# Sliding Compound Miter Saw



## ken1549 (Nov 7, 2009)

Hi, I'm new to the forum and am hoping I can get some assistance is selecting a 10" sliding compound miter saw based on user recommendations. Thanks, Ken


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## Bob N (Oct 12, 2004)

Welcome Ken!


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## Hamlin (Dec 25, 2005)

Hi Ken,

Welcome to the router forums. 

You'll find that there are many different makes out on the market. I personally enjoy my Makita, then again, I'm a big fan of Makita. Others, will point you to, Rigid, DeWalt, Festool, and other brand names. 

Give others time to chime in.


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## Gene Howe (Jul 10, 2007)

I've been looking for one, also. I like the Makita and it seems to get a lot of good reviews.


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## kp91 (Sep 10, 2004)

I have a hitachi which I can highly recommend. One thing to consider, is do you really need a slider. They are a lot deeper than a 12 inch miter saw.


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## xplorx4 (Dec 1, 2008)

Greetings and welcome to the router forum. Thank you for joining us. I have an older DeWalt 12" slider and like it a lot but don't care for the newer DeWalts. The Bosch that Deb got looks good to me also.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Just my 2 cents 

I'm not to sure why anyone would buy a Sliding Compound Miter Saw when a RAS will put most of them to shame , I have not seen one yet that can rip stock,,I think they are made for the contractor that go's from job to job and does not want to drag a RAS to the job side..

The RAS can do so much more and are lower in price the norm..if you look at the big wood shops they just always have one ...like HD and Lowes to cut up stock..you will not see SCMS in the back the norm..
because they are so limited what they can do..I will say they are get for a cross cut saw..don't get me wrong I have two of them but the RAS is the tool for the shop..that can be used as a pin router setup as well 

========


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## Bob N (Oct 12, 2004)

BJ,

Two main reasons for the popularity of the SCMS in the home shop is portability and smaller footprint over the RAS. I agree with you that this does not make it a better saw, but it does make it a more convenient saw for the smaller workshops.




bobj3 said:


> Just my 2 cents
> 
> I'm not to sure why anyone would buy a Sliding Compound Miter Saw when a RAS will put most of them to shame , I have not seen one yet that can rip stock,,I think they are made for the contractor that go's from job to job and does not want to drag a RAS to the job side..
> 
> ...


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## Ghidrah (Oct 21, 2008)

Not to mention cost. I've had a 10" Craftsman Radial for 20 plus yrs, for the most part it acts as a catch all table. The only thing I use it for now is medium to large interlock dados in long stock. Otherwise I use a hand held TS or the RT.

I also have a 10" Bosch CS (12yrs old) and a 12" Mak DCS, (6yrs old). Both produce great accurate cuts for all molding and flat stock finish work with the proper blade. 

However, I transport my saws to jobs which requires lifting, toting and constant jarring from the road in my trailer because of this the saws require regular realignment and maintenance.


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## curiousgeorge (Nov 6, 2006)

I have the Makita compound sliding miter and have never regretted the purchase. It is mounted on a wheeled table with wings that let down to take up less room. You just can't do that with a radial arm saw.


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## Dr.Zook (Sep 10, 2004)

Welcome to the RouterForums Ken.


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## dutchman 46 (May 23, 2007)

Hello Ken What i want to ask, What tools do you own, and which are your favorites? I have a radial arm saw, and i like it. I don't normally us it for cut offs. I have a Black & Decker mitre saw, It does every thing that i want it to do. It is far from the best, but i have gotten along very well. If you have some favorite brand names, thats where i would start. By the way, Welcome to the forum !


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## TRN_Diesel (Feb 24, 2009)

I have a Makita 12" Compound Slider and I love it! I like it for many reasons:
1) I can set it up veru quickly in my shop and if need be take it with me.
2) Cuts 6x6's with ease. Make sure you use it on a 20 amp circuit though 15 amps trip to easy.

I build a lot of decks and do lots of mitres on site so it really helps me.

