Sliding compound miter saws

OneWithWood · February 01, 2006, 12:03:55 PM

Again I wish to thank all of you for your responses. I have decided to purchase a 12" Hitachi unit. It is a model C12LSH.

Go here to checkit out http://www.hitachi-koki.com/powertools/products/cutter/c12lsh/c12lsh.html

I can get this at Lowe's for the same money as the Dewalt 718 and it will fit my bench better

Norm · February 01, 2006, 05:46:38 PM

Good choice Robert, I looked at that one too and if I have to ever replace mine it will be on the short list.

The only Hitachi tool I own is the framing nailer, after throwing my campbell hausfeld as far as I could I bought one and couldn't be happier with it.

Ironwood · February 01, 2006, 07:57:38 PM

Speaking of framing nailers, I had an old old Senco lasted for EVER, I replaced it with a Stanley Bostich, PIECE OF POOP!!!!! Two rebuilds in 1 year, I hardly use it and oil it when I do. What KA KA. spent 75 and 85 respectively just on rebuilds. >:( Reid

solodan · February 01, 2006, 11:18:07 PM

I bought the Dewalt 12" slider about 4 years ago, at that time Hitachi and Makita were making 10" sliders, so Dewalt was the only 12" choice then. I have been very happy with the slider. If I could only have one power tool, it would no doubt be a table saw, but my sliding miter saw is probably the most used tool. After owning one I don't know how I ever got by without one before.

isassi · February 02, 2006, 05:52:00 AM

Speaking of nailers, my old Duofast has never let me down, and my Dewalt, Porter Cab;e, and Bostich have all been through the shop..many times. The Duofast is a back-up gun, and it does that...any of you guys see one in a pawn shop, grab it. You will like it if you don't have to carry it all day. ;)

Max sawdust · February 02, 2006, 09:25:40 PM

Quote from: joasis on February 02, 2006, 05:52:00 AM
Speaking of nailers,

Nothing like a good nailer, Want a Palasaids without the compressor some day but for now my Portercable nailers work good I like them a whole bunch ;D

Max

Jason_WI · February 03, 2006, 12:51:48 AM

The Harbor Freight SCM is only good for light work. The rails on mine stick more often than not.

Speaking of nailers, I wouldn't trade my Paslode framing nailer for anything.

Jason

Burlkraft · February 03, 2006, 08:00:45 AM

I have just recently switched to Paslode nailers...I don't think I could ever go back. The freedom of not being tied to an air hose is great. Not to mention that it is a lot easier to clean up at the end of the day. No more rolling up hoses and lugging compressors 8) 8) 8) 8)

Ironwood · February 05, 2006, 04:09:43 PM

I WAS WRONG!!!! IT WAS A PASLOAD!!! Thanks for reminding me guys. Reid

OneWithWood · February 06, 2006, 04:16:48 PM

Yep, love my Paslode. Sure made building the barn and stuff out in the woods a heck of a lot easier.

farmerdoug · February 10, 2006, 11:06:36 PM

I framed many a house with a Paslode impulse nailer. The owner of the second crew I worked for loved toys so he bought four when they first came out. I used one continously for the four years I worked for him. The other three sat in the truck as the others on the crew did not like the extra weight. I am a big guy so I would start the day with the gun on my belt and half a case of nail sticks in my pouch with four fuel sticks too. Th other guys thought I was crazy to carry all that weight but I learned to carry enough nails to keep you working until break from my first boss. The guys were shocked to see me putting 30 lbs of 16P nails in my bags also at the begin of the day and breaks also.

Farmrdoug

bkhunter · February 15, 2006, 09:51:57 AM

Stick with the sliding mitersaw, and get a good one. You'll be able to cut compound miters if you ever need in addition to cross cutting large stock. It's a much safer saw, provided you use it right. The radial arm saw is a very dangerous saw when you deviate it from cross cutting. To rip on the RAS you have to feed the boards backwards, which is really awkward and wide open to possible injury. And I would never let anyone use a dado set on an RAS because you have to remove the guard (on most models) and there's all kinds of trouble waiting to happen when cutting grooves and dadoes. Do these jobs on the tablesaw. Chances are, if you're making something that needs dadoes you already have a good tablesaw, so use it. If you have an RAS, use it only for rough cutoff or sell it to guys who swear by them. You'll get more good from a tablesaw and sliding mitersaw. Remember, you can also do a lot with a router, and it takes very little room to operate. Just work on safety first and foremost!

snowman · February 16, 2006, 10:08:19 AM

Im sure glad i found this forum, seems like i do something one day theres a discussion about it the next. Bought my slider yesterday and now I know I did the right thing. Built my current house with a 60s RAS, It came out OK but i had all the problems you guys been talking about. My next purchase will be a table saw. My next house will come out better and ive alot better chance of dying with all 10 fingers.

