Sliding vs. non-sliding miter saws

[JackOfDiamonds]

I have a big miter saw but it's not compound...I bought it for cutting 4x4s.

Now I want to replace trim in my house and I think I need a smaller compound miter saw. I noticed there are two kinds...ones that slide and ones that don't slide. The slidey ones cost more. Is the slide feature important?

 

[kelpaso1]

Not if your doing trim, unless it's 6in wide.

 

[mogandave]

I have 10" slider, it is a right PITA to carry around, particularly up and down stairs.

What size blade?

 

[mogandave]

It is a shame that radial arm saws for home use seem to have all but gone away.

 

[WilsonLR]

Accuracy is an issue. Some are better than others. Basically it comes down to deflection when fully extended. Radial arm saws have the same problem. One thought is to get one that has no slider but the blade is large enough for your job. Another is to get one with a small (7 1/4) blade but slides. The latter makes up for the small blade with the slide in order to get the same capacity. Corded vs cordless is another issue. The corded Makita LS is old in the tooth but well liked. The Bosch Flex is a standard. I've seen good reviews of the cordless Milwaukee M18 7 1/4 slider and Kobalt 7 1/4. The Delta Cruzer is a new twist on the glide mechanism but the 7 1/4 isn't available. Ridgid recently came out with it's own 15" (I think) variation of the Cruzer.

 

[jonshonda]

I "think" you might get a better cut on the bottom side (side in contact with the horizontal portion of the table) of the work piece due to the sliding action, vs plunging action of a typical miter saw.

 

[Davefr]

It is a shame that radial arm saws for home use seem to have all but gone away.

I think it's a joy they've gone extinct. My Dewalt DWS780 does absolutely everything better then my old RAS that I donated to Habitat for Humanity. It's safer, more accurate, more capable and more portable with the optional stand. I can cut or miter tooth picks to timbers with precision and then store it in about a 2'X4' footprint.

 

[mogandave]

I think it's a joy they've gone extinct. My Dewalt DWS780 does absolutely everything better then my old RAS that I donated to Habitat for Humanity. It's safer, more accurate, more capable and more portable with the optional stand. I can cut or miter tooth picks to timbers with precision and then store it in about a 2'X4' footprint.

Yes, it's portable, but can you bevel-rip a sheet of plywood?
Accurately cut rabbet joints?

I like my sliding miter, and it's much nicer to move around, but it's not the be-all-end-all. Are you able to set the blade height on yours?

 

[Davefr]

Yes, it's portable, but can you bevel-rip a sheet of plywood?
Accurately cut rabbet joints?

I like my sliding miter, and it's much nicer to move around, but it's not the be-all-end-all. Are you able to set the blade height on yours?

No, but that's why I have a table saw. A RAS could never do it all and neither can a SCMS. However I'm much happier having the SCMS compliment the table saw then the RAS. To each his own.

 

[mikedodge]

When I bought my compound mitre saw years ago the sliding kind were a lot more expensive, heavier to move and not as accurate. So far I've never had to cut planks wider then mine will do on an angle.
I purposely bought a radial arm saw when I got my shop and had the space and it gets used quite a bit, usually for doing something the mitre saw can do but the ras is already there and only has to be plugged in.

 

[67carl]

I looked a a SCMS but quickly realized I didn't have the depth on the work surface where I would use it. They need a lot more depth than a standard miter saw. Something to keep in mind if you have space issues.

 

[mogandave]

I looked a a SCMS but quickly realized I didn't have the depth on the work surface where I would use it. They need a lot more depth than a standard miter saw. Something to keep in mind if you have space issues.

True that! Not that easy to stow either...

 

[u2slow]

I stick with 10" blade saws. Then it's one size blade for the table and mitre/slider.

I like the slider because of the extra reach. It means I don't have to bust out the table saw, or try to freehand it with the skil.

 

[JackOfDiamonds]

What do you use the extra reach for, though? Just curious because it seems like the slider is still too small for ripping boards or plywood so it it just needed for boards bigger than 2x6 or 2x8?

 

[rlitman]

I stick with 10" blade saws. Then it's one size blade for the table and mitre/slider.

I like the slider because of the extra reach. It means I don't have to bust out the table saw, or try to freehand it with the skil.

Blade tooth geometry should be different between chop saws and table saws, so there's no benefit to having them in the same diameter.

What do you use the extra reach for, though? Just curious because it seems like the slider is still too small for ripping boards or plywood so it it just needed for boards bigger than 2x6 or 2x8?

I use mine to cut shelving and other large things.

 

[TobeyA]

What do you use the extra reach for, though? Just curious because it seems like the slider is still too small for ripping boards or plywood so it it just needed for boards bigger than 2x6 or 2x8?

I have an older non-sliding 10" miter saw. It will barely cut a 2x6. And half the time, it leaves a sliver uncut on the corner. A 2x8 would require 2 cuts.

 

[MarvinBerry]

If your only doing trim & smaller material non sliding is fine... even preferred.

Personal saw is a standard 10 compound nonslider. I'd have loved to get the DeWalt 12 slider because it's a beast... but I don't need the capacity and move it too often and the extra weight is literally a drag.

If I need to cut 2x8 I'll use a circular saw... or just flip it over. Framing isn't exactly precision work where a 16th matters.

