once again … slide compound miter saws
Did a quick search … finally figured out which size copper pipe to use …
so now for the next Q …
I’ll shortly be in the market for a compound slider …
thinking big.
price isn’t as important as getting the right saw …
Looking at the 12″ Dewalt … and the 12″ Makita.
Have used the Makita when it first came out … very nice.
Also have used the bosch … wasn’t as impressed.
This won’t replace my daily driver DeWalt 12″ CMS ….
so size/weight really not an issue either … unless the table is too small/light.
I want a big saw with big capacity … lotsa power … don’t care if it weighs a ton.
I have a set of stairs to wrap … that’s what I’ll buy it for … but also make a few built-ins a coupla times a year … several on this project too … so it’ll get used in some cab making too.
Other times it’ll cut big crown on the flat.
Who likes what?
I really gotta do a side by side of my current fav two to check the capacity comparisons …. I don’t see throwing a load of deck framing on it … so I’m sure anything out there with a new sharp blade will have plenty of power…
Jeff
Buck Construction Pittsburgh,PA
Artistry in Carpentry
Replies
If you're against the Bosch, then I gotta vote the Mak. They're pretty similar in size and capacity. The clamps are a little different, the Mak has a shorter fence, which really only matters for me on crown. The Mak uses direct drive rather than belt, if you have a preference. They also try to keep the majority of controls up front like the Bosch. I'm trying to remember - can't at the moment - there's still one on the Mak that's a reach around. But its a good saw. I've used the 10 and 12. Wouldn't be afraid of owning either. But IMERC made me a convert, so my loyalties are on Bosch. I love mine. To each their own. You'll love the capacity every time you do stairs, built ins, shelving . . .
"The child is grown / The dream is gone / And I have become / Comfortably numb " lyrics by Roger Waters
did you ever think of a DELTA? works for me. an excellent saw
seen comercials of RIGID but never tried one. looks pretty hefty
Jeff, check out the company that introduced the sliding compound miter saw, Hitachi.
Didn't Delta come out with it first? Only they marketed it as a Saw Buck ,Large turn table ,small saw ,cheapo motor. I have one and it works ok . Does not slide as well as the new saws . Comes with folding stand and wheels. a fairly large tablealso. With the weight of the new SCMS going up that would be somthing for them to rethink.
Don, you could be right about that. I remember using a Sawbuck a few times in the mid eighties, I guess I never considered it a miter saw more of a portable radial arm saw, haven't seen one in awhile. I distinctly remember when the Hitachi came out because one of the guys on the crew bought one and wouldn't let any of us get near it.
It only goes to 47* eather way . Has almost a 2' turntable . Rather crude but still does a nice job . I cut a couple of miters with it just the other day. I hope you guys fired your stingy crew mate.
Jeff, I have the Mak LS1211. The new model is the LS1212, I believe. Mine has a single (massive) tube for the slider, whereas the new saw has two tubes. I love my saw and have few gripes. As a previous poster said, I also don't care for the low fence, since I cut crown the old fashioned way, but I made a jig that bolts to the fence that solved that problem. I also think the ball detents for the preset angles are a little too soft; it takes a little more effort to hit them dead on, and I usually follow up with a square to ensure I have it right.
I just ordered a whole ream of new parts for the saw (including a new fence; the old one isn't straight anymore) so it should be good as new when it's all replaced.
FWIW, I've only owned Makita miter saws. Maybe I've limited my scope, but when you have a good thing, why change it?
The Mak 1211 was the one I used before ... I forgot about that big single boot cover till now.
I'm pretty much deWalt fan ... but not dedicated. Also should add that my dust collection system is a shop vac at the end of the day .... or now that I have the Fein Vac ... anything I can rig up between the vac and the tool .... then vac the rest at the end of the day .... dust chutes never work anyways ... so I mostly pretend they're not there.
One more thing ... friends don't let friends buy Ridgid!
I have used the Ridgid for one or two play cuts ... someone along the lines had one set up at a job site .... just remember not being impressed with that one either.
I'll have to find a store that carries both ... bring some scrap wood ... make some in-store dust.
JeffBuck Construction Pittsburgh,PA
Artistry in Carpentry
Jeff
I like the Hitachi also, the 10", I think they are making a 12" now, might be worth a looksee.
Doug
I've got the DeWalt 12" and have no complaints. Well, other than the dust collection on mine is a joke. Plenty of capacity, good power, firm detents and tall fences.
