Please Recommend a Good Miter Saw

[kngelv]

I'm an electrician by trade, and very experienced with anything mechanical. Other than a few basics I'm very inexperienced with wood, and have decided it's time to learn. I finally decided to build my own workbenches, and am looking at getting a miter saw. The wife has a bunch of remodeling plans for the house so I'm thinking a saw will be good for all of these projects. Looking for recommendations on a decent saw. No HF or cheap stuff, and no Festool prices either. Looking to spend $400.00-$700.00. BTW is anything still made in the USA. Do I need a double-bevel and a sliding saw? Thanks.

James

 

[mobiledynamics]

Hi James :

I would lean on a Dewalt DW780.
I've had many.......

I've got the Festool.
If I had to choose a 2nd beater, the DW780 would be it.

Your experience may vary.....I had the Milwauke 12". Great saw as well. Not as accurate as the Festool, beast of a saw....

 

[mobiledynamics]

BTW, if you can wait till Fathers Day, Lowes/Homers generally will have a special and include the stand support for it, which is another $180'ish in value.

 

[cheechi]

Do I need a double-bevel and a sliding saw?

No. Might you need one later? Maybe.

I have and would recommend the green monster: Hitachi C12RSH Would a single bevel be fine for building your workbench? yes. You might only need the cutting capacity of a 10" non slider. Heck you might get away with a 7-1/4" one if it's just 2x4's. If you aren't sure, I would spend the extra to get a 10 or 12" slider. The Ridgid one claims the biggest capacity and from looking at the display model, it's pretty sturdy. I haven't seen one cut.

The 780 is a good saw. The 718 is also a good saw, though I would get the 780 over it. Heck even the 715 non slider is good too. Not to say that you can't go wrong with one, but nearly every miter saw I've used was a Dewalt before I got my own.

When I bought my first one, it was a 10" Skil on sale for like $80 and i tell you it was the best $80 saw ever. Stayed square, cut straight, everything you could want. Eventually I sold it because I needed (wanted) a 12" slider and selling it made room. A contractor friend has the Kobalt slider and that is surprisingly good also. Point is you don't have to go high end to get a good miter saw. No matter what you buy, the blade that comes with it will be good for cutting scrap, invest in some good blades.

Also, are you planning to get a table saw in the future? do you have one now? Maybe you should be looking at 10" saws and buy blades that will go on the table and miter both?

Keep in mind that double bevels don't have that stop at 90* so you might have to check it for square every once in a while. Not a big deal, but you're also more likely to have to check it if you carry your saw from one job to another.

 

[scab]

I have the 12" Hitachi (non sliding) and it has been awesome. I highly recommend that brand. If you're planning to spend $400-700, I doubt you'll find a ****** one. Best advice I can give you is to skip the 10" and get the 12". I have both and the bigger the better.

 

[shocksandstrutz]

ive had a bunch, from the cheap 10 HF slider to a 10 skil to a 12 porter cable.....now i have a 12 ridgid silder and i love it, i would buy it all over again, i am an avid DIY'er and i do a lot of hardoow installs for friends and family, around 5-600 sq ft a month...this thing rocks them out. my BIL has the 12 dewalt slider and its just about the same....except the surface work space is smaller. you can catch either one on sale at HD for about 500 smackaroons all the time with the free stand

 

[mobiledynamics]

Bigger is not necessarily better.
Less deflection in a 10" blade

I loved my old skool 10" Makita. Still remember the model - LS1013.

 

[Cryptic1911]

We picked up a Dewalt DWS780 and the 16ft stand in a deal, and it's been awesome. Zero complaints.

 

[5lima30]

I'm in the market myself. I keep waiting for my 16+ yr old Delta compound to die. The bearings have recently started making noise. I have just about decided on the 12" Hitachi although I don't think you would go wrong with a Makita or DeWalt. Personally I like the ergonomics of the Hitachi better than the others coupled with the 5 year warranty.

 

[toolman82]

I usually would suggest a Dewalt, but a friend of mine just got the Milwaukee. VERY NICE!

Huge amount of power/torque
Great hardware
And the main reason, is it allows for 1/10 degree adjustment! This is super helpful for molding and especially crown molding!

HD just had it on sale. Usually $650, he got it for $475 or something.

Highly recommended!

 

[jaysonb]

I have a 12" ridgid, very nice saw.

 

[johonmirae]

Not a big deal, but you're also more likely to have to check it if you carry your saw from one job to another.

