Looking to buy a miter saw

[Flatland Dave]

Not a finish carpenter or really a carpenter. Just a hack that needs a miter saw. Plug in ability to cut 2 x 12. Will be used more for cutting to length and simple trim more than anything. Only thing available locally is dewalt, but can order any on line. Recommendations?

 

[The Cobbler]

I like my dewalt miter saws

 

[nadogail]

My Harbor Freight 12” has not disappointed me yet. Sometimes I have to flip the board over to finish the cut from the other direction.

 

[Snapped-off]

Bosch.

 

[sparky 1971]

I really like my 112" sliding Metabo/Hitachi.

Metabo HPT® 12" Dual-Bevel 15-Amp Corded Sliding Compound Miter Saw with Laser

This dual-bevel sliding compound miter saw is a top-of-the-line 12-inch miter saw that is ideal for carpenters, framers, and woodworkers who demand precision and reliability. It is equipped with a compact slide system that requires zero clearance. The fixed rail system allows the saw head to...

www.menards.com

 

[The Cobbler]

112" wow !

I really like my 112" sliding Metabo/Hitachi.

 

[Jgaz]

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[pelletman]

I love the DeWalt 12" sliding compound mitre saw

 

[sparky 1971]

112" wow !

Yeah, I bought it so I could cut those 9' sheets of plywood. Oops. That happens more often than not when I use the tablet without my glasses on.

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

Milwaukee 12” slider i just love it. I also have an old 10” Delta Compound miter I leave at the lake that will do 6” material with a bit of a flip. I had a 10” RAS 110/220volt B&D Commercial but my daughter now is the proud owner.

 

[theoldwizard1]

If you want cut 2x12 you'll need at least a 10" slider. If you want do compound cuts on large stock, you'll need a 12"

 

[Wamsutta]

That 2 x 12 requirement just upped the price quite a bit.

 

[milky2k]

I don't need a new miter saw, but when my Kobalt 10" saw dies, I will probably get the HF Bauer Miter saw. Supposedly its based on the same thing as the Jet miter saw. That's pretty good to me.

10 in. Dual-Bevel Sliding Compound Miter Saw

Amazing deals on this 10In Dual-Bevel Sliding Miter Saw at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

https://jettools.com/woodworking/saws/miter-saws/10-sliding-dual-bevel-compound-miter-saw

 

[u2slow]

I have a $200 10" sider from Canadian Tire. Its 12 years old already. I imagine its a similar grade as the HF and Kobalt.

 

[mike93lx]

I like my 12" Hitachi slider a lot. It's a C12RSH2. The larger size has come in handy a few times, but I likely wouldn't buy it again. A lighter, more compact saw would be more useful for me.

That said, framing lumber almost always gets cut with a circular saw and a speed square. Less handling and more than accurate enough. The miter saw is pretty much only used for trim work

 

[u2slow]

I cut nearly all my framing lumber with the miter saw...

 

[MushCreek]

I like my Ridgid 12" slider, bought on sale about 12 years ago. At 65 lbs., a mobile stand is a must. I also have the Ridgid stand, and it's great because the 12" wheels roll easily on a construction site. I can set it up or break it down in about 30 seconds- handy.

 

[AEAdam]

Not a finish carpenter or really a carpenter. Just a hack that needs a miter saw. Plug in ability to cut 2 x 12. Will be used more for cutting to length and simple trim more than anything. Only thing available locally is dewalt, but can order any on line. Recommendations?

Cutting 2x12s on a miter saw isn’t so easy.

1) you need either a slider or a big blade. You probably know that.

2)The other problem is supporting a 2x12, aligning it to the fence, assuming it may be long. Many 2x12s aren’t super straight. An 18v circular saw and a speed square may be better and just as accurate.

For smaller ”simple” trim as you say, a smaller cheaper saw might suffice. Consider 2 solutions for what you mentioned.

That said, when I was a young homeowner, with a couple small home projects, I bought a really nice Bosch slider. Really glad I did. Still using that thing 25yrs later. Bosch makes good saws.

 

[Dakotadadv8]

May need to upgrade as well current 12 inch Dewalt bought 20 years ago from Home Depot for $250, still going strong. May go with Dewalt again.

 

[lardy1]

I bought a Craftsman a few years ago that looks remarkably like that Bauer. The one I bought is absolute junk. I put it on a shelf and bought a non sliding DeWalt. Among the worst tool purchases I ever made (and I already knew Craftsman electric tools were questionable. My own fault.)

