New makita mitre saw problem - consumer rights issue?

[Woodmonkey]

Maybe I'm being dim, but the side supports on this mitre saw I've just bought are not the same height as the cutting surface. There doesn't seem to be any adjustment that I can see, they are not just a little bit out they are miles out, and by differing amounts on each side. Expected better from makita.... any ideas?

 

[Wuffles]

Can't help you on that, but that's a Keter stand in a different colour, what brand and is it cheaper?

 

[Woodmonkey]

Standard keter from b and poo, fifty quid I think. Was in screw fix earlier and noticed they are selling them badged as forge steel different colour but look the same

 

[Adam9453]

If the saw is new then I'd take it back. Extensions are not much good if they're not level with the table.
You could obviously build spacers but I would just take it back and exchange for one that is right, or a different make/model

 

[Wuffles]

Standard keter from b and poo, fifty quid I think. Was in screw fix earlier and noticed they are selling them badged as forge steel different colour but look the same

Hmm, I have a Keter but it's blue, came from Screwfix in a "flash weekend sale" last year. Bloody handy thing though.

 

[Woodmonkey]

If the saw is new then I'd take it back. Extensions are not much good if they're not level with the table.
You could obviously build spacers but I would just take it back and exchange for one that is right, or a different make/model

Agreed, I will be returning it this week, just wanted to confirm I was not missing something obvious.

 

[n0legs]

Do they require pushing in further to locate in a 'webb' cast in the base, my evolution saw has this 'feature'.

 

[Homers double]

I purchased a makita ls1216 last year and the extensions are just about right, they took a bit of jiggling in and out to get right, when pushed right in they sit in 2 holes in the base which align them.

 

[Woodmonkey]

I will have another play, they didn't seem to seat very positively

 

[RossJarvis]

Hmmm

I bought a Makita LS0815 Mitre Saw about a year ago. The side supports are not particularly parallel, like yours. The "fence" is not straight (seems to be machined on the p**s in two different directions). It has problems cutting anything thicker than a piece of paper as the body gets in the way, you can't hold any wood on the motor side of the thing, the detente's aren't very good as it wobbles around them so I take the angles with a pinch of salt, it's very tricky swopping blades, as it doesn't seem to be designed to have them swopped. The laser came set at a different angle to the blade, the dust bag stitching is crap.

Apart from that it's great.

I think some Makita mitre saws are great and some "have issues" (I usually blame the parents).

I would have taken mine back, but as I'm not a cabinet maker and hate fuss I've kept it. If it's an issue with the type of work you do I suggest returning it and buying a different brand, the problems of wasting time getting a replacement with the same issues or other ones can be very distressing.

Due to having a Mafell KSS I find I don't usually need a CMS, but don't get me on the problems with that :evil:

 

[Woodmonkey]

Hmm indeed. I used it for a couple of hours this afternoon cutting some skirting and the only issue I had was the side supports. The fence and blade were bang on square out the box and required no adjustment and cut some nice fitting mitres. Didn't use the laser to be fair as I was cutting outside so couldn't really see it.
Did look at some more expensive saws but I need something portable they I can lug up and down stairs every day into people's bedrooms and it seems like the more you spend the heavier and bigger they get.

 

[Woodmonkey]

Took this back to the shop today. All the makita saws in the shop were the same, except for the biggest £600 jobbie which was level. The chap called makita who told him to send the saw back to them to have a look at, quite pointless really since it appears that is how they all come out the factory. Not impressed, makita.

 

[woodpig]

My Wickes saw was like that as well but I never used the supports anyway. The whole concept is not very good IMO but it hasn't stopped me using the saw as the table is wide enough anyway. I can see it might be something of a problem though with a tiddler.

 

[Woodmonkey]

Just to update, the saw came back from makita, they are saying that the supports are just general supports and as such do not necessarily have to be the same height as the table (!) and since i had made a couple of cuts with the saw the shop won't refund me as they are saying it's now second hand. Doesn't seem fair really but hey ho it will go on eBay and i will just take the loss.

 

[Adam9453]

Thats the biggest cop out i've heard in a while. Where did you buy it from?
Personally I would take it back and kick up a stink until they agree to refund you. Sometimes causing a scene can be all it takes to get an annoying issue resolved.
I once had a problem with one of my suppliers, they printed a load of rubbish and were claiming it was commercially acceptable (it wasn't!!), they kept mucking me about so in the end I loaded up the pallets of rubbish they produced, I then drove to their premises and deposited it all outside their back door. The factory guys, being a bit bewildered by this, went and fetched the director (who had been avoiding me) and now I stood in front of him showing the rubbish they had produced and asked him to explain to me in person how that was 'commercially acceptable'. Funnily enough he backed down in the face of the 2 pallets worth of rubbish and agreed to compensate us for the job.
This may seem irrational but this issue ran into a few thousand pounds so I was not going to let it drop.

Suffice to say, we no longer deal with that company but we did get the compensation we were due.

 

[Woodmonkey]

It's my local tool shop who i do use fairly regularly so don't wish to fall out with them. I did try and argue my case but they weren't having it, sometimes life is just too short to be honest.

 

[Adam9453]

Fair enough if you feel its not worth it but I do hate this kind of thing.
It just frustrates me that people trade like that.
I buy most of my stuff from axminster now because their service is so exceptionally good, both pre, during and after sales.
I had an issue with a roller stand I've had for a few months and whilst they could have just ordered the small part that had gone wrong, there was a long lead time for it to come in, they therefore without any argument or suggestion even, offered to just send me a complete new roller stand free of charge, without requesting that I return the original one. Now that is what I call service, I was very impressed when it arrived the following day.

 

[mind_the_goat]

The local shop won't take the hit, they will just send it back to Makita. I really don;t see why this should cost you. I'm curious about the definition of a 'general support' , the word support clearly suggests it supports something, which it currently doesn't do.
Check the user guide, page 12 on the version I found on-line, there is a solid bar (holder assembly) which clamps to that support (holder), and the text seems to imply that the work piece should rest on that. See if you have one, or can get one form the shop. If that is still too low then there is clearly a problem and the saw cannot be used as described in their own instructions.
Out of interest you could show them this text from the HSE web site on chop saws:
Fence and table
.....
Adequate workpiece support is required for all
operations carried out. Long workpieces should be
supported using extension tables or roller supports
either side of the saw unit

http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/wis36.pdf

 

[Woodmonkey]

The shop have sent it back already to makita, who have returned it back saying it is not faulty. I'm just frustrated that i used it to make a few cuts otherwise they would've refunded me no problem.

 

[mind_the_goat]

Used or not it has no effect on 'fit for purpose'. However do check the manual, it indicates that the work piece is not intended to rest on those bars, but to another part clamped to the bars.
http://www.manualslib.com/manual/98597/Makita-Ls1040.html?page=15#manual