12" Sliding Compound Miter Saw Recommendations

[Von Der Pfalz]

I hear you all about Fastenal.....we spend 100's of K a year with them, and are lucky enough to have a very knowledgeable old timer rep.

I dug into info on the Bosch Axial Glide, I love it! Built much more robust than I originally thought. I am now torn between it and the Milwaukee. Some one posted about being a contradiction between not wanting the added moving parts of the Bosch, yet liking the micro adjust and digi read out of the Milwaukee....my thoughts are this: I can deal with a digital read out taking a **** on me, that doesn't effect the accuracy of the cut. I can't deal with the mechanics breaking down on me over time.

Some one else noted that the bearings can most likely be replaced on the Bosch, I am trying to find more detail of its pivot construction to determine whether they are one off bearings or a buy out part. (My guess is it's a buy out, but I have been surprised in the past, especially when it is a new, patented system) I am hoping to have a new saw in my possession my next week, I will definitely update everyone. Thanks again everyone for contributing thoughts. Maybe we ought to make this thread a general miter saw discussion.....

 

[warweapon762]

I have both a Makita and a Genesis model miter saw in my garage. I LOVE the Makita, but for the money, the Genesis is really good. Right now the Makita is used strictly for wood working, the Genesis cuts ferrous materials. Both work really well for their respective uses.

The Makita hasn't seen much use, but I have beat the hell out of the Genesis and have had it around much longer and it makes a damn fine chop saw.

 

[Von Der Pfalz]

Soooooooooooo I just got back from Lowes....... My trim job at the house is coming up quicker than expected. After doing a lot of research, I decided on the 12" Dewalt Dual Compound Miter Saw, NON SLIDER. Why?
- First reason was timing, Lowes or Fastenal couldn't get the Bosch in for 2 weeks plus
- Why not the slider? - I just wasn't comfortable with how much movement/deflection there was fully extended. The number of times I will be cutting anything wider than 10in are so far and few between, that I really ought to work my forearms out with my worm drive.
- Why Dewalt? - Well, I really did want the Bosch or Milwaukee, but Dewalt was more readily available, meaning if I must return it, I'll be coming home with a new saw more quickly. Seeing as Dewalt is just about the industry standard, and millions of feet of trim are cut with them a year, it should suffice for my DIY, weekend warrior projects.

I still want to get the Bosch, but will wait until I have a big project warranting the larger cut ability. (*Honey, can I start building my new shop yet???*)

Lowe's was having a sale on their collapsible miter saw stand, so I picked one up for the time being until I can build a nice cabinet, but the wife won't let that happen until I finish the trim.

Here they are. I will report back with the unboxing and first impressions soon!

 

[purplezr2]

Anyone have the new Milwaukee Compound Sliding Saw?

 

[rice rocket]

The Bosch is $599 at Home Depot, which is $200 less than what it was two months ago. Not sure if that pricing is here to stay, but it's the lowest it's ever been.

Not being a contractor, I'm sure why you'd want to buy more than one saw, but hey, not my money.

 

[Von Der Pfalz]

Rice Rocket - it's the exact same reason why I have 3 trucks, multiple rifles of the same caliper, and probably 40 different pliers.....they all do pretty much the same thing as the next, but you may find they excel for certain things, certain types of cuts, etc.

My thoughts with the saws is this: Once I have my permanent shop set up, I can have 2 or 3 saws on the same bench, and have each set up for a different cut, so that I can do assy line type work when making cabinets, etc. Same reason why I have 2 table saws.

It's a sickness really, my wife has suggested I see a Dr.....so I went....turns out he was a hobby machinest, we talked for a couple of hours.....it was the best Dr. appt I had ever had....I couldn't wait to get home and back in the shop!

This is actually one of the first NEW saws I have ever bought. Most all of my tools have been barn finds, given or willed to me. I try to remain an opportunist. I looked on CL for miter saws, but so many are hammered, and for a few hundred bucks, I'd rather buy new. Table saws and such can easily be repaired and tuned up....A miter saw that has been dropped at a job site, not so much.

