dewalt miter saw work light any good?
kootenayboy
| Posted in Tools for Home Building on
Hi folks,
I’m wanting to buy a laser or the work light for my dewalt miter saw. Anyone have experience with them? I’m leaning towards the work light but haven’t found anyone who has used it and is suspect of how in might function when working outside.
Thanks in advance for your opinions.
Rob
Replies
Hmm, there was a thread a while back about this.
Try the almost useless "advanced search" option.
I bought one and returned it.
The shadow line projects towards the center of the blade. So, unless
you bring the blade down almost in contact with the wood it is slightly off.
Not good enough for what I have to do, but others like it lots.
I stuck with the laser. For me it is very useful, but requires too
much maintenance. Like once a week tweaking.
I've got the work light and love it. But outside, in direct sunlight, it's not going to help you much.
Got the work light. Like it. It illuminates the work area in addition to throwing a shadow on the cut.
As DP notes, out in the sun, not too bright. Inside it works fine. Loved it in this remodel on a dark and rainy day with minimal work lights, pointing elsewhere. I could see what I was doing at the saw. Can't do that with a laser. My last laser lasted about a day. Blade shadow, what's to adjust?
The ToolBear
"You can't save the Earth unless you are willing to make other people sacrifice." Dogbert
Yeah, you can't really blame Dewalt for not being able to see the light in bright sun. When you think about it, I can't see my truck's headlights in bright sun unless I'm staring straight at 'em.
Blade shadow is the way to go. Once you get a feel for where the blade is gonna fall in relation to the shadow, it's pretty darn accurate.
View Image
Edited 4/23/2009 9:06 pm ET by dieselpig
<<Once you get a feel for where the blade is gonna fall in relation to the cut, it's pretty darn accurate. >> You sound like a framer...
Can't imagine why.....View Image
Had the laser - great when adjusted, but easy to get ouot of wack and pain in the butt to re-adjust.The shadow line led light rocks! You have to bring the blade closer to the work to get a shadow - but that's not too bad and it's completely accurate, no matter the blade.I find that it's so accurate, you have to make sure you are looking at the tooth shadow instead of the rim when you're using real blades (IE, not the thin yellow rimmed ####)Great for a general mitersaw work light too. Before getting this, how many times have I set up my Makita fluorescent worklight when cutting into dark....Here's a pic showing how it looks - how could you not love this?JT
Alright, alright! I'll give it another go. The concept is excellent and if I never have to adjust that laser
again... well thank God!
In this society, the deep pocket is always at fault <g>.That said, I like the LED light on my DW slider.Could shade the saw. Wonder of one of those pram hood/dust collectors would do it. Don't have one. More a trim thing?My rolling hand truck/work top has fitting for the beach umbrella. My big hand truck with the 13" wheels, etc. has umbrella fittings. That got used last weekend. We were cooking on that project. My cutter bench does not. I should think on this.@@@I believe you and Tim Uhler mentioned in another thread that you liked the Makita framing saw. Been looking for a sale on it. Some day. Their 18v Lion saw has done excellent service so I am willing to try the big one. (I have three framing saws, but that won't stop me.)BTW - their 18v blower has become my most used tool. It goes out on all the jobs now. (Look, Ma! No compressor!)<http://www.shopping.com/xPO-Makita_Makita_18V_Cordless_Blower_Variable_Speed_UB181DZ>
The ToolBear
"You can't save the Earth unless you are willing to make other people sacrifice." Dogbert
I have the 14.4 blower - I love that tool!In fact, I just bought a combo kit so I could send in the free tool rebate for the LXT blower.Funny thing is, when I first bought my 14 volt blower, I initially bought it cause it said it was a "blower/vac" I figured it'd be good to have a small vac around. No good as a vac, but excellent as a blower. I'll never sweep a driveway again.Great for cutting sheet goods too - blowing off all the sawdust after each cut. and for blowing off the tablesaw and mitersaw after use.Re; the LED light - Lowes had em on clearance for $23 the other day.JT
Darn. I got two (figured at that price get a spare) of the lasers at $17 ea when they closed them out. I have not used mine enough to judge. Been doing most cutting on ts with the Rockler sled. Got so much #### piled up in shop don't have room to set up the 718.For those who have fought for it Freedom has a flavor the protected will never know.
Those that tried the vac dis it, but the blower is excellent. I was last seen blowing sand off a polyurethane deck coat job. I'll be blowing the crud out of my elec. boxes next.@@@ $23, and I paid full freight. Bah! Humbug!The ToolBear
"You can't save the Earth unless you are willing to make other people sacrifice." Dogbert
One more yes vote here.
Sure, you have to bring the blade down close to the work, but it's dead accurate, never requires adjustment, and a whole lot faster and easier than the eyeball.
Amateurs talk strategy, Generals talk logistics.