Sliding compound miter saws?

[Gray Ghost]

I just bought a 12" Porter Cable. Absolutely love it. I have

A number of PC tools. Every one topnotch.

 

[Todd T]

I took the opposite approach. i bought a radial arm saw. granted it may not be good for fine trim work but it can rip a 2x12 in half in one shot. add to that Dado blades and trim heads its like three saws in one. table, miter, circular + with a good trim head it could replace a router in most instances.



it cost about $600 which is about what a good sliding compound miter would run you.



just my opinion though.

 

[NVR FNSH]

Todd,

I don't have the room for a radial arm saw in the garage - most of my garage is committed to dirtbike and Jeep stuff/tools.



Besides my buddy has a radial arm saw and is setting up his garage as a woodshop if I want/need to do more complex stuff.



I should have known better than asking for opinions on this site Seriously, I really appreciate all the input and will have a tough time figuring out which one to get.



Thanks,

Brian

 

[Rob Thomas]

Grey Ghost,



Since when did PC start makin' a 12" slide saw?



Todd T,



Did you ever try tottin' that radial saw around with ya'? BTW my 10" slide saw WILL cut 12 1/2" in one pass.



Later, Rob

 

[nickleinonen]

i have a maketa 10" sliding one and i am happy with it. i don't do any real fine work with it, but the fine stuff i have done with it, it has done it well. the carbide blade is holding up well. . i use it to cut wood, abs & pvc pipe, aluminum angle and tubing, copper tubing. just about anything that needs cutting [except for steel- got a 14" cutoff saw in the garage]



i also have the maketa 18v 6. 5" cordless circular saw. that thing is great. only gripe is batteries are expensive and it looks like 2 of the 3 i have are going bad. one is pretty much toast, the other is on the way. the 3'rd one is still fine. they are 3 years old, and get used almost every weekday. also used the 7. 2v cordless drills. batteries for those last about 1 year or so... 2 at most. when you are recharging them 2-3 times a day, they don't last long. why a 7. 2v? size. it is light on the tool belt, and the "L" shape fits the holster better. i do have the 18v one, but it barely gets used [unless for drilling. ]

 

[QRTRHRS]

Bad battery packs

Often as not, maybe one or two cells are bad rather than the whole pack. If you can find the correct replacement cells and have the time, you can get more use for cheap.

 

[nickleinonen]

i know one of the 18v ones i have got shorted. it fell into a box of 2. 5" steel siding nails. i think that's why it is dead. the 7. 2v batteries are cheap. best way to get those is on sale. 2 batteries, 1 hour charger and 2spd drill for like 99 or less canadian funds. need new drills every so often, but need batteries more often.



hmm, i do think that the 18v's come apart. i remember seeing torx screws on the case. at least the maketa batteries are cheaper than the dewalt ones. .

 

[Todd T]

ya Rob its a little heavy. but i bought it for farm and home use, I'm not a contractor. if its needed in the barn the tractor/loader comes out to pick it up



BTW ever try building a house with 1/2" thick floor joists? you'll note i said 2"x12" all the way through. i can cut 15" @ 1/2" thickness

 

[Partyat33]

I have the Hitachi 10" slide, its awesome. Just my . 02.



Dennis

 

[Rob Thomas]

Originally posted by Todd T





BTW ever try building a house with 1/2" thick floor joists? you'll note i said 2"x12" all the way through. i can cut 15" @ 1/2" thickness

Todd,



I know that you said 2x12, thats what I meant also, mine will cut 3 1/2" thick pices at a total of 12 and one half inches crosscut, I didn't mean 12" of 1/2" material. So yes mine will cut a 2x12 in one pass.





Later, Rob

 

[Big P]

I've had TERRIBLE luck with the Makita LS 1013. I've owned two of them and had problems with both, althought the blade they came with is one of the best I've ever used. For interior trim I'm now using a DeWalt 12" sliding coumpound saw, with a Makita 12" 96 tooth thin kerf blade. This blade is AWESOME. It was about $105, but it cuts better than anything that I've bought from Freud, Amana, Jesada, or Dewalt. The guy I work with has the 12" version of the Makita LS 1013. It's a nice saw but I think the DeWalt is more accurate and better set up for trim.

 

[MDW]

I don't find any one manufacturer makes all great tools that is why I have a Bosch table saw, Dewalt cordless drills, Makita router, etc.

I do agree that Dewalts tools are going down hill.

If I could do it I would trade all my Dewalt cordless tools to Milwaukee, I like the new radio they have out also

I think Milwaukee and Bosch are on top right now, when I need a tool a look at Bosch first then Milwaukee but I buy which ever I think is the best tool at that time, it seems that the different manufacturers make 1 or 2 good tools.



But tools are personal preference, buy the best you can afford and what looks good to you.

 

[Arcticat]

My two cents as a finish carpenter and cabinetmaker - the Dewalt saws IMO are the most versatile combination of accuracy and capacity. NO saw has a greater capacity than the Dewalt 12" dual compound slide. It also has the best miter scale of the bunch. The bevel guage is not easy to read but as of yet I have not found one that is. However as has been pointed out the larger the blade the more deflection can come into play. Usually this is only a problem if you are trying to trim minute amounts of material of the end of a piece, but if you cut slowly and use a good blade it is not a big problem. Makita also makes a great slider, 10" or 12", main difference being in the max depth of cut possible. Whatever you do, make sure to get a saw that will bevel in both directions, so you aren't flipping the stock end for end in your garage all the time just to make the cut you need. Makita, Dewalt and Hitachi are the only ones that make a dual bevel slide saw that I know of.



PS a little advice on blades. If your wallet can handle it, buy a Forrest blade to go in your new saw. It is one of the more expensive brands, but there is no other brand that cuts as glass smooth as a Forrest. Freud, Amana, Systimatic, Delta, Makita, Dewalt, I've tried them all and none comes close. Look for the add in Fine Woodworking and buy a Chopmaster for your slide or chop saw and a WoodworkerII for your table saw. Also make sure to send it back to Forrest for resharpening. For some reason they are the only ones who can get the blade as sharp as new.