I hope to be cutting up a batch of 4x2" and I thought I'd treat myself to one of the basic compound / mitre saws as sold by Argos / Homebase / Screwfix (~£35).
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but feel one of the ones that move out over a wider span (Radial saw?) might be more useful long-term (laminate flooring, workshop shelves etc).
However, there seems to be a big price jump from said 'basic' saws to anything that slides (over double from what I've found so far) so it starts being something that may need a bit more consideration if I'm to go that way.
So, based on the fact that I'm more into metalwork / machinery than woodwork these days (so it's probably not going to see *loads* of use or fancy work), are there any useable but cheap offerings out there and if so what please?
Not necessarily - just the more sophisticated sliders.
There are two reasons for sliding: wider cuts, and also half-depth cuts to make halved joints.
If you're just butting things and only need a chop action, then a purely swinging chop saw with a decent size blade will probably do you right, and for less money.
If you're making bigger things and want to cut dados, look for a real radial arm saw (bargains S/H) which is great at doing this, but so inflexible that many buy them and get rid in disappointment (they don't replace a cabinet saw).
In the middle ground, yes, sliders cost a whole lot more. Oddly not Aldi's though, which makes a great on-site carpentry saw and cost fivepence ha'penny. If you do plan to cut joints with these though, you're looking at a usable depth stop and some precision (probably a Makita with the top slide bars) and yes, it'll cost.
...and the first time you need to cut something a little wider, you will find yourself paying a second time for a sliding mitre saw. I bought a very capable one from Argos a few months ago for around £80 - which was discussed in this ng. I remain delighted with it and it cuts much better (much more rigid) than either of my two none sliders.
I've got one of those and, as I have said on earlier occasions, I'm very impressed with build quality and precision. I would certainly recommend it. You could pay several times the price for an equivalent 'famous brand' model. I've screwed mine to a board with a batten underneath - so that it can easily be clamped in my B&D Workmate.
The only negatives are that the dust collection bag doesn't collect any dust, and my laser seems to have given up - but I can manage quite well without that!
with an 8" blade they may not be able to do anything other than straight cuts - i.e. they won't be able to do a mitre in 4x2.
These are often called Sliding Compound Mitre Saws (SCMS). A radial arm saw is a saw that dangles down from an overhead arm.
Indeed. The mechanism is more complex, and needs to be of a fairly decent quality if its going to work well and last more than five minutes.
With light use, one of the shed cheapies will probably do you. The usual problem with many is the slide mechanism becomes sloppy or graunchy with age and use.
Another solution is to get a decent one second hand... the Makita LS1013 is rated by many as one of the best SCMS about - and you can usually get these on ebay for 160 - 200.
Getting a decent stand with slide out supports makes them far easier to use for chopping up long lengths of timber as well - i.e. when doing framing / studwork etc.
>>Yes, I've got one of those and, as I have said on earlier occasions, I'm
Thanks Roger.
It looks a bit big from a storage pov though (I mean that sort of thing in general etc). Is it?
I think unless I was paying proper money I'd envisage any of those sorts of 'extras' as just that (either they don't work, don't work well or don't last etc).
Understood. The thing is I can actually do all I need (and always have done) with a square, pencil and hand saw. Or a circular saw but I often can't be bothered to get that out and set it up. They are also noisy and send the sawdust everywhere. I've hand cut many a thing in the kitchen and a quick hoover of the floor afterwards you wouldn't know I'd been there. ;-)
It just that as these sorts of tools become available cheap (in real terms), the idea of having the cut done quickly and (hopefully) as or more accurately than I can do by hand becomes more attractive. The offset being the storage of such kit compared with the hand versions.
I'm also not someone who generally hires stuff either, mainly because for my typical workload I can buy for what it would cost to hire (so could give it away afterwards) plus I've generally got a new tool to use rather than one hat may have had a hard life. I do have a mate with a SCMS that has said I'm welcome to borrow it but I don't like borrowing such stuff (for all sorts of reasons).
Ah, thanks.
Like I said, I'm not so into woodwork these days so it would typically be used to do the jobs I have to do rather than building cabinets etc for fun. I have bought tools, partly to use the tool but it wouldn't be the case for this.
Hmm, that's starting to become 'expensive', especially for the immediate project (that will mainly be cutting 4x2 at 90 deg). ;-)
Yeah, I have a carpenter mate with such a rig and it does make the whole thing so much easier. The trouble is I don't have a lwb Transit van to keep it all in. I could take it round to him but I don't want the faff and would rather use the favour on something more important.
Yeah, where something doesn't move smoothly and feels like there is some (say) metal to metal contact going on?
I'd say one of the worst / typical thing to feel like that would be the sliders on such a tool. A proper design might have proper bushes to carry the rails and dust seals to keep the crap out. A cheap design might have rough castings just drilled out.
Another use of 'graunchy' might be a bearing going bad?
"Yeah, they aren't seized but they feel very graunchy so I'll fit a new pair for you ..."
I agree on the dust bag, but not the laser. The laser on mine was very accurate, in that you could set it to indicate where it would cut to a fraction of a millimetre. It is adjustable to indicate the precise left or right of the cut, but was difficult to see under direct sun. It runs on a single AA and I had a tendency to forget to switch it off - an improvement would have been some sort of trigger type switch, so you cannot leave it on.
It is quite a bulky object to have to store. I ended up making a shelf for it to fit up between the rafters of my flat roofed garage - but be warned that the sliders can rust, if not kept well oiled.
IR movement sensor from a LED battery lamp? (we bought a couple of the
3 LED / battery / IR movement jobbies from B&Q and I'd have to say they are pretty good. If somewhere is completely dark and you walk into it they come on instantly and provide enough light to be able to see your way through etc).
Hmm, that could be a deal breaker.
I guess it's not too heavy to put (get up into) in the loft?
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