 

[hangfirew8]

The deWalt dw708 was much heavier then its replacements, and it showed in the rigidity. deWalt lightened the next version specifically for the portability and kind of forgot how much the crown molding guys love accuracy. I guess they figured their target market was framers? Now the DWS780 is just another compound slide miter saw.

 

[gilbo]

I'm a stair and railing builder and use one everyday. After a long line of Dewalt's, I switched to the Bosch Glide. Great saw and very accurate.

Bosch DB Glide. Onsale at HD last I checked for $599, use 20% HF or 10% Lowes.

Bosch GCM12SD

I have had a Dewalt DW708 since 2002. I have read that more recent models went downhill since then, but I do not have any firsthand experience - the DW708 performed flawlessly for me.

With that being said, the one thing I did not like about this design, is the way the sliding bars protrude out the back of the saw (the saw can not be used up against the wall)

I couldn't resist buying the 12" Bosch Glide from Lowes for $500 (10% movers coupon) when it was on sale for Christmas and I am very happy with it

I *believe* the Bosch comes with a 30 day guarantee if you do not like they way it performs, you can return it (label on the box)

I have a number of Festools, but I do not drink the Kool-Aid and I would definitely not buy the Kapex

another vote for

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GCM12SD

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[Aussie damo]

I had a de 708. Was very happy with it then they changed design. Not happy but the weight was important to me.
I now have Bosch glide. So impressed great for working in small places hallways as no rails to get in way. Prob the most accurate saw I have used. But be warned it does have a bit of weight behind it. So it's not as portable as I would like but it's an awesome saw.
I have been a carpenter for 25 years.

 

[Swan]

Dewalt --- with a Diablo or Freud blade will be your best friend for life.

^ yup. I had the older style Dewalt double bevel sliding compound miter saw with Freud blades and it was awesome.

 

[All]

another vote for 12" Dual-Bevel Glide Miter Saw GCM12SD

I had a de 708. Was very happy with it (until) they changed design. Not happy (with newer DeWalt models) but the weight was important to me.
I now have Bosch glide. So impressed great for working in small places hallways as no rails to get in way. Prob the most accurate saw I have used. But be warned it does have a bit of weight behind it. So it's not as portable as I would like but it's an awesome saw.
I have been a carpenter for 25 years.

I'm a stair and railing builder and use one everyday. After a long line of Dewalt's, I switched to the Bosch Glide. Great saw and very accurate.

Yet another vote for the Bosch GCM12SD (or if in the UK, Europe, Australia, or New Zealand, the similar GCM12GDL) Glide Saw.

Home Depot no longer carries these saws in their stores in the USA. They apparently needed the shelf space to display the new battery operated saws from Milwaukee (owned by Chinese company TTI, which is owned partly by Home Depot). Just like the Bosch measuring/laser tools got booted out of Home Depot last year, it looks like the Bosch glide saws got booted too.

It's too bad really, because this will likely significantly effect the sales of what is likely to be the smoothest operating sliding saw ever invented. Without the saw being on display, no one will have the opportunity to feel the action of the saw, which makes all others, including the popular DeWalts, pale by comparison.

Makita suffers the same fate. No one gets to feel or see Makita's two part quad rail system, because the big orange and blue box stores don't display or sell it. So the lessor tools that do get displayed continue to sell more, because that is what people can see and try. Meanwhile, sales suffer for the better made tools because they never get displayed, which leads to them being discontinued because of slow sales.

The end result leaves us swimming in a sea of mediocrity.

If you can still find a Bosch GCM12SD at any Home Depot, try and buy it. Mine was marked down to just $389 brand new in a factory sealed box. You bet I nabbed it on the spot. Last one left in that store too. I paired it with a matching Bosch T4B Gravity Rise stand.

