Which mitre saw

[paullippo]

Hello all, I'm thinking of updating my very old mitre saw, trouble is I can't decide on the Bosch GCM 12 GLD or the large Dewalt.
The main reason for the change is accuracy on cutting mitres for box making and my old Makita is just not good enough anymore mainly due to lending it out to a friend some years back who admited to dropping it. (leason learnt). Any advise would be most welcome.

Regards
Paul

 

[recipio]

It's not really about brands and I can't comment on the saws you mention as I haven't used them. It's more about functionality. Firstly a 12 " inch saw is more versatile. Like you I make boxes and I can cut 100 mm high miters vertically on my Milwaukee 12 " . It saves having to tilt the saw over every time and if you don't need that function you can put a zero clearance fence on the saw making it much safer.
I would look at induction motor saws as well - a brush motor makes a loud racket starting up.
Lastly if space is tight consider a non sliding or articulating saw. I really resent having to put my saw 600mm away from a wall as it's wasted space. In fact you really should be able to walk around the 'back ' of the saw to clean up as even with extraction they throw dust everywhere. For my next shed I'll build a dedicated dust hood with extraction to catch as much sawdust as possible. Yes it all means more money but 'buy cheap buy twice' Best of luck with the purchase.

 

[clogs]

I have the large DeWalt sliding compound 305mm dia bladed version...for pro use....
it's spot on and has been for the last 20 odd years...might be more.....
it's been in and out of vans all it's life....
BUT keep the blades sharp.....I have several 90 tooth blades for diff materials....
hard wood, soft wood, man made etc etc.....
my work is well organised so no blade swopping mid job normally.....
PLUS all my blades are sent to the sharpener's before I even take em out of the packet....
even some of the "best" brands have a rubbish grind.....
With a sharp blade I can cut down to thou's.....often edging up to a perfect fit....
even soft wood will have a planed like finish with a sharp blade on end grain.....
The only reason I bought DeWalt (not a fan) was nobody else made a machine that big at the time....
I believe u can buy a 350mm dia bladed machine now....if ever mine blows up....
some moan about the room they take up with the slider and recomend the new Bosch.....
but Bosch don't have the quality of old.....I won't buy their stuff either.....
Now I'm a fan and only buy Japanese....

 

[Chief Sawdust Maker]

Over many years I have owned Ryobi, Jet, DeWalt, Makita & most recently Bosch the work I used to do was fairly heavy on Mitre Saws and accuracy wasn't the most important factor, the timber was railway sleepers, 6x2 joists, 4x2 joists, 4x4 posts, 6x6 posts and other similar sizes.
Out of the previous saws the most robust accurate and longest lasting was The Jet in fact it still sits under the bench with a broken guard but it does get used rarely for scrap or dubious timber.
The one thing that makes all the difference and can even turn a budget saw into a worthwhile bit of kit is the blade in the 25ish years i have owned Mitre Saws I must have tried over 15 different blade makes with many surprising outcomes.
Around 5 years ago I settled on Feud blades always negative rake for Mitre Saws and as Clogs mentioned all of mine go via the sharpener's before they get mounted on the saw
Current saw is The Bosch GCM 12 GDL it was bang on accurate straight out of the box and the massive plus lack of rear space it requires, The repeatability of the set angles is bang on
2 slight negatives are the dust collection isn't the best but mine sits in an extracted enclosure and the laser is a bit tricky to set up and needs adjustment if you have a different kerf blade, I don't use my laser and have fitted an LED shadow light which cost me less than £10 on line and was installed in minutes with a hot glue gun it needs no adjustment for different blades and doesn't need much setting up.
I replaced the the plastic insert place with a zero clearance wooden one which i change as and when required.
I have fitted a zero clearance fence made from MDF secured to both fences with a short replaceable insert between the 2 fixed fences which can be replaced when doing angled cuts.
If the saw was to break I would instantly buy a like for like replacement I am really pleased I made the investment
I have also brought a Bosch GCM 8 SJL which I use on site or if doing installs as the GCM12 is just too heavy to lug around and I have it so dialled in with infeed and outfeed tables with calibrated stops.

 

[recipio]

A zero clearance fence and blade insert will allow you to cut small pieces safely - probably the greatest risk on a conventional saw. I bought the Milwaukee because it had a digital display and I love it. Shame nobody else makes them now - even Milwaukee has dropped the idea .

 

[deema]

Probably the most accurate Compound Mitre Saw that will cost the least and last for generations is a Wadkin Radial Arm Saw. They are super accurate and stay accurate. They can be picked up for loose change.

 

[paullippo]

Thanks to you all for your input especially getting blades sharpened before use I wouldn't even have thought of doing that from a new blade. So far there's a plus for both machines so, I'm going to Axminster to view them both to try and help make a final choice.Thanks again for your help.

Paul

 

[Seascaper]

The best power tool I ever owned was a

Hitachi C10FSB Miter Saw​

To select it I went to a power tool supplier where they had a whole selection on view so that one could get a feel for how to use and familiarise oneself with the controls. The Hitachi won hands down and was the most superb tool to use. I used it for cutting accurate roof joints on a large extension and went on to use it ton construct a massive 6m x 5m timber barn. This is a quality tool with accurate easy to use settings, and smooth controls and rails. It would be my first choice if I needed another.

 

[paullippo]

That's sound advise Seascaper and what I intend to do put my hands on one and see what there like.


Paul

 

[recipio]

If you have a brush motor powered saw I'd buy a set of replacement brushes for it now. In ten years time they might not be available

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Now I'm a fan and only buy Japanese....

made in China?