 

[flippin]

Like many of the others on here, I have owned my share of saws as well. I currently have a 10" Delta compound chop, 12" Dewalt sliding compound and a 10" Makita sliding compound with laser sights. All of them have served me well and I suspect that any of the big brands will work perfectly for what you will be doing. Ultimately it will come down to who has the best sale at the time of purchase. I will say that the two most important things that you must do is;

(1) Set up the saw properly. Purchase a good quality 2" and 4" engineers square (they aren't expensive) and adjust the fence, turntable and blade alignment. I am sure there are youtube videos on how to do this. If you have taken the time to set up your saw properly you should be able put a stop on your fence, cut a piece of wood part way, flip it over and finish the cut without a trace of difference.

(2) Invest in a good quality blade for the application at hand. Make sure you consider this as part of the purchase and what the manufacturer is including.

Good luck, and if you have some budget left buy portable thickness planer. Building benches and cabinets for the shop can be done with construction grade materials and they will look like professional furniture once your done. I have built all of my wood benches using spruce 2x4's laminated to make 4x4's and they look amzing and are much stronger as well. The thickness planer will more than pay for itself just in wood costs.

Good luck

-Paul

 

[dgreen1069]

I have a 12" Dewalt that has served me very well. If I was going to buy one today I would seriously consider the 12" sliding Rigid at Home Depot.

 

[RKA]

I've had a 10" Makita slider and a 12" Dewalt 780. Love the sliders on the Makita, very smooth and they require less rear clearance compared to a traditional 2 rail system (important if you're going to put this near a wall). Nice saw, but I needed larger cut capacity for tall baseboard and found a deal on the 780. I love the LED arrangement over the blade instead of laser on the 780. It's visible in broad daylight and never needs adjusting since it's just casting a shadow of the blade. The smaller slides on the Dewalt are a little grabby, but it does the job.

One thing with the Makita, they actually include a very good carbide tipped blade that can be used for finish work. The dewalt did not...I purchased a good blade to go with it.

One con with the 12" Milwaukee is weight. You will need to move this thing around from time to time, even if you have it mounted on a rolling stand (getting up and down stairs). The dewalt is fairly light in the realm of 12er's.

At the top end of your budget is the Bosch axial glide thingy. Very little rear clearance needed and the reviews are great! I haven't used it though.

Your budget leaves room for most of the top end SCMS out there except Festool. Look at the features and decide what's important to you and choose based on that. Whatever you get, use a good blade and set it up properly and it should serve you well. In that price range, I don't think there is something there that is not worthy of your attention, so lots of good choices!

 

[toolman82]

One con with the 12" Milwaukee is weight. You will need to move this thing around from time to time, even if you have it mounted on a rolling stand (getting up and down stairs).

Very true, it is a heavy SOB!

 

[WHT]

One con with the 12" Milwaukee is weight. You will need to move this thing around from time to time, even if you have it mounted on a rolling stand (getting up and down stairs). The dewalt is fairly light in the realm of 12er's.

I have the big Milwaukee and it is a great saw. And, as you say it is very heavy duty. That is why I also have a lighter DeWalt when I need to move my saw to be closer to work.

 

[woody 73]

I use the Makita miter saw and I could not be more pleased, that saw is right in your price range, it is very well made and mine is still going trouble free for the last 10 years.

 

[ddawg16]

I would go for a slider.....you can then get by with the 10" blade...more common and cheaper to 'own' over the long run. The only advantage of a 12" is that it lets you cut 6" thick stock....but a 10" slider will let you cut 12" boards.....

I have a Ryobi 10" compound miter.....great saw....but, it's not a slider....

Basically, a slider will double as a radial arm saw....

BTW....blades....don't go cheap on blades.....when doing molding you want a good 60 tooth carbide blade.....spending $50 or more on a blade no longer bothers me....and the good ones can be sharpened to new condition....I found a place that does it for about $20/each....

 

[CTyankee]

I'll always believe the early Hitachi C10FS compound slider was the best one ever made.

But in terms of buying new I'd go with Dewalt DW717. Unless your someone who does lots of large crown molding the 12 inch is overkill in most cases. Add in the weight difference and it's a no brainer.

Even if I didn't need a sliding compound, I'd get one over the non-sliding. Just the ability to line up the blade with a pencil mark anywhere along the board is worth the extra money. Just my personal opinion, but I've never found lasers on any of these tools to be anything more than a gimmick.

 

[RKA]

I would go for a slider.....you can then get by with the 10" blade...more common and cheaper to 'own' over the long run. The only advantage of a 12" is that it lets you cut 6" thick stock....but a 10" slider will let you cut 12" boards.....