 

[mike93lx]

If I was buying today, I'd look at the evolution multi material saws.

https://store.evolutionpowertools.com/collections/miter-saws/products/r255smsdb_plus

 

[gahrajmahal]

I like my Dewalt 12” miter (chop) saw because I can carry it back to the truck at the end of the day. (at 65 years old, everything weighs twice as much when I’m finished for the day and am worn out). My son had hired a contractor to do some work and even as a young buck, he was having a hard time carrying his 12” compound sliding miter saw to the back yard at the start of his job. Without a stand, he and his partner were trying to cut 16 foot long trim on the ground.

If I have to cut 2x12’s I will use a 12” speed square and my cordless Metabo circular saw. On a chop saw, It’s not so much the 11-1/2” width of the board (which goes pretty slow on its side) but the length and weight of a typical 2 x 12 board is difficult to make square to a chop saw fence.

 

[Notgrownup]

I like my Hitachi metabo 12” sliding compound saw. It works good. I bought it on sale but if I had the coin I probably would’ve bought the Dewalt, Makita or Bosch. I think they are a little better maybe…The Diablo blade makes it better.

 

[Firebrick43]

Not a finish carpenter or really a carpenter. Just a hack that needs a miter saw. Plug in ability to cut 2 x 12. Will be used more for cutting to length and simple trim more than anything. Only thing available locally is dewalt, but can order any on line. Recommendations?

Are you going to store this some where and get it out when you use it? There are some saws that are lighter and much more portable if you do. Other more accurate but heavy saws might make you think twice about moving them.

A friend that does some high end finish carpentry has two saws, and while his makita isn’t as stiff and you have to be careful not to put any side pressure, it’s the one that goes upstairs as his Bosch glide is very accurate but anything but lightweight

Or will it stay setup in the shop? If so does it need to be against the wall for space or is setting out away 4” or so? Sliders are great for board width but have to set quite a bit away from the wall for the linear guide rods to go back when the saw is cutting at the fence. A saw such as the dewalt DWS780 is a stout linear guide saw. Saws like the Bosch glide use an entirely different mechanism that allows you to put it right up against a wall and not cause issues while cutting.

Remember as well, a miter saw for anything of length needs a stand as well of some sort. They can be homemade if stationary or something simple like a ryobi stand. If you want them to fold and have wheels they can be quite pricey as well.

Final thing is the cutting of 2x12's. Many people have the notion that a Sliding compound miter saw is a general carpentry tool. Its really is not. Cutting 2x12's on one *****. You have to carry it to the saw, put it on, adjust the stands, deal with twist and bends. And then carry it away. A Speed square and 7 1/4 saw is the best tools for that job. You can cut the boards to length right off the pile or back of the truck with little movement of the board. Even cutting angles and stair stringers, what a nightmare to do on a sliding miter saw with large lumber. Sliders were more for woodworkers and trim carpenters cutting finish panels and large crown molding flat.

If you then are just cutting 2x4's at times and simple trim that isn't huge crown molding a 12" non sliding compound miter saw might be a good option. They are much cheaper, stiffer, take up less space, right up against a wall, and lighter than a slider or a glide.

 

[Renegade1LI]

I have a dewalt 12" slider but rarely use it for cutting 2 x 12s. Speed square and circ saw cut most dimensional lumber. I got the dewalt battery compound miter, it gets the most use. Light, portable and easy to set up, I also have the cordless ts as well, great combo. Add in the cordless track saw and is a great portable set up that's fast and accurate.

 

[Old tool guy]

About 18 yrs ago (wow, that long already?) i bought a dewalt 8” slider that will cut a 2x12 at 90. It has been very good, still accurate. Made in Italy.

 

[kaymccampbell]

I've got a 40yo Craftsman RAS that easily does 2x12. It cut tons of 2x12s and 1x12s for the house. Sad part is that I haven't had to cut 12 inch since I finished the new deck.

 

[mepstein]

I recently bought a Bosch. Reason I bought it over other choices is because it will sit very close to the wall. Most sliders need an extra foot between the back and the wall. Makes a big difference in my shop.

 

[RTM]

112" wow !

The fact he can afford wood for that is even more exciting.

 

[belvedere]

My Makita has been good.

