Laser or Digital readout...10" or 12".. Help.

[Greg Koch]

I am interested in getting a simple, single compound, non-sliding miter saw. I am looking at the PC 3700L 10" with dual lasers or the Hitach C12LC 12" with digital readout of bevel and miter angles. (C12LC is now discontinued, but the same saw with laser is a currently model.)

10" or 12"...

I would like to go with 10" so I could share blades with my table saw...and the smaller/lighter aspect of the saw. The 10" PC will cut 4 x 4's as well as 2 x 6's... Is there any need, under common woodworking conditions, to want to precision cut larger boards? Disadvantages to 10"?

Which is more usefull, digital readout/selection of miter and bevel angles... or having dual lasers to make accurate cuts? Which would you prefer?

Any other models less than $200 I should consider? I have to stick to a tight budget on this.

Any help will be appreciated. Thanks.

[Dave Falkenstein]

The CMS that I use is a Dewalt 12" model, however it is not less than $200. I use it for deck work, where cutting 2X8 and 4X4 is common. Dewalt makes a very fine CMS, IMHO. The important aspect to me is the way the saw feels when I operate it. I like a horizontal handle with no safety button. Sharing blades with a table saw is a non-issue - a CMS uses blade with a negative hook grind for best results. A 10" or even a smaller 8-1/2" CMS is fine for shop woodworking, depending on the cut limitations you are willing to live with. Sometimes Home Depot has Dewalt on sale in the smaller models for around $200.

[tod evans]

greg, i`ll never own a saw with a lazer in the way of viewing the cutline..02 tod

[Greg Koch]

Thanks for the replies,

Dave, I've looked at the DeWalt, and they are sure used in the construction industry.

Tod, very nice web site and work you do. Do you use a 10", a 12" or both? If you could only have one, which (10 or 12) would it be?

Thanks again.

[Steve Evans]

Greg

Check out the following deal from Amazon. Dual-bevel 12" Bosch for $349 with the older d-handle jigsaw thrown in for free. Free shipping as well. I've got the older Bosch 12", single bevel only and have been quite happy with it.

Steve

[CPeter James]

1st!!DO NOT USE TABLE SAW BLADES ON A MITER SAW. I have the dent in my chin to prove why. Miter saws need a blade with a zero to slightly negative hook. A blade with a positive hook will grab the wood and can throw it back at you. Trust me!!

Lasers are gimmick, They are not needed and are not accurate. Just mark the board where you want to cut it, set the blade down on the mark, pick up the saw, turn it on and then cut. Quicker to do that to tell.

CPeter

[Steve Clardy]

2 dewalt 705's. and 2 dewalt 708 sliders here.
Have no use for laser, digital readout stuff.
Just something else to go wrong.

[Steve Ash]

No laser for me either. Was just looking at them today, looked at one with a laser and decided just something else to break down at some point. My eyes are still pretty good at lining up a pencil mark with the saw blade so I'll stick with that old tried and true method.

[Greg Koch]

Steve, Steve and Steve...:eek: ...

OK, no Star Wars on my saw ROF :D

I was originally going to get the Bosch 4212L, but decided against it because the deadline for mailing the jig saw coupon is the 15th of April..shipping is still out for the 4212L. I figure I could sell the jig saw and make up some of the over budget price for the miter. I, and some others, are afraid we'll eventually get the miter saw, but not in time to mail in the coupon for the jig saw. $349 is out of my budget for just the miter.

CPeter, thanks, but are the blades marked for table or miter... or is just the style hook noted?

Once again, for all... What about 10" vs 12"? (Thanks for your comments on this Dave.)
Back to Amazon....

[CPeter James]

Greg, so was the blade the threw the piece at me. Zero or negative hook for a miter, slider, or radial arm saw. It really makes a difference. Several stitches worth.

CPeter

[Norman Hitt]

Greg, I've had a DW-705 that I bought on closeout at Sears a while back for $199. It is a 12", single Bevel, compound Mitre Saw, and although I had really intended to save my money for the DW-718 (a double Bevel Slider), when I saw that price, I jumped on it, and have been Very Pleased with it. This was the old model, but a very solid unit, (maybe even a little better than the new models with the whiz-bang accessories on them) and if you look around, I'm still seeing some in stock a few places at a reduced price that fit within your stated budget. It really makes nice repeatable cuts, but, (like most saws), normally comes with a general cutting "Construction blade" that you would probably want to replace with a Finish Blade for Fine woodworking cuts. I think there will be times that you would wish you had the 12" size, should you buy a smaller one, IMHO.

I concur with all the above that you DO NOT want to use a tablesaw blade, (ie; positive hook) on the mitre saw. If you look at "most" Blade Mfr's sites, they have the blades broken into catagories, and one of them is Mitre Saw Blades, but on those sites that don't, just look for the ones with a negative hook angle.

Hope this helps.

[Greg Koch]

Ok, I'll be sure to buy the right blade for the right saw..thanks. And thanks for the additional comments, Norman.

Now I'm pretty much down to a new Dewalt DW703 (10") at $179 from Amazon, or a factory rebuild DW705 (12") at $198 from ToolKing.

I can't see myself needing to cut something over 4 x 4 or 2 x 6 anytime soon. I have a garage shop and blew a lot on the Amazon sale so far, so $ are getting tight..including $ for the correct additional blades!;)

I have never purchased a factory referb, of a discontinued model tool...(the DW715, which replaced the 705, is $296 on a special at Amazon.)

Anyone have experience with factory referbs?

So what do you suggest:

New DW703 or referb DW705?