Do not waste your time on lasers in my opinion they are a waste of money.

Do spend some money on a good stand to set it on. You wont be sorry.


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## CanuckGal (Nov 26, 2008)

I have a Bosch 12" sliding compound miter saw and just can say enough good things about it. Clean accurate cuts, perfect miters and angles. Can't ask for anything more.


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## Ghidrah (Oct 21, 2008)

Canuckgal,
I toiled over the Mak 12" and Bosch 12" for some time before going with the Mak. I have nothing but good to say about my 10" Bosch, and I really like the micro miter adjust on the 12" Bosch. 

However both tools are used on the job and at the time I had 3 ham fisted knuckle dragging gorillas working for me. The feed back I got from the tool/repair shops I deal with said the Bosch 12" was too sensitive for muscling about, e.g., over tightening levers, plastic parts, (like the miter micro adjust) snap off too easy. As a shop tool too sweet. The Mak's more suited for site work, less things to break.


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## TwoSkies57 (Feb 23, 2009)

Here's how I worked around the footprint my RAS created. Built it into my counter. 2 150 lp. ball bearing drawer slides and she works great. I can pull it out as needed, push it back when not in use and swing the arm around almost flush to the back wall, taking up minimal space. Counter top on one side serves as an extension, while a roller on the other works well when needed.


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## CanuckGal (Nov 26, 2008)

Nice work there Bill!


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## crquack (Oct 10, 2008)

Bosch 10" slider. I have the cheaper verison (was about $380 when I bought it 3 years ago). Never regretted it.
Bought a King to start with and returned it within a week.

Do Bosch make any *bad* tools?


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## BigJimAK (Mar 13, 2009)

Great idea, Bill... The footprint is (I think) one of the big issues with RAS's in small shops. Craftsmans are on Craigslist up here at least once a week for $125 - $175 each.


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## Ghidrah (Oct 21, 2008)

TwoSkies57,
My set up is somewhat similar to yours in that I have a drill press to the left, which I often use as a table extension to the radial and a bench top to the right. My Radial is on a stand with wheels and about 6" above the bench top. 

When I do slide stock right I use a mini roller on the bench to take the weight of the stock.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi crquack

"Do Bosch make any *bad* tools?"

YES  SOMETIMES

====



crquack said:


> Bosch 10" slider. I have the cheaper verison (was about $380 when I bought it 3 years ago). Never regretted it.
> Bought a King to start with and returned it within a week.
> 
> Do Bosch make any *bad* tools?


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## Echonav (Sep 17, 2009)

Makita makes a good SCMS. I have had the LS1011 for years. The new 10" Makita SCMS is a great buy at Home Depot. Or, you can find all sorts of good deals on Craigslist. Bottom line, most of the big name brands make good product.


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## TwoSkies57 (Feb 23, 2009)

Great idea, Bill... The footprint is (I think) one of the big issues with RAS's in small shops. Craftsmans are on Craigslist up here at least once a week for $125 - $175 each.

Jim...

You're absolutely right, the footprint is a big issue. but once that is overcome its a great tool to have in the shop. the Craftsman I have reviewed fair to middlin for the most part. 
I took the time to actually set the thing up (about 3 and a half hours) and I've never had any trouble since. ..for a buck 25, its a good investment IMHO...

Ron..

I picked up a roller just for that purpose. Just havn't gotten around to making a bracket
for it and to mount it to the side of the cabinet/counter..


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Guys

Foot print is a big deal with them,,I use a flip up table ( door) that's about 3ft x 8ft to hold the stock, but I do like to roll it out side of the shop from time to time when I need to use it for LONG stock or wide stock, it will rip just over 24" wide that comes in very handy on the big stock...(4' x 8' plywood)

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## Mt-Pockets (Sep 9, 2009)

I went with a 10" Bosch 4410L myself... I love it... I just had to buy the Gravity rise stand to go with it too.

I thought about going with a 12" saw, But I was concerned about blade deflection..

