Editorial Review

Editorial Review

For a burly saw with a big blade, DeWalt's 12-inch compound miter saw is surprisingly lightweight (40 pounds) and portable. This saw makes smooth cuts through the thickest of stock, crosscuts a two-by-eight with ease, and--with its extra-high adjustable fence--miters crown molding up to 6-5/8 inches nested vertically against the fence (a timesaving feature that's reason enough for some trim carpenters to buy one). The fence also slides away for bevel cuts.

What impressed us the most was the weight and balance of this saw: the blade lowers easily into the cut, bevels are easy to set, and the miter gauge swivels smoothly. The saw's nine positive miter stops (detents) let you lock into the common angles quickly, but you can still dial in a 1/2 degree off the detent without the gauge dropping back into the stop. The detent plate is made of sturdy stainless steel, too, so it's hard to imagine it developing any slop even after years of use. The gauges are easily accessible and easy to read (what's more frustrating than having to lean around the saw to set on angle?). The saw miters up to 48 degrees on both sides and bevels left to 45.

Editorial Review

What the Bosch 12-inch compound miter saw may lack inpopularity compared to some of its competitors, it makes up for inquality design and construction. The saw has a heavy-duty 26-inch steeltable that extends to 29 inches, and a tall sliding fence for workingwith crown molding and other large stock. While this isn't the lightest12-inch saw available, at only 43 pounds it's still plenty portable,and comes with a cushioned top handle for easy carrying to and from thetruck. Considering how solid and stable this tool is, and the amount ofmetal making up the base and table, we were actually surprised to findthat it weighs as little as it does. The 15 amp motor on this saw, intypical Bosch fashion, runs remarkably smooth and relatively quiet. Theelectric brake stops the blade quickly every time. The miter gauge onthis saw is engraved, so if the paint wears off you won't lose themarkings or need to replace the saw. This is a great feature, and theBosch saw is one of only a couple of saws on the market that includesit. It also features nine miter detents that can be easily overriddenfor micro adjustments, and we had no problem getting the table to lockin tight at a half degree off the detent.

Editorial Review

Editorial Review

Riding on a horizontal double-rail system, Makita's 10-inch dual sliding compound miter saw is one smooth operator. Both rails are self-cleaning and slide on linear ball bearings. The horizontal rail design also seems to give this saw some extra stability, a feature we appreciate, especially in a saw that bevels to 45 degrees both ways. Makita's saw has a vertical grip design with a thumb-activated safety switch and a paddle trigger, and while the vertical design might be slightly less ergonomic than the horizontal D-handle, it does allow you to use the saw comfortably with either hand. Plus, the paddle grip makes squeezing the trigger easy no matter how you're holding the handle.

Features

• Heavy-duty 15 amp motor with electric brake for maximum power and safety
• Large Cutting Capacity:2" x 12" @ 90 degrees, 2" x 8" or 4" x 4" @ 45 degrees, bevels 2" x 12"
• Miter scale features nine positive stops for amazingly accurate miter cuts--0, 15, 22-1/2, 31.6, and 45 degrees left and right
• Dual rod linear ball-bearing guide system for precision cutting performance
• One Year Warranty/30 Day Performance Certification

Asin: B000051WRF
Sales Rank: 29828
Subjects:  1. (Mitre Saws)    2. Miter Saws    3. Saws    4. (Mitersaws)    5. (Mitresaws)    6. (Portercable)    7. Porter-Cable   

Editorial Review

DeWalt packs it all into this 12-inch compound miter saw: the big blade, the double bevel, the double rail slide. Very impressive. Finish carpenters who want to miter crown molding (up to 5-1/4 inches) vertically and framers who demand a 12-inch crosscut capacity will love this saw's 12-inch blade. The double bevel, of course, means you flip the saw instead of the wood, a great feature for those working with long molding or in confined spaces. The saw bevels to 45 degrees both ways and has the ability to bevel up to 48 if the need arises. The double rail slide is definitely burlier than the old single rail design. Both rails slide on self-cleaning, dust-sealed bearings, too.

What really gets us is the weight and balance of this saw: it slides smoothly through cuts, bevels are easy to set, and the miter gauge swivels lightly (all of which speak to the saw's excellent design). You can miter 50 degrees left, 60 degrees right. We also appreciated the cam-lock miter gauge on this saw--the handle simply clamps down, which makes switching angles noticeably quicker than with a twist-lock miter.