[Dev Emch]

greg, i`ll never own a saw with a lazer in the way of viewing the cutline..02 tod

Todd... I have to radically disagree with you. Your all wrong and wet on this. Not only is it great to have a lazer on your saw but I also like the forward fire control option with the photon torpedoes and impulse drive propulsion. And when my customers, the Klingons, show up, I can also whip of a yummy meal of raw, live worm like creatures. Yum Yum.

Truth is, all the laser sights I have looked at are not worth beans. To often, I actually close one eye to sight in my cut line and I use either scribe knives or a 0.5 mm mechanical engineers pencil to lightly demarcate the cut line. The laser sights are like drafting with crayons!. They dont compensate for tooth kerf AND tooth set and your never really sure if your wasting inside the line or outside the line. And then when that all important deadline is closing on you, something goes wrong. A batterry, a laser diode, etc.

The only laser in my shop is an old laser pointer which I use to give my dog his exercise. He loves chasing that red dot around. That is worth while. Putting one on a saw is a waste of money.

[Greg Koch]

OK Dev...the lasers are out!

Which would you suggest, and why from the 2 DeWalts above... 10/12 and new/referb.

Thanks.

[Vaughn McMillan]

Greg, I've had good success with refurbs from ToolKing. IIRC, I have a refurbed Bosch hand planer, DeWalt biscuit joiner and a Makita hammer drill that I got from them with no problems (I may have the brands crossed up, but I'm too lazy right now to go check). I have also bought a refurbed Craftsman 18v drill, and it also has not given me problems.

If I were in your shoes, I'd get the 12" refurb. The extra 2" will be worth a lot more than the extra $20 later on down the road.

Dev and Tod, my experience with a laser was attached to my 9mm. You never realize how much you move until you try to hold a dot on a target 50' away. :o

- Vaughn

[Mike Cutler]

Greg.

I also have the Dewalt 705. Very rugged little mitersaw. I use it all the time in the shop.

I would go with the 12" version, but.... I would replace the blade with a full kerf blade. The Dewalt blade( thin kerf) has a tendency to "potato chip, slightly along the face of the cut. A full kerf blade is less prone to do this. It never hurts to have more capacity when you need to cut miters, sometimes that extra inch, or so, is all you need. The 12" gives you just a little bit more than the 10" in this application.

Gotta agree with the rest about the laser issue. They might be convenient in a construction type application, but I haven't seen the need in the shop yet. I also think that they would encourage people to try and work too fast. If I have to drop the blade to align it to a pencil mark, I don't move my hands, and I know that my hand is out of the way of the blade when the cut is actually made. Just a thought.

[Per Swenson]

Hello all,

Full disclosure time. I bought the laser kerf gee gaw.

Cause I am a sucker. Suppose to be the best on the market.

I didn't need it then, I don't need it now.

Nice concept, useless application.

Now that you are aware of my penchant to buy almost any thing

on impulse, you can stop sending me the pictures of those bridges.

I now own several.

My only other suggestion in mitre saw happiness is to stick

with the big three and spend the money.

A $500 mitre saw is only 27 cents a day over 5 years.

Per

[tod evans]

Thanks for the replies,

Dave, I've looked at the DeWalt, and they are sure used in the construction industry.

Tod, very nice web site and work you do. Do you use a 10", a 12" or both? If you could only have one, which (10 or 12) would it be?

Thanks again.

greg, i use a 10" saw `cause that`s what i`m used to, i do like the sliders much more than a plain chopsaw. the blade you choose is actually as important if not more so than the color of saw. get a full kerf blade by a reputable manufacturer.
and thanks for the compliment! the site hasn`t been updated for quite a few years, it`s only a marketing tool.......02 tod

[Don Bergren]

I've got the Dewalt DW703 and I'm very happy with it. I've always used a 10" miter saw so when I made a change from my old Craftsman cast iron 10" miter I stuck with the same size saw and bought a Dewalt.

I considered a 12" model but I really don't need the extra cutting capacity very often (maybe once in a blue moon). Also, I wanted something that would make less of a mess and the 10" Dewalt was designed in a way that would work quite well. I have it hooked to a Shop Vac and it really catches the bulk of what gets ejected. I have very little to clean when I'm done using it.

[Norman Hitt]

OK Dev...the lasers are out!

Which would you suggest, and why from the 2 DeWalts above... 10/12 and new/referb.

Thanks.

Greg, I would go with the Refurb 705, as I just think you'll be happier with it in the long run for it's extra cut ability, and heavier motor. I have had good luck with A Refurbed Dewalt 14.4 Drill kit AND a Refurbed Hitachi M 12V, both purchased from Amazon over 2 yrs ago. (I'm trying to find a good deal on a full kerf Tenryu Finish blade for my DW-705 Mitre saw right now). Actually, my 705 was sold to me as a Refurb Unit, although it never went back to DeWalt, because there was nothing wrong with it. It had just been sitting on the shelf all the time at Sears as their Display Unit, and the original box plus a couple of items on it were missing, as well as the owners manual, so they told me to e-mail or call DeWalt and tell them what was missing and Dewalt would replace the items. I called Dewalt, explained the situation, and they said No Problem, and everything showed up in about a week, (No Charge) and I got the same warranty as if they had sold it to me as a brand new unit.

[Steve Ash]

I got to thinking about this thread and had another thought. I am color challenged ,some shades of red, green and brown(used to be it was called color blind) and anytime I've used a laser for installing suspended ceilings I have a hard time seeing the pencil line with the red laser line. The red laser erases the lead pencil line in my eyes. Something to think about if you are color challenged (blind). So actually a laser sighted saw would slow me down to a crawl.

[Jim Becker]

1st!!DO NOT USE TABLE SAW BLADES ON A MITER SAW....Miter saws need a blade with a zero to slightly negative hook. A blade with a positive hook will grab the wood and can throw it back at you.

I just want to re-emphasize this point...these tools use different format blades for good reasons and not just for cut quality.