amherstcabinets.com - also a marketing consultant with expertise in direct response marketing for woodworking and online businesses - http://COPYMATCH.COM

I’m with Loren. I sold my Dewalt 12” Slider because I grew tired lugging that 78 pound monster around the shop.

In my opinion, the Festool Kapex is the best saw on the market and only weighs in a 45 pounds. The problem is that is costs twice your estimated budget. If I couldn’t justify the Festool, I would purchase the Makita LS1214L 12-Inch Saw with Laser Guide for around $600.00 and then put it on a folding mobile stand – Ridgid make a nice one.

-- Festool4

try a miter box and a back saw…

Really, any of these suggestions are good tools.

Think, budget, what you really will do with it, capacity, and stick with a brand that has service.

-- making sawdust....

I guess we are talking about two different applications:

1. The trim and finish guy that moves daily and rarely cuts anything over 5”.

2. The mobile builders shop that needs a saw to build fences and cut 2×10” and do a bit of trim where needed. These are 2 man shops or better.

These behemoths are not for the lone finisher with a job on the fourth floor, but that does not make them a poorer choice of saw.
I guess it depends on what you are up to.

Bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

Agreed, my mitre saw stand never moves, it has a set spot in the shop and is hooked up to the dust collector. I kept my old 12” deWalt for taking to other job sites when I have to. I did get the Rigid stand in 2002, never saw the deWalt stand so cannot comment on it.

-- Rich, WNY, www.nyrockingchairs.com

DeWalt has a NEW 10” sliding . . . the 717 (I think). Im a DeWalt guy, howver I really like the 10” Bosch and the makita is a pretty neat saw.

-- The significant problems we face cannot be solved by the same level of thinking that created them

Thanks to all for your input. You’ve given me a lot of info.
Additional question: the Hitachi and its digital readout, is it accurate, useful or just a selling feature?

-- Richard, Plant City

First time poster here….

I’m going to go with the minority here and vote for the Makita. I got a refurb LS1214F Rfrom Tyler Tool for $350 a couple of months ago and I absolutely love it. It’s worth a lot more than I paid for it. Coming from a 20 year old Delta chopsaw (for the exact reason you are looking) it was a quantum leap in capability and quality. The blade that is included produces the finest cuts I’ve ever seen on a saw.

Good luck with your decision!

-- Chris

“Additional question: the Hitachi and its digital readout, is it accurate, useful or just a selling feature?”

Like most electronic digital devices it relies on and calibrated circuit and and pendulm weght to measure change positions. It will be accurate to it own position on the saw but you may have to tweak your balde to the device to get a near perfect 90° when setting it up.
I used a known device for mine ( wixey) to check it.
After that it’s dead on.
If you have ever tried setting a bevel from the back of a Scms you will wellcome the digital read out.

As far as accuracy is concerned , what do the other companies give you to use as a guage? (Stampings., decals, etchings?)

For what it’s worth, when I bought my saw they gave me the portable stand and a $100.00 rebate bringing the net price down to $600.00 with stand.
You might try shopping around the net for that price range or better.

Good luck

Bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

I never really looked at the Hitachi. I like the forward mounted slider bars…thats the one knock I will give the Makita, you have to keep it far from the wall. As far as weight goes I don’t go mobile with my tools much and I like the cutting capacity over portability..but i want accuracy too.

-- Women love me.....trees fear me

I have a 10” Makita SCMS that I bought four or five years ago. I have never regretted the purchase and was always impressed with the orginal blade that came with it. I remember that I chose the 10” because it was significantly less expensive and 12” blades cost more more too. I also thought I would never need the extra cutting height. That held true until just recently when being able to get a 6” depth cut would have made a project a little easier but not totally necessary. The only other issue is as already mentioned it takes more room behind it but that has never really caused any trouble. All in all, I am very happy with the Makita and do not regret getting the 10” model.

-- Ron, Kutztown, PA "The reward is in the journey."

Hi Maubo

I am planning on buying the Bosch 4410L 10” Dual-Bevel Slide Miter saw w/Laser Tracking for my new shop. The other saw I was considering was the Maketa LS1013F 10” Dual Slide Compound Miter saw w/Fluoresent. I have other Bosch tools that I am very pleased with so decided to go with Bosch. I also liked the ajustable handle feature.

God Bless
tom

-- Mc Bridge Cabinets, Iowa

I have heard a lot of great things about the Hitachi and mixed reviews on the others. If I had the $$ I would go for the Hitachi or Festool.

