Compound Slider...or Not....

[ddawg16]

Decisions, decisions....

I have an old Sears radial arm saw...still works....but the vert adjustment cranks is stripped.....

My Ryobi Compound miter saw works fine...but can't cut any boards over 6" wide.

When I built the cabinets in my garage, I was pretty happy with my dual saw setup. Common rip fence....I could cut a 16" board any where I wanted. But given the issues with the Craftsman....I'm kinda thinking I should maybe reconfigure my bench. Pull out the radial arm saw...make a 'pocket' for a compound slider like I have for my Ryobi and just use one saw.

Getting rid of the Craftsman is not an issue for me....I figure $50 on CL and someone will be glad for it.

The Ryobi? Tempted to keep it just so I have a portable saw. But then again, I have a skill saw and a small cordless 5 1/4" saw.

Alright....I'll be honest....I'm thinking out loud and already know what I'm going to do....

So which slider to I go for? That won't bust the bank.

 

[speed bump]

If I didn't get the Bosch glide for a song I would get the Metabo zero clearance. Reason being it's a good saw and it takes up way less room that a normal sliding miter saw. If you don't care about the space I would also look at a used Makita or DeWalt.

 

[Dumber than lumber]

I never much cared for the RAS. And I had two of them.
You can find them for cheap on Craigslist most days.
Wore out the vertical crank. That saw has seen some use.

 

[Rarified27]

The Bosch or Delta Cruzer with the arms are nice.

I'd prefer a 10" slider over the 12" DeWalt 779 i use now. My 713 handles almost everything.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

 

[MoonRise]

Bosch glide with the funky linkages or the top two Dewalt 12 inch sliders.

Look up reviews on all of them.

The top Dewalt has the LED shadow line system. Uses the shadow of the blade itself to show where the cut line will be. Supposed to be pretty good.

Next one down is the same saw without the shadow line system, about $100 cheaper IIRC.

At last Black Friday, big box stores and some retailers had a bundle with the 2nd Dewalt and a portable stand included 'free'. I was tempted. But really didn't 'need' it.

Figure out what cuts you need to make and what tool (s) give you the capability to do so.

Remember that a 'good' 100 tooth fine finish carbide blade is ~$100.

Your call.

 

[ddawg16]

Bosch glide with the funky linkages or the top two Dewalt 12 inch sliders.

Look up reviews on all of them.

The top Dewalt has the LED shadow line system. Uses the shadow of the blade itself to show where the cut line will be. Supposed to be pretty good.

Next one down is the same saw without the shadow line system, about $100 cheaper IIRC.

At last Black Friday, big box stores and some retailers had a bundle with the 2nd Dewalt and a portable stand included 'free'. I was tempted. But really didn't 'need' it.

Figure out what cuts you need to make and what tool (s) give you the capability to do so.

Remember that a 'good' 100 tooth fine finish carbide blade is ~$100.

Your call.

I looked at some reviews....in one of them, the Rigid got top honors. Problem with reviews...they don't use the saws for years....and all to often, they are 'paid'.

Yea....I know about blades....my 'finest' one is 80 tooth. But the blade makes the difference....I learned the hard way.

I buy Dewalt or Diablo blades on sale....at $25 each....not worth getting them sharpened....but my other fine tooth blades....yeah, they go out for sharpening. In reality, the place I use does a great job and the blade will actually be better than new. The 80 tooth cost me about $30 to get sharpened

 

[tarbellb]

Definitely pay attention to the total saw footprint! That Ridgid takes up something like 28" front to back through full stroke.

There are some space savers, the hidden gem is the Hitachi (now HPT?) C10FSHCT. Also the new Makita LS1019.

Both feature a hanging beam like system that keeps everything in front. Bosch (overly complicated) and Festool (overly expensive) have been doing it for years successfully.


10" is more than enough for most homeowners.

 

[ddawg16]

Definitely pay attention to the total saw footprint! That Ridgid takes up something like 28" front to back through full stroke.

There are some space savers, the hidden gem is the Hitachi (now HPT?) C10FSHCT. Also the new Makita LS1019.

Both feature a hanging beam like system that keeps everything in front. Bosch (overly complicated) and Festool (overly expensive) have been doing it for years successfully.


10" is more than enough for most homeowners.

I've got the space. In my existing setup, I've got about 36" from the wall to the front.

