Buyer's remorse on Metabo HPT 10" Slider?

[ANTHONY LARRATT]

Got a Metabo C10FSHCM from Lowes this weekend on a spur of the moment purchase. FF to today, and am kinda worried after reading the reviews that there may have been a better choice for the $399 price tag or less. Would I be better off saving the money and getting the Kobalt, or is there a better choice of 10" slider for the $399?

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Hitachi (Metabo) used to make the best slider on the market. The genes are probably still in this saws lineage. I looked at one at the local lumber yard and it looks just fine. Haven't used one yet. The price is a bargain. In my opinion, out of the gate this saw has a lot more potential than anything kobalt ever will. I wish Hitachi wouldn't have rebranded to Metabo, I think that hurt their image.

[glenn bradley]

I would rely on your own opinion of the saw. A lot of folks want a SCMS to be a precision instrument when even the ones that top $1000 fail in this regard. They are great for trimming long thin stock, crown molding, trimming out a bathroom and so forth. Assess the tool for the job it was designed for. Don't let folks who are out trying to 'split the atom' with a chop saw sway your opinions.

[Mike Kees]

Hitachi made the first sliding compound saw,I think it was an 8'' blade. They have been one of the best ones since the start.I agree with Glen reviews are nearly useless to me as well. I would rather have the opinion of one person I know that has used something for a period of time than sixty unknown quantities of how good something is or isn't.

[Mark Hockenberg]

Anthony - I'm with Glenn. Be your own judge. You bought this based on your needs and research. I suspect it will serve you well. For what it's worth, I used to have a Hitachi 8.5" - I would still have it today if it had more capacity. I'm not sure how these have changed over time, but my guess is that it's still a solid saw.

[jeff norris 2011]

I am with Glen too. It is all about that you use the saw for. I am the type that makes critical cuts at the table, so my miter saw does not need to be perfect.

[Vince Shriver]

I would rely on your own opinion of the saw. A lot of folks want a SCMS to be a precision instrument when even the ones that top $1000 fail in this regard. They are great for trimming long thin stock, crown molding, trimming out a bathroom and so forth. Assess the tool for the job it was designed for. Don't let folks who are out trying to 'split the atom' with a chop saw sway your opinions.

"split the atom" (great analogy)! Anthony, post a review after you've used the saw some. I'd be very interested in YOUR take.

[Ron Selzer]

While I have not used either saw, Metabo as a brand is way better quality than Kobalt as a brand. Kobalt has its place and I do buy it. It is no where near the quality or the price of Metabo.
I have bought a Metabo miter saw, non sliding in the past and very happy with it.
If price is a major point with you then check out Big Sky Tools who sells reconditioned Metabo tools, I bought my miter saw from them and it looks and acts brand new when I recieved it.
https://bigskytool.com/metabo-hpt-c10fshcm-10-sliding-compound-dual-bevel-miter-saw-with-laser-new-1-renewed-a.html
good luck

[Curt Harms]

While I have not used either saw, Metabo as a brand is way better quality than Kobalt as a brand. Kobalt has its place and I do buy it. It is no where near the quality or the price of Metabo.
I have bought a Metabo miter saw, non sliding in the past and very happy with it.
If price is a major point with you then check out Big Sky Tools who sells reconditioned Metabo tools, I bought my miter saw from them and it looks and acts brand new when I recieved it.
https://bigskytool.com/metabo-hpt-c10fshcm-10-sliding-compound-dual-bevel-miter-saw-with-laser-new-1-renewed-a.html
good luck

That is a great price at bigskytool. I looked at this saw in Lowes a couple days ago. The detents on the table were sloppy but that was most likely due to it being a display saw. An interesting feature of the Hitachi/Metabo sliders is that AFAIK they're the only ones except for the Bosch Glide saws that can sit against a wall, the rods don't move like most sliding compound miter saws. Rather the linear bearings are part of the saw head and slide on fixed rods.

[michael dilday]

I am sure you can still return it. Lowes is really good about taking stuff back. I have a Dewalt Double Bevel Slider and it works great.

[Earl McLain]

I've bought several refurb tools from Big Sky--mostly excellent service. One exception was a grade C chain saw that was just placed in a big box with no filler. It survived and still runs 5 or so years later. Their grade A items i've gotten mostly looked unused--kind of like somebody took it back to the store after opening so it was no longer "new".
earl

[Flamone LaChaud]

I've used the Dewalt, and the Kobalt . . . and based on my experience with those - I wound up purchasing the Hitachi 12" version of this saw. If you have a place to "set it and forget it" - it will be rock solid. Yes, there are a couple of minor tweaks in getting the laser to be spot on with the cut - but the actual tool itself is awesome (with a good sawblade) If this is going to be taken around from job to job - you will spend some time each and every stop setting things back up - but I imagine that would be true for most sliders.

[Steve Fish]

[QUOTE. “I'm not sure how these have changed over time, “but my guess is that it's still a solid saw.[/QUOTE]
I think The first saws were made in Japan. I have one not currently in use. Later saws are plated as made in Taiwan for whatever that’s worth. My personal experience is, the bigger the blade and the more things have to travel to accommodate the size, the more inaccurate the machines become. The earlier 8-1/2” was a fantastic saw for on site case work. JMHO

[William Chain]

The best Kobalt tools have no moving parts. I got sick of checking and realigning my Kobalt SCMS, sold it along for nearly what I paid, and never looked back. I have a few Metabo items and never had any issues with them. YMMV of course, but I think you did ok at that price point. I'm weighing in over in the RAS thread - those tools (the older the better) are my go-to over the SCMS anyway.

[ANTHONY LARRATT]

Thanks for all the replies guys. I'm still pretty new to the hobby. My primary focus in asking was making sure I didn't buy something I'd need to replace in a year for size/durability concerns.

Looks like I've got a miter bench to build!

[Jim Andrew]

What is the size of vac hose you can attach to it? Only reason I would give up my old Makita is a larger vac attachment.