Miter Saw Conundrum

[Eric D Matson]

My 2004 era Craftsman non sliding miter saw has given up the ghost. I am trying to decide on what miter saw I should replace it with. I also have a Hammer B3 sliding table saw so that may be playing into my decision. I have started using that for my miter cuts besides long baseboard pieces. I still have some trim work to do. I am tempted to go back with a non sliding version and use the table saw for bigger capacity cuts. I picked up a Dewalt dws779 for a good price but it takes up more room than expected. I can still make it work just cut down on about 6" of walk space. I've looked at:

Bosch slider
Makita slider 10 & 12"
Metabo slider C12RSH2S $319 right now
various non sliders

Anyone want to offer another train of thought?

[jack duren]

I use my miter for major cuts. You want a sliding saw with saw tooth cutouts for locks. I have an older Makita that uses bearing catches that are useless..

[Thomas McCurnin]

My Hitachi, a Metabo predecessor, is deadly accurate, rarely needs adjustment, and if it does, is easy to adjust the fences to make square cuts again. I love mine. I also have a DeWalt slider on the stand which is very good, but I like my old Hitachi better.

[Cameron Wood]

I have that (I think) DeWalt saw. It's a workhorse, but I only use it on jobsites or possibly set up outside for a special carpentry project. The DeWalt 12" non-sllder is a good all around choice if pressed for room. I still use the ancestral 10" Makita saw- limited capacity but compact, especially since it's mounted above & behind other work surfaces.

Like Makita, although not the phase where they had ridiculously low fences on the sliders; dislike Bosch.

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi Eric, I have a B3 and the mitre saw is relegated to the shed.

If you need a saw for baseboard use I would get a small non slider that’s light and easy to carry and store.

Regards, Rod

[Ricc Havens]

Well, I would stay away from Metabo. While I am mostly a woodturner I do have tools for flat work. I bought a Metabo 12" (non sliding) a year or so ago. The aluminum fence parts were warped slightly. Metabo customer service was a pain to work with. Went thru three replacement sets before I got a flat set. The last time they said it was the last set they would send me as they claimed I was doing something wrong on the install to warp them. Well the warp wasn't on the base/bottom of the fence where the two mounting bolts were. the warp was on the front face of the fence pieces. Will not buy another Metabo product again/

[brent stanley]

My Hitachi, a Metabo predecessor, is deadly accurate, rarely needs adjustment, and if it does, is easy to adjust the fences to make square cuts again. I love mine. I also have a DeWalt slider on the stand which is very good, but I like my old Hitachi better.

I have a 12 year old Hitachi too that is quite easy to get perfect, and tends to stay there. I have also heard a lot of folks really like the deWalt 12" non-slider for deadly accuracy.

[jack duren]

The problem I see is the difference between it being a job site work horse and a furniture quality tool. You need to decide what that tool is intended for.

[Cameron Wood]

The problem I see is the difference between it being a job site work horse and a furniture quality tool. You need to decide what that tool is intended for.


Arguably, none of them are a furniture quality tool.

[jack duren]

Arguably, none of them are a furniture quality tool.

That’s an opinion and not a fact..

It's a workhorse, but I only use it on jobsites or possibly set up outside for a special carpentry project.“Cameron Wood

if your hauling it around on a truck, I can’t see it ever being accurate tool for furniture..

I use mine in a shop , setup and correct.

[Randy Heinemann]

If you aren't using the miter saw on the job why not consider other alternatives. One is a track saw with guide rail and a work table. Of course, Festool has these at a premium; likely much more than a miter saw, sliding or not. However, the track saw with an accompanying table and guide rail is much more versatile and I found extremely accurate for crosscuts. Plus it's a huge assist in cutting up sheet goods regardless of the sheet size. Anyway, just a suggestion of something to think about. Many love miter saws but, for in my shop, I never was a fan.

[Jimmy Harris]

I think they're all about the same these days. Especially if you're looking at the cheaper, non-sliding versions. Most power tools today are going to be made in the same factory or two and the biggest differences are just going to cosmetic with maybe one or two features no one really uses. They'll even list slightly different specs, but have the same motor and whatnot. They go to great lengths to give the illusion that each one is different, when the only meaningful difference is often the profit margin. Whether or not you get a "good one" is more up to luck. So instead of brand or model, I'd focus on buying from a store with a good return policy. And then when you get it home, test it and measure it for any problems before you start cutting wood with it, in case you need to take it back.

Whether or not it's accurate enough for you depends on how accurate you need it to be. To one person, off by one tenth of one degree is too much to accept. To another, one or two degrees off in either direction is good enough with some wood filler.

