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Thread: Mitre Saw advice

  1. #1

    Mitre Saw advice

    Hi.
    I am new the the Creek and very rusty on wood working. I have spent the last few months reading, making sawdust with hand tools and having fun.

    I have done enough to know that I really want a mitre saw but which one?
    I am planning to work on small stuff - tables, benches, cabinets - so don't think I need a 12" but I am open to suggestion

    The two I am looking at are the 10" DeWalt and Porter Cable

    Edit: Also need some pointers on blades. 60 or 80 tooth, which brands are reasonable?

    If anyone has any advice I am all ears!

    Thanks in advance
    Dean
    Last edited by Dean Lukies; 04-11-2005 at 10:08 AM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Lewiston, Idaho
    Posts
    28,504
    Dean....Welcome to the 'Creek! Neat place to exchange information! I have a Delta 10" SCMS. For the work that I do, I'm not sure I'd get a SCMS but rather just a miter saw. For general construction this saw would be great but I'm not happy with the repeatability on mitered cuts. The stops just don't always get the same angles. Part of it might be in the slider portion. Good saw but just not accurate enough for me. I'm sure others will chime in and give you some recommendations. Good luck with your purchase. Again....Welcome!
    Ken

    So much to learn, so little time.....

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Helena, Montana
    Posts
    103
    I have a 10'' Makita sliding compound miter which has served me well for years. Recently, I just purchased a Metabo 8 1/2" and it is one sweet, smooth, accurate saw. I believe the Metabo is available in other sizes so it might be worth checking out.

  4. #4
    I've been using the DW706 for a while now and am very happy with it.
    It costs more of course, but I felt like the extra capacity was worth the price. This is especially true due to the fact that several of my summer projects will involve a lot of miter saw type cuts… (Siding and other ‘construction’ type woodwork & trim on both the outside & inside of the house)

    All the actual miters that have been cut on it so far are dead on, but no ‘furniture’ quality cuts have been made, so I don’t know how they would be if you were building something that required that level of accurately fit pieces.

    I would rather pay a little more, get the good stuff and not have to replace it later...
    I've done that from time to time and it can be both costly and irritating!

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Waterford, MI
    Posts
    4,673
    I'm not trying to put you off from buying a power miter saw, but have you looked at these? http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx...fcode=05INFROO

    I've got a Delta miter saw, but honestly consider it more a tool for construction grade stuff than furniture or cabinetry. There will certainly be brands or models that are exceptions to this, but I think you might be slightly disappointed with the angle accuracy of a MS for furniture quality projects. Do a search of past threads. I don't think it will take you long to find folks complaining about this or that MS as far as accuracy. For furniture or frames I find myself using either the table saw with a sled or that hand Nobex saw a lot more than the power miter saw. Plus the Nobex is less money and quieter too.
    Use the fence Luke

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    Cecil Wisconsin (near Green Bay)
    Posts
    280
    I've had the Makita LS 1013 for 12 years now and have never been anything but satisfied with the accuracy of the cuts and ease of use. I use the Freud LU91 60Tooth blade..the combination seems to work very well on most anything.


    Dean
    Just Remember.....No Matter Where You Go.......There You Are

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Spokane, Washington
    Posts
    4,021
    There is a review of 10" sliding mitersaws in WOOD magazine, March, 2004. They rated the Bosch 4410 as Top Tool. The article discusses various features of the saws in general, gives high and low points of each model.

    Dan
    Eternity is an awfully long time, especially toward the end.

    -Woody Allen-

    Critiques on works posted are always welcome

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    End of the Oregon Trail in Oregon City, Oregon
    Posts
    317
    I use my Makita 12" CMS to get the cut close to the line, then finish it up with a handplane and a shooting board.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    Tacoma, WA
    Posts
    519
    I have a Bosch 4412 12" SCMS and while I'm very happy with it, I would pose a couple of thoughts before you buy one. In my shop I have a Jet cabinet saw with a sliding table attachment. I also have an Incra 1000 miter gauge. Between these two tools I have almost no need for a miter saw. Mine stays out in the storage shed most of the time and gets pulled out when I'm going on jobs. One reason for that is that it is too big for the shop. By the time I get it far enough out from the wall for the slider to work and enough clearance on both sides to work, it takes up an inordinate amount of space. In addition, as stated above it's redundant, functionally, given my tablesaw capabilities so why waste space on it. Just acouple of thoughts before your purchase.

