Cordless vs corded miter saw for shop setting

[Jarrett Lambert]

I'm in the market for a new miter saw. I currently have a 25 year old Dewalt 12" non-slider. I've decided on one of the following models:
Makita LS1019L 10" Corded
Makita XSL06Z 10" Cordless
Makita LS1219L 12" Corded
Makita XSL07PT 12" Cordless

I'm pretty sure I'll go with the 12". My big debate is whether to go cordless or corded. I'm just a hobbyist working in my home shop. 98% of the time, the saw will be in the shop mounted in a built in miter saw station. Based on that, the corded version seems to make the most sense. However, for those few occasions that I need to take the saw out of the shop, the convenience of cordless is very appealing. All of my cordless tools are Makita, so I'm already invested in their 18V platform.

Do you see any benefit to the cordless saw in a shop setting like this?

[Mike Henderson]

If it's going to be mostly used in shop, I'd go corded. Once it's set up in the shop, I wouldn't want to be moving it, but even if you did you can usually get access to power. In a worse case you could use an inverter on your truck.

Mike

[John Goodin]

I agree with Mike. Why put the batteries through the extra charge cycles when you could just plug it in an outlet.

[Rick Potter]

For in shop use, I see no advantage to going cordless. Why add complexity and cost with no payback.

This coming from a guy with about 20 batteries for cordless tools to keep charged.

[Dave Sabo]

Having bought the new makita Makita XSL06Z 10" Cordless 36v mitersaw for just this scenario, I'll offer you my thoughts after a year. It's in a 2nd shop that's mostly weekends and holiday's.

It's a darn nice saw. Plenty of power. It's also smooooth and quiet (for a saw). The batteries easily last for a days worth of cutting lots of stuff. My main shop's primary saw is a 12". I don't see any reason for a 12" slider unless you are doing decks and cutting large timbers. Even if you are - that isn't the best tool for the job. 10" blades are cheaper to buy and sharpen and cut just as well.

The only real drawback I can see is that the 36v saw doesn't offer a lot of options for tool actuated vacuum turn on. If you use Makita vacs, then their Bluetooth module will serve. But a corded model can utilize anyone's tool triggered vacuum. If you have central dust collection at a miter station, this is less of an issue.

[Frederick Skelly]

I've had a 12 inch corded Makita for 10 years. I love that saw and use it a lot in my hobbyist shop.

Battery powered tools have come a very long way. Plenty of power and they hold their charge better than ever. But if you often don't need the portability, I cant see a good reason to go with a battery in a large tool like this. But that's just me. YMMV.

Fred

[Rod Sheridan]

My pick would be neither.

To me a mitre saw is for site work, in the shop I use the table saw.....Regards, Rod

[Ronald Blue]

No dog in this fight but here are my thoughts. As several have stated if it's going to be in the shop all the time then what is the point in cordless? Eventually the battery will fail. Not if but when. This is a fact of life with cordless tools. No knowledge of the Makita miter saw but presumably it's a good tool as they usually do a good job on their tools. If you are set on a miter saw then go for the one that isn't going to require more than possibly a few saw blades down the road.

[Frank Pratt]

In a setting where power is readily available, there's no advantage to going cordless in the type of tool that you bring the work to. Hand tools, yes. But not for a tool that sits on a bench.

[John K Jordan]

In a setting where power is readily available, there's no advantage to going cordless in the type of tool that you bring the work to. Hand tools, yes. But not for a tool that sits on a bench.

I use a corded SCMS (12" Bosch Glide) even around the farm when building sheds and such. Sometimes I have to run a few hundred feet of 10 or 12 ga extension cord but I'd far rather do that than deal with even more rechargeable batteries.

I have it on a mobile base with wheels that collapses to make a dolly with handles and if the distance to move it is excessive the whole thing fits nicely in a small trailer.

JKJ

[Jarrett Lambert]

Thanks for the input everyone! I'm going to go with the corded saw.