I need a new miter saw

[Marc Myers]

Long time reader of the posts here on Sawmill Creek, but finally registered to be able to communicate with fellow woodworkers. Here's my new problem. After well over 10 years of service, my Hitachi 8.5" slide miter saw is finally being retired from the shop. I can't complain one bit, it's been my woodshop saw, my jobsite saw for trim, framing, vinyl siding, and just about everything else. I'm just finally able to get a dedicated saw for my shop. I really like the Makita 1016l. Even here on the creek, the last mention of it I could find was in 2009. I have heard of issues with the saw with the slides grinding and not working properly and issues with the saw being difficult to square up. A lot of stories the other way too about it being perfect right out of the box. Seems to be a hit or miss saw. Buy one and keep returning it until you get a good one. Since I'm planning to keep my Hitachi for jobsite use, I want to make a good choice for a saw that will be in the shop and nowhere else. I'm wondering if anyone has bought a 1016 recently and if you can elaborate on it a bit. Maybe Makita fixed the issues by now and all the bugs are worked out of the new model? I'm thinking this saw with a Chopmaster Signature, Tenryu Miter Pro, or Freud Industrial blade will be a nice, shiny new permanent fixture in my shop. Any inspired suggestions? DW 717 is my second choice. I can't get a Bosch 4410 in my area so I can't do a good hands on look at that one, and the Kapex is out of my budget.

[Karl Brogger]

Dedicated saw for a shop? OMGA

[Bryan Wellman]

Here was a review that I found awhile back....

http://www.contractortalk.com/f40/makita-ls1016l-review-62133/

[Doug Colombo]

I am also in the market for a new miter saw and have been looking at quite a few different units. I am about ready to pull the trigger on the Bosch 12" Dual Bevel Glide saw (GCM12SD). I saw the saw at a wood show in Detroit and was very impressed with it. I had wanted to get a slider this time but was concerned about the bench room that I would need due to the slide mech. With this saw you get the cutting capacity of a slider but it does not require the room behind the saw like a traditional sliding miter saw. Here is a link to a video on the saw" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I10K3N-UCnY Can't give you any hands on advise about it, but from what I have seen, it looks like a great saw. Only thing I see is missing is a laser.

[Bryan Wellman]

I bought my 1013L about 4 months before they came out with the 1016L. I wish I had waited. Just found this review and I didn't realise that you could do 12" with it. That would've come in handy quite a few times. And the duel rails would be nice for wall compactness. Hope you find one that works for you!!

http://www.finehomebuilding.com/toolguide/video/tool-review-makita-10-in-sliding-compound-mitersaw.aspx

[Marc Myers]

I'm not crazy about a 12" blade and I have the same space issue, even with my Hiachi. My stand is a bit of creative thinking. I saved two sink bases and a drawer unit from a kichen job a while back. Put the cabinets back together in the shop with a half sheet (the long way) of 3/4 ply as a 'countertop' Then I took 4 undermount drawer slides and set the other half of the ply on top and proceded to build the wings up from there to match the saw's height. When I want the saw, I slide it out and cut away. When I'm done, I just swing the saw to the side and slide the whole assembly back. It takes up no more than about 26" from the wall and nearly 8' long. All the space underneath is cabinets were I store all kinds of stuff. Double duty! Works great!! That Bosch model is nearly $800 and is out of my budget. I can't help but shake the idea that the new design would have some kinks too. I'm really trying to stay around $500 for a saw and blade which means I have to do some bargain shopping to pull it off.

[Bryan Wellman]

I'm not crazy about a 12" blade and I have the same space issue, even with my Hiachi. My stand is a bit of creative thinking. I saved two sink bases and a drawer unit from a kichen job a while back. Put the cabinets back together in the shop with a half sheet (the long way) of 3/4 ply as a 'countertop' Then I took 4 undermount drawer slides and set the other half of the ply on top and proceded to build the wings up from there to match the saw's height. When I want the saw, I slide it out and cut away. When I'm done, I just swing the saw to the side and slide the whole assembly back. It takes up no more than about 26" from the wall and nearly 8' long. All the space underneath is cabinets were I store all kinds of stuff. Double duty! Works great!! That Bosch model is nearly $800 and is out of my budget. I can't help but shake the idea that the new design would have some kinks too. I'm really trying to stay around $500 for a saw and blade which means I have to do some bargain shopping to pull it off.


