Student-proof SCMS?

[Dave Cav]

My school shop SCMS is getting pretty beat up. It's a Bosch 5412L at least 4-5 years old. I want to eventually replace it with a 12 or 14" RAS, but that's a battle for another day (and another budget). Can anyone suggest a replacement that is VERY robust and does not have a lot of fussy details? The fewer bells and whistles, the better. If students can take something apart, they will....A regular miter saw (non slider) would be ideal, but we often have to crosscut 8 to 10".

Thanks

[David DeCristoforo]

If you want a simple but rugged miter saw, take a look at the Omga (http://www.omgainc.com/productfamily.php?cid=2). They don't get much more robust than that.

[Paul Steiner]

I have had no problems with dewalt and hitachi, many problems with makita. My school has a dewalt going on 5 years and a hitachit on 10. I would say that the dewalt is the most student proof. You can get a dewalt that is a robust model with out the bells and whistles like lasers and digital readouts. I have used new and refurb. models in schools and dewalts stand up better to the learning, use, and abuse. Also dewalt has good service and will send you parts no questions asked. Makita wanted me to pay for parts 10 days out of the box when fence warped after a single kickback. Other teachers in my county have had similiar problems with makita fences.
I like having a dewalt SCMS in my classroom, the extra wide cut comes in handy. But I also have a non-slider, students use both. I prefer 12" saws but I ended up getting a 10" because the school already had a nice collection of 10" blades.
I would not recommend an Omga, because you probably do not have that much to spend and how often would a student see a monster like that outside of your classroom. I want a kid to use something similiar to what he or she will use on the job or at home.

[Peter Quinn]

How about one of these? I used one as a kid, back when it was the only option. Its cordless, its relatively safe and fairly durable. And they cut fine miters too. Of course they made us do long hand calculus back then too before a calculator was allowed. Not sure it has quite the stroke of a SCMS.

[Jason White]

I'd get a good old DeWalt 12" compound miter (not a slider). Built like a tank with a pretty good brake. Had mine for years. Can be had for around $300, I think.

Jason




My school shop SCMS is getting pretty beat up. It's a Bosch 5412L at least 4-5 years old. I want to eventually replace it with a 12 or 14" RAS, but that's a battle for another day (and another budget). Can anyone suggest a replacement that is VERY robust and does not have a lot of fussy details? The fewer bells and whistles, the better. If students can take something apart, they will....A regular miter saw (non slider) would be ideal, but we often have to crosscut 8 to 10".

Thanks

[Dave Cav]

How about one of these? I used one as a kid, back when it was the only option. Its cordless, its relatively safe and fairly durable. And they cut fine miters too. Of course they made us do long hand calculus back then too before a calculator was allowed. Not sure it has quite the stroke of a SCMS.


I think that's what the kid that most recently broke the saw (today) will be using for a while...