Reading all available info on miter saws

[tvrgeek]

My Ridgid is OK, but I would like to cut more than a 6 inch board. So looked at about everything I can find.
A 10 inch slider would be fine, but they seem to be OPB for the better ones. The old style rear rail Makita looked like a winner.

So, 12's.
Makita many issues with guide alignment and dished cuts. Maybe just setup, but too many.
Delta too many about it being sloppy
Ridgid too many on blade wobble. ( My fence was not perpendicular on my compound)
Bosch too many complaints about too much play
So it looks like about the only decent one out there is the yellow one. DWS780. Older one is on sale at HD, but no shadow or laser.

Is this the general consensus? ( No, Festool is out of the budget question) I have not been a fan of DeWalt tools, maybe this one will bring me around? Either that, or just keep the Ridgid and make a longer sled on the TS. Cheaper, and it will cut a strait line every time. I now regret "upgrading" from my old original Delta to the compound. It was a much more precise saw.

 

[mcoleman]

Hi - take a look at the Hercules over at Harbor Freight.

 

[tvrgeek]

Looking for a woodworkers tool, not a sloppy barely good enough for framing tool. I have looked at them. Worse than a Ryobi. A good buy if that is what you are looking for though.

 

[bob vaughan]

I've got a friend that has a high end cabinet shop and they seem to like the big yellow DeWalt sliders.
Naturally, there's always Festool.
Many of the older (pre 1980) Sears radial arm saws aren't too bad.

 

[Alan in Little Washington]

I can't say anything about the Festool Kapex or the Bosch- but both are reportedly the best and by far the most expensive. Frankly mitersaws are best for framing and general cutting rough lumber to rough length. If you want precision for fine woodworking/cabinet making- make a good sled for your tablesaw.

 

[Oka]

10" Bosch has less blade chatter (vibration) The Bosch 12" I have heard mixed things. The 10" I have only heard accolades only outdone by the Festool. So, for me, when I decide to move from my Dewalt, those will be the considerations.

 

[tvrgeek]

Festool: Twice the price, unique blade. More documented motor problems than a HF and Festool is well known for worse support than Delta. Actually one of the reasons I have not bought a SawStop. I wonder if their accolades are because someone spending that much money subconsciously can't admit it is not that good? I have looked at several Festools and not been impressed by any of them.

Bosch is one of the few 10 inchers left. Maybe if bought from someplace that allows returns. Maybe same thing with the Makita, if you get a good one or can adjust it. Going to go find the manual and see what it says.

Looks like Makita does still make one 10 inch with the old rear bars. Good comments on Skill features, but very bad comments on performance. Looks like Milwaukee makes one, but all you see is comments on their battery tools. Cordless sure has changed job-site. AH, coffee is ready.

 

[tvrgeek]

Nothing about rail alignment in the Makita manual.
I wonder if the comments about "dished cuts" is the same problem with compound miters being curved on my Ridgid? More blade than tool, but what has convinced me to go jig rather than compound miter. I may have to join some other forums to see what these folks are talking about.

Other than the "red" tools, it would be hard to believe Makita made an actual bad tool. Like many, may not be as they once were. The trigger on my old 1/2 drill gave out. There was a factory repair site in MD. Repaired it just fine, but only after I had to fight with the guy as he really wanted to buy my drill from me! I use my cordless most often, but darn, it will pick you up and rotate you around the work. Light weight enough for a 1/16, but drilled many a 1/2 inch hole through two railroad ties. It was one of the first with a belt clip. It's only match was the Hole Shooter and I never liked the long Milwaukie trigger. But what a work of art their armature was. I kept one in my desk to show our engineers and vendors how to make a motor.

 

[tvrgeek]

Actually, I take back one of my comments. After years of abuse, my Makita 4 inch angle grinder gave up. Loved it. Got their 4 1/2 in a kit when I needed a big hammer drill to bust up some ledge in my yard. HATE it. ( grinder, not the drill) It takes two hands to turn on. The slide switch just won't work with your thumb, epically when wearing gloves. Powerful, smooth, love the spindle lock, but frustrating! Tempted to sell it and buy half a dozen HF grinders, leaving a different wheel in each. One tool I wish I had cordless, but they are too big and clunky. I liked the 4 inch because it was more nimble. My other hobby is old cars and I am forever cutting someting in some very awkward place.

 

[Phil S]

I use a 8 1/4 Makita slide saw on job sites - great saw. I had a 12" milwaukee - too sloppy. Now I have a Kapex (was a gift) it is a great saw, extremely smooth and very precise. The laser is spot on and it is real nice to be able to come off 45 by a 1/4 degree when you need to with only a turn of a knob.

 

[Graywolf]

The Dewalt 780 is what I’ve used for years. When I say years I mean 15+ years. It’s a solid saw. I also see a lot of them on the job sites and shops I venture to. i install depending on their size and complexity anywhere from 40 to 60 kitchens a year. Working with prefinished materials like riser board, crown moldings, and furniture base with precision.

 

[tvrgeek]

I use a 8 1/4 Makita slide saw on job sites - great saw. I had a 12" milwaukee - too sloppy. Now I have a Kapex (was a gift) it is a great saw, extremely smooth and very precise. The laser is spot on and it is real nice to be able to come off 45 by a 1/4 degree when you need to with only a turn of a knob.

That is one great feature as when I was doing my bath crown, it was hell getting my Ridgid to set that half degree needed as no house corner is square. It would be nifty if they had a built in display for miter and bevel. Can't be too expensive as I have so many digital protractors and they are very accurate. A Vernier adjustment sure would be nifty.

