Sliding miter saw

"Ed Edelenbos" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@mid.individual.net:

Dust collection and adjustable fence would be the features I'd look for. Dust collection is difficult to implement well after purchasing the saw, and a SCMS produces a lot of dust. An adjustable fence is important to make sure it's square to the blade, and parallel to the boards. My Kobalt SCMS fence started cupping to no longer be parallel to the board edge, and the only thing I could do was replace it.

FWIW, it seems the 10" blades are more common and will probably be a little cheaper. If the saw comes with a 40T blade you'll probably want to replace it with a cross cut (80T+) blade soon.

Puckdropper

-------------------------------------------- Did your existing device get the job done?

If so, then a 10" machine does the job.

If OTOH, you want to cross cut 2x6 stock, you need a 12" machine.

Want to be able to perform RAS functions, then you need a slider.

Don't need the "slider", you save some money and maintenance time keeping saw "tuned".

In the past, Makita got good marks for their 12" machine.

Haven't stayed up to speed on these saws so can't give you a specific reference.

Charlie Groh, you out there?

Lew

In that case I won't mention my 12" Milwaukee that I really like.

Max

If it's the one I'm looking at, it is one nice machine. From where I'm sitting, it is another 600 smackeroonies MORE to go to the Kapex... And just like their drills, there is a point where Festool becomes ridiculous. I have played with the Kapex, it is fantastic. And if I were a trim carpenter, and 30+ years younger, I'd be all over that puppy. That big old Milwaukee seems nice. (I should have never sold that LS

Mine is holding up fine despite wearing out two Forrest Chopmasters down through the years.

My LS1013 is about 6 years old and gets used often. I'm not a pro but I'm constantly doing work for friends and relatives. It's still dead nuts accurate.

I looked at Mikita's web site and the saw is now the LS1016L. 10" with a laser. Google shows it to be about $450. In my opinion it's well worth the money.

"Robatoy" wrote

The only thing I'm not pleased with is dust collection. It doesn't suck. It doesn't even collect very well and the outlet is an odd oblong shape that is going to be difficult to adopt to my dust collector. But rest assured; it will be done.

Max

My tool inventory spreadsheet shows that I paid $489 for the LS1013 in

When I bought mine I think the normal "list" price was about $640. I bought it one sale at Home Depot for about the same price you paid.

OK, I rarely if ever admit this and I can just hear the laughter coming but...

My name is Bill W and I have a 12" Craftsman slider that I bought a year ago on sale for $229. I was totally without when I had to return a borrowed unit and I was just going to buy a $99 10" non-slider to get me by until I could afford a 12" Milwaukee or Hitachi, etc. Then I saw the sale. It has served me very well and I haven't found the need to replace it.

Honestly, I NEVER rely on my cutoff saw to do square cuts; I just use it for rough length. The only time I use it for finish cuts is compound miters and some less critical flat miters. I put on a better blade, tweak the adjustment and move slow and get perfect cuts when I need them.

As a disclaimer I do have some real tools like a Powermatic TS and Shaper, etc.

P.S. I did break a part of the saw (totally my fault) while under the one year warranty and Sears was great, calling me every few days with an update and apologizing for a few days delay in getting and installing the replacement part.

Replying at the bottom of the list of replies... all suggestions are appreciated. Now to make *my* mind up...

Ed