My table saw is 10"....so I see no reason to use a different size blade.

 

[kngelv]

The biggest thing in favor of the Dewalt is a more accurate fence than any other similar sized saw.

James

 

[larry_g]

I've got the space. In my existing setup, I've got about 36" from the wall to the front.

My table saw is 10"....so I see no reason to use a different size blade.

Some how I have the impression that table saws and RAS have a different rake to the blade to prevent the RAS from self feeding. Something to check out.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

I agree with the 10” blade size. I have a 10” CM table saw and then bought a 10” Delta compound mitre. I inherited my Grandfather’s 10” 110/220v B&D commercial RAS.

The RAS is out at the lake and not as accessible and the Delta CM just couldn’t do a 2x6 straight cut without flipping it up at the end of a cut.

So I went out and bought a 12” Milwaukee slider and table and some extra blades. well so much for following the 10” rule.

Home Depot just happened to be having a sale and the rep was present and I got a new Milwaukee T-shirt. well this is GJ.

I’ve had the saw probably close to 10 years and it is fantastic.

As my BIL used to say. The guy with the most tools when he dies. WINS

 

[ddawg16]

I agree with the 10” blade size. I have a 10” CM table saw and then bought a 10” Delta compound mitre. I inherited my Grandfather’s 10” 110/220v B&D commercial RAS.

The RAS is out at the lake and not as accessible and the Delta CM just couldn’t do a 2x6 straight cut without flipping it up at the end of a cut.

So I went out and bought a 12” Milwaukee slider and table and some extra blades. well so much for following the 10” rule.

Home Depot just happened to be having a sale and the rep was present and I got a new Milwaukee T-shirt. well this is GJ.

I’ve had the saw probably close to 10 years and it is fantastic.

As my BIL used to say. The guy with the most tools when he dies. WINS

No....the winner is the one who the tools are willed to.

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

No....the winner is the one who the tools are willed to.

You got me there

 

[zkling]

Another option is to go and get a real radial arm saw.

12" Fixed if you want rigidity
10" slider if you have to have the cross cut cap.

 

[ddawg16]

You got me there

Yeah.....my boys will make out like bandits....but they will have to fight over the Blackhawk kit....

 

[ddawg16]

The only thing I would add is make sure that the sliding miter saw you get has both left and right tilt. Otherwise, it is very challenging to cut some trims, particularly crown molding.

I've had a Makita for about 25 years, it's been an excellent saw. Had a single tilt Makita before I got the double tilt. Had a Delta before that. I'd skip the introductory first two if I had to do it again, and just go to the double tilt one.

Good input.....thanks

 

[JOE.G]

I have the Hitachi HITNC12LSH This saw has been great, I purchased it back in 2014 an dit has not missed a beat, It does everything I need it to do, I did a search and I am not sure if they are still available, I see one that is close with out the Digital screen which I don't really need but it does come in handy for certain jobs.

I would go with a 12 In but I also build a lot with barn boards that are 10 to 12 Inches and 6x6 and larger items.

 

[shoot summ]

I have the Bosch, I've been pleased with it, but didn't like the initial price.

I like that I don't have the extra space consumed by the rails, the axial glide is smooth.

As mentioned though, there is a little play is all of the sliders. I do a fair amount of trim work and it isn't an issue for me.

Sounds like the RAS does a lot of what you want, why not fix it? No slider will be able to match the versatility of it.

 

[seber]

I traded my RAS for a sliding radial 15 years ago. I just did a quick search on Marketplace and found two with digital readout for $75. There is a reason they are cheap. The one I use a Hitachi and it has been great but that model is long gone. If your RAS is older you may be in line for the Craftsman refund.

 

[lardy1]

Retired from the carpentry trade around '07. At that time the DeWalt 12" slider was head and shoulders above the competition. Unfortunately, they're heavy as hell. I never could justify the expense and bought a Craftsman slider. It's a total ************* and embarrasses me as the dumbest tool purchase I ever made.

 

[619DioFan]

I went with the Ryobi 10 inch sliding saw. all my power tools are ryobi. had it for about two years now and very happy with it. just a serious DIYer . price was right at HD.

 

[GirchyGirchy]

The top Dewalt has the LED shadow line system. Uses the shadow of the blade itself to show where the cut line will be. Supposed to be pretty good.