I was looking at the little Makita. 12 inch cross-cut, so that is actually my minimal requirement. Smaller suggests less flex total. I can see for job site, lighter is more portable. As I had so much difficulty with compound cuts, I was switching to a jig to cut crown and base only as a miter, so I wonder if it has enough depth. Now, if it DOES cut compound accurately, then problem solved. I ma not worried about cutting a 4 x 10 on it. They must be on the way out as I see them on sale very cheap. Maybe I should jump. How is it when you need that half degree on tilt or miter?

 

[cyclopentadiene]

I have the Hitachi 12. “ sliding purchased many years ago and have been pleased with it. Electronic angle guides can be adjusted using a Wixey for accuracy and seem to hold the calibration. The only complaint is the travel is long and has to be a large distance from the wall.
I use a lot of 8/4 and have never had any issues with power. I think Metabo bought them so I am not sure if the quality is the same

 

[Phil S]

Yes The locks will hold the saw just barely out of detent. Plus if you are cutting crown it has detent for the 31.6 miter and the ??(cannot remember) bevel angle for cutting 38 spring angle crown with the back flat on the table - IMO the only way to cut crown

 

[Gofor]

I have the DeWalt 780. It is a very accurate saw, and i really have to push to get deflection on the slider. The hold down clamps are useless, and for dust collection, you need the additional adapter from DeWalt. That said, the dust collection isn't bad with a vac. The dust collector bag is as useless as the clamps. I bought both the first adapter, which will allow you to thread it onto a 1 1/4" hose, as well as the second adapter which steps it up to the 2" hose. In use, I saw little advantage in going to the 2" hose as far as dust collection efficiency, which is mainlt stopping the sawdust from going behind the saw. You may still need to keep a brush handy to sweep the sawdust away from in front of the fence (a necessity if using without the vac).

Operational wise, the accuracy and repeatability are very good IMHO. Now is the time DeWalt usually has good sales at Lowes, so you may want to keep a check on their prices. I was able to get mine for under $500 a couple years ago.

If you buy one, one quirk that I noticed: With the belt drive, the arm kicks up when you trigger the saw. This elicits an automatic reaction to push the saw down. If you start the saw with the blade just off the wood, odds are you are going to bounce it into the work. Takes some getting used to. I just got into the practice of raising the arm before triggering the saw, which is working for me.

CAUTION: Do not trigger the saw with the arm down when you first get the saw. There is a plastic piece in the bottom of the blade slot that contacts the blade teeth. If you start the saw with the blade down on the very first cut, it will grab the plastic piece and rip it up through insert, and can really damage the saw and blade. Have read a few posts on this happening to people. If you raise the arm, trigger the saw, and then lower it to cut through the first time, it cuts a groove and is no longer a problem.

 

[tvrgeek]

Hmm. Not soft start. A big hulking 12 incher should have soft start. Destroy the insert. Well, RTFI. ( as if any of us do)

HD is selling the older one with no light/laser for $350. Quite a deal.

I have the Hitachi 12. “ sliding purchased many years ago and have been pleased with it. Electronic angle guides can be adjusted using a Wixey for accuracy and seem to hold the calibration. The only complaint is the travel is long and has to be a large distance from the wall.
I use a lot of 8/4 and have never had any issues with power. I think Metabo bought them so I am not sure if the quality is the same

Hitachi bought Metabo and is using their good name. Some are still just rebranded, some look like they are trying to step up. I would not dismiss them, but have not gone for one either.

 

[tvrgeek]

Yes The locks will hold the saw just barely out of detent. Plus if you are cutting crown it has detent for the 31.6 miter and the ??(cannot remember) bevel angle for cutting 38 spring angle crown with the back flat on the table - IMO the only way to cut crown

Making me think. Not as much to risk as the big 12's. My crown horror is probably a combination of things. My skill ( mostly) and a thin kerf blade on not the best saw. Maybe sub conscious as I actually hate traditional colonial or Victorian crown. I am more of a Craftsman style. Alas, this house is all a mix of over-done colonial crown, base, and chair rails even though the basic architecture is mostly craftsman, but all messed up so it is called Nuvo-Eclectic. Translate to "incongruent and tasteless". I have thought, room by room just doing it "right" but that gets very expensive. It is enough I want to scrape the ugly popcorn ceilings. Naturally, the one room I did the finish work was very poor.

 

[Martin Roper]

I have the Hitachi 12" slider. One of the things I like about it is that it has the sliders on the side rather than out the back which means you can run it closer to a wall.

Festool does something similar with the Kapex, but that was out of my price range.

 

[tvrgeek]

I played with a Hitachi in the store. Seemed sloppy to me. They might have been the first on this design which is a real boon to space savings. Bosch and Delta have their arm versions and Makita has copied the side slides. I am sure DeWalt will join the fray if they see their market portion to slip.

I would rather a saw with a ZCI that was easier shape to replace. A pop in would be nice and even better if it was a standard material thickness. ( like 1/8 hardboard) One for 90 degree, and sacrificial ones for bevels.

 

[tvrgeek]

Richard, the 8 1/2 Makita has a light, but it is not a blade shadow indicator? So still rely on just using a tooth on the line? Nice thing on my Ridgid is the shadow line is good enough for "flip" cuts. Just using a tooth seems a bit iffy on bevel cuts. A limitation, or a skill problem? Table depth looks really short. Just solve that with outboard supports? My saw sits on a countertop and I have some 4 x 4 blocks for outfeed support. Works fine. I don't have any fancy rail system as I do not have the space.