Euro Slider owners, do you still use a miter saw?

[Richard Link]

I am contemplating the purchase of a European-style sliding table saw (actually a combo). One of the primary motivations is to condense into a smaller total footprint in a small shop. So...I'm looking at what I can actually get rid of to open more space.

For those of you who own and use a slider, does the enhanced crosscutting ability of this saw eliminate the need for a miter or chop saw in your shop? Currently, with an American style table saw, I generally do my crosscutting of solid lumber at a sliding compound miter saw. The saw and supports take up quite a bit of room. Would it be reasonable to depend on the slider for crosscuts in the future and open up that space?

Thanks.

Rick

[Jeff Wright]

I have both and only use the compound miter saw when I am working somewhere other than the shop doing crown molding, baseboard and such. Crosscutting on the combo is a dream, especially with such precise and easy-to-use fence stops (I have a MM410). When I need the miter saw, I take it off the shelf and place it on two collapsible saw horses with a 2x4 MDF panel as a temporary top. I find myself NOT using the smaller miter fence on the combo. For 45 degree miters I use a self-made jig on the sliding table. Maybe one of these days I will install the miter fence and discover its value.

I would not want to get rid of the miter saw even with the combo.

[Michael Roberts]

My miter saw has been collecting dust in the corner of the shop since I got my combo machine. I had to take apart a large miter station to free up space for the combo machine. I do all my cross cutting on the slider, miters included. Haven't missed using the miter saw one bit.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Richard, I found that there is still a place for the chop saw, but I think that if I didn't already have a nice one when the Felder rolled in, that I could live without it. As is, the chop saw gets used for framing lumber and similar that I really don't want messing up the better blade on the Felder. Sometimes it is quicker to just walk over to the chop saw then it is to switch from shaper to saw as well. Guess I won't be kicking the Makita out, but it's no longer the workhorse of the shop.

[Gregory Stahl]

I have not used my miter saw since I bought a Felder k915P slider.

[Richard Link]

That's great news. Sounds like I can put the miter saw on the shelf for a while and break down the miter saw station. I'm drooling over reclaiming all that space. While I like my little Makita saw, it is a tremendous dust monster (as most miter saws are) since I haven't built a hood for it.

Jeff, I'm intrigued by the cross cut jig you created for your slider. I'm very familiar with the various jigs and fixtures used on American table saws but would love more detail on your slider jig if you have time. What is the advantage vs. the stock crosscut fence on the slider?

Rick

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Many do - as a chop saw. Lots of guys have their saws in tight quarters making it easier to have a chop saw against a wall for long cut off work.

But as for the miter part.
Nope. The slider is a Brazilian times more accurate

[John Harden]

I'm interested in this as well. I have a saw/shaper combo and jointer/planer combo on the way and have been toying with the idea of breaking down the mitre saw station. I'm selling the table saw, planer, and jointer and figure I'll put the mitre saw on a shelf and wait and see if i ever need it.

Regards,

John

[Jeff Wright]

Jeff, I'm intrigued by the cross cut jig you created for your slider. I'm very familiar with the various jigs and fixtures used on American table saws but would love more detail on your slider jig if you have time. What is the advantage vs. the stock crosscut fence on the slider?

Rick

First, let's differentiate between the large squaring crosscut fence and the smaller more portable miter fence that comes with the saw. I have never used the larger crosscut fence in its variable miter positions. I leave that set to a true 90 degrees to the blade. The other smaller miter fence permits easily adjusted miter adjustments. For one reason or another, I've just not used it. It's not a real pain to install and remove, but I simply developed a habit of grabbing a homemade jig for 45 degree miters in the rare occasions that I need a 45 degree cut. The miter is a flat board about 18 inches by 24 on which I have screwed to small fence guides set at a 90 degree. I clamp this jig onto the sliding table so the the blade intersects the junction of those two small fences. This allows me to lay my workpiece along one of the fences and cut that miter, and then place the mating piece on the other small fence and cut that angle. It produces a perfect 90 degree joint.

[Jay Brewer]

Im with everyone else, my miter saw is for installs only. I havent meet a miter saw more accurate than my slider yet.

[David DeCristoforo]

Well, I'm going "against the grain" on this one. My miter saw is in constant use. I can't see mitering four hundred pieces of small bolection molding for a set of cabinet doors on that big ol' slider. I do a lot of mitering and crosscutting on the slider but there is no way it replaces my miter saw!

[Joe Zerafa]

The miter is a flat board about 18 inches by 24 on which I have screwed to small fence guides set at a 90 degree. I clamp this jig onto the sliding table so the the blade intersects the junction of those two small fences. This allows me to lay my workpiece along one of the fences and cut that miter, and then place the mating piece on the other small fence and cut that angle. It produces a perfect 90 degree joint.


Hi Jeff, sounds interesting any chance of some pics?

Joe

[John Harden]

Hi Jeff, sounds interesting any chance of some pics?

Joe

Yeah, I'll second that call for pics. Isn't bolection that inlay stuff they use on some cabinetry? If not, what the heck is it?

Whatever it is, I'm dying to see it. If nothing else, I'll then know what the heck bolection moulding is!!!! :)

Regards,

John

[Joe Scharle]

Well, I'm going "against the grain" on this one. My miter saw is in constant use. I can't see mitering four hundred pieces of small bolection molding for a set of cabinet doors on that big ol' slider. I do a lot of mitering and crosscutting on the slider but there is no way it replaces my miter saw!

Sounds like you've got a Mansfield contract.

[lou sansone]

I use both the slider's miter and the chop saw all the time

lou

[george wilson]

I had to install all new quarter round mouldings in the complete house. I used the hand powered miter saw because it doesn't make a big mess everywhere. I used the miter saw for several other jobs inside the house,too.

[johnny means]

Well, I'm going "against the grain" on this one. My miter saw is in constant use. I can't see mitering four hundred pieces of small bolection molding for a set of cabinet doors on that big ol' slider. I do a lot of mitering and crosscutting on the slider but there is no way it replaces my miter saw!

I agree, most of my mitering involves smaller pieces and lots of them, I wouldn't want to get that big ol table going a couple of hundred times in a day. It might not be that bad on a smaller slider, but still a gazillion times more actual work (in the physics sense) than a miter saw.

As for accuracy, I think a properly tuned miter saw is just as accurate as any other type of saw could be. I have had the same 12" Dewalt for 5 or six years now and it cuts 90s that match up to any machine square.

Now if only my little Dewalt could cut a decent bevel.

[Jon Dieterlen]

I agree with some of the previous posters, a slider is way, way, way too slow for cutting rail and stile parts, and cutting moulding to be applied to cabinets,doors, etc.

Use the slider for busting panels and sizing glued panels, doors, etc.

Jon

[Jim Becker]

Yes, I still own and use a CMS...but I've never used my CMS for "precision" work, even before the slider came into my shop.