Mitre Saw Purchase - Tips and considerations?

[Sumgod]

Hiya & thanks for reading this.

Need to re-roof a 50ft long shed/'farm building. Thinks: therefore need mitre saw for cutting numerous rafters. After much net searching have headache! So many models/makes/types and differing prices.

I'm planning on spending £300/£400. For this dosh it seems I can get a Dewalt/Bosch/Ryobi sliding compound mitre saw that will cut a 4 x 2 rafter. So far so good.

Is there anything else I should be taking into consideration? For example, is the max depth of cut an issue? If I needed to cut a 4 x 4 fence post could I do this with two cuts, one from either side? And are mitre saws which have large max depths of cut (if you see what I mean) less accurate on small cuts such as moulding?

Apologies for being a bit wooly and unclear, but with respect to mitre saws I'm currently clueless. Hence the appeal for some clarity here.

If you have managed to shine some light into my rather dim mitre saw world, many thanks! If not, thanks for reading nonethless.

Chris

[RubberBiker]

Yes - for your application, think seriously about buying a mitre saw bench such as the dewalt or bosch branded ones (but not the cheapies - they're dire). The proper ones are expensive (=A3150-170, though I've seen them bundled with the top of the range models from those manufacturers) - but particularly when you're handling long timbers they're great - as with the extension arms drawn out you have your timber on rollers that are perfectly level with the saw table - just the business for easy handling and accurate positioning. It really speeded things up for me when I stopped messing about with sawhorses/ stools/oildrums/whatever as supports that all needed tweaking on less than flat ground.

Yes - that works well.

And are mitre saws

I changed from the DW700 to the largest Bosch model - which felt less rigid, but in practice it made no difference.

Only other advice that comes to mind, is think about if you might handle large floor joists in future. Manufacturers often state max width and max depth of cut - but are a bit wooly about what the largest combination of those is. Also on a roof there will be a lot of angled cuts, demanding even greater capacity - so you won't regret buying the larger model, but might regret the smaller.

[John Rumm]

For that application, pretty much any reasonable saw will do the trick. However for your budget you could probably pick up something pretty top end if you wanted. The Makita LS1013 is very highly rated with cabinet makers etc for its very high accuracy and ease of use.

As someone else suggested; a proper stand. Makita do a decent one that is quite reasonably priced (£75 ish):

is steel, so quite sturdy, but also quite heavy.

Don't count on being able to cut above the stated specs of the machine. Quite often the blade guard would foul on the work before you even get the blade close to the timber. So rather than being able to cut in two passes you may find you can't make any cut at all.

If you really need to work 4" tall timber, then you would have to look at the 12" sliding mitre saws like the Makita LS1214:

which have large max depths of cut (if you see what I mean) less accurate on

Inevitably the answer is yes - a bigger saw is harder to keep rigid etc. However with the decent tools the difference will be fairly small. The big Makita mentioned above is only slightly less precise than the smaller one - and will still outperform any of the budget saws.

General background info can be found here:

If you have managed to shine some light into my rather dim mitre saw world,

Keep an eye on ebay for genuine second hand high end saws (rather than the raft loads of new kit sellers). Often the prices will fall well below new prices - especially on 110V kit. I paid about £200 for a LS1214 110V saw. I needed to replace a couple of missing accessories for about £35, but that was still a substantial saving over the £600+ they normally sell for.

[Tim S]

Sumgod coughed up some electrons that declared:

Now I've adjusted it, I'm pretty happy with this:

KGS 255]

But you might consider one of their better models - the one above doesn't come with any useful widgets like the little brackets out the side that help support the work piece. However, I manage OK.

Cheers

Tim

[meow2222]

fwiw:

How much accuracy do you need for a reroof job?

NT

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Indeed. I've got an el cheapo PPPro sliding one - but with a 10" blade. It doesn't have indents for the common angles - just a scale, but the pointer is adjustable. The slide action is a bit sticky, but the upside is there's pretty well no slop. For most things just setting it with the scale is fine - for accurate things you can use a set square. It will cut a 12" wide plank - and 4 x 2. Anything which didn't would be a waste of time.

It's one of those tools which does everything I need. I'm sure a good make at several times the price would be better - but even although it gets a lot of use I couldn't justify spending that much.

[dennis]

I've got a PPro one too, best £20 I spent on a saw. Mine is big as it has a 12" blade and it weighs a ton. The twin shafts run in roller bearings and its fine.

[The Medway Handyman]

£20? Are you sure Dennis?

[dennis]

Yes. I bought a SCMS and a table saw + stand for £45, both PPro. I am pretty sure the SCMS was £20 and the table saw was £25 but it could have been viccy versa.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Mine was nearer 200 than 20. Can't remember the exact figure.

[The Medway Handyman]

Was this from a bloke in a stripey jumper carrying a bag marrked 'swag' by any chance?

[dennis]

I am not surprised you can't get good deals, they probably hate you.

[Jules]

criminals with swag bags, you mean?

[dennis]

Everybody.

[The Medway Handyman]

Alas Dennis, most people love me for my winning smile & boyish charm....

So, because B&Q love you, they let you have a SCMS & a table saw with stand for £25?

Must be the glue talking.

[dennis]

You should lay off the glue, I said £45.

[The Medway Handyman]

OK. So, because B&Q love you, they let you have a SCMS & a table saw with stand for £45?

You're making things up again Dennis.

[dennis]

The only one making stuff up is you. I even have the receipt so i can get it fixed if it breaks under warranty.

[The Medway Handyman]

So, explain the claim that you have purchased this stuff at a 90% discount. Was it bumlove?

[dennis]

No. I dare say there are others in the group that know how its done and have also benefitted but I doubt if they are going to tell you either.