SPIKER · February 16, 2006, 07:46:56 PM

I bought one of the 12" HF laser guided SCMS: haven't gotten it out of the box yet. (had it for 4 weeks or so already setting in barmn waiting for warmer tempts & time.) I was about to drop 600+ for a dewalt or a ridged both excelent machines, they were on sale at a NEW HD for 499 (yes 499 grand openeing price one night only) boy I said naw too much at this time (I had quote for windows in the new house just under 2 grand & over with tax.) SO I figured I knew tat HF had emn for the 179 on sale too so I went & hjad a 20% off coupon and got it out the door for 159 I belive. ( ya I bought like 20 other things but only had ONE ITEM for the 20% off).

anyhow the SCMS will come in handy for making the window openeing in the barn this spring & the trim & well pretty much all of it. not sure on the accuracy but heck it had the laser on it so that should help my lazy eyes out some... just hope that I can see it aginst the white flesh just in case these pudgy fingers get in the way.

oh bty the ridgid seemed to have the better setting and fee as well as a better fence setup BUT the motor seemed so much smaller that I wasn't sure which to get and was the MAIN reason I didn't get either as I didn't want to spend 500 and have the WRONG one though I suspect that either would have been great and would have been opened that night to play err perform some cuts with ;)

mark M

Larry · August 17, 2006, 07:58:38 AM

I cut a lot of 4" X 8" X 15" carving blocks. Does anybody know if the 12" Dewalt slider has enough capacity to cut this size without turning it over?

Norm · August 17, 2006, 08:37:05 AM

I just went back and measured mine Larry and it looks like it'll do those for you.

Larry · August 17, 2006, 12:38:42 PM

Thanks Norm!

The price of progress is going up me thinks.

Raphael · August 21, 2006, 11:12:46 AM

I've used the same RAS for over 30 years now in just about every possible bladed configuration, I like a saw that can cut a non-reference face precisely. Since purchasing a table saw I've not used the RAS for ripping unless I need more depth of cut than the TS can handle. I'll use it with stacked dados when going across the grain (especially on long boards), but I'll never take it to a jobsite again since buying my 12" SCMS...
I bought the DW SCMS (and the saw stand) because it was the only 12" model available at the time. I have no complaints.

Modat22 · August 21, 2006, 11:39:25 AM

I've used a RAS for a few years and have to tell you that it doesn't forgive any mishaps. My RAS has spit at me, hit me, looked at me bad and probably used some RAS curse words that I couldn't understand. Since buying a cabinet saw The RAS has become a very weird shaped table in my shop. Those compound miter saws looks really nice though..

Larry · September 05, 2006, 07:30:21 AM

I know it's a disease...but I can't resist. www.sears.com sells pretty yellow, blue, and Craftsman SCMS...and through tomorrow it's 30% off. So...brown is on the way with a pretty blue saw.

Ya have to click on the "Special Offers Available" to see the 30% off thing.

Norm · September 05, 2006, 07:54:01 AM

That is one heck of a discount!

So what color did you decide on?

Larry · September 05, 2006, 05:57:32 PM

Bosch blue...couple of little things I liked over the Dewalt. Dewalt has a bigger crosscut capacity so it was a tough decision. Think either one would make me happy as both have happy users and seem to be quality saws.

Norm · September 05, 2006, 06:04:10 PM

I have a few Bosch tools and have been very happy with them.

Wish Sears had a big plunge router for sale, with that kind of discount I wouldn't be able to pass up adding one.

GAV64 · September 05, 2006, 06:43:01 PM

I had a Sears RAS years ago, I liked it for cutting dados and thats about it. Ripped a piece of masonite one day, pawl didn't catch and took off half finger nail, it always had me on edge and it's the only saw that has bitten me to date. I now have a Dewalt 12" SCMS on a Ridgid folding stand and I love it, it folds up like a hand truck andn takes up very little floor space. I must say though I am also not a big fan of yellow tools but at the time it was the only 12 inch available. I have no experiance with green but red, blue, orange, grey suit me just fine.