And the 10" with handle just about everything that I need it to do.


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## CanuckGal (Nov 26, 2008)

Dennis I got the Gravity Rise stand for my 12" Bosch. It's DA BOMB! I love it!


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## Sooner (Nov 3, 2009)

I think a lot of it depends on what you do and where you tend to work. If you do most of your work in a shop then other options may suit you better than a slider. I have found that my mitre saw (off brand from Harbor Freight) has seen more use than any other tool I have ever owned. This is partly due to the fact that I replaced every stick of trim, baseboard, chair rail, door/window frames in a 4,000 square foot house and that requires a LOT of mitre cuts. 

Now the bad part about the sliders is that there is a little bit of natural slop in nearly all of them due to the slides. Those that don't slide seem to be a lot more stiff but limit your ability to cut some of the larger trim pieces if you don't have a table saw (which I didn't at the time). Being someone who is skill saw challenged, I can't cut a straight line unless I have a guide clamp, I prefer the mitre saw because it can cut straight, AND I don't have to get down on the ground or bend down at all which is my worst enemy.


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## Bob N (Oct 12, 2004)

Very valid points Daniel :yes4:


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## diggerop (Oct 18, 2009)

I needed to get a sliding compound mitre saw a few years back when I built a new kitchen. I'd settled on a Makita as being the best choice and on my way to buy one, came across a tool outlet that also handled warranty returns for various brands. While having a snoop around I came across a GMC sliding compound mitre saw with a tag that said "laser guide not working, as is price $35." The shop owner came across and explained that none of that stuff gets repaired because it is cheaper to replace it with new. That made sense to me, as GMC has always been rubbish in my opinion. He then made me an offer I couldn't refuse. Take the saw at $35, try it out and if after a week I didn't want to keep it, he would refund the full price.
So I took it, thinking I'll get a Makita in the near future anyway. It successfully did the work for the kitchen, so I decided I wouldn't buy the Makita until the GMC failed. That's got to be about 4 years ago. Have built loads of other stuff and it still works fine. The cuts are accurate, the slider is a twin rail and smooth. And the laser only had a loose connection, so that I fixed that. I still can't fault it and I can't kill it.

Yet I would feel uncomfortable buying another and wouldn't recommend that anyone else does either. I have no logical reason for that, other than my prior perception that they were cheap and nasty. Or is it just that I really want a Makita and will justify it any way I can? : )


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## BigJimAK (Mar 13, 2009)

diggerop said:


> Or is it just that I really want a Makita and will justify it any way I can? : )


Henry,

I've got the same problem with a 9.6V Makita power screwdriver I bought in the 80's. The [email protected] thing won't die!! Even the batteries still hold a charge.


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## Hamlin (Dec 25, 2005)

Hi Henry,

I've said once before, I've always been a very big fan of Makita. I've had Dewalt tools, sears, and other brands, yet, none of them have outlasted or equaled any of my Makita tools. The only other brand that has equaled them is Milwaukee tools.


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## allthunbs (Jun 22, 2008)

I have the Hitachi 10" sliding compound. I would go with the sliding compound again, in a flash.


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## Sooner (Nov 3, 2009)

BigJimAK said:


> Henry,
> 
> I've got the same problem with a 9.6V Makita power screwdriver I bought in the 80's. The [email protected] thing won't die!! Even the batteries still hold a charge.


And here I was thinking that I was the only one still using that dinosaur. I have the same experience though, the batteries still charge and hold a charge as well as my brothers new 18v Ryboi, and it is a heck of a lot lighter than the dewalt 18v ones. If it ever dies I will replace it but for now, there is very little my good old makita won't do and do pretty well.

I particularly like the fact that it's low speed is considerably slower than the newer 18v models and makes it easier to start screws in the harder woods. Also helps not stripping out the screws when counter sinking them.


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## TRN_Diesel (Feb 24, 2009)

Brings to mind the saying, " IF IT AINT BROKE DON"T FIX IT"!


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