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Is a Sliding Chop Saw Worth It?

Thumbsmasher | Posted in Tools for Home Building on July 27, 2002 09:01am

I’m soon to begin a job as a payrolled employee, so now is the time to throw down for some new tools while I’m still independent and can write them off. I’ve made it this far without needing a sliding chop saw, but I’m wondering if I should go in for one. I do everything from framing to interior trim to occasional furniture making in my small shop. I’ve used slider saws enough to be totally familiar with their operation and I can think of many times one would have been helpful to have, but I always seem to get by with either the circular saw, 10″ fixed head chop saw, or crosscut sled on the table saw. I’m also familiar with the standard complaint that sliders are fickle, imprecise, and require frequent maintainance.

Then again, a lot of carpenters I know have one and use it almost daily.

If you care to respond, I’d really appreciate hearing about which operations you find a slider indespensible for, or, on the other hand, a prefered method that gets around needing to own this big ticket item.

If I do spring for one I’m pretty sure it will be the Makita LS 1013. Comments on this choice invited too.

Thanks for the help.

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Replies

  1. Mooney | Jul 27, 2002 03:02pm | #1

    I have a dewalt , but I think you have picked the other favorite . I have got along with out mine most of the time , but when Im in the shop building cabinets, shelves, anything that has repeat cuts , the saw has to hump it . So, it is a shop saw, and the 12 inch chop goes to the job and a skill saw . Really the slider is too heavy to be hauling it around every day , plus its huge . 

     Just my opinion ,

    Tim Mooney

  2. Piffin | Jul 27, 2002 03:32pm | #2

    You've picked the right saw and a good time to buy it but if I were just starting in as a "payrolled employee", ( I had to blink and re-read that one a few times while I was trying to figure out what a paroled employee was - picturing you living in a halfway house after doing hard time, LOL ) I would leave the saw in my shop at home. The abuse it can get from a crew of guys who have no intrest in the maintainence of the saw is the reason that some of them need frequent tuneups. As a true employee, your boss should be providing tools like this.

    Excellence is its own reward!
  3. FrankB89 | Jul 27, 2002 03:44pm | #3

    A great deal of building was accomplished before sliders came into being, but, to me, they're one of those tools that get a pretty steady workout on my jobs (framing and some finish) and I really appreciate having one.  (Actually, I have 2:  the LS-1013 and an 8 1/4" Hitachi that I've had for a number of years).  I could probably survive without one, but I could survive without electricity, too, but I wouldn't want to.

    I don't find them finicky, but they need to be kept clean and oiled and with sharp, good quality blades.  They are a little cumbersome, but they're usually set up as a seme-stationary tool on my jobsites, especially the Makita (a great saw, by the way).  I use the small saw on smaller scale jobs and at home because of it's easier portability.  And to be honest, an 8 1/4" saw can do about 90 % of what I employ a slider to do.

    In addition to work,  my small slider is a great honeydoo tool, because I usually have it set up at home and can quickly knock out those little finicky projects that get sprung on me on short notice.  I've learned that prompt response to honeydoo requests buys at least  as much good will at home as does timely attentiveness to customers.

     

    1. Mooney | Jul 27, 2002 06:59pm | #4

      You just brought up some good points. 

      Tim Mooney

       

  4. cheezdic | Jul 29, 2002 06:52pm | #5

    the sliders are indispensable for most facias, stairs , and wider plank sidings. they're also better for the more delicate work too, because you have more control over how the blade cuts.  Granted, you could make all these cuts with a skill saw but you could make all these cuts with a pocket knife too.  Bottom line is you can make these cuts in half the time with twice the accuracy and quality.  If you get one, do yerself a favor and get the Hitachi 10" it has soft start and constant responce circuitry, as well as dual bevel.  If you don't,  consider getting a 12" bosch.  12" compound saws will do just about everything else and then some.  I have both and though the slider gets used 90% of the time the 12" is the only saw for log work and crown.  I tried to get by with little to, but soon realized for my small buisiness that it wasn't what I could get by with, but what I could afford to buy that would make me more competitive with the big guys.

    1. DB3110 | Jul 29, 2002 09:22pm | #6

      I'VE OWNED A MAKITA SLIDE SINCE THEY FIRST CAME OUT [WHENEVER THAT WAS] IT STILL RUNS AND DOES A FINE JOB BUT IT COULD BE ON IT'S LAST LEGS SO A YEAR AGO I GOT THE DUEL SLIDER [MAKITA] 10". I ALSO GOT IT BECAUSE I LOVE SPENDING $ ON NEAT TOYS. ITS BETTER IN VERSITLITY AND MUCH QUIETER THAN THE EARLIER ONE.  I'VE BEEN DOING HIGH END TRIM AND STAIRS FOR CLOSE TO 30 YRS.  STILL REMEMBER STANLEY HAND MITER BOXS AND THE FIRST DELTA MITER SAW.  THEY SAWS, LIKE ANY OTHER TOOL NEED TO BE TAKEN CARE OF AND MAINTANED PROPERLY.  ALWAYS KEEP A GOOD, SHARP BLADE ON IT AND THINK BEFORE CUTTING AND YOU'LL PROBABLY BE ABLE TO COUNT TO TEN WITHOUT TAKING YOU'RE BOOTS OFF. 

      1. KenHill3 | Jul 29, 2002 11:13pm | #7

        Thanks for your post. Please remember to turn off the caps lock key, as using all capital letters is considered SHOUTING!

        Ken Hill

  5. dw40 | Jul 30, 2002 02:57am | #8

    I just broke down and bought the sliding 10" Hitachi for the job I'm doing now. I went in looking for less saw, but pretty soon it seemed like "Well for a hundred more...". Of course, the 10" Hitachi is ANOTHER "hundred more..." but where can you get a good saw for $100 bucks? That logic bothered me as I walked out of the store, but now that it's been up and running on the site for a week, I couldn't be happier.

    If you really are going to write it off, spend the extra cash. I now have the ability to do just about anything, saw-wise, I would want to do. There are better saws to do each individual part of woodworking; cabinetry, rough framing, furniture, what-have-you, but with one compound slider you can take a swing at most projects.

    And I second what was said about NEVER bringing a tool like that to a job where you are a payrolled employee, though you may have a special situation. Their profit, their tools.

    Don

  6. kcdarwin | Jul 30, 2002 05:17am | #9

    Get the Makita 1013, you'll never look back, but you might think about a different blade than the Makita that comes with it.

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