It's fantastic. They made a kit to retrofit older saws, and I picked one up for my 12" fixed. Great kit, used the saw's pre-run wiring harness, just have to remove some trim pieces and replace them with the switch and light. Worth the money IMO.

 

[nh_yota]

Been there done that and went with a 10" sliding miter saw.

 

[Honest Bob]

That radial arm saw might be under the recall and you could make $100 by sending the motor back (prepaid box/label).

http://www.radialarmsawrecall.com/

 

[MoonRise]

An 80 tooth fine-cut blade is a 10" blade.

The 'equivalent' blade in a 12" is a 96-100 tooth version.

https://diablotools.com/products/D12100X

The 12" slide saws give you just a bit more cut size capability than the 10" ones.

Like being able to 45 deg miter a 4x8. Crosscut a 2x14 (2x16 if you reset the fence to the "back fence" position) at 90 deg. Vertical crown molding cut up to 7.5 inches. Flat cut crown up to 13.75".

https://hybrisimages.toolcommerce.com/documents/English/Instruction Manual/N693246, DWS780.pdf

https://www.dewalt.com/products/pow...ouble-bevel-sliding-compound-miter-saw/dws780

The one without the shadow line cut is the DWS779.

https://www.dewalt.com/products/pow...doublebevel-sliding-compound-miter-saw/dws779

Yes, you can go and buy a 'kit' to replace the handle and switch of the 779 to turn it into a 780-version (the LED is in the handle). But unless you somehow had a 779 already (or really-really got a deal on one) IIRC it will cost you more to buy the 779 plus the LED/handle kit than to just buy the 780 in the first place.

Buy one, cry once.

The Dewalt 10" slide compound miter saw is the DW717. Decent saw, just not quite as much cut size capability as the 12" versions (779 or 780).

https://www.dewalt.com/products/pow...-doublebevel-sliding-compound-miter-saw/dw717

https://hybrisimages.toolcommerce.com/documents/English/Instruction Manual/N107210,DW717.pdf

The 10" saw can not cut a 4x at 90 deg, the 12" ones can.

A review of the 780, by Stuart from ToolGuyd:

https://makezine.com/2012/04/24/tool-review-dewalt-dws780-sliding-miter-saw/

I fully understand wanting to stay with all 10" blades, but the 12" compound slide double-bevel saws just give you that little bit more cut capability that they really are worth it IMHO.

All the 10" blades can then just be for the tablesaw.

re: RAS Yes they are 'supposed' to use a negative rake blade to reduce the self-feed blade action.

note: with the slide miter saws, you pull the blade fully OUT , lower the blade DOWN, and then PUSH into the workpiece when making the cut. Again, because of that self-feed blade tooth rake geometry.

For 'small' pieces, you can lock the slide (on the Dewalts at least) and use it like a non-slide 'chop' and just pivot the blade down through the workpiece to make the cut.

 

[ddawg16]

That radial arm saw might be under the recall and you could make $100 by sending the motor back (prepaid box/label).

http://www.radialarmsawrecall.com/

They sent me the upgraded guard a few years ago....I'll give it a try

 

[Legion Prime]

https://www.dewalt.com/products/pow...ouble-bevel-sliding-compound-miter-saw/dws780

The one without the shadow line cut is the DWS779.

https://www.dewalt.com/products/pow...doublebevel-sliding-compound-miter-saw/dws779

Yes, you can go and buy a 'kit' to replace the handle and switch of the 779 to turn it into a 780-version (the LED is in the handle). But unless you somehow had a 779 already (or really-really got a deal on one) IIRC it will cost you more to buy the 779 plus the LED/handle kit than to just buy the 780 in the first place.

Buy one, cry once.

I'm seeing the 779s for about $350 while the 780 looks to be going for $600. I also found the parts to upgrade the handle to the Shadow Light handle for about $70.
https://www.mmtoolparts.com/store/miter-saw-upgrade-kit-dewalt
That said is there much difference between Metabo's Zero Rear Clearance Slide System on the C10FSHCT and the Compact Slide System on their C12RSH2S? They obviously LOOK different but is it just cosmetic because it looks like the same basic system set up differently?

 

[Rarified27]

Some of the DeWalt saws are set up for the XPS lights to be added, which IIRC are marked Type 1.

I have a 779 I added a $12 magnetic LED sewing light to and get a good shadow line on it.

