# Miter Saw decision time... compare and contrast



## interpim (Dec 6, 2008)

Hello folks… it's been quite some time since I have been on LJ, but I not long ago returned from about 10 months deployment to the Persian Gulf, then when I returned bought a new house, and have been trying to get it settled in.
Now that I have finally got some time to start doing things around the house, I still need to finish setting up my shop. I have been putting off buying a Miter saw for many years now, and have gotten by using my tablesaw for crosscuts, but I can appreciate the convenience of having a miter saw.
After some budget looks, I have a couple saws in mind. Right now it's a dilemma on which one will work best for me and fulfill my needs.

So, I am a big fan of Ridgid tools, so the two saws are both Ridgid.
First I am considering the sliding 10" MS255SR for $399
and the non-sliding 12" R4120 for $299

As far as uses would go, I have a decking project coming up in the spring, and then any typical household repairs or shop upgrades… 
What are the added benefits of having the sliding 10" vs the 12" and do you guys think it is worth another $100?

Thanks for the feedback!


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## Fish22 (Nov 16, 2009)

A couple of months ago I was in the same position as you. I looked at the Ridgid, Dewalt and Hitachi 12" sliders. I ended up going with the Hitachi. I changed the blade immediately and I really like it. The capacity was 2nd best, but the tipping point was that it has a slide that can be locked so it can be set up extremely close to a wall and slides forward on the rails. It also has a laser, and was almost dead on accurate out of the box. They are on sale at lowes for $399.


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## cabmaker (Sep 16, 2010)

My hat is off to you for your service my friend!

My personal take on your proposal on expected use,brand of saw would be the 12 inch non-slider.
JB


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## interpim (Dec 6, 2008)

Thanks for the feedback guys… I also considered the Hitachi Fish, but after reading some very discouraging reviews on their customer support I decided against them.


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## patcollins (Jul 22, 2010)

How often do you see yourself crosscutting boards wider than 8 inches?

Sliders are more difficult to keep in alignment for perfect 90 degree cuts, more moving parts mean more little inaccuracies to add up.

If it is for things like decks and home improvement it really doesnt matter but if you want precision for fine woodworking I would go for a nonslider every time.

Now there are a lot more choices in 10 inch blades than 12 inch ones….


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## interpim (Dec 6, 2008)

I very rarely cut anything wider than 8". But, having used a tablesaw for all of my crosscuts over the years, I maybe haven't really paid attention to how often. Most stuff I cut is usually around 4" wide or smaller, and I am fairly certain we are going to go with 2×6's for our deck this spring.

As far as blades go, I was planning to get a fairly good quality crosscut blade for my finer stuff, and use the factory blade… which I believe is Freud, for rougher stuff such as the deck.


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## Bobsboxes (Feb 8, 2011)

I have the 12" non-slider, I really like it. The sliders take up a lot of room, depth wise. I use my crosscut sled for anything wider. I have had several of each, I did not have any luck with the sliders in the long run. Congrats on new house, and thank you for your service.


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## moonie (Jun 18, 2010)

Will interpim this is what I use but it not pretty or yellow but it gets the job done. I have throwen everything at it from 10" oak boards down to 3/4" oak and cabinet graed plywood and it was only $ 200 for a 12" skil.


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## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

1st, Thank You for your service. 2ndly, Welcome back. IMO, you can never have anything too big.


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## Tennessee (Jul 8, 2011)

From a retired USN guy, thank you for your service.
I tend to agree with the bigger is better. I also find that in the long run, I don't use my miter saw that much, so I went with the 12" Harbor Freight. Cuts great once set up with a nice Diablo blade, and is only $129.
I think $399 is just a little too much for a large miter saw, IMHO, considering the actual usage amount.


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## bigblockyeti (Sep 9, 2013)

I'd go with the fixed 12". Though I'm not a big fan of a relatively small universal motor trying to spin a 12" blade, it would be a better option, especially if you're planning on moving it around and doing outdoor projects. If I were to get a slider, it would stay in my shop at a dedicated cutting station.


