HF 10" Compound Slide Miter Saw

Being a (one of the many?) fiscally-challenged woodworkers, I'm a sucker for a sale. I was in a HF store last weekend and considered this 50% off saw:

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didn't buy it because I have a couple more weekends to make up my mind, and I have to figure out a place to put a miter saw in my single-car garge shop.

This saw cannot be confused for the $550 DeWalt sliding miter saws. For one thing, I felt I could fairly easily put sidewise torque on the saw and cut angles not quite 90 degrees, or 45 degrees, or whatever the angle was set for. Yet I also had the feeling that if I was reasonably careful making the cut it would be sufficiently accurate.

A $99 slide miter saw is a huge temptation. I'd appreciate and positive or negative feedback on this saw.

Thanks.

-- Mark

Reply to
Mark Jerde
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Grrrrr..... Type, post, proofread. Make that "I'd appreciate ANY positive or negative feedback on this saw."

-- Mark

Reply to
Mark Jerde

Hi Mark. I've got one of those myself. Actually my wife bought it for me for my birthday. It is an adequate saw. When I am making cuts that matter I always break out the square to check and or the 45 for mitres. As you mentioned, you have to be careful not to pull or you will be off a degree or so. I set up the other day to do an octagon picture frame, and the cuts are ever so slightly off of 22.5. It's for gramma so she won't notice the last little bit. It is only a 10 amp (I believe) so it does bog down some, and the single tube slide is a bit sticky. I think they are making a double tube slide now which may be better. For general framing type duties like a doghouse or such, it is a no-brainer. I find myself using my table saw for any finer cuts that need to be made lately. All in all it will be the last thing I will replace after getting my jointer, bandsaw, mortiser, blah, blah, blah.

Hope this helps,

Paul

Reply to
Paul in MN

This is a double tube slide model. It is a 10" blade. The 12" model is a single tube. Perhaps it is the model you have. The 12" seems to me to be a bit better than the 10" double tube...

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking. "Champagne Tastes" on a "Beer Budget." I will replace everything if I hit the lotto. ;-)

-- Mark

Reply to
Mark Jerde

Actually Mark, mine is the 10" single tube. It is a couple of years old now. I imagine you could easily have a couple of years of use out of one as well. Even if you sell it later at a 50% loss you are only out 50 bucks. BTW, when you do hit the lotto, give me a shout. I wanna talk to you about something. :-)

P.

Reply to
Paul in MN

I have two of them.

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Reply to
Robert Boucher

Mark -

I bought this saw as a knockabout and "savior" saw after my DeWalt 10 CSMS got ripped off by my neighbor. I've had it for a couple of years and finally replaced it last summer with a Bosch slider. While you're right, it isn't a DW, I felt it was well worth the money. I have it set up under cover outside and have been using the hell out of it for building an additon to the house. If you're careful not to torque the saw one way or the other, it's pretty accurate. Keep the slide tube clean and use a sharp blade and I think you'll be happy. It is fashionable among rec'rs to crumb on HF, but there are deals to be had there... Not everyone has the budget, needs or the patience to "wait til later to buy" pro tools, and I think that this saw is one of HF's better deals. That being said, I couldn't bring myself to put a Forrest WWII blade on it - the blade costs more than I paid for the saw.

Most of your cuts are going to be on fairly narrow stock, I'd imagine (less than 6") and it should be pretty easy to get cuts like that square. My HF was dead on out of the box and the lock for 0 degree and 90 seems plenty sturdy. The best advice I can give you is to get a good blade (Freud??) and get yourself set up with in and outfeed tables and a clamp for a fence for a stop and you'll be one happy camper.

The HF saw is small enough and portable so that I can easily take it elsewhere for work and even tho' I *DO* keep it locked up wherever I am using it, I sleep easier knowing I've used the hell out of it and only paid a hundred for it. My Bosch will NEVER go outside.... I don't think I could carry it anyway...

So, there... I'd say go for it. I would very much buy and recommend the saw to anyone, even if they already had a big yellow, green, red or blue one...

YMMV,

Reply to
John Moorhead

the previous version of the 10" saw was a single tube setup. I owned one for a couple of days back when. It was just to sloppy and the safety release for the trigger fell/broke off the first time I moved the saw. I took it back and got a refund. Recently I noticed that the new 10" saw was a double tube setup so I took a look and I'm still not impressed. The 12" single tube setup seemed better to me.

Even the $ 600 sliders I tried exibited some flex when twisted/pulled off line. When I tried this same test on my old DeWalt RAS I could detect no deflection (eyeball.)

Conclusion: Sliders (good ones that is) are a great boon to carpenters but lack the precision need for fine woodworking. If you need you need the extra reach of a slider for your woodworking endevors consider an old DeWalt RAS. If precision is the issue and you do not really need a slider then an ordinary compound miter saw should serve you better than a slider. Regards Bob

Reply to
rjs

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