Mitre saw purchase advice, bevel right cuts

[bryan267]

Hi and thanks again for all your comments. I have gladly been able to contribute a few times since my last thread.

I’m looking to replace my cheap single bevel rexel mitre saw for a reasonable upgrade. Uses will be skirting board up to 30mm thick and over 250mm tall, old house, and also to square off ripped soft and hardwood from slabs for cabinets, panels and doors. I have £200 of Amazon vouchers so was hoping to buy from there.

Given my experience of tear out on the current mitre saw, back and bottom, which yes a new blade would fix, but can’t fix all the other issues, the double bevel is important. I really wanted a 10” blade and thought the £600 (£400 after vouchers) dewalt dsw727 would do the job.
Dewalt DWS727 Double Bevel Sliding Mitre Saw 250mm 240v https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07Z6P4...abc_F398KYJQQNJ1V7XF1Z8G?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

There are lots of festool fans in these forums and dust extraction and accuracy are important, so I wondered if the ks60 (8” blade) would suffice, similar cost, not expecting to cut anything thicker than 2”. However festool spec claimed a maximum depth of cut of bevel right 45d of just 20mm, while 40mm bevel left 45d.Really? That’s the skirting board job out, or needing to move the stock and risk tear out.

I was shocked to see the 10” dewalt with the same 20mm claim, for a 2 inch thicker blade. Surely this isn’t right is it? Is it a limitation on just 300mm deep pieces. I don’t understand this all all and can’t picture it in my mind.

The festool ks88 has a claimed depth of cut at 35mm on 45 d bevel right so that fixes the old house skirting boards job. The ks88 240v is currently out of stock in most places let alone Amazon, and is a little stretch from the intended budget but I would rather spend a little extra now instead of swearing at the machine for the next decade, again.

This just seemed like a strange anomaly to me. Does anyone have experience of the double bevel, bevel right limitations and any advice?

Thank you

 

[wsb1207]

Hi and thanks again for all your comments. I have gladly been able to contribute a few times since my last thread.

I’m looking to replace my cheap single bevel rexel mitre saw for a reasonable upgrade. Uses will be skirting board up to 30mm thick and over 250mm tall, old house, and also to square off ripped soft and hardwood from slabs for cabinets, panels and doors. I have £200 of Amazon vouchers so was hoping to buy from there.

Given my experience of tear out on the current mitre saw, back and bottom, which yes a new blade would fix, but can’t fix all the other issues, the double bevel is important. I really wanted a 10” blade and thought the £600 (£400 after vouchers) dewalt dsw727 would do the job.
Dewalt DWS727 Double Bevel Sliding Mitre Saw 250mm 240v https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07Z6P4...abc_F398KYJQQNJ1V7XF1Z8G?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

There are lots of festool fans in these forums and dust extraction and accuracy are important, so I wondered if the ks60 (8” blade) would suffice, similar cost, not expecting to cut anything thicker than 2”. However festool spec claimed a maximum depth of cut of bevel right 45d of just 20mm, while 40mm bevel left 45d.Really? That’s the skirting board job out, or needing to move the stock and risk tear out.

I was shocked to see the 10” dewalt with the same 20mm claim, for a 2 inch thicker blade. Surely this isn’t right is it? Is it a limitation on just 300mm deep pieces. I don’t understand this all all and can’t picture it in my mind.

The festool ks88 has a claimed depth of cut at 35mm on 45 d bevel right so that fixes the old house skirting boards job. The ks88 240v is currently out of stock in most places let alone Amazon, and is a little stretch from the intended budget but I would rather spend a little extra now instead of swearing at the machine for the next decade, again.

This just seemed like a strange anomaly to me. Does anyone have experience of the double bevel, bevel right limitations and any advice?

Thank you

I use a 12" Bosch GDL and I don't remember ever having that problem with depth of bevel cuts on the right. It's not often I use that bevel but I'm sure I would have noticed.

 

[clogs]

I have the DeWalt 708, 305mm, compound slider miter saw.....110v...bought for site use.....
I'm now much older and find it a bit diff to lift in and out of the van now......
its nearly 20 years old, still as acurate as when new.....
I bought it as there was nothing else that size at the time......
would I trade it up for something newer.....NEVER....
the new Bosch equiv I feel will hit probs when the canter lever bearings start to get a little sloppy, and they will.....
Think I paid around £750 for the DW......gotta say money well spent...
I keep thinking when the motor burns out I'll swop it for a 240v for conv.....but it's still running.....
I'm def not a fan of DW but can't fault this machine.....
I always fancied one of those fancy stands for it, on wheels etc etc but could never justify the cost......
now it's screwed down to a heavy wheeled table as I dont do much work away from home anymore.....