  10. #10
    markus shaffer Guest
    Dean,

    I have a Dewalt 706. It's not a bad saw, but I've never gotten it to produce square cuts repeatedly. Accurate 45 degree cuts are a joke for this saw. I don't even try as it just cannot do it. I do use it almost daily but it's relegated to rough cross cutting only. Perhaps someone on here has tuned their compound miter saw to produce amazing cuts however mine just won't do it.

    If you're set on buying one and you can swing it, buy a bigger one now. Even go for a sliding saw if you have the room and budget. Just be aware that in general, these are not precise machines. It's nice to have a machine that can crosscut long stock as in my case. If woodworking is going to be something serious in your life, spend your money wisely the first time. While we can't all have CNC controlled Altendorf sliders, you should consider what Steve Cox has said. A slider on a tablesaw would probably better serve you than even the most expensive compound miter saw.

    The exception to this may be if Festool produces a miter saw. Maybe Mr. Marino could drop some hints to someone in Germany. Or let us know if it's already in development..

    Good luck.

    -Markus

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Harrisburg, NC
    Posts
    2,255
    Dean, welcome to the creek. I install wooden railings on interior staircases everyday. I also see what other finish carpenters are using. Seems like most have the Dewalt 12' slide compound miter saw with the Bosch 12" slide next. I know you are not doing finish carpentry for a living but if the pros are using them you can be sure there is a reason. I have both, the Bosch is in the shop and the Dewalt is on the job. Yes I check the Dewalt everyday for square and plumb. It gets knocked around the truck going to the job. They are good saws and if you get a slider you will never have to upgrade.

    Richard

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Winterville NC
    Posts
    389

    Porter cable saw

    Dean. I bought a miter saw from Delta to finish my daughters new house. They bought it from me and it is still going living a hard life hanging in there. I ,,of course , really should have bought a compound miter saw and so bought a Porter Cable compound mitre. It cuts right on but rarely leaves the shop and then with TLC. Only problem is small cut off pieces that may fly. A piece of good baltic plywood added to fence will cure it but then you will have to remove it for angles or destroy the safety gained by the additional fence. Cutting with a little more waste stock also never fails. I have a sears radial arm that I keep- a wobble dado blade for rabbets and cross laps. I would be tempted for a better cut off saw of slide type. The TS takes care of other cutting. Pen blanks get the band saw. Harry

  13. #13
    I have the DW706 and use it all the time with the stock blade that came with it. Got it reconditioned from Amazon for around $200 with the rebate. What do you want to do with it?

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Tidewater, VA
    Posts
    2,124
    Dean -

    Welcome to the Creek. A great bunch of folks here to share information with.

    Strongly recommend you consider either a 12" CMS or look at a 10" SCMS. A 10" CMS limits the widths of wood you are able to cut to less than practical sizes. I find that I need wider pieces in my work. For example; with a 10" CMS you will be able to cut a 2 X 6 at 90° and a 2 X 4 at 45°. Nothing wider. (Not saying to use dimensioned lumber for projects, just an easy example. )

    Welcome,
    Ted

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Southern MD
    Posts
    1,932
    I just upgraded from a cheapie $89 Delta to a 12" Delta. My reason for upgrading was to get compound capability, but the extra capacity has come in handy more than once. The cheapie was surprisingly accurate and gave me great cuts with an Amana 80t blade.
    The new saw is a little nicer to use. It has a more comfortable handle and nicer angle adjustment mechanism. I have a Forrest ChopMaster blade on it which does a decent job.
    Honestly, I would just pick one based on how nice it seems to feel and function relative to the others vs. price. It seems to be pretty rare to read a really bad review of any name branded saw out there.
    My saw has twin lasers, but I rarely use them. I get more accuracy without it. So, I wouldn't purchase based on that again. It is cool when you're showing off your shop though

    Jay
    Jay St. Peter

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