Mitre saw size?

[Hsmith192]

I would like to get a mitre saw but I’m unsure about sizes…

12 inch would be great but is that overkill for furniture making? And can you get away with multiple cuts with a smaller blade?

I’ve been looking at evolution and Bosch as brands so any advice would be really great

 

[Ollie78]

You can cut small stuff on a big saw. Not so much the other way round.

Ollie

 

[Hsmith192]

You can cut small stuff on a big saw. Not so much the other way round.

Ollie

What one would you recommend?

 

[Ollie78]

Well, I am possibly not the one to ask here, I have a Festool Kapex 120 which is excellent but very expensive (actually a 260mm blade but good capacity) . Before that I had a Makita which was pretty good but smaller.

It is important to try the controls and stuff, I almost bought one of those Bosch axial glide saws but I tried it and hated the horizontal handle and found the safety button super annoying but some prefer it that way round.

Ollie

 

[TRITON]

What one would you recommend?

What is your budget - top end ?. I think Bosch 12" is about £550 Festool kapex KS60 is only £630 so not a lot more for probably as better saw*

*Awaiting the attack

 

[Sporky McGuffin]

The non-axial glide Bosch has a rotatable handle. But the rails do poke out of the back.

 

[Hsmith192]

Hi-

Ive never considered festool- I’ve heard they’re really good though.
Budget I would say is £250-300.

 

[Stevebod]

A few years ago, after much research I got a Metabo KGS 254 M Sliding Mitre Saw, (currently on Amazon for around £350). I am a (very) casual user but I have found this fine for my needs. Only downside is it only bevels to one side, but I have not found that to be much of a problem...you pays your money etc?

nb a priority for me was a trench cut facility which some of the saws I reviewed didn't have...do check if this is important for you?

...if you want cheap, mitre saws regularly come up at Aldi / Lidl who also sell quit a good saw stand to go with them for about £40...

 

[Hsmith192]

The non-axial glide Bosch has a rotatable handle. But the rails do poke out of the back.

I will have it in a garage/ workshop space mainly for woodworking. The rails shouldn’t be an issue hopefully.

 

[Essex Barn Workshop]

If I was buying again I would opt for a 12" saw. Just occasionally I need a deeper cut than my current saw can provide, and yes multiple cuts can work but the bigger blade would be advantageous.
As for make, I happen to like Bosch.

 

[hugov]

I'm not convinced a mitre saw is a very useful tool for furniture making, I mostly agree with this guy's point of view on the matter:

I have a small Dewalt one (DWS774) I've used for DIY and house renovation things (skirting boards, trim etc) and keep it in a cupboard in my small garage workshop. If I had a much bigger workshop I'd probably have one set up in a mitre station thing, and I'd be looking at the Bosch GCM 12 GDL, Makita LS1019 or Festool Kapex KS 120 – I don't think any of the lesser/cheaper ones have sufficient rigidity to be really useful for furniture. If you do get one, get a decent blade, it makes all the difference.

 

[Craig22]

In a sense I prefer non power tool use if I can get away with it. Now don't get me wrong - I have a bandsaw, planer/thickesser, router table and radial arm saw.

But for precision mitres I either use a shooting board with 45 degree attachments (both ways), and also a mitre guillotine. The guillotines are expensive (I bought mine when an offer was in place from Rutlands). But my thing is amateur cabinetmaking. If I ran a commercial shop, or did kitchen installs where time is a major factor, I'd make a power tool choice for sure.

 

[Droogs]

All the main "brands" make very good saws. As with nearly all tools, bigger is better mainly for the power you get and as put forward by @Ollie78 . For you as the operator it comes down to 2 things really, ergonomics and space. If you are tight for front and back space for the machine then the choice comes down to the Bosch GCM 12 range with the clever multi pivot arm as this needs no space behind it really. Otherwise it comes down to the most important factor the ergonomics, you should go along to your local factors and play about with the display models and not just for a couple of seconds - go through the motions of using the saw 10 to 20 times one after another and see if it feels right. Turn on the various buttons and reset the trenching height and flick the buttons for light and laser etc and move the stops. The one that feels the most natural is the one to get. If you base the purchase just on cost and pick one that feels not quite there instead of the one that felt good you will regret the purchase evermore.
I am lucky in that I have 24/7 access to a big Festool beast of a machine and recently was given a small 8" blue Bosch, having had a play with it, I will be using the little baby blue a lot more than the Festool and that is down to ergonomics even though in terms of build the festool is on another level to the Bosch. It just feels better; this is also why I have no festool routers as to me, the Triton and the Makita machines feel much more natural in my hands.

HTH

 

[Hsmith192]

Thanks

All the main "brands" make very good saws. As with nearly all tools, bigger is better mainly for the power you get and as put forward by @Ollie78 . For you as the operator it comes down to 2 things really, ergonomics and space. If you are tight for front and back space for the machine then the choice comes down to the Bosch GCM 12 range with the clever multi pivot arm as this needs no space behind it really. Otherwise it comes down to the most important factor the ergonomics, you should go along to your local factors and play about with the display models and not just for a couple of seconds - go through the motions of using the saw 10 to 20 times one after another and see if it feels right. Turn on the various buttons and reset the trenching height and flick the buttons for light and laser etc and move the stops. The one that feels the most natural is the one to get. If you base the purchase just on cost and pick one that feels not quite there instead of the one that felt good you will regret the purchase evermore.
I am lucky in that I have 24/7 access to a big Festool beast of a machine and recently was given a small 8" blue Bosch, having had a play with it, I will be using the little baby blue a lot more than the Festool and that is down to ergonomics even though in terms of build the festool is on another level to the Bosch. It just feels better; this is also why I have no festool routers as to me, the Triton and the Makita machines feel much more natural in my hands.

HTH

I’m going to try some out hopefully and get a feel for them.
Might need to consider some 8 inch saws too. Thanks again

 

[clogs]

I bought and like the 305mm slider from DeWalt.....
would have bought bigger if available....
It was the only saw like it when they first came out...
still is accurate and in perfect working order since new.....20 years ++++
no idea on cost now.....
normally never buy DeWalt but this has been exceptional....
only grief it's 110volt.....
when the motor dies I'll buy a 240v motor..... IF....hahaha...
Droogs is quit correct for fit and function, then money.....
no idea where to try out these saws......