Here's the link if anyone's interested.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008RA1XGK/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[engineer2]

I've owned both and find a non-slider to be more accurate for things like furniture.
For construction, you can't beat a slider for the increased capacity.
Push the handle side-to-side to see how much slop there is.

Whatever saw you do get, check to see if you can cut a piece of 4-1/4 baseboard trim standing up. It's a popular size and some can and some can't.

 

[electroman187]

12" fixed Dewalt DW716 is the standard for trim carpenters. I got the XPS version for crown molding projects around the house. FYI, you do not need dual bevel or even single bevel for crown. I did a 3 piece crown using the "nested" position and not once did I use bevel. Way easier, no weird angles or math and no compound cuts.

If it's a do-it-all saw, get the 10" or 12" slider. If you already have a table saw, track saw and whatnot, get the 12" fixed (single bevel is most likely fine but dual offers more flexibility).

 

[Hytekrednek]

Another option is to go and get a real radial arm saw.

12" Fixed if you want rigidity
10" slider if you have to have the cross cut cap.

I agree, but they are not cheap for the very good ones. All depends on what you need it for though.

 

[alexb2000]

I have a Hitachi fixed 10", Dewalt 716 12" fixed, and 12" Bosch glide.

I use the Hitachi mainly for flooring, super light, portable, worth the $60 I gave for it.

The Dewalt is on a rolling stand, setup for trim work. Also a great saw, but on rough carpentry the fixed 12" is a serious limitation.

The Bosch glide is my go to. I have it on a gravity rise stand. If I could have only one, this would be it, no question. The ability to keep it against a wall shouldn't be underestimated.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I got the 12" Dewalt slider DWS 779 for Christmas and it was bought during Black Friday. I have a thread on it elsewhere here.


I haven't used it much and I'm running out of shop space. However, the bundle I bought included a free folding table that folds down like a 2 wheel dolley. If you can wait, Black Friday will be here before you know it.

 

[JOE.G]

The one draw back of mine is the weight, But I was using it yesterday to cut 6x6, The saw does it all from big stuff to the smallest stuff and can do any angle or cut you could want.

 

[MushCreek]

I bought a 12" Ridgid slider about 10 years ago to build my house. They had them marked down from $600 to $350. It has been a rock-solid beast. It's big and heavy, though. I found a used Ridgid stand for $80, and it makes moving it and setting it up a breeze. Right now, I'm doing pretty nice trim work with an 80 tooth blade. My one complaint is lousy parts support. You can no longer get a kerf plate for it. Mine got destroyed when a piece of cedar blew up. I had to make one. I can still get them for my 25 y/o POS Ryobi, though.

 

[ddawg16]

My intent is to remove the RAS and make a 'slot' for the slider to sit in.

If you look at the pic, it will look something like the pocket for my existing compound miter.

My existing table top and rip fence are slightly out of square.....so it's time to rebuild that section anyway.....

Just need to pick a saw......

 

[tarbellb]

I've got the space. In my existing setup, I've got about 36" from the wall to the front.....

Just found this older article, but it ref some footprint dims for sliders.

most these saws require 30"+ from front of bench to wall and

footprint of 43 1/2" for the Ridgid

https://www.popularwoodworking.com/projects/tool-test-12-in-sliding-compound-miter-saws/

 

[CKS1955]

I have an older Hitachi C10FSH and it has served me well.

https://woodwork.reviews/hitachi-c10fshps-for-sale/

Jay

 

[shoot summ]

Just found this older article, but it ref some footprint dims for sliders.

most these saws require 30"+ from front of bench to wall and

footprint of 43 1/2" for the Ridgid

https://www.popularwoodworking.com/projects/tool-test-12-in-sliding-compound-miter-saws/

That was one of the reasons I chose the Bosch, no rails sticking out the back.

 

[jonshonda]

By the looks of it your miter saw will be stationary and you have a table setup for it. Measure the Dewalt DW779/780 to make sure you have the required depth to make it work. Looking at your table setup it looks like you will need to move it out away from the wall close to 12" if not more to fit the slider from Dewalt.

Measure the Bosch to see how much less depth it will take up, as it can be put up tight against the wall. If its going to be stationary, weight is of zero concern and I would go as far as to say if you want any equipment to be as accurate and repeatable as possible, NEVER move it.

All of the posts I have seen take their personal needs into account, but totally disregard the pics the OP posted. Apples and oranges comparisons imho.