Frank Snyder
02-03-2007, 5:50 PM
Having had my dad's Dewalt 708 SCMS for the past 5 years on indefinite loan, I decided it was time to return it to him and buy my own. I put in a new power cord and bought a new blade for it before giving it back to him. I'm sure he figured he'd never see it again. I also had his Delta Sidekick miter saw stand, so I had to get some kind of stand to hold a new saw.
Since we won't be seeing the Festool Kapex anytime soon, I went with the Bosch 5412L SCMS. The Makita was also a consideration, but I really liked Bosch's up-front bevel controls, easy-to-read gauges and overall ergonomics. To make it a real saw, I also picked up a Chopmaster for it. After a few test cuts, I was very impressed with how clean and accurate this saw and blade performed. No adjustments needed to be made...it was dead-on out of the box.
For a stand, I was torn between the Ridgid MSUV and the Stablemate. Since I'm just one person, loading and unloading a stand like the MSUV with a 70lbs. saw attached is no easy feat. You really need a helper monkey for that task. At least with the Stablemate, I can load and unload the saw and stand seperately by myself without too much trouble. And for $100, it is a steal. Rock steady and made here in Illinois.
I was also intrigued by the clamping mechanism on the Stablemate and it gave me with an idea on how I could easily transfer the saw from the stand to my future built-in SCMS station. I could install a 2x6 cleat with a complimentary bevel cut along the countertop and Stablemate's clamp will secure the saw to this cleat very easily. So when I need to take my SCMS out on the road with me, a few turns of the cranks and off she comes. No bolts, nuts and washers to worry about, nor any proprietary T-slot clamping mechanisms. I'll post pictures of how this works once I've got my workshop cabinets built.
5691856919
I also broke down and ordered the Festool Vac-U-Boom Attachment from Uncle Bob. Snagging my vacuum hose on my guide rail and other objects was getting old. This accessory is really a wonderful thing and I had procrastinated getting one long enough. It makes sanding and cutting much more enjoyable.
56917
Since we won't be seeing the Festool Kapex anytime soon, I went with the Bosch 5412L SCMS. The Makita was also a consideration, but I really liked Bosch's up-front bevel controls, easy-to-read gauges and overall ergonomics. To make it a real saw, I also picked up a Chopmaster for it. After a few test cuts, I was very impressed with how clean and accurate this saw and blade performed. No adjustments needed to be made...it was dead-on out of the box.
For a stand, I was torn between the Ridgid MSUV and the Stablemate. Since I'm just one person, loading and unloading a stand like the MSUV with a 70lbs. saw attached is no easy feat. You really need a helper monkey for that task. At least with the Stablemate, I can load and unload the saw and stand seperately by myself without too much trouble. And for $100, it is a steal. Rock steady and made here in Illinois.
I was also intrigued by the clamping mechanism on the Stablemate and it gave me with an idea on how I could easily transfer the saw from the stand to my future built-in SCMS station. I could install a 2x6 cleat with a complimentary bevel cut along the countertop and Stablemate's clamp will secure the saw to this cleat very easily. So when I need to take my SCMS out on the road with me, a few turns of the cranks and off she comes. No bolts, nuts and washers to worry about, nor any proprietary T-slot clamping mechanisms. I'll post pictures of how this works once I've got my workshop cabinets built.
5691856919
I also broke down and ordered the Festool Vac-U-Boom Attachment from Uncle Bob. Snagging my vacuum hose on my guide rail and other objects was getting old. This accessory is really a wonderful thing and I had procrastinated getting one long enough. It makes sanding and cutting much more enjoyable.
56917