 

[CarBikeGuy70]

I have a 10" Delta Compound miter saw that is at least 25 years old- it has served me well. A little heavier than todays lighter versions but not too hard to move. Used for everything from cutting 2x4 material for framing to crown mounding to dress up the tops of kitchen cabinets. I am not a furniture maker and never will be! A larger sliding saw is great but not needed for the work that most people encounter. Once you use a new saw you will understand that experience is a great teacher. One thing I highly advise is to buy a good quality blade for your new saw after you have some experience with it. Factory blades may be ok but there are other options. After a couple of years I felt I needed a new blade- and my local tool supply had a good selection. Salesman suggested I try a flooring blade due to different types of materials and cuts I was making, I still use it for all my framing material cuts! Yes larger sliding saws are great but not always as great as you might think. A non sliding smaller compound saw is more versatile that most realize.

 

[Flatland Dave]

Thanks all for the replies. More things to consider. The Evolution saw has me really wondering. As for the circular saw and the speed square, there isn't a speed square that is smart enough to help me

 

[Rabid Badger]

What are you building that requires miter saw precision on 2x12 lumber?

 

[mslim]

12" slider with belt drive left hand offset motor. My son has a DeWalt and it's nice.

 

[Dave455]

I’ve been running a Makita LS0815 for about 3 years.



This was a very “considered” purchase, but I like it a lot. The build quality is good, the design of the base is superb (very positive lock) the laser is wired to the saw (some are not) and it will handle 12”.

The quality of the cut, with the supplied blade, is excellent. It’s easy to make and add your own stops, for repetitive jobs, and you can lock the sliding part if you just want to cut 3” x 2”s or suchlike,

Things I don’t like. The dust bag is useless - you need extraction. The saw covers the laser with dust - you need to clear it every few cuts, and although it comes set up square about the horizontal axis, you have to faff about adjusting it to square about the vertical. It should come pre set.

My main tip - if you’re not using it on a bench, don’t bother with the Makita stand, buy a used B and D workmate and bolt it to that!

Only other comment, wish I’d bought one sooner. Being able to quickly make cuts that are square about both axes, and multiples of consistent lengths, makes life sooo easy, and results always look good.

 

[AEAdam]

I recently bought the exorbitant Bosch T4B for my ancient Bosch saw. It’s just some bent pipes joined with bolts to form hinges and has wheels at one end. Surely I could make something so much better. HOW WRONG WAS I. Fricking love this thing. I don’t travel with it, but move around in my job site. Extension wings actually work better than they look like they should.

Almost can suggest cheap saw and a good stand.

 

[TurnipTruck]

I recently bought a Bosch. Reason I bought it over other choices is because it will sit very close to the wall. Most sliders need an extra foot between the back and the wall. Makes a big difference in my shop.

Which Bosch? I may replace my 12” slider Dewalt and would love to get it closer to the wall.

 

[dscheidt]

I like my Dewalt 12” miter (chop) saw because I can carry it back to the truck at the end of the day. (at 65 years old, everything weighs twice as much when I’m finished for the day and am worn out). My son had hired a contractor to do some work and even as a young buck, he was having a hard time carrying his 12” compound sliding miter saw to the back yard at the start of his job. Without a stand, he and his partner were trying to cut 16 foot long trim on the ground.

If I have to cut 2x12’s I will use a 12” speed square and my cordless Metabo circular saw. It’s not so much the 11-1/2” width of the board (which goes pretty slow on its side) but the length and weight of the board is hard to make square to a chop saw fence.

I bought a 10" slider largely because it's smaller, lighter, easier to move, easier to store, and blades are cheaper.

 

[mike93lx]

Thanks all for the replies. More things to consider. The Evolution saw has me really wondering. As for the circular saw and the speed square, there isn't a speed square that is smart enough to help me

Maybe look for a slow square?

It takes practice and you need to get comfortable with the movements. But once you do, it's a lot faster.

 

[lakelandcat]

Thanks all for the replies. More things to consider. The Evolution saw has me really wondering. As for the circular saw and the speed square, there isn't a speed square that is smart enough to help me

Make sure you check the arbor on the Evolution they uses to be 1" which made buying blades a *****. I got cheap and bought a Kobalt 8" slider for $100 just for rough cuts and it works great its also light. Now it seems everyone has a 8", great for trim just use a 60 tooth or higher blade. I have gotten use to flipping the board over to cut 12" and 4x4s. Stay with sliders and use quality blades, they last longer and make a cleaner cut.