 

[Phil Pascoe]

The best power tool I ever owned was a

Hitachi C10FSB Miter Saw​

To select it I went to a power tool supplier where they had a whole selection on view so that one could get a feel for how to use and familiarise oneself with the controls. The Hitachi won hands down and was the most superb tool to use. I used it for cutting accurate roof joints on a large extension and went on to use it ton construct a massive 6m x 5m timber barn. This is a quality tool with accurate easy to use settings, and smooth controls and rails. It would be my first choice if I needed another.
View attachment 141060

I bought a very clean old 110v one with a Freud blade and two new spare blades for £110. Didn't realise the transformer was with it. It's a cracking saw - I don't know what the newer models are like, though.

 

[Seascaper]

That's sound advise Seascaper and what I intend to do put my hands on one and see what there like.


Paul

I am a left hander some am only comfortable to use right handed, the Hitachi trigger is comfortable for both left and right, not something you will read in review. Good lunch choosing
Regards

 

[paullippo]

Over many years I have owned Ryobi, Jet, DeWalt, Makita & most recently Bosch the work I used to do was fairly heavy on Mitre Saws and accuracy wasn't the most important factor, the timber was railway sleepers, 6x2 joists, 4x2 joists, 4x4 posts, 6x6 posts and other similar sizes.
Out of the previous saws the most robust accurate and longest lasting was The Jet in fact it still sits under the bench with a broken guard but it does get used rarely for scrap or dubious timber.
The one thing that makes all the difference and can even turn a budget saw into a worthwhile bit of kit is the blade in the 25ish years i have owned Mitre Saws I must have tried over 15 different blade makes with many surprising outcomes.
Around 5 years ago I settled on Feud blades always negative rake for Mitre Saws and as Clogs mentioned all of mine go via the sharpener's before they get mounted on the saw
Current saw is The Bosch GCM 12 GDL it was bang on accurate straight out of the box and the massive plus lack of rear space it requires, The repeatability of the set angles is bang on
2 slight negatives are the dust collection isn't the best but mine sits in an extracted enclosure and the laser is a bit tricky to set up and needs adjustment if you have a different kerf blade, I don't use my laser and have fitted an LED shadow light which cost me less than £10 on line and was installed in minutes with a hot glue gun it needs no adjustment for different blades and doesn't need much setting up.
I replaced the the plastic insert place with a zero clearance wooden one which i change as and when required.
I have fitted a zero clearance fence made from MDF secured to both fences with a short replaceable insert between the 2 fixed fences which can be replaced when doing angled cuts.
If the saw was to break I would instantly buy a like for like replacement I am really pleased I made the investment
I have also brought a Bosch GCM 8 SJL which I use on site or if doing installs as the GCM12 is just too heavy to lug around and I have it so dialled in with infeed and outfeed tables with calibrated stops.

Hello Sawdust Maker, I wonder if I could drain your brains and ask what would be the most important factor for me. Would (in your opinion) it be posible to get 4 pieces of wood for box making cut a 45 angle each end and glue them straight from the machine using the bosch gcm12 gdl and it be square. lastly where do you send your blades for sharpening.

 

[Chief Sawdust Maker]

Hello Sawdust Maker, I wonder if I could drain your brains and ask what would be the most important factor for me. Would (in your opinion) it be posible to get 4 pieces of wood for box making cut a 45 angle each end and glue them straight from the machine using the bosch gcm12 gdl and it be square. lastly where do you send your blades for sharpening.

I would say that the Bosch GCM12 GDL is capable of that and in actual fact I have just spent the morning cutting and joining some frames with 45 degree joints on to make up some wheel sets for storage crates
You will get a more accurate result using the bevel angle of the saw rather than the mitre angle.
The mitre angle indexes to stops and the only way to check the angle is with a bevel or protractor or make a test cut, check and fiddle.
Using the bevel angle you can make use of a digital angle box, around £30ish lots of manufactures supply them you zero the box on the bed of the saw then using the internal magnet on the box attach it to the blade and adjust to get your 45 degree angle, when you have finished at 45 degrees you can use the same method to ensure you return to 90 degrees.

I send my blades to a local sharpener via my local tools and fixings supplier they charge per tooth and usually turn round in a week.

Where in the uk are you located?

I am in the midlands you are welcome to visit and try the saw.

D

 

[paullippo]

Darren thats really kind of you to offer to try the saw but I'm in East London to far to go i'm affraid. I'm going to Axminster tools next Thursday (Sittingbourne) to choose between the 2, unfortunately they wont let me test them but it looks like I'll go for the Bosch if its that accurate, and to go up against the wall as I don't have the space, I have a digital angle box and I think now it will be a no brainer as the Dewalt is 41" from front to back. Thanks again for the offer and advise its really very much appreciated.

Paul

 

[paullippo]

Hello all I just wanted to do an update on my mitre saw, I went for the Dewalt, got it home although it fitted on my bench it stuck out to much, I should have gone with my first choice but I do like Dewalt, but with my lack of space in the workshop it was just no good. I took it back the next day and exchanged it for the bosch, it fitted like a glove and I'm over the moon with it. I'm in the process of making a zero clearance fence and blade insert. Thanks for all the help previously all I need now is for advice on a new blade mainly for cutting mitres on hardwoods for keepsake/memory boxes and the like. Any help on this would be appreciated. I also ditched the laser didn't like it and put on the led light that westy619 does 100% better in my view.

Paul

 

[Chief Sawdust Maker]

Enjoy your new purchase
There is not a lot wrong with the Bosch blade that comes with it, as I said in my previous post, I always have new blades sharpened before use
I think the standard is 99 teeth which seems to do me fine for hard and soft wood.
I have a couple of Bosch and a couple of Freud; I would suggest you shop around as you can usually pick them up on special offer.
Drop me a message if you need any more info

D

 

[paullippo]

Many thanks Darren.

Paul

 

[bp122]

Haven't tried the DeWalt, but a very happy owner of the Bosch Glide.