Need help choosing a miter saw

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  • crybdr
    Established Member
    • Dec 2009
    • 141
    • Lake Mills, WI
    • Ryobi BT3100

    #16
    I have the Rigid 12" CMS. I needed a CMS about 4 years ago and Home Depot was offering 'lifetime' warranty on the saw at the time. I replaced the stock blace with an 80 tooth Freud Diablo immediately.

    It works fine for me - I haven't had a problem with it. It cuts a smooth 'glue ready' crosscut. Can I vehemently recommend it as the best - not really. I would guess most other CMS's would perform similarly.

    The 12" has sufficiently cut all of my crosscuts - 10" would have been to small for some work. It's especially important in 45 degree mitre cuts of '6-by' or larger dimensional lumber.

    A good sliding saw will overcome the length of cut issues - just make sure the sliding saw is of good quality and that the slide mechanism is smooth and has minimal play. Also, you need to be a little more careful with a slider from what I've read (some extra safety rules of thumb to follow).

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    • cabinetman
      Gone but not Forgotten RIP
      • Jun 2006
      • 15218
      • So. Florida
      • Delta

      #17
      Originally posted by RAV2
      I bought the Harbor Freight 12" Sliding Compound Miter Saw with Laser Guide for about $100 on black friday with coupon on a sale price.

      Harbor Freight buys their top quality tools from the same factories that supply our competitors. We cut out the middleman and pass the savings to you!


      I tossed the laser and installed a laser washer.

      I had the 10" for a couple of years and sold it for $65.

      A friend of mine who does basement remodeling on the side had the 10" for several years without issues.

      For prices like this, you may wish to check it out.

      I also have the Ryobi Miter SUV and the combo is great!

      A friend of mine bought the HF 10" SCMS and said it was a POS. Borrowed my radial arm miter saw to finish his job.
      .

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      • UPS1990
        Forum Newbie
        • May 2017
        • 36
        • Southern Cal
        • BT 3100

        #18
        Didn't want to start a new thread because I too have the same question regarding choosing a miter saw.
        The BT has a crosscut sled on it 90% of the time and don't want to hassle with setting up the SMT for bevel cuts. I was looking into purchasing the Hitachi 12 dual bevel miter saw currently on sale for $199.00 It's gotten very good reviews in a number of sites. This thread is old, im wondering what all of you have experienced since then with either the hitachi or another brand.
        https://www.lowes.com/pd/Hitachi-12-...er-Saw/1037899

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        • leehljp
          Just me
          • Dec 2002
          • 8429
          • Tunica, MS
          • BT3000/3100

          #19
          I started turning bowls in the past 5 years and want to make segmented bowls. When this thread was started, precision angles was a primary concern of the OP. I am not sure what your case is but there are two basic and different things people look for in a miter saw: 1. Construction grade with good accuracy, or 2. precision tolerances to 1/4 of a degree or better.

          Minute' side deflection that construction guys will not notice can be disastrous in segmented bowl construction. Sliding Miters have more deflection and should be steered away from if pure accuracy is wanted. I have wondered about Bosch's sliding as it is so different; I would imagine that Festools would be accurate also, but these two are WELL beyond the price you are looking for. I have heard that the Hitachi was very good but it does have a tad of deflection. My son in law has one and he is an artist and he likes his Hitachi. If he can make accurate cuts, then it must be good. One key is taking an hour or so and setting it up correctly and testing it over repetitive cuts.
          Hank Lee

          Experience is what you get when you don't get what you wanted!

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          • LCHIEN
            Internet Fact Checker
            • Dec 2002
            • 20913
            • Katy, TX, USA.
            • BT3000 vintage 1999

            #20
            I have the Hitachi Dual bevel 12" saw, it replaced an older 10" saw that I always found lacking in size by just a little bit.
            The 12" saw can cut 4x4 and 1x6 in one clean swipe which the 10" saw always left me wanting.

            Overall it has been a good saw for about 4 years and the quality is pretty high. My main complaint is that the laser doesn't line up/ can't be adjusted as precisely as I would want but I am ways trying to make precision cuts to .010 inch!

            A couple of years before I bought a CMS 96 tooth 12" blade for under $15 on clearance which I promptly installed on the Hitachi.

            I do most of my crosscuts on the Miter saw now. Very few. on the BT3000 unless its wide plywood or wide boards. In that case, it's almost easier to use the rip fence provided the existing edges are all squared.
            Last edited by LCHIEN; 11-19-2017, 11:00 AM.
            Loring in Katy, TX USA
            If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to treat all problems as if they were nails.
            BT3 FAQ - https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...sked-questions

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            • d_meister
              Established Member
              • Feb 2009
              • 184
              • La Conner, WA.
              • BT3000

              #21
              A few years ago there was a presentation by a fellow that turned GIANT segmented bowls, like 3 foot diameter at a meeting of the San Diego Fine Woodworker's Association. He went through his entire process and stressed that getting small angles exact is simply not possible on either a table saw or miter saw. He used a miter saw jig to get uniform small segment pieces very close to the right angle, and then finished each piece on a 12" disc sander to get the angle dead nuts.

              Comment

              • JimD
                Veteran Member
                • Feb 2003
                • 4187
                • Lexington, SC.

                #22
                I still like my 12 inch Hitachi non-slider, dual bevel. The only thing I would change about my previous post is my old 10 inch Pro-tech is working well for the 3 5/8 crown I am installing at the moment. It is easier to move around to handle the 16 foot lengths of molding. For making cuts, I wish I could easily use the Hitachi. I wish the dust collection came out differently because I have it and my RAS mounted on a long bench and it is hard to get the shop vacuum connected with the port coming directly out the back. I have a 90 degree PVC elbow on it but it limits suction. I tried modifying it with a Kapek dust hood but that was less than completely successful too. So dust collection isn't great but for making cuts, I like the Hitachi.

                I sometimes dream about a slider, so I could get rid of the old Ryobi RAS, but they all need too much space behind the fence to be used easily on my 24 inch deep workbench. They will sit on it but the fence end up near the outside edge of the bench were the workpiece would lack support. I suspect that accuracy of a slider can be overcome with good technique (like on a RAS).

                But price and accuracy is better for a non-slider. And they use less space. If a 10 inch will cover what you need, they are quite inexpensive and a 12 inch isn't much compered to a slider.

                Comment

                • tmaceroli
                  Established Member
                  • Mar 2004
                  • 132
                  • Forked River, New Jersey, USA.
                  • Ryobi BT3100

                  #23
                  A couple of things...

                  I have a Hitachi 10” Compound Miter saw I bought a couple of years ago. I’ve done 4 major remodel projects with it, in addition to many other woodworking projects. I have a number of other Hitachi tools as well - 2 drill/drivers, an impact driver, and a circular saw. My miter saw is excellent, and the other tools are great. They have a LIFETIME tool warranty, and I sent back a jigsaw I wasn’t happy with and got a full refund. The price is generally lower than a comparable DW or Bosch tool. I would highly recommend Hitachi.

                  I was in HF the other day. The 10” Miter saw is junk. It’s got at least 1/16” of play on either side on the cut. On the other hand, the 12” sliding compound Miter saw felt Very solid. I don’t have room for one, but have lusted after a sliding Miter saw since Forever. The newer ones have a mechanism that minimizes the room needed behind the saw. Those are really nice.
                  Tony

                  "Nothing would be done at all if a man waited until he could do it so well that no one could find fault with it."
                  - Cardinal Newman

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