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## shawnmasterson (Jan 24, 2013)

Thank you for your service. I am a finish carpenter so accuracy,mobility, and repeatable cuts are most important to me. my first saw was a C-man 12" non-slide belt drive. I loved it and it lasted over 10 years. About 6 years ago I picked up a dewalt 12" slider. It was good, but heavy and awkward to move around so it stayed in the shop. I just recently bought a dw716 for $250 NIB off of CL. It will cut a 2×10 @ 90* and 6 1/2" vertically. It really is one of the best saws I have seen. as for 10" vs 12". in my eyes a 10" is just to limited. I install a lot of crown and base trim these days is getting taller. The ability to cut 6.5" standing up saves tons of time not having to compound cut, just stand it up and cut it.


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## firefighterontheside (Apr 26, 2013)

I use a 12" Dewalt single bevel non slider and it's about 15 years old and still cuts as well as it did 15 years ago. I have a friend with the comparable ridgid and he's been happy. The sliders are huge and not as accurate. With that said, when my dad was looking for a new saw he was looking at the 12" Dewalt slider and I convinced him to get the 10". He has been happy with that. Since you have the ability to use a crosscut sled, I would get the 12". It's great for cutting 2 by 6 laying flat. I do all of my miter cuts with the miter saw. I find it as accurate as I need and safer than the table saw for that purpose.


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## Gene01 (Jan 5, 2009)

First, *Thank You for your service.*
My SCMS is a 10" Triton. With the type of stuff I do, 10" is adequate. But, I can see Shawn's point, too. Just consider the type of work you anticipate doing and remember the extra costs of the blades and sharpening.
As to which brand, my only experience has been with the Triton, a couple craftsmans and a Hitachi. Of the 3 brands, I found the Hitachi to be the best right out of the box. I'd eventually change out the stock blade but it was a good one for the decking we were doing. Nice clean cuts and the angle detents were right on.
Both the Hitachi and my Triton will cut 11 1/2" wide. More, if you tip the work up. 
Good luck in your search and future endeavors.


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## interpim (Dec 6, 2008)

well… here is another wrinkle… my local store has the DW715 on sale for $179… this is also a 12" non-slider… does anyone know the difference between the Dewalt 12" for $179 and the Ridgid 12" for $299?


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## HarveyM (Nov 11, 2012)

I bought a 12 inch non-slider pre addition (660 sq foot family room & master beadroom/ensuite with 14' walls) and it was used for everything, from framing 10" & 12" (not recommended, but they did it, much to my surprise) to decks and trim. My impression is the non-sliders are more accurate, and cheaper. The downside is the R4120 didn't get good reviews ( last place http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXlB-2Jk4xA). I would go for the Dewalt Dw716, Milwaukee 6950-20, Makita LS1221, or Hitachi C12FDH instead.


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## firefighterontheside (Apr 26, 2013)

I'm a die hard de Walt fan, but I've been seeing their prices going way down. I bought that 715 for the fire department last year for 220 and thought was really low. Now it's 179! I'm really worried that their quality is going way down.


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## HarveyM (Nov 11, 2012)

The Dewalt 715 only bevels in one direction- not both.


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## interpim (Dec 6, 2008)

Isn't the ridgid only a single bevel saw as well?


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## HarveyM (Nov 11, 2012)

You're right, the ridgid looks to be single bevel, too.


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## Gene01 (Jan 5, 2009)

Another plus for a 10" vs 12"....less deflection with the 10".


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## shawnmasterson (Jan 24, 2013)

Something to watch for with the 715 and other saws of the same design, the motor gets in the way when you miter to the right. So if you try to cut a 4×4 with a miter to the right the motor will hit about 1/2 way through the cut. the same will happen if you are cutting tall trim standing up. That was why I went with the belt drive. whether it was the C-man or the dewalt it had to have the motor out of the way.


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## reedwood (Jan 27, 2011)

When these saws first came out, you couldn't get dual bevel for quite a while.

In fact, my first miter box was a Stanley with a 30" back saw. I was 14, Got pretty good at it. Then we upgraded to a 1972 wooden decked 10" HSS blade, no bevel Rockwell. Then we got the 10" Makita with a metal deck that moved! no more sacrificial decks …..and carbide blades! still no bevel.