I used the BIL's Hitachi 10" a few times before I purchased and while it was very smooth and accurate once set, I couldn't abide the skimpy table and short fences on a lot of jobs and I wanted more capacity. Had to add an auxiliary fence for crowns. Detents are a little soft, too. But a nice accurate saw if it suits your purposes.
The first DeWalt I brought home had bearing problems. Shaft bearing pressed crooked producing .030 runout at the gullets. Took it back to the store along with a dial indicator and checked three others sitting in boxes on the shelf. Brought the best one home which has .001 runout at the gullets. That's good enough for me. Slid one piece of paper under one fence to true it and haven't touched a thing since. Nice saw, but heavier than most.
Jeff: I have two DeWalt 708's. They are nice saws. They swing 60 degrees to the right,,50 degrees to the left...bevel both ways to 48 degrees. They also have a dado stop so you can contol the depth for dadoing newels etc. However, you have to use consistent pressure to keep the cuts the same depth.
I have the DeWalt folding miter stand as well. Talk about handy. It is well thought out.
You probrably already know but Tool Crib has the 708 in recon form for $499.99.
yeah ... that's kinda swaying my thoughts!
First job will be some stairs ... thinking if it's good enough for Stan .....
JeffBuck Construction Pittsburgh,PA
Artistry in Carpentry
Jeff,
Ive got the Dewalt and like it for the most part, has great cutting capacities/ranges ( bevel and miter). Two things I can think of to look at/ be aware of. It is a little difficlut to read the bevel guage, test it out and see if you can live with it. It also seems that for a while Dewalt had a problem with its bearings ( think that this is what has given a # of people a bad taste of the saw).
The first saw that I got had what I think where bad bearings. It was noisy and vibrated a bit much. I would have thought that this was just the way the saw was, but I had used a friends saw a number of times and it was much smoother and quieter. Was a difference that many may not have noticed if they hadnt had any previous experience with a good saw.
M2akita
Jeff,
I went around the block on this one in July and bought the Makita (dual scms) 12". Still don't like the low fence, but I just didn't have room for the DeWalt in the truck. If size and weight were not an issue I think I would go with the Dewalt. Another negative about the Makita: The motor is mounted 45 degrees to the blade, and very close to the blade center, so when beveling to the right it often interferes with the stock if it projects to the right of the cut more than an inch or two. Can be very annoying. Other than that, it's quiet, strong and accurate.
Steve
Jeff,
Sounds like you're in the market for a 12" slider, but I can comment on the Makita 10" slider and assume the 12" is similar enough to make the comparison.
The LS1013 is a smooth operator. I've got a Freud 10" perma-shield sliding miter cross cut blade in it. Very sweet set-up. Don't think I could ask much more of it. It's mounted on the new Trac-Rac M3 professional workstation....love that thing as well.
The factor Mak blade was actually very acceptable and I still use it when cutting preprimed pine on the saw. Exterior trim usually gets away with slightly lesser tolerances than the stain grade stuff on my jobs, and I feel (although I may be wrong) that the primer does a number on the blades over time.
Only downfalls I can think of would be the previously mentioned low fence. However, the left side fence is plenty large enough to cut 3 5/8" crown against the fence and a right side sub-fence can be had from Makita for 54.95 (ouch, but worth it). Also, crown molding stoppers can be bought for another 30 or so bucks.
One other gripe I have is the scale. Although it is very clear, well marked, and smooth, it is located on top of the table. Sometime it's a nuisance when the stock is sitting on the table as you can't see the miter scale. I however usually set the appropriate angle, set down the stock, and fine tune with a knock from the palm of my hand on the knob.
The soft start is a treat, and the reasonable footprint of the saw (compared to Bosch saws and the 12"ers) sold me on it. The large standard equipment stock supports are nice and the dustbag also works well, capturing (a guess) up to 80% or so of the dust depending on the stock. Very easy to use and precise depth of cut stopper works exceptionally well for cross-grain dado's in a pinch. Dual-bevel is also a time-saver in tight work spaces. Table is also plenty big enough to support stock, I felt the Hitachi's table was undersized.
Sooooo many good SCMS out there now, you really can't go wrong.
jeff,
i have the LS1013 also. like it well enough to buy it in a twelve inch first of the year.
maybe a little shy on power when cutting 6/4 stock- needed a new blade for maple and ipe or lookout for deflection- don't get into much of that tho-