Makita table saw comparison

[ank]

I am considering buying one of these Makita table saws:

LH201FL
2704N
2712

I looked at the specs a something doesn't make sense to me:

2712 has the largest blade diameter at 315mm, but the max cutting height above table is listed as smaller than the 2704N which has the smallest blade diameter at 260mm !
Also LH201FL has a 305mm blade diameter and has the smallest max cutting height of all ?!

A larger blade diameter should give you more cutting depth, right?
The only reason I can think why it isn't is because of the way Makita chose to bury the blade, by not exposing it's full potential..

I'd prefer LH201FL because the blade can cut from both top and bottom, blade capacity is larger and price is smaller, but the ridiculously low cutting depth is a big drawback for me - almost half of the one with a smaller blade.
Or maybe I am missing something here.. If anyone has some advice, I'd appreciate it.

 

[Jameshow]

I am considering buying one of these Makita table saws:

LH201FL
2704N
2712

I looked at the specs a something doesn't make sense to me:

2712 has the largest blade diameter at 315mm, but the max cutting height above table is listed as smaller than the 2704N which has the smallest blade diameter at 260mm !
Also LH201FL has a 305mm blade diameter and has the smallest max cutting height of all ?!

A larger blade diameter should give you more cutting depth, right?
The only reason I can think why it isn't is because of the way Makita chose to bury the blade, by not exposing it's full potential..

I'd prefer LH201FL because the blade can cut from both top and bottom, blade capacity is larger and price is smaller, but the ridiculously low cutting depth is a big drawback for me - almost half of the one with a smaller blade.
Or maybe I am missing something here.. If anyone has some advice, I'd appreciate it.

Different types of saw.

The first is a fudge of a mitre table saw.

Second is a site saw, but portable.

Third is a bigger site saw.

 

[ChaiLatte]

As above, you are trying to compare apples, oranges and pears. The fact that they are all on the Makita shelf at Sainsbury's is irrelevant.

For fine joinery, the 2704 is the best choice of the three options. You could compare it with the MLT100 offered by Makita or Bosch GTS10 or DeWalt 7485 or 7492. I have an MLT100, and often think I should have bought the 2704, but the nearly-double price implication has not confirmed that thought. The weakest part of the MLT100 is the fence, but that can be fixed. Dust collection is extremely poor.

The 1201 is more a mitre saw that offers limited ripping capacity. In some cases, it might offer a little extra over what a dedicated mitre saw plus track saw can do but its ability as a mitre saw is compromised. With a good fence, you can cut from both sides of the timber, so cuttable depth is effectively twice stated cut depth. As a mitre saw, it would work up against a wall, but you'd have to rotate it to be parallel to the wall to use it as a rip saw.

To me, the 2712 is a larger, rougher version of the 2704. Probably good for first fix and framing work.