Which 12 inch CMS?

[JimD]

I have been thinking of getting a new 12 inch compound miter saw. I have a 10 inch but it is limited to doing small crown moulding and to a cross cut capacity under 6 inches. I use the cross cut much more often and find that a CMS is more consistently accurate than other methods of cross cutting for me (radial arm saw or the SMT on the BT3100). Delta makes two 12 inch CMSs with about 9 inch cross cut capacity - about 2 inches more than other 12 inch saws. There is the 36-412 which is the older model without a laser for $339 from Amazon (and they have another 10% off going now making final price a little over 300). The newer model is the 360422L which has the twin lasers that have been on the PC CMSs for awhile. It is $399 - or about $360 after the 10% discount.

Would you pay another $55-60 for the laser? Other ideas for CMSs?

Jim

[Roger on the Rock]

Jim;

There is already a thread on CMS that was started the other day in the Tools section. It's called "Recommendations on a good CMS". Check it out.

Roger

[LarryG]

Would you pay another $55-60 for the laser?

Knowing what I know now, I would -- for the right laser, anyway. My dad had a radial arm saw in his shop rather than the usual table saw, so I'm well familiar with the old eyeball/nick/nudge/nick again/nudge again routine when making crosscuts. When I went shopping for a CMS, the TwinLaser system on my Delta 36-255L intrigued me and ultimately caused me to choose that saw over an otherwise similar Makita. Now that I've used the laser for two years, I wouldn't want to be without it.

I think the 36-422L has now replaced the 36-255L, although there may still be some of the latter in the pipeline. I've looked at the 36-422L once, briefly, and while a little different from my saw I really didn't see anything that put me off. One nice feature is that it includes (I think) two hold-down clamps, one on each side, as standard equipment; it cost me $30 to add a pair of those to my saw.

As I mentioned in the other thread, the stock Delta blade is good but not great. If you go slow and use a backer board to reduce back-side splintering, the cut quality is perhaps 70% as good as the stock BT blade. I replaced mine with a Forrest Chopmaster, and now fit the stock blade only to cut aluminum and/or crappy wood.

All in all, I'm happy with the 36-255L and if I was shopping today I wouldn't hesitate to buy it, or most likely the 36-422L, again.

[sacherjj]

I would by my 36-255L over the 36-422L. I didn't like a few of the controls on the new saw. If you can get the 36-255L at a discount, jump on it. It is a great saw. I have mine paired with a $99 Ridgid MSUV. Great setup.

[ewingda]

I also have responded to the post mentioned above.

To re-iterate what I said....

I have the Tradesman 12" CMS with laser & stand. I am very happy with the unit. The alum. base is well finished and the tool overall is great. I am not a professional contractor so I will not be using it for a large # of cuts (based on results so far I'd say it would work fine for that also). I piked it up at Lowes for $189. I think that they have changed the name - somethng similar. The packaging is white with red text.

The new unit (with the new name) has better extensions than mine. My saw has tubular steel extensions - simple and effective. The new model has a machined alum. block on the steel tubular guides - this gives you a nice flat surface that matches the saw base.

I would recommend this saw to anyone as it's price/performance/features values are all high.

Good luck with your choice.

[JimD]

Thanks for the thoughts - maybe I should think hard about the lasers. I have a tendency to save money by buying lessor tools and then either wishing I had spent more or even replacing them later - which costs even more.

The thing I do not prefer about the Tradesman or the Delta 36-255L is the reduced crosscut capability relative to the 36-412 or 36-422L. 7+ inches would be better than my current 10 inch CMS's 5+ but also worse than 9+. The 36-412 and 36-422 are dual compound saws with the motor vertical so the cut capacity with the stock vertical is substantially improved and the arrangement of the motor and guards also allows additional cross-cut capacity. They also have built-in crown moulding stops and the lock for the bevel angle is up-front. All seem like nice features - although the one time I tried the up-front bevel lock on a display model it did not seem to easy to operate - but the key reason I'm looking hard at them is a couple inches additional crosscut capacity.

Jim

[vaking]

Is there a Costco near you? I recently saw Dewalt 12" CMS there with 2 blades (contractor blade and woodworking blade) included for around $370 (don't remember details). Keep in mind that Costco has super warranty.

[tribalwind]

I have mine paired with a $99 Ridgid MSUV. Great setup.

MSUV rocks. i use it for my makita SCMS and also thorw my jet mini-lathe on it which works out perfect for craft fairs,demos or brigning to woodturners club meets

[lkazista]

Would you pay another $55-60 for the laser? Other ideas for CMSs?

Jim

Absolutely!

[LCHIEN]

...
Would you pay another $55-60 for the laser?
...
Jim

I posted in the other thread on Irwin miter blades that I find the CMS laser sort of pointless. With the CMS you can lower the blade, motor on or off, completely down to the wood and see exactly where the edge is going to hit. Knowing this you can always extend your cut line pencil or knfe mark to the center of the board where the blade can come into contact with the mark and you can line it up exactly. I guess the main benefit of the CMS lasers is that it extends the line when making a cut where the blade is angled from vertical, or you are too lazy to extend a cut line.

With the table saw, the blade is fixed and cuts from the bottom, you can't see exactly where it will cut. A laser for the Table saw would be great, I also find the lasers(s) for my DPs to be a great help.

[jabe]

As a retired high school wood shop teacher, I would recommed the Hitachi CMS or SCMS saws. I had them in the school shop for (10+ yrs) years with all the abuse the students gave it, it still cut dead on accurate with little maintenance. I had my personal Hitachi 10" SCMS in the school shop and allowed the students use it everyday for 10 yrs. and finally took it home when I retired in 03 and it still cuts dead on accurate to this day. Some of my other colleagues used other brands (DeWalts, Deltas etc.) but they did not have the durability & accuracy the Hitachi had. Having a tool that can take the punishment in a high school shop situation and have it survive with little or no damage & still remain functional & accurate is the acid test for any power/hand tool.

[bigsteel15]

Nobody mentioned this one (without digital display)
http://www.hitachi-koki.com/powertoo...dh/c12ldh.html

It is new, but I see in a flyer up here for $399 CDN

Any issues or opinions?