This is interesting,
Protool Reviews looks at miter saws, not chop saws.
Not surprisingly The Bosch with articulating arm takes a lot of the top spots, small, larger, and battery operated. Then Metabo.
Now the interesting part.
The top miter saw for "woodworking" is the Festool Kapex.
I wonder what they cut with the other brand saws.
Not exactly. There is no "small" Bosch actually listed as Best, although they mention the 10" as an alternative to the 12". However, they don't give the 10" model the "Best" rating in the 10" Miter Saw category.
As an owner of the 10" Bosch, I find that interesting. For the Metabo to have beaten out the 10" Bosch, they must have put a lot of emphasis on the MultiVolt feature. (The 10" Bosch currently only comes in a corded version.) Other than that, AFAIK, the 10" Bosch is identical to the 12" Bosch except in size. If the 12" Bosch is rated Best in all 3 categories but the 10" Metabo beat the 10" Bosch in the 10" category, it has to be that the MultiVolt feature outweighed everything else that is great about the Bosch. (or maybe their rating method is flawed/inconsistent)
Extrapolation time:
Doesn't the 10" Metabo beating the 10" Bosch imply that if the Metabo made a 12" MultiVolt version it would have beaten the 12" Bosch and taken Best in Show"?
Well, the pictures show them cutting wood with some of the other saws, but maybe they are separating "woodworking" as we define it in the wRec vs. cutting wood in the trades. (framing, window trim, built-ins, etc.) Dust collection and the other features of the Kapex might not matter as much for a job-site saw. Hard to say since we don't know what they define as "woodworking". Interesting indeed.
Festool makes some great saws so I can believe it.
Rail forward and dust collection are at the top of my list. My Bosch (not the articulated arm model) simply blows. I have a Fastcap hood on it and it still makes a mess. I'll either sell it or relegate it to "construction" projects.
The OEM dust collection on the Bosch glide models isn't great. I made one of these and it was a huge improvement. If you go with the Bosch, consider this right away.
I'd seen a Youtube video showing several mods with objective analysis of the air-flow with various scoops, similar to the one shown here. I can't remember which saw it was showing. Sorry, I don't have a link.
This video didn't show miters and bevels. The fence didn't look like it would allow anything but a straight cut. From the other video I saw, miters and bevels really made dust collection a lot harder.
You don't like fuzz on the edge of your cuts?
Did you watch the video beyond the 6 minute point? He specifically discusses miters and bevels between 6 and 7 minutes. Most are not a problem. The fence moves. Yes, a sliding bevel can be an issue with the extended boot. We deal with it when need be.
Yes, I watched the end but did skip that part. I wonder if it's the same guy with less test and science behind the video. His scoop and construction looked similar though I don't remember the pool hose and the right-angle adapter.
He had the same issue with miter/bevel but blew it off as something rarely done. That's probably true for long pieces where the miter saw would be used. ISTR that he still enclosed the back of the saw but I may be confusing it with another video.
My right angle adaptor was removed Day 1, before I ever saw that the dust chute video. My hose goes straight up from the saw to a gate.
I also use a length of pool hose to another tool, but not based on his video. I was looking for some type of hose for that purpose and found a 20' length on Craigslist for $10. I know a smoother hose would be better and I've got that on my "someday" list.
That video does not show him enclosing the back of the saw. Maybe he does it in another video, I don't know.
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