 

[Jelly]

This just seemed like a strange anomaly to me. Does anyone have experience of the double bevel, bevel right limitations and any advice?

Thank you

The motor gets in the way when the tilting of the saw head to produce the bevel angle moves it downwards, reducing clearance underneath it.

There's nothing you can do to avoid that limitation on the saw design; your choices are:

• buy a big enough saw that it's not a problem, or
• use the other side of the saw and cut your workpiece upside down and backward

 

[bryan267]

I use a 12" Bosch GDL and I don't remember ever having that problem with depth of bevel cuts on the right. It's not often I use that bevel but I'm sure I would have noticed.

Funnily enough according to the manual for your saw there is still a right bevel issue, not as much, but then it’s a 12” blade. I found this in the manual, which didn’t copy paste well, but this is 90d mitre 45d bevel


Height x width [mm]
45°
45° (left)
51 x 240
51 x 200
45°
45° (right)
38 x 240
38 x 200

 

[Doug71]

I have the Kapex 120, it is a great saw but once you get to mitring skirting that size you are getting to it's limits. Maybe my saw needs a tweak or it's bad technique but when cutting skirting that deep on a mitre it can run out a fraction, although timber that deep often isn't flat which doesn't help.

 

[bryan267]

I have the Kapex 120, it is a great saw but once you get to mitring skirting that size you are getting to it's limits. Maybe my saw needs a tweak or it's bad technique but when cutting skirting that deep on a mitre it can run out a fraction, although timber that deep often isn't flat which doesn't help.

That surprises me, if the saw has a cutting capacity of 120mm I would be surprised and let down that it’s struggling on the 45mm mitre through a 30mm thick piece of pine.

 

[Doug71]

The Kapex 120 can only cut something 120mm high upright in the "special" cutting position, this only allows for stock about 20mm thick, for example 120mm x 20 mm skirting. When cutting in the normal position it can only cut 88mm thick stock. Only just realised this is where the names KS 120 and KS 88 come from as the KS 88 doesn't have the special cutting feature.

I never use the special cutting position as it's a bit of a faff, don't know if it's just my saw but once I engage it it's hard to release it again. The idea is it kind of locks the saw head so you are just cutting with the very back of the blade which is why you get the extra bit of height.

 

[shed9]

I have the Kapex 120 and a Dewalt 712.
Dust collection on the Kapex is superb, highly accurate in cutting and a joy to use. My only criticism is that it is a light weight machine comparative to the competition. I get the point of that when used as a site saw but let's be honest, most (not all) people are buying the Kapex as a workshop saw. Minor gripe but I'd prefer a little more heft in the saw is all. the lack of rear extending sliders is not to be ignored in purchasing choices either.
The Dewalt is built like a tank. Dust collection is hit and miss depending on type of cut and the condition of the rear dust shroud. If you cut composites on it you will likely need a mask. I've had to replace some spares on the Dewalt due to being damaged in transit and parts were a doddle to order and relatively cheap. The 712 is an old saw now but I can get hold of pretty much anything for it to keep it going if need be.

 

[sometimewoodworker]

That surprises me, if the saw has a cutting capacity of 120mm I would be surprised and let down that it’s struggling on the 45mm mitre through a 30mm thick piece of pine.

I think you are misunderstanding the limits or using the wrong terms. The saw is not “struggling” there is plenty of power, it’s the geometry of the saw/motor/blade/sliding mechanism that creates the restrictions not the power.

Once you start on angle and compound angle cuts you quite quickly get to test the maximum cuts available and they will always be less on the side that has the motor.

 

[Terrytpot]

I have the Dewalt DW717XPS which meets the following specs whether that's any better or worse I couldn't say but apart from dire dust collection it ticks all the boxes for me.

• Bevel Capacity: 48/48 °
• Mitre Capacity (Right/Left): 50/60 °
• Cutting Capacity at 90°/90° (W x H): 302 x 88 mm
• Cutting Capacity at 90°/90° (W x H): 320 x 76 mm
• Cutting Capacity at 45°/90° (W x H): 213 x 88 mm
• Cutting Capacity at 45°/90° (W x H): 226 x 76 mm
• Cutting Capacity at 90°/45° (W x H): 302 x 58 mm
• Cutting Capacity at 90°/45° (W x H): 320 x 50 mm
• Max. Cutting Capacity at 45°/45°: 226 x 50 mm
• Max. Depth of Cut (Saws): 152 mm