When the 12" single bevel Dewalt came out, it was the tool to have back then. I've installed miles of crown and trim with that saw. Point is we all made do without dual bevels and sliders and never complained. Just flip the board around.

Ridged is Ok …..BIG, but Ok. I'd take another look at that Dewalt. They're on sale at HD.


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## TheGermanJoiner (Dec 1, 2013)

Don't buy the hitachi. Had one and burned up the motor. FYI you can't get a replacement motor so it just went to the curb. 500 down the drain. I have a 12" dewalt slider that works great but if I had to do it all over again id buy bosch. A buddy of mine had the extra dewalt in a storage locker and gave it to me for using him a new cmt blade. 60 bucks for a 12" slider is a good deal don't you think


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## MT_Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

"Don't buy the hitachi. Had one and burned up the motor. FYI you can't get a replacement motor so it just went to the curb. 500 down the drain. "

Dang, I hate to hear that because I have one. Do you use it professionally or hobby related projects?
I kinda do both. Just make a lot of stuff. So far, my Hitachi has worked great and cut everything I throw at it.

Some folks don't like the 12 inch saws because they are heavy and cumbersome. Mine is bolted to the stand so it isn't going anywhere. The miter saw station I built for it has worked out bettert than I could have ever asked it to.
Read about it here.


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## TheGermanJoiner (Dec 1, 2013)

Hey Mike. The hitachi was my shop saw. It was actually a 10" slider and yea I was using it fairly often. When I burned it up I was cutting trough some very hardwood can't remember whatnot was but, it was repetitive cuts and quite a few of them. When I first blew the motor I thought for sure I just fried the brushes so I ordered new ones off of tool parts.com I believe it was. Put them in and started burning right through the new brushes as well. I must say I used a few expletives that I won't repeat here. So I started looking for a motor replacement. To my dismay I couldn't find one anywhere so I shelved the saw for about a year. A few weeks ago when reorganizing the wood shop I bit the bullet and actually brought it to the curb  I will say that when the saw worked it was a great saw. I bought it brand new with my unisaw. I was just hoping for a little more longevity then 3 years :-/ I hope my experience won't be yours. But hey if you ask enough people someone has a bad experience with all the top brands.


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## wbrisett (Dec 21, 2011)

I've had a 10-inch Sliding mitre saw for many years and in that time I can't think of a single project that I haven't been able to do on it.


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## shawnmasterson (Jan 24, 2013)

Wbrisett try to cut a 6" crown nested. cutting trim flat is very costly in time.


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## njphotoman (Nov 16, 2015)

Having only recently found that a miter saw would be a great tool to own, I went in search of as much information as possible regarding brands, styles and capabilities. Thankful I came across your thread, and joined last night so I could also comment my immediate thoughts…

THANK YOU for providing the Freedom, Democracy and Choices too many people take for granted. Though I never served my country, I have the highest respect for those who do, and as my contribution to them, I've helped out Heroes on the Water, documenting a few of their local events with my photography. HOWNJ is just one of many chapters that takes wounded warriors out for a day of kayak fishing therapy, providing boats, gear and guides..along with lunch and giveaways…

As for the saw you were deciding on, what did you ultimately buy? I'm now leaning towards the Ridgid 12' Non Slider, as the overall size and weight are more manageable for my needs and expectations. I know I'll be able to read many more reviews here, but your inquiry was the first I came across on this site, and I simply wanted to add a THANK YOU for your service to our great Nation..


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## interpim (Dec 6, 2008)

I actually ended up buying a 12 inch non-slider made by Dewalt. When I went to make the purchase they had it on sale, and I ended up saving a load of cash.


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## HappyManny (Sep 9, 2015)

I had this same thought a couple months ago when I was planning my shop. In the end, I decided to go with a 10" slider because it could share blades with my table saw. Being on a fairly budget, this really sold it for me. Also I don't anticipate ever needing to cut anything thicker than 8/4 stock, but I do occasionally need to cut boards that may be wider than 8" wide and it helps to not have to rip them down on the table saw first.


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