Well, that's not entirely true. Typyically with a 12" you can cut a 4x4 in one pass rather than flipping and finishing the cut with a 10". If you really wanted to cut something taller, you can probably get close to 5" before you have clearance issues with the arbor bolt/washer. Where the 12" comes in really handy is cutting tall base molding vertical against the fence. My 12" can do 6.5" or so, where the 10" was limited to 4.75". I could cut it flat, but the miter gauge allows me to get within 0.25 degrees or so, where the bevel gauge is nowhere near that level of accuracy if I'm cutting on the flat. I can also use festool's angle transfer device to set up the miter (which beats measuring wall angles by a mile). Also, the 12" blades allows for more clearance when cutting larger crown molding against the fence. You run out of vertical clearance fast when you tilt that saw blade. That extra 1" radius on the blade can become invaluable for trim and moldings. So that's something to consider if you're on the fence between a 12" and 10".

 

[Trey T]

I recommend the Dewalt DW717, 10" sliding double bevel, and LED light cut guide attachment.

I used regular Dewalt 12" before and I don't see real advantage of having the extra 2". I believe the 10" will hold a better value than the 12".

My DW717 can cut 4x4 lumber with one pass. Saw blades for 12" generally will cost a lot more.

 

[djjsr]

Just an FYI, my 10" non-slider will cut 5 1/2" max and my 10" slider will cut 12" max.

I have 3 miter saws but if I had to do it over again I'd buy just 2. The best 12" slider I could afford and a small 7" non-slider for trim work.

 

[RKA]

My DW717 can cut 4x4 lumber with one pass. Saw blades for 12" generally will cost a lot more.

That's a huge bonus for the dewalt 717 in the realm of 10" saws! They have done a really nice job designing it to maximize clearances and cut capacities over and above most other 10" saws. And they put a nice sized bevel gauge on it so you don't need a magnifying glass to see where you're at! It still doesn't have the same clearance as a 12" will get you, but it comes as close as you can expect.

 

[jim2664258]

My old Bosch 10" would also cut a 4x4 - just barely, but it would. If you are thinking of going with a DeWalt make sure you check out the Bosch saws as well to see which you prefer.

I would never give up having a sliding miter saw vs. a fixed chop saw. Left and right tilt is nice if you are going to do any crown molding.

 

[kngelv]

Thanks for all the responses so far. I guess I'm leaning toward DeWalt or Bosch. Have not seen a Bosch in person yet. Will try to find a place locally that has them.

James

 

[ddawg16]

Well, that's not entirely true. Typyically with a 12" you can cut a 4x4 in one pass rather than flipping and finishing the cut with a 10". If you really wanted to cut something taller, you can probably get close to 5" before you have clearance issues with the arbor bolt/washer. Where the 12" comes in really handy is cutting tall base molding vertical against the fence. My 12" can do 6.5" or so, where the 10" was limited to 4.75". I could cut it flat, but the miter gauge allows me to get within 0.25 degrees or so, where the bevel gauge is nowhere near that level of accuracy if I'm cutting on the flat. I can also use festool's angle transfer device to set up the miter (which beats measuring wall angles by a mile). Also, the 12" blades allows for more clearance when cutting larger crown molding against the fence. You run out of vertical clearance fast when you tilt that saw blade. That extra 1" radius on the blade can become invaluable for trim and moldings. So that's something to consider if you're on the fence between a 12" and 10".

I can cut 4x4's all day long with my 10".....including slight angles.....I only get into a problem when the angle is more than 22.5 deg.....and that's only if I'm tilting the head. If I rotate the table I can do a 45 deg cut.

 

[cheechi]

Thanks for all the responses so far. I guess I'm leaning toward DeWalt or Bosch. Have not seen a Bosch in person yet. Will try to find a place locally that has them.

James

That Bosch with the double hinge is so amazing. You pay for it, but it is by far the best. Let someone argue, they can be wrong if they want. Thing is just really great.

 

[jim2664258]

That Bosch with the double hinge is so amazing. You pay for it, but it is by far the best. Let someone argue, they can be wrong if they want. Thing is just really great.

No doubt on that. I whenever I see that saw in Lowe's. You do owe it to yourself to try it at the store, it is the smoothest thing ever. Too bad it costs $800. If it's a tool you make your living off, no problem. Otherwise, yikes!

Bosch makes sliders that are hundreds less than that, which would be a more apples-to-apples comparison with the DeWalt.