-- Chris

Plus the Hitachi has that cool green coloring that makes it look reptilian…all shops need a splash of color now and then.

That could be a niche for someone, custom coloring of tools, that way your entire shop doesn’t have to be yellow/black, or that Grizzly puke green…

-- Rich, WNY, www.nyrockingchairs.com

FESTOOL

-- http://www.furnituremann.ca/

Best of the current crop Roman .
Got $1400.00 for one?
http://kapex.festoolusa.com/
Bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

Makita 10-inch Slider—most accurate miter saw I have used. You may want to take a look at the reviews on Amazon as well as this site. I believe there are a number of good reviews on both sites. That might help you.

-- Tim from Iowa City, IA

I have seen the Makita 10” slider in action and it is very accurate as far as I could tell. Only one I have worked extensively with is the Dewalt 12” slider and I have found nothing wrong with it. For me it would be whatever I could get the better deal on between dewalt, makita, and hitachi. They all make quality miter saws from what I have read and reviews as well as what I have seen.

-- Austin 'ofgortens' , Provo, UT

I love my Bosch 4410 but have been drooling over the Kapex. If anyone is near ATL I’ll make you a good deal on a gently used Bosch!

Main reason I want the Kapex is I am tired of moving a heavy saw and stand system into and out of the back of the truck. If you’re using it in the shop only, weight isn’t a big concern. I bought a Forrest Chopmaster blade and use that in the Bosch with awesome results.

P.S. Bob, quit exagerating – the price is ONLY $1,300! :)

Fireball, it a bit more up here in the land of Gnomes. ;-)

It’s kind of interesting when a manufacturer does his homework and sets a new stardard for a product.
The really caught the industry sleeping this time.

I suppose it’s hard to golf and be creative at the same time for our North American execs.

Bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

I personally prefer Makita to Dewalt or Hitachi never tried festool seem overpriced to me.I have a r.a.s and two Delta chopsaws which I intend (when I make room) to install them into a long roller bench situation which I already have purchased.This will mean being able to miter with both of them without turning the wood every way but wich.Good luck Alistair

-- excuse my typing as I have a form of parkinsons disease

Does anyone have the Kapex? I’d be interested in hearing some more opinions about it.

This is really the setup I would like (as I need it for site work as well as in the shop): http://www.festooljunkie.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/155/products_id/1289/pimped-out-bundles/festool-kapex-and-sawhelper-ultrafence-u55-set.html

This is the setup I have now, which actually works great except for the fact that it weighs over 100lbs.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002WRH48

Thanks jeanmarc, Rich, Bob, Kevin, John, Brad, Loren, Festool4, motthunter, Zuki, Chris, Ron, Tom, Tim, Austin, Fireball and Alistair. If I missed someone, I apologize.

I decided to go with the Hitachi C12LSH and here’s why.

I like the 5 year warranty. I don’t plan on wearing it out but knowing there’s a lengthy warranty eases the mind some. Dewalt has 3 year. Delta has a 2 year. Bosch has 1 year. Makita has 1 year. Festool, well I couldn’t afford them anyway…but theirs is a 3 year (1+2).

-I really didn’t care about weight since I don’t plan on moving it. I’ll set it up and there it will stay (I hope). Sounds naive and inexperienced but that’s the plan.

-I am in a high tech industry, so with a laser guide and digital readout, I see glitter that has potential. I already use a laser guide on my wet tile saw and find it very helpful. The hardest part (which wasn’t hard at all) was setting it up. Now, I check it before every job and I’m good to go. The digital readout could be very useful if it works as advertised.

-Up front controls and adjustments for easy access is another plus. Also, my available space is limited.

- Last but not least was the feel. I went to Lowes and Homedepot to play with the floor models. The Hitachi just felt good and comfortable.

I know there may be criticism about my choice but let me add that I am not knocking the other brands or models. It’s just this one has what “I think” I’ll need, it should last me a long time and is versatile enough to not leave me wanting… anytime too soon.

But remember what I said at the beginning of this post… I am a novice.
And that means I have lessons to learn and questions to ask.

Again; thanks to all of you for your input. You definitely aided in my choice.

-- Richard, Plant City

Thanks for posting your decision. a lot of people ask questions but never let anyone know what they did. It is nice to see that the help that was given got you to the point you could make an informed decision, even if I couldn’t contribute. lol