What mitre saw

[t.f.bleaken]

Hi I'm having a bit of an issue choosing a sliding mitre saw. Now I am in the trade and my saws get a lot of use. I currently have a kapex and like the saw but its not hardy enough for the work I do so it will be consigned to the workshop.
I have had a metabo kgs 305 but was very unimpressed as it had about 5 mm play in the detents. I then had a makita ls1216 but the electric brake failed so both of these saws are off my list.

I have been looking at the bosch gcm 12 gdl with gravity stand but I can't find many reviews on the saw. Does anybody have any experience of the saw?

 

[nathandavies]

up until recently I would have been shouting Makita Makita Makita at you until you bought one, but recently I've lost my confidence with their quality. When I was on site dewalt and bosch were both hard working tools but perhaps without some of the refinement of Makita. What are the hire companies using at the moment? that's normally a sign of what will take a pasting day in day out. Luckily for you, you're not in London where festool is the only tool to be seen with, yet to buy any myself I don't know if they are worth the extra Wonga. I'll be interested to here what people say as my 15 yr old Makita is getting a bit sorry for itself.

 

[chippy1970]

What makes you say the kapex isn't hardy enough ?

I've got the Makita ls1013 had it years and it's fine but I want a kapex as the extraction is way better when working in customers houses.

 

[MMUK]

Makita LS1016/2. Had mine for a couple of years now, bought to upgrade from the old model. It's had heavy use cutting all sorts from 3x2 studding to 9x3 joist timbers. Never missed a beat.

Having said that, I also have an Evolution Rage 9" sliding saw which cost around £140. For the lighter work it's been pretty much bullet proof.

 

[Grahamshed]

I have the bosch gcm 12 gdl but I am not much use to you. I have only had the saw two days and the stand only turned up today.

 

[Berncarpenter]

Hi i have used these dewalts since 07 found them be be very accurate .Here they are set up to cut stair spindles

Didnt like the guard on the dw 708 {large 305mm blade saw} so took it off ,very naughty of me i know but i work alone most of the time and when on site the other chips are to scared to go near it .There is a laser to help line up the cuts but i found it to be a useless gimmick .Cheers Bern.

 

[Waka]

What makes you say the kapex isn't hardy enough ?

I've got the Makita ls1013 had it years and it's fine but I want a kapex as the extraction is way better when working in customers houses.

If you can afford the Kapex then go for, I've had mine since they first came out and have to say that it's the best on the market.

 

[gumpy13]

hi i'm new to forum hope i'm posting in the right place , i was wondering what dimensions i would need to store makita ls1016l sliding mitre saw. i know general dimensions but was hoping the saw would lock down for transporting and storage.

 

[YorkshireMartin]

What makes you say the kapex isn't hardy enough ?

I've got the Makita ls1013 had it years and it's fine but I want a kapex as the extraction is way better when working in customers houses.

I'm no professional but I have a quite a few festools but not a Kapex. I looked at it and had a bit of a play, it's a bloody good saw but for my needs I couldnt justify it so stuck with my bosch gcm 8 sjl. If its anything like my other festools then the dust collection on the kapex would be brilliant/class leading.

But I have to say, in all honesty, if I was a trade professional I dont think I'd be using festool on site either unless, as you say, it was inside a customers home. My bosch stuff does feel a lot more substantial in the hand and the makita stuff I've handled (dont own any) did too. It's more "industrial" somehow.

I'm not basing that on anything other than feel. I find Festools feel like hmm, let's say, soft and comfortable, like the interior of an Audi, vs. the interior of a mercedes van, which is the feeling I get from bosch.

Would be interesting to hear from say, a shop fitter who uses festool day in day out on site, to hear how they hold up vs. makita etc.

As for mitre saws, my bosch is flawlessly accurate at 90 degrees, bevel cuts not so much, mitre cuts are close, but not perfect. Could well be my technique, though. I'd love the 8" glide version but it's not out in the UK yet. The glide, if it works, would probably result in near perfection at all angles, I'd think.

 

[Wuffles]

What makes you say the kapex isn't hardy enough ?

I've got the Makita ls1013 had it years and it's fine but I want a kapex as the extraction is way better when working in customers houses.

I'm no professional but I have a quite a few festools but not a Kapex. I looked at it and had a bit of a play, it's a bloody good saw but for my needs I couldnt justify it so stuck with my bosch gcm 8 sjl. If its anything like my other festools then the dust collection on the kapex would be brilliant/class leading.

But I have to say, in all honesty, if I was a trade professional I dont think I'd be using festool on site either unless, as you say, it was inside a customers home. My bosch stuff does feel a lot more substantial in the hand and the makita stuff I've handled (dont own any) did too. It's more "industrial" somehow.

I'm not basing that on anything other than feel. I find Festools feel like hmm, let's say, soft and comfortable, like the interior of an Audi, vs. the interior of a mercedes van, which is the feeling I get from bosch.

Would be interesting to hear from say, a shop fitter who uses festool day in day out on site, to hear how they hold up vs. makita etc.

As for mitre saws, my bosch is flawlessly accurate at 90 degrees, bevel cuts not so much, mitre cuts are close, but not perfect. Could well be my technique, though. I'd love the 8" glide version but it's not out in the UK yet. The glide, if it works, would probably result in near perfection at all angles, I'd think.

Did you notice Chippy's reply was from 2013?

 

[YorkshireMartin]

What makes you say the kapex isn't hardy enough ?

I've got the Makita ls1013 had it years and it's fine but I want a kapex as the extraction is way better when working in customers houses.

I'm no professional but I have a quite a few festools but not a Kapex. I looked at it and had a bit of a play, it's a bloody good saw but for my needs I couldnt justify it so stuck with my bosch gcm 8 sjl. If its anything like my other festools then the dust collection on the kapex would be brilliant/class leading.

But I have to say, in all honesty, if I was a trade professional I dont think I'd be using festool on site either unless, as you say, it was inside a customers home. My bosch stuff does feel a lot more substantial in the hand and the makita stuff I've handled (dont own any) did too. It's more "industrial" somehow.

I'm not basing that on anything other than feel. I find Festools feel like hmm, let's say, soft and comfortable, like the interior of an Audi, vs. the interior of a mercedes van, which is the feeling I get from bosch.

Would be interesting to hear from say, a shop fitter who uses festool day in day out on site, to hear how they hold up vs. makita etc.

As for mitre saws, my bosch is flawlessly accurate at 90 degrees, bevel cuts not so much, mitre cuts are close, but not perfect. Could well be my technique, though. I'd love the 8" glide version but it's not out in the UK yet. The glide, if it works, would probably result in near perfection at all angles, I'd think.

Did you notice Chippy's reply was from 2013?

Sure didn't. Been a long day.

 

[Brian18741]

Been a long 3 years! ;p

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