[George Yetka]

I would look at Bosch glide or kapex if you want slide but don't want it to take up a ton of room.

As for whether to have one or not thats a matter of preference. I like it for many things.

[Cameron Wood]

That’s an opinion and not a fact..

It's a workhorse, but I only use it on jobsites or possibly set up outside for a special carpentry project.“Cameron Wood

if your hauling it around on a truck, I can’t see it ever being accurate tool for furniture..

I use mine in a shop , setup and correct.



Yes, my opinion, but quite widely shared.
The ones that get moved are not different from those that don't. And it's not about miter angle, it's about blade deflection. Any given cut will have a wider kerf at the top, where the blade enters. Most noticeable with miter cuts as the effect is doubled. Maybe a little better with a slider if the blade enters from the side. If you follow with a shooting board, it's obvious.

[jack duren]

I’ve got a Dewalt 708 with no problems…I find the ones that dedicate time to the saw benefit from the rewards..

I demand accuracy and quality from my tools. If I don’t get that, I’ll share it..

I don’t even have a shooting board..

[Zachary Hoyt]

I have a DeWalt 705 that I bought well used in 2009 or so, and which has been through an awful lot with me. It still runs and with a full kerf blade I don't get much (or any noticeable) deflection. The miter angles are a bit iffy as the fence is slightly bent in in the middle. I straightened it years ago but it has gradually crept back a tiny bit out of straight. I used to cut coasters out of 4" or so sumac trunks, and would make hundreds of cuts almost without pause, using a stop block to set the thickness, and I also used it a lot on construction type work, making wooden blocks, etc. The brake wore out years ago but the motor is still strong.

[Rich Engelhardt]

I have a 10" DeWalt non-slider.
It's been a great saw since I got it about a decade ago.

I've also had a 10" Ryobi non-slider, a Delta 8.5" non-slider a Workforce 8.5" slider and a GMC 10" non-slider.

All of them would make nice accurate cuts - once I took the time to dial them in.
Only the DeWalt kept it's settings and continued to make nice accurate cuts.
Which is why the DeWalt in the only one I've hung onto.

I'm in the market now for a slider. I have a basement to finish coming up and the DeWalt is going to move down to the basement for the duration of that project.

I still haven't figured out exactly what I'm going to do as far as slider vs non-slider or even corded vs cordless.

[Jim Becker]

If I decided that I wanted to replace my old Delta 12" miter saw (non-slider) with something new and mo-capable/accurate, I'd likely opt for a Kapex. (That's not likely to happen as I rarely use the miter saw for "shop things", preferring my sliding table saw for cut-off and miter work)

[jack duren]

I used a Altendorf for many years , but still used the sliding miter. I can’t say anything about apex as I don’t shop, but mine works fine..

last time I used a Delta mite4 saw, it wasn’t fun to use..

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I replaced an old unreliable, unrepeatable Delta CMS with a Dewalt 12". It's accurate and repeatable. I use it for my furniture when it's necessary.

[jack duren]

It’s all good. If it works , it works. If yours isn’t reliable I understand. There has been that number that say it’s a construction tool and I understand, but I don’t need construction tools in my shop, I buy tools that are construction tools, but others I will tweak until they are furniture tools. Many tools re going to cost for convenience, I didn’t always have that luxury.

[Dan Barber]

It’s all good. If it works , it works. If yours isn’t reliable I understand. There has been that number that say it’s a construction tool and I understand, but I don’t need construction tools in my shop, I buy tools that are construction tools, but others I will tweak until they are furniture tools. Many tools re going to cost for convenience, I didn’t always have that luxury.

I agree, with the right blade and tuning, a miter saw can be very accurate.

[jack duren]

I’ve got an older Makita slider that is no match for the Dewalt 708. Why I don’t depend on it. I do keep an old Makita Miter saw in the same bench which is great for face frames and I can depend on it. I’m usually running Amana blades , so I do have issues.

[brent stanley]

I agree, with the right blade and tuning, a miter saw can be very accurate.

Absolutely, I can easily dial my Hitachi in so I can cut parts square enough I cannot see light under and engineers square, which is more than good enough for woodworking.

[Richard Coers]

Personally, I consider most miter saws are tools of construction like decks. I fell in love with a little 7 1/2" Hitachi when I was in business. No blade flex, used a Forrest chopmaster, and it cut cabinet trim as precise as the table saw with a sled. I still own it, but nearly all furniture work goes on the table saw.

[brent stanley]

Personally, I consider most miter saws are tools of construction like decks. I fell in love with a little 7 1/2" Hitachi when I was in business. No blade flex, used a Forrest chopmaster, and it cut cabinet trim as precise as the table saw with a sled. I still own it, but nearly all furniture work goes on the table saw.