Now I'm wondering how much I could get for my LS1013L!! $500.....free shipping!! Dang.

http://www.amazon.com/Makita-LS1016L-10-Inch-Slide-Compound/dp/B0028Y4Q2O

[Greg R Bradley]

The Bosch Glide saw was $588 at my local tool dealers Bosch event a few months ago. Still looks like a few bugs to work out but some very interesting new features. Certainly didn't seem to have the precision of my Makita 12" slider. A slight improvement in dust collection from my Makita, which is still very, very poor. Now that I just sold my Makita, I won't fall for the bigger is better concept and buy a 12" unit again. I'm hoping Bosch will come out with a 10" version of the Glide with better dust collection and more precision.

[Paul McGaha]

I have a 10" Hatachi Slider with a laser. It's a pretty good saw. Cuts well. Dust collection probably about average for a miter saw (Not good).

If I were looking for a new miter saw I think I would first look at the Kapex. I know it costs a lot at $1300 (Much more than what most miter saws cost). From what I've read about it though is it cuts as well as any and is the best at dust collection by far.

I use a miter saw a lot for pretty much all of my cross cutting. To have less dust at the miter station would be good for me.

PHM

[Van Huskey]

I have a 10" Hatachi Slider with a laser. It's a pretty good saw. Cuts well. Dust collection probably about average for a miter saw (Not good).

If I were looking for a new miter saw I think I would first look at the Kapex. I know it costs a lot at $1300 (Much more than what most miter saws cost). From what I've read about it though is it cuts as well as any and is the best at dust collection by far.

I use a miter saw a lot for pretty much all of my cross cutting. To have less dust at the miter station would be good for me.

PHM

Though the Kapex is certainly a nice saw if one isn't space challenged (or does onsite work) that is in the neighborhood of a excellent condition used OMGA RAS and the comparison strikes me similar to a Hummer H1 and H3. In the CSMS arena having used the new Bosch glider I would be hard pressed to spend the extra coin on a Kapex unless one is a true green blooded Festoolian.

[Tony Perrone]

If you want one dedicated for the shop look for an old Dewalt RAS.

[geoff wood]

my favorite miter saw is the hitachi 8.5" slider, which you are retiring. my second favorite is the hitachi 10", which in my opinion you cannot go wrong with. unless you cut newell posts all the time, a 12" is useless to me.

[CPeter James]

Here is a deal for you. It belongs to a friend of mine and he just got the new Bosch Glider.

http://www.gnhw.org/member-services/classified-ads/2011/01/makita-ls1013-fl-sliding-compound-miter-saw/

CPeter

[greg a bender]

I own a Makita 1016L and am very, very pleased with it.

Right out of the box it was perfectly alligned and cuts true. The laser is nice, the on/off switch for it is a bit awkward. I like the fact that you can eaisly lock it to be just a chop saw if you don't need the slide action. Dust collection is not swell, but a big gulp hood helps a lot.
The stock blade is surprisingly very good. In fact, I have not felt a need to replace it! My new Chop-master is still in it's package.
The cut capacity is only 2" less than my RAS, so I'm contemplating letting my RAS go due to shop space.
That price on Amazon was about what I paid for it.

HTH

Greg A.

