Hand mitre saws - any recommendations?

A few years ago I bought a cheapo (B+Q) mitre saw to do a specific job. In the event, it's turned out to be pretty useful, but suffered from a couple of problems, not the least of which is that it was plastic and the guides aren't quite straight and square. Anyway, it broke at the weekend so it's time to replace it with a decent one. Does anyone have any recommendations good or bad?

Cheers

Reply to
GMM
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Axminster have a good range:

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gave my own away a couple of years ago, as I had no further use for one.

Can I ask where you find a hand mitre superior to a powered one?

I can think of possibly cutting large diameter pipe, or box sections in something non-rigid (e.g. plastic ducting) - but I'd hand saw on the very rare occasions that comes up - or work out a way to bandsaw it safely.

Reply to
dom

They're cheaper. I guess if you don't need them very often a decent powered one would not be cost effective.

Reply to
Mark

Well not really.

Rock bottom from Screwfix is =A329.99:

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think the budget supermarkets have gone even lower.

Compare that with the =A318.85 for the most basic hand-operated Axminster model.

I dare say cheaper can be found, but as the OP says, they suffer from poor plastic guides.

There are also fine joinery applications where the hand-operated tool can do things that are tricky with a powertool - but I imagine that sales to people making fine joinery is a tiny fraction of overall sales of hand-operated mitre saws.

Reply to
dom

Wouldn't a picture framer use one in preference to a powered one?

Reply to
Bruce

Those are one product that strikes me as obsolescent. I'd normally go for an electric one, but if a hand one's really needed, why not make one. They're very simple. Then you can have whatever set of features you want all for peanuts.

NT

Reply to
NT

Axminster have a good range:

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gave my own away a couple of years ago, as I had no further use for one.

Can I ask where you find a hand mitre superior to a powered one?

I can think of possibly cutting large diameter pipe, or box sections in something non-rigid (e.g. plastic ducting) - but I'd hand saw on the very rare occasions that comes up - or work out a way to bandsaw it safely.

I find mine very handy, even though it is a cheap one and not quite square. Also you get a ruddy great 'hacksaw' along with it, which has numerous uses even just as the blade.

S
Reply to
spamlet

I agree: I have a powered on but sometimes, and in some locations, it's simpler to cut by hand than get everything out, sort power etc. The fine blades give a good finish on architraves and trims too.

Reply to
GMM

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> I think the budget supermarkets have gone even lower.

The hand ones can often cut deeper mitres vertically - although quite often not compound cuts. So for example:

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mitre stuff over 4" deep. Whereas even a Makita LS1214 won't hack that vertically, and would need to lay it flat and use the tilt and slide (assuming you are not cutting something 5" square!)

Reply to
John Rumm

I wonder how well these would work? My experience of cheap power tools is not good.

Reply to
Mark

I do too, but many people report on here that budget powered mitre saws are quite reasonable.

Reply to
dom

With caveats...

Budget chop saws (like in the link) are goof for fast square cuts and mitres (if you set them up carefully at least). The compound or bevel cutting capability is usually only at best "adequate" for rough work.

Very cheap sliders are probably worth avoiding.

Reply to
John Rumm

Reply to
John Rumm

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