No laser for Makita miters

[Keith]

Just talked to a Makita person re whether or not they intend to put out their sliding compound miter saws with a laser line guide and the answer was no.

The rep said they did extensive testing and weren't satisfied that the line stays accurate. I thought this was a good thing because it shows they care more about selling a quality product than adding the laser as a buyer incentive.

What does this say for the other laser guides that are out there, including the add-on one now available?

I have a 12" Makita laid away and that's why I asked if they would be adding the laser feature. May as well go ahead and get it anyway. I like their honest answer!!

Keeter P.

[tiredofspam]

[Keith]

Re your respected comment....I guess this confirms what they say???

"Anyway the laser is accurate at the top of the stroke... it changes as the saw is brought down"

K.

[TaskMule]

The problem I have with lasers is that you can't see a pencil line when the laser shines on it. I often make fine adjustments to my work piece, Often I'll cut to one side of the line or the other. Sometimes I want to cut down the center of the line. I'm talking 1/32 or smaller adjustments. I hate not being able to see the line when cutting. I always lift the guard out of the way so I can view my line and the blade. I just can't see the use for a laser. For people who never lift the guard I guess it's the only way to line up the cut.

[Duane Bozarth]

I've never had the opportunity to try to use one w/ the laser, but I've always been curious about whether they were actually very accurate for precision fits, as well. I can see it being a time-saver for framing-type cuts, but no substitute for either a stop block or the actual line for precision it would seem to me. The fuzziness of the edge alone (at least in all the pictures I've seen) would seem to be self-defeating for precision.

[tiredofspam]

That is for the blade mounted laser. The fixed type that are in the top of the housing I've heard resolve this issue. So the Delta w/dual lines (nice), and Crapsman shouldn't have this problem. I am not sure why, just that I've heard they don't have this problem, and confirmed with others that have the blade mounted that I am not alone.

I can say it is more than fram> Re your respected comment....I guess this confirms what they say??? >

[Edwin Pawlowski]

If I was doing a lot of framing, I'd want the laser for the speed. For fine work, taking the few seconds to bring the blade down to the mark is a cheap price to pay for accuracy. The one that require the blade to be running for the laser to be on sound silly to me. I'll be damned if I'm going to make a precise alignment with a 12" blade spinning above my hand. My be OK for chopping a tubafor though.

[TaskMule]

I agree for framing and siding I would find it usefull. For my shop cabinet work my 1/72nd pencil lines are obliterated by the 1/16th laser

[Duane Bozarth]

TaskMule wrote: ...

Is (or can it be) set such that it would hit the edge precisely or is it (as I have presumed) a fuzzy-enough image that there isn't really that crisp of a line? If it were set to split the line, I don't think it would have a chance of anything but "in the ballpark", I agree...

I have no intention of ever paying for one, I'm just curious how well they might actually work... :)

[Ron - Home]

I bought a Laserkerf brand laser for my makita 1013 about two years ago. It's housing mounted and comes with well laid out instructions for mounting. It's not a perfect system, but it's a nice option that I use sometimes and am glad to have even though I have a carefully constructed cutting station. My set-up involves a solid table with 8' of t-track to one side and 4' to the other side. There are steel rules epoxied into each track. Replete with flip stops for ease of use and repeatability. Yet, I do use the laser when I'm cutting to pencil marks. [BTW, the laser duplicates the saw kerf - either 1/8 or 3/32 - so the laser doesn't obliterate the pencil line. You put the laser to the EDGE of the pencil line.] So, I like having the laser. But for $80 I'm just as happy adding it on myself and letting Makita do what they do well. That 1013 is a fine saw! ron

[Leon]

I made a zero clearance insert for mine and I use the kerf slot to align with the mark on the front edge of the board.

[B a r r y]

I actually prefer to cut cabinet and furniture joints that really matter on my table saw. My SCMS is for framing, cutting rough lumber to length, etc... A laser would be of little value to me.

Barry

[B a r r y]

Same here.

Barry

[Dave Jackson]

I think I'll be sold on the idea when the laser can actually cut the ood. --dave