Looking for a Miter Trimer Need Advice

[Ace Karner]

I'm looking to purchase a guillotine type of miter trimer, I have found two the lion and the grizzly, anyone with any experience with these tools

[Jim DeLaney]

I've used both the original Lion, and the Taiwanese clone that Woodworkers Warehouse used to sell. Both were excellent performers. For overall workmanship, fit and finish, they were about equal.

As with most tools, the original setup - in this case, fine adjustment of the fences to a perfect 45° - is the key.

BTW, a few years ago, I bought the Taiwanese clone model from the guy who I'd originally borrowed it from. i still have it, and use it frequently.

Also BTW - keep in mind that these are not chopsaws. You rough cut the stock to something very close to finished dimension, then 'sneak up' on the final cut a few thousandths at a time.

[Ace Karner]

That's exactly what I needed to hear, someone with real exp with both. My guess that your clone and the Grizzly clonw would probably be similar. I have a Grizzly saw I'm pleased with, and Hatfield has a building of really nice Green machines, so my quess the Grizzly would not be bottom of the barrel

Thanks again for the help.

ace

[Dave Richards]

I wonder what the chances are of finding a miter chopper like we had in the frameshop? It was a Danish made thing that was foot operated. It had two blades set at 90° to each other and 45° to a moving fence. The fence had some adjustable supports to support the lip of the molding but they could be shifted out of the way for cutting stretchers for canvases.

I made hands down the best miters ever with that machine. The faces were smooth. There was little waste and the corners were always dead square.

If you could find one of those, that would be the thing to get.

Edited to add: It was a Morsø
http://www.martinelli.com.mt/images/mitref220.gif
They still appear to be available. Morsø (http://www.morso-guillotines.dk/mitremorsof.htm)

Price might be an issue, I suppose.

[Terry Quiram]

Ace

I have the Griz knock-off. It is adequate at best. I have permanently set one of the wings to 45 because there was no repeatability. The knives needed to be sharpened before I could use them. There is also slop in the track the knives ride in. You have to "force" the blades to one side while making the cut to keep the angle consistant. Came like that from Griz.

If I had it to do over I would buy the Lion. After all the others are imitations of the original.

Terry

[Keith Outten]

I own the Lion trimmer and its been absolutely perfect from day one. Dead-on accurate and easy to switch from 90 to 45 and back. I haven't sharpened the blade in the ten years I've had the trimmer, of course I don't use it every day either. It will shave white oak without effort and makes perfect miters every time.

This is a product I'm happy to recommend.

[Larry Rasmussen]

It is lower priced, those all could have been made at same factory and the Lions another. Just guessing. Current price is $145 from Sunhill, closer to $120 when purchased. Like others mine came very sharp and with proper set up trims perfectly. Also a pain to try to quickly dial in settings. I've had it about 3 yrs and mostly just use it to clean up moulding and trim. From all the chat I've seen on line and per my experience getting a poor quality one like the one from Grizzly is really unusual. I went and picked mine up, would not want to pay freight on the 35# + packaging so the best buy might be the one you could pick up if there is such a thing. I looked for a couple mos and bought the lowest priced one on the market. There are a lot more sources out there than Grizzly.

Others use a disc sander with miter guide to true up or slightly shorten trim work, sometimes I wonder if that would not have been easier or more useful a tool. How about a shooting board for a planer? For the weight and relatively rare use I might not choose the the same tool if I had a do over on this one- just sayin'; I know your question was about Lion vs brand X.

Luck,
Larry R
Seattle

[harry strasil]

Shoot boards are the best and cheapest, but the hand operated one from Woodcraft would be real easy to make in the shop.
http://www.woodcraft.com/product.aspx?ProductID=147318&FamilyID=5904

[Roger Bell]

Personally, I shoot miters with a plane when "picture framing" accuracy is called for. It is really not that hard.

I bought a Lion for my wife, who does framing, due to the simplicity of it. Works terrific and as simple as simple gets. I am not a big fan of the disk sander for real precision work, but it does work for most things.