 

[dutchgray]

The non sliding will be more accurate but have less capacity than the sliding.
I have an old (about 20 years now) Dewalt 10" slider which was an Elu saw just a couple years before but its the spare now as I have a Bosch 10" slider now, which is heavier and more awkward to move but it has greater cutting capacity, greater cutting angles and tilts both directions, also has a trenching feature which isn't that accurate but is generally good enough for site work.
They have come on a lot over the years.
I have a RAS in the garage but its not a tool you want to take to work every day.

For framing work if the timber is over about 12' long your better off using a circular saw and speed square as its faster but the mitre saws are great for cutting a bunch of non standard studs lengths or blocking.

 

[JackOfDiamonds]

I already have a circular saw and unless I get rid of it, a 12" chop saw, so I think I will look for a small non slider. It's going to be pretty much just for trim boards.

Is it possible to get a manual miter box that is good enough for cutting trim? It seems almost a waste t buy another power tool to cut little trim boards.

 

[shawhite]

I already have a circular saw and unless I get rid of it, a 12" chop saw, so I think I will look for a small non slider. It's going to be pretty much just for trim boards.

Is it possible to get a manual miter box that is good enough for cutting trim? It seems almost a waste t buy another power tool to cut little trim boards.

What kind of trim work are we talking about? Baseboards, door and window casing or are we talking crown? Either way Why can’t you do trim with the 12in miter saw?

 

[JackOfDiamonds]

No crown moulding, just baseboard and door trim.

The 12" saw doesn't do compound angles. And in order to cut baseboard, I would have to cut the boards standing up.

 

[Half-fast eddie]

About 18 yrs ago i bought a dewalt 8” slider, made in italy. It has been very reliable with regard to accuracy. Only problem is blade availabilty, but just plan ahead. It will cut a 1x12 shelf board at 90*. Light enough to carry around.

 

[Half-fast eddie]

The 12" saw doesn't do compound angles.

So the table pivots left & right 45* … but the blade doesn’t flop over to either side? Didn’t know they still sold those.

 

[shawhite]

No crown moulding, just baseboard and door trim.

The 12" saw doesn't do compound angles. And in order to cut baseboard, I would have to cut the boards standing up.

nothing wrong with cutting trim vertical. For taller trim I find that to be my preferred method. I mean by all means don’t let me talk you out of buying more tools because no one can ever have enough tools but I got my fine for a long time before I got my Bosch glider.

 

[u2slow]

Blade tooth geometry should be different between chop saws and table saws, so there's no benefit to having them in the same diameter.

I'm no carpenter... I use the same blades between them so it is a benefit for me.

 

[duneslider]

I have a dewalt 12" mitersaw (single bevel but they do make a dual bevel) and it does pretty much everything I need it to do. It won't cut 8" wide material (just barely doesn't make it) but for anything smaller it is great.

If I were buying a new saw right now it would probably be the makita 12" sliding miter in the 36v flavor. I just don't do enough cutting with a mitersaw to need more than the dewalt 12" I have.

 

[Sal Bandini]

You always cut the trim vertically (unless it doesn't fit). The left/right miter is more accurate than the bevel. I have never heard of anyone cutting it flat and adjusting the bevel. In very few cases will you ever need to use the bevel feature. You can buy a very basic and accurate 10" non-bevel miter saw that won't break the bank.

 

[MarvinBerry]

Is it possible to get a manual miter box that is good enough for cutting trim? It seems almost a waste t buy another power tool to cut little trim boards.

Like a hand saw & box?

Sure we've all seen houses from 1890 with truly incredible mouldings that we know were 100% hand work... but it ain't 1890 anymore. I'll take the speed & accuracy of power tools!

 

[tyyost]

What model 12” saw do you currently have? I have an old delta 10” that is non compound miter, and it s a pain as well as a DeWalt 10” sigle bevel compound. It’s tall enough for me to get 4” trim standing up, as I prefer that than laying down as the pull from the blade tends to distort cuts on narrow work when the position you are holding it from is under the saw motor.

 

[MushCreek]

I'm a big fan of my 12" Ridgid sliding miter saw. It's strong and accurate, and has remained that way for ten years. I have it on their rolling, folding stand, and it stows away pretty well. After I roll it to where I'm working, I can unfold it and set it up in about 30 seconds. It's much too heavy to use without a dedicated stand. It seemed like a huge beast when I first got it, but now that I'm used to it, it's works for everything.

 

[Dakotadadv8]

I already have a circular saw and unless I get rid of it, a 12" chop saw, so I think I will look for a small non slider. It's going to be pretty much just for trim boards.

Is it possible to get a manual miter box that is good enough for cutting trim? It seems almost a waste t buy another power tool to cut little trim boards.

Yes it is possible to do trip work with the manual miter box, get a good saw. We did this before upgrading to a Dewalt corded 12" miter saw in 2002. Off topic probably should have good manual tools in case SHTF / no power for long period of time.

 

[mslim]

I have an older non-sliding 10" miter saw. It will barely cut a 2x6. And half the time, it leaves a sliver uncut on the corner. A 2x8 would require 2 cuts.

I have a 10" non sliding miter saw I've used for several miles of finish trim work and I've often run into the same problem. I'd go with a 12" slider with the motor on top. The right hand motor and the nut on a 10" blade have hindered me on a lot of trim, not to mention deck building with 4x4". I could have also used a slider when cutting 2x10" cribbing for the RV jacks.