[Marc Myers]

The Kapex is simply out of my budget. I just can't justify the cost when there are so many other choices out there that will do the job just as well for a fraction of the cost. I also accept that dust collection on a miter saw and table saw is, for the most part, a losing battle. Do what I can with it to keep it to a minimum and clean up at the end of the day. The Jet air filtrater I picked up a few weeks ago seems to be doing a excellent job with airborn dust. I do agree with the Bosch Glide looking like a nice saw, but I also agree that they need a 10" version before I can consider looking at one. Also given the fact that Bosch miter saws are remarkabley hard to find around here it could be a while before I even see a Glide in the store. Rockler and Woodcraft are 45min-1hr away. All I have to shop at is the orange place and blue place. Woodworkers Warehouse (later Western Tool Supply) have long gone from town, which is too bad. It also looks like the 1016 is getting more favorable reviews so hopefully Makita has worked the kinks out of that model. Have to chat with Van and CPeter about some deals as well which cold work out nice for me! Thanks for those tips and offers guys! Happy woodworking all....now I got to go snowblow another foot and a half.

[Joe Von Kaenel]

I have a Makita 1013FL it is a very accurate and easy to use sliding Miter saw. The Makita blade if good quality also. Hope this helps

You can find more reviews here: http://www.toolcritic.com/brand/makita

[Greg R Bradley]

I agree, I just sold the 12" version of that - the 1214FL. It was very accurate for a 12" saw. If I had understood at the time that a 12" saw is less precise and bought the 10" version, I might have kept it. I suppose a super thick blade would help the precision. Still throws dust everywhere, though. And needs a 3' deep work area.

[John TenEyck]

If you want one dedicated for the shop look for an old Dewalt RAS.

I agree, a used Dewalt (cast iron arm) radial arm saw is a thing of beauty. Very high precision, larger crosscut capacity, and can usually be found quite cheaply (I paid $175 for mine about 15 years ago). I have a Bosch 12" dual compound miter saw. Nice tool after I got it square and set the angles correctly (don't believe any review that says a saw is perfect out of the box, like I did), but it's nowhere near as nice to use as my Dewalt radial arm saw. For me, the Bosch is my jobsite saw. Nearly everything I cut in the shop I cut on the Dewalt. I have mine built into a bench with cabinets underneath. If I need an extra work surface I just swing the radial arm to the side and I have a great big bench to work on. I have it hooked up to my central dust collector as well, so dust collection is a non-issue.

Something to consider. Spend less, get more.

[Jay Jeffery]

A couple years ago I tried to get something to do picture and mirror frame miters and had the following not work:
1950's era RAS that I could not keep tuned
12" Hitachi dual bevel non-slider (I took to call the piece of junk the "hibachi")
Well used OMGA 12" chop saw (direct drive)
DeWalt 12" dual bevel non-slider

My neighbor's old 12" DeWalt single-bevel non-slider worked okay and I got a few frames made.

But the saw that finally met my needs was a Milwaukee 12" slider. It makes miters that are perfect. I couldn't' recommended that saw enough.

In case anyone is curious, these frames were not simple 45 degree miters and I did not have a table saw capable of making accurate cuts.

[Dave Lewis]

I just bought a Makita LS1016L from HD.

My last SCMS was a Makita LS1013 that worked well for 6 years. I made the mistake of cutting PVC pipe - it grabbed and screwed up the arbor. After getting advice here to replace parts, I didn't feel like messing around.

Anyway the new saw works fine, square out of the box. I did look at the Bosch and you may also want to loo at the new 12" Milwaukee its heavy though. Note that the new saws have sliding fences so I had to modify my stand and Kreg trac. Read Amazon reviews for input too. (HD price = Amazon)

I've had luck with Everlast blades.

[bill schmoott]

I purchased the 1016l two months ago and have been very, very pleased with the saw.
My saw was not set to my satisfaction out of the box, but I have never found this to be the case.
My saw fence was easy to set if I worked the lockdown nuts in an "out to in" fashion while slowly tightening the lockdown/positioning knobs. 181199

Once I had the fence set, the precision and accuracy have been phenomenal.
I placed a cardboard box behind the saw, connectecd a dc hose to the bottom of it and bam, low cost hood. It doesnt look the greatest, but works fantastic.

Good Luck