SCMS, I cant seem to make a decision

[Scott Gibbons]

I have narrowed it down to three saws, and I cant seem to pick on over the other.

Milwaukee 6955-20
Makita LS1216
Bosch 5412

Any opinions on why one is better than the other would be greatly appreciated. I will not be traveling with this saw so size/weight is not an issue.

Thanks in advance for the input!

[Larry Edgerton]

My next saw purchase will probably be The Bosch Glide, not sure which number. I have been watching for problems and so far have not seen any.

That being said, I have several Hitachis and a Makita and for an all around saw I would pick the Hitachi over the Makita, but its close. I like both. The only reason that I am considering a Bosch Glide is that I do a lot of work in plastics[Azek] and the shavings raise hell with every slide on the market.

Never played with a Milwaukee, don't know....

Larry

[Scott Gibbons]

Larry,
Thank you for the response, I also looked the Axial Bosch but don't know if I can justify the cost.

[Paul Symchych]

IMO, now that you've narrowed your list down it is time to forget about reviews and opinions and focus on two things: do you like the ergonomics? and is it in your price range? Chances are any of the three will do what you demand of it. I happen to have and like Makita but that is irrelevant to you. Just as in buying a car it doesn't matter if a reviewer likes it if it doesn't pass the butt test when you sit behind the wheel. You will be the one handling it.

[C Scott McDonald]

I have the makita 1016L and would buy it again. I would assume the 12" version would be equally as nice.

I played with a Milwaukee and it has the smoothest rail systems I have ever seen. We are talking giving the Bosch glide a run for it's money. I could push it with one finger and it would coast back. It was one of the "wow thats cool" moments when I was looking at it at tool king. If I hadnt all ready bought the Makita I probably would have gone this route.

I doubt you would be disappointed with any of them.

Scott

[Mark Ashmeade]

Is the glider really that much more than the Bosch slider?

I have the glider, and it's a world apart from the coarseness of a slider. Unbelievably smooth, therefore so are the cuts.

I'd say if you want the best possible, buy the Bosch glider, there's nothing that compares with it. If you'd take lower quality, then to be honest, the Harbor Freight jobs at $100 a go would take some beating in the value for money department. Just view them as disposable, and buy a new one every 18-24 months.

[Thom Porterfield]

I love my Makita. Its stops are spot on (for repeatability) and with a halfway decent blade, it leaves a glass-like cut. Since I built my chop saw station around the Makita, replacing it with another brand (such as the very attractive Bosch) isn't an exciting prospect.

[Brian W Evans]

I have a 12" Makita (not the one you're looking at) and I am very pleased with it. I have also played with the Bosch glider and would have purchased it if it had been available at the time - the action is very smooth and play-free. I also like the fence and up-front controls. If you're going to be keeping it in the shop, the space-saving feature of the glider might be very useful. A 12" slider takes up a LOT of space, front to back. The glider is only $60 more than the Bosch slider you listed (on amazon, anyway) so, for me, that's a no-brainer.

That said, I'll echo what Paul said - they'll all do the job.

[Doug Colombo]

+2 for the Bosch Glide - I was in the market for a new saw and once I tried the Glide, I was sold. You get the benifits of a slider without taking up all the additional space that a rail slider needs. I purchased one about 2 months ago and love it !

[Peter Scoma]

Ive used all 3 in addition to the Dewalt and a few others. Bosch simply has more power and is easier to tune for fine work. It also holds its settings very well.

PJS

[Gordon Eyre]

I won a Bosch SCMS in a writing contest and have loved it. It is easy to use, will saw wide boards and when set up properly is very accurate.