 

[JoJoSnap]

Im waiting for bosch to go battery like dewalt and milwaukee


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[All]

As far as battery, it remains to be seen whether a battery operated 12" saw has sufficient ampacity at low enough cost (not needed several $200 batteries that take at least an hour each to recharge) to drive 12" blades that have enough plate thickness to not deflect so as to provide reasonably true compound angle cuts.

The thicker the blade, the more power it takes to drive it, since more material is being masticated during the cut. Thinner kerf blades consume less electrical power, but we are talking 12" here, not 10", not 8.x", and certainly not the 5.5-7.25" blades where battery operated saws have finally achieved functional parity with their corded equivalents.

If a battery operated SCMS saw continues to work only due to it's ability to be corded, like a Flexvolt, then what is the point? Might as well get the best functioning, most accurate saw available if having to resort to the power cord anyway mid way through the job.

This is somewhat speculative, as it hasn't even been a year since the new crop of battery SCMS saws have been on the market, and not even a few months since the 12" was introduced. It remains to be seen how these will work out for folks in real life. But from what I've been researching on blades, from Forrest, Freud Industrial, CMT, and the like... saw motor power is definitely a consideration in blade selection.

 

[Crazyjake8493]

My buddy just got the Hitachi and seems to really like it. I have an older Makita, only 10", but excellent quality. If they have a 12" I'd recommend it.

If I was starting over I'd get the Bosch just because it would take up less space against the wall in my garage. If you're looking to use it outside most of the time, probably wouldn't justify the extra cost.

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

I bought the 12" Milwaukee. Great saw! Moved up from a Delta 10" Compound Mitre. I still like the Delta and kept it. Nice and light, could cut 2x6s by flipping the board up with thumb at the end of the cut. Bought the Milwaukee for the slider originally for cutting wide commercial cork flooring. Purchased the breakdown Milwaukee stand with the saw at a demo day at HD. Good saw for the money, only thing it weighs in (see site below) at 65 pounds. Even though the stand has wheels it can be a little ungainly. Maybe they all are!!
Was going to trade it for labour to a buddy for doing some carpentry for me. My garage space was a little tight and would have repurchased another when needed. With taxes at the time of the potential barter it was selling for $990 taxes in and stand included. I said to my buddy $750 worth of labour it was a deal. But before we did The deal he happened to be in HD and walked out with one for $500 taxes in and stand included. Bet you never guess what he did, yes he took them up on it and I can't say I blamed him.
I kept the saw and in the process of building a new garage it will come in very handy!
https://www.milwaukeetool.com/power-tools/corded/6955-20

 

[ryan20021982]

Makita is what I bought and it's fantastic

 

[skruft]

I have an older Makita 12" which has been fine except that the handle is vertical, so clumsy to hold, and dust is thrown back and hard to collect. It is old enough that the current ones are probably different.

 

[chrisexv6]

I have a Bosch 12" slider, the model before they came out with the Gliding one. Its always served me well.

Im itching to possibly upgrade to the glider, though....just to save the space behind the saw. Not quite sure the $$$ is worth it, though.

 

[stg454]

I really like my DEWALT. My friend bought the Bosch with the glider feature it is really nic as well.

 

[Rarified27]

I have two DeWalt's: The 713, 10" non-sliding and a 779, 12" sliding (the 779 is the 780 without the XPS light and $200 cheaper).

After a lot of back and forth on 10/12, sliding or not, I bought the 12" slider first, then grabbed the 10". The 10" is used constantly and has cut everything from pvc to wood to my aluminum subway tile backsplash.

The 12" is rarely used, but holy hell when you need it, it's a miracle worker. I don't worry about the weight since it's not moved a lot and when it is, the rails aren't an issue because I can move the stand wherever I need to in the garage or outside. Most folks with rear rail issues are the ones who want the saw to have a permanent home (clearly there are enough for the manufacturers to have noticed).

Regardless of what you buy, everyone above talking about spending good money on good blades is right- it's a must, even on a cheap saw.