Dust collection is much better on my table saw, so I usually go there too but can rely on the miter saw if needed.

[Brian Holcombe]

If I decided that I wanted to replace my old Delta 12" miter saw (non-slider) with something new and mo-capable/accurate, I'd likely opt for a Kapex. (That's not likely to happen as I rarely use the miter saw for "shop things", preferring my sliding table saw for cut-off and miter work)

I have no doubts that they're excellent construction saws, but mine was absolutely awful as a shop tool. For the moderate budget, the old school Japan made Hitachi's are the top of the pile. For the industrial grade, I'm super happy with Omga. I set it square when I bought it and it's cut beautifully since.

[Cameron Wood]

I have no doubts that they're excellent construction saws, but mine was absolutely awful as a shop tool. For the moderate budget, the old school Japan made Hitachi's are the top of the pile. For the industrial grade, I'm super happy with Omga. I set it square when I bought it and it's cut beautifully since.


$7k+ & 3 hp for a miter saw- now we're talking!

[Dave Sabo]

Arguably, none of them are a furniture quality tool.

Clearly your perspective is too narrow.

Fine furniture has been made w/o power tools long before any of us came around. It’s less about the tools than it is about the person wielding them.

Plenty of fine furniture has been made with a mitersaw. Now you may prefer another tool, but that doesn’t make it the only way to get there.

I’ll also bet you’ve never seen/used one of these :

https://www.omgainc.com/8-single-mitre-saws


it plenty accurate and repeatable for your skill level - whatever that may be.

[brent stanley]

Someone needs to buy one of those and report back to tell us what they think!

[Warren Lake]

ive gone back to my swiss army knife. It cuts wood and I can file my nails. If I need to start a fire there is a magnifying glass and the tweezers work as a roach clip. Past a friend bought me a milwaukee 12 inch mitre saw. When I rebuilt my first roof a friend loaned me a 10 Milwaukee saw that they dont make anymore. Always thought it was a better saw than the 12 and he did as well. I know so little about those saws starting with a radial arm. When doing crowns on cabinets I was still tilting the blade and mitre gauge on the table saws, not trusting the compound saws. Maybe cause you can push them side to side so easily but sure most use them and they work fine. I have to give the 12 inch saw more of a chance and will.

[Cameron Wood]

Clearly your perspective is too narrow.

Fine furniture has been made w/o power tools long before any of us came around. It’s less about the tools than it is about the person wielding them.

Plenty of fine furniture has been made with a mitersaw. Now you may prefer another tool, but that doesn’t make it the only way to get there.

I’ll also bet you’ve never seen/used one of these :

https://www.omgainc.com/8-single-mitre-saws


it plenty accurate and repeatable for your skill level - whatever that may be.



I once made a chair using pretty much only a 1/4" electric drill with an attachment to convert it to a circular saw- is that a wider perspective?

[Brian Holcombe]

Cameron, the Omga will definitely serve as a furniture grade tool. I worked my way through a variety of miter saws before ending up at the Omga. After putting a digital fence next to it, I can get repeatable parts with high precision.

[jack duren]

I installed cabinets from 1998-2005 for Regency cabinets and all I used is a miter saw. Don’t know how I would drag a table saw on the job everyday..

I’ve got a Delta sidekick I used for refacing, but I wouldn’t trust it for crown..

I’ve been out of the game since 2019, but I’m not going to change the way I do things. There are probably 20 shops in my surrounding area, all doing it the same way..

[Cameron Wood]

Cameron, the Omga will definitely serve as a furniture grade tool. I worked my way through a variety of miter saws before ending up at the Omga. After putting a digital fence next to it, I can get repeatable parts with high precision.

Yes I would expect so- it must be a pleasure, but probably cost more than all the machines in my shop. I use standard miter saws with little complaint, just not for the highest quality cuts.

[Brian Holcombe]

Which is the reason almost everything I own has been bought used, my favorite machines are all 40 years old or more. Spend a few minutes fixing a few broken/worn things and your in for a lot less then new.

Old iron, in good repair, does ruin you for most new things though.

[Rob Sack]

Arguably, none of them are a furniture quality tool.

Wow! I built tons of cabinetry and fine furniture using a Delta miter saw and the results were pretty much dead nuts on. When the return spring broke, I replaced it with a Festool Kapex. Anyone who has read read any of my previous posts, would know that is clear that I am not one of Festool's biggest fan. However, the Kapex is as far as I am concerned a quality tool of precise accuracy. I would hold the results I get every time with any old schooler who thinks hand tools, shooting boards, or whatever archaic techniques are the only way to produce accurate miters. Or in the interest of those old schoolers, should I say "mitres".