Compound miter saw vs Sliding cmpnd saw
Raysir
| Posted in Tools for Home Building on
In the process of a do it yourself remodel I am starting to think of the finish carpentry. Santa is willing to bring me a compound miter saw for Christmas. I think that I don’t need a slider for my upcoming job. But how about the future? Will I get enough extra use to be worth the considerable extra cost of the sliding saw? I keep a radial arm saw behind my table saw to make cross cuts. Thoughts?
Replies
If you already have a RAS for cross cuts, I see little need for a SCMS. Their main advantage over a CMS is the capacity to cross cut up to 12".
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"It is what we learn after we think we know it all, that counts."
John Wooden 1910-
I'd have to agree with Nikkiwood, unless you need to travel to jobs with it. Hauling around a radial is a pain. Though a 12" scms is pretty heavy as well. Everytime I pick mine up I wonder if a 10" wouldn't have been a better move.
SIL's got a 10" Hitachi SCMS, weighs quite a bit more than my 12" CMS.
Might be a consideration.
A slider is the way to go, if for only the one reason that you can "tick mark" the stock, pull the head out as far as you need to hit a good facing tooth, and saw away..that Tick mark can be anywhere along the width of the stock...inside, out side...
Skip the laser, it really isn't that great.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
I have irriatable Vowel syndrome.
I agree with Sphere on this one. I've had a 10" Makita slider (1013) for years. Recently bought a 10" non slider for when I just had to do a few cuts and didn't want to haul out the big saw on the stand. Didn't realize how much I used the slide feature of my old saw to get exact cut by lining up the tooth with the mark as Sphere describes.
I have learned to mark my stock a little different, and get by with the fixed saw - but more often than not - I go for the slider.
I have a tabletop 10" circular saw and view a chop saw (slider or not) as a convenience item - but very desirable all the same. For what I do I would personally go for the slider as I view it (perhaps incorrectly) as more versatile.
I notice that HD is offering a 12" no slider or a 10" slider for $150 (canadian). I know that you get what you pay for but what would be the differences? More importantly, how would you spot them? Intended use is sporadic - a diy-er. While price is not the first consideration (I would like to spend a bit more than buy one that is inaccurate &/or won't stand up over time.
Personally, the Hitachi 10" SCMS is the ticket. If you're here, posting on Breaktime, you're most likely going to appreciate good tools that you won't outgrow in a year. I'd go for the 10" slider. It saved my fingers last year, easing the edges of pergola posts and mitering plinth boards. I lost control of the cut on my table saw on both cuts mentioned above and almost chopped my digits off. I immediately ran off to Menards and picked up the Hitachi slider. Very versatile saw; smooth and precise.Carl
Whatever you choose, look into these three features:
soft start, electric brake (adds lots to safety if you're hurrying - which we should not), and a guard that quickly retracts (and just as quickly repositions itself) so you can see what's going on.
I like it when the turntable is made in such a way that I can hook a thumb onto it as I hold the work with the fingers. If the saw grabs the work and fires it into the throat, there's less chance of my hand following through.
edit: also look for a saw that allows you to lock-in fine adjustments, like zeroing in both your scales. When it reads 0, 45 or 90, that's what the cut should be. Well, actually, 0 is 90, and 90 is 0, if you stop and think about it.
Edited 12/3/2006 2:05 am ET by Pierre1
As a carpenter that trims fifty percent of the year, I would recommend the compound slide 12" DeWalt. If you need to produce short pieces at returns etc. the compound feels much safer. I won't use chop only for any cut that hand holding material has to be close to the blade. On the job site we usually set up both a 12" chop and a 12" compound slide. Bringing teeth of blade to the work is a big advantage of the compound slide.
Just a note, I am curious. Ya'll in your responses have not mentioned crown molding in regards to a particular saw. Is this not important? I know the OP originally was speaking about CMS and SCMS's. But many have been talking about 10" saws. I thought if you need to cut larger trim like crown a 12" would be required. Not to mention the tick marks on crown where you would cut are on the top and can't see where a SCMS would work. Maybe not.
I recently went through the same torture on buying a saw and ended up buying the Hitachi CMS with the laser. A hellava lot cheaper than the Slider. I do like the nip part on the wood with a slider but after operating a radial arm saw really didn't like the way it felt when I pulled on the saw. Seems like I wasn't in total control of the cut. Maybe a SCMS doesn't do this. But the price...... You can literally buy a nice table saw for what a SCMS would cost.
I am asking these question because someone at work is also trying to make these decisions before buying one or the other. Thanks.
Semper Fi, a rookie
I'm a finish carp and I swear by (not at) my 12" Bosch SCMS. I put it on the Rigid stand, so it is pretty portable and I have a cutting station whether I'm in the shop, out on someone's deck, or inside doing crown.
I also have a 10" Dewalt SCMS in the shop, but I use the Bosch 80% of the time. Most of the time I use the DeWalt is when the Bosch is set up for crown and I need to make a quick straight cut, I use the DW.
When my saw is set up where other carps can use it, they will and they like it.
I think your choice depends on the future work you envision.
Over the yrs. I have owned 1) The original Rockwell Power Mitre saw ( sweet when you had a flat table, finally had to bury it when I had had the armature turned to the point of no return. ) 2) Original Makita 10". (A pain in the rear , table kept getting clogged with dust and would not rotate)Got rid of it. 3) The Saw Buck ( cumbersome, difficult to keep aligned but great for some jobs)Donated to Habitat . 4) Makita 14" Mitre Saw ( A beast , table sticks, but handled deck work, siding like nobody's business)Still have it but never use it. 5) Dewalt 12" scms, (heavy, accurate, easy to line up to the cut, a pain if all you are cutting is small stuff with out the need for any thing but simple mitres, great for stairs, big trim, some shelving, crown etc. 6) Ridgid 10" cms, What I use for all my small trim, simple compound cuts on small stock , (Ok, bought it on sale to replace my old Rockwell)
I try not to bring anything bigger to bear than what I need, but if you see yourself getting into Crown , wide trim etc. go for the scms, You don't need the 12" except for the biggest trim details unless you are into doing stair work .
Think about what it is you are really going to be using this tool for.
Tool aquisition for me is a function of the current need + some looking forward. Heck, if I look (dream) to far out there I am gonna have a Tower Crane someday !
I went with a 12" compund miter thinking that the larger diameter would get me through most work except for a few occasions. Even as a DIY'er, if you are doing a lot of trim, I would say a compound slider is worth the extra $$. Reread the comment about cutting small bits with the slider versus chop. That is worth a lot of $ right there.
...that's not a mistake, it's rustic
the first time you have to walk out to the shop to cut large base or crown.....you'll wish you had the compound. that could just be me, but i am constantly trimming just a bit off for a really good fit on those coped joints.
btw, i justified my compound by making my wedding center pcs....conned the wife into a cordless passload to. whooo whoo! lol
good luck,