Sad to hear about how this went down, Keith. While I also feel that we cannot expect the same level of precision on a light-weight tool like this as compared to a multi-thousand dollar cast iron tool, we can and should expect the same level of courtesy from customer support. "How" things get said matters.
I'm wondering if your son might be better served by a track saw system that includes a table? I'll use Festool as an example because that's what I'm familiar with, but a track saw combined with a Multifunction table setup is pretty darn capable and you can add a router to the mix, too. 'Just a thought...
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The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...