 

[BFBOB]

I have a Ridgid (Home Depot) 12" sliding bevel miter saw. Works wonderfully, allows me to do shop-quality work in the field, miters up to 60 degrees, not the usual 45. If you're going to transport it, the MSUV is nearly miraculous. I think not made any more (Miter Saw Utility Vehicle), but there are other similar devices. Transports like a two-wheeler hand truck, sets up into a workbench.
I got mine on sale for $500 just before they started adding the laser pointer, and the MSUV on sale for $100. A steal!

 

[Trey T]

The LED light, DWS7085, to guide cutting is awesome. You can easily train any teenager to make perfect and fast cuts every time. Brought it out to my church last year and had high school girls made 2x4 cuts for me. you can see the cutting line (shadow) during sunny day!!!!

I recommend the Dewalt DW717, 10" sliding double bevel, and LED light cut guide attachment.

I used regular Dewalt 12" before and I don't see real advantage of having the extra 2". I believe the 10" will hold a better value than the 12".

My DW717 can cut 4x4 lumber with one pass. Saw blades for 12" generally will cost a lot more.

 

[shoturtle]

If you are in the 700 range, I would look at the bosch with the swing arm.
http://www.cpotools.com/bosch-gcm12...default,pd.html?start=1&cgid=bosch-miter-saws

For a standard slide the bosch in 12 inch
http://www.cpotools.com/bosch-5312-...default,pd.html?start=3&cgid=bosch-miter-saws

and 10" bosch
http://www.cpotools.com/bosch-5312-...default,pd.html?start=3&cgid=bosch-miter-saws

 

[shoturtle]

No doubt on that. I whenever I see that saw in Lowe's. You do owe it to yourself to try it at the store, it is the smoothest thing ever. Too bad it costs $800. If it's a tool you make your living off, no problem. Otherwise, yikes!

Bosch makes sliders that are hundreds less than that, which would be a more apples-to-apples comparison with the DeWalt.

That is lowes prices. If the budget is 700, it is only 30 bucks over that. But it is a fantastic miter saw.

 

[shoturtle]

Thanks for all the responses so far. I guess I'm leaning toward DeWalt or Bosch. Have not seen a Bosch in person yet. Will try to find a place locally that has them.

James

Lowes has the bosch with the swing arm. If you use it, you will not want anything less.

 

[mobiledynamics]

Who knew there was so many woodies in here.

What's a good place/forum to post some blades I have forsale - aside from Ebay. Have a couple of Tenrys Blades I just took pics of the other day.

 

[Conductor562]

I have a Makita LS1221 12" (non-sliding):

It's a great saw and it retails for around $300. I scored it at a pawn shop for $125 in very good condition.

If I were buying a new one today and I had the $650 budget, I'd opt for the Milwaukee 6955:

If I were on a budget I'd be looking at the 10" Ridgid slider for $399:

Ridgid really is a great saw for the money.

 

[tomsmith]

I have the Milwaukee 6955-20HP http://www.homedepot.ca/product/milwaukee-12-in-dual-bevel-sliding-mitre-saw-free-stand-with-purchase/906228
and I have been very impressed with it. It has a great digital mitre gauge built in which I use all the time. I bought a angle finder from Lee Valley tools and the angles on the saw match up perfectly with the finder, down to 0.1 degrees.

It doesn't have a laser but it does have two rows of very bright LEDs that shine down on the piece so you can see exactly where the blade is cutting - much better than a laser IMO. It's is crazy powerful .. I've cut through very hard 4x4's very easily .. my no-name 10" mitre saw struggled through the same piece of wood.

The only thing I don't like is that it's a heavy beast. It's not easy to lug around but I have it on the ridgid folding mitre saw stand which makes life so much easier. The stand it comes with is rubbish .. very hard to collapse/expand and move around.

 

[RKA]

I can cut 4x4's all day long with my 10".....including slight angles.....I only get into a problem when the angle is more than 22.5 deg.....and that's only if I'm tilting the head. If I rotate the table I can do a 45 deg cut.

I meant cutting 6" stock on a 12" blade. The arbor and washer will interfere. But good to know about the 4x4.

 

[cheechi]

Where are you guys seeing Milwaukee & Makita ones on sale, or are you just ordering them?

 

[Conductor562]

I guess if your local HD honors the HF 20% coupons you could end up getting the $650 Milwaukee for $520 or the $399 Ridgid for $320. I've heard a lot of HD's take them, but I've never tried them at mine.