Best value mitre saw up to around $1000 (give or take)

Just for some ideas this is how I solved the problem you are experiencing. I sold my old Makita SCMS for this:
Attachment 514147
The outfeed goes out the shed door for long lengths, while the saw bench is a handy place to put things when the saw is not in use. This is the smallest Wadkin BRA model and has a 3hp motor, 350mm blade and easily 400mm width of cut. This one set me back $500 which is pretty standard for used RAS these days, as they have fallen out of favour with commercial workshops.

Cheers, Zac.

MarkvH,

We’ve had the 12” Bosch glide saw in our Men’s Shed for 3-4 years. Bit of a kick when you start it but you get used to starting it at the top of it’s travel. Extremely noisy but I can’t give a comparison as it is the only one I use. Ours gets reasonably hard use - we have a lot of merbau, red gum and spotted gum. It cut OK with the original blade but changing to a Freud blade made it heaps easier. We’ve been through one set of carbon brushes but they were easy to replace.

Overall it’s a very robust bit of kit. Dust collection is not good using just the port provided but then probably no worse than most SCMS. If we were buying again we’d buy smaller - 300mm is complete overkill for our use but your needs may be different.

i’d strongly recommend you find somewhere you can try this saw before you buy. Many of our members find it a bit intimidating alhough it’s been OK for me.

Best regards,

Brian

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Originally Posted by Fergiz01

Just for some ideas this is how I solved the problem you are experiencing. I sold my old Makita SCMS for this:
Attachment 514147
The outfeed goes out the shed door for long lengths, while the saw bench is a handy place to put things when the saw is not in use. This is the smallest Wadkin BRA model and has a 3hp motor, 350mm blade and easily 400mm width of cut. This one set me back $500 which is pretty standard for used RAS these days, as they have fallen out of favour with commercial workshops.

Cheers, Zac.

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This is my RAS when I first got it in 2009?.
It's a 50 year old 14" Italian Dewalt I got for free because it was 3P.
BUT
I can barely fit my SCMS under the LH wing of my TS let alone fit this thing in in my shed.
SO
It sat in a container about 30 minutes away going rusty for about 5 years.

I eventually gave it to my mate who has a 140m^2 WW factory unit about 15 minutes - I can use it (and all his other gear) when he's around.
We since derusted it and rebuilt the table.
I have yet had a need to use it, although I have used most of his other gear :D.
Attachment 514152

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Originally Posted by BobL

Yes mine is the 305mm.
The price two years ago was $1099 but I got it while Bosch had a deal that gave the purchaser $200 worth of other Bosch products free. I got a 100T Negative raked tooth blade cuts Al tube and bar really nicely, A beaut Bosch Glue Gun (my old Ozito had finally carked it) and a bunch of cutting discs etc.

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I bought mu Glide about 9 years ago and it cost me $1200 then so it has steadily reduced in price over the years.

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Originally Posted by homey

MarkvH,

We’ve had the 12” Bosch glide saw in our Men’s Shed for 3-4 years. Bit of a kick when you start it but you get used to starting it at the top of it’s travel. Extremely noisy but I can’t give a comparison as it is the only one I use.

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The newer models apparently have a soft start . I haven't noticed this on mine but I also haven't noticed much of a "kick" either when it starts so maybe it does. Either way I don't find the start to be problem. As for noise, it's not struck me as any noisier other mitre saws I've used - I must test the SPLs next time I have it running.

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Originally Posted by Chris Parks

I bought mu Glide about 9 years ago and it cost me $1200 then so it has steadily reduced in price over the years.

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It's RRP is ~$1250 today but yes in absolute "inflation adjusted" terms it has gone down but so have quite a few power tools over teh same period.

I've been in the garage this evening trying to make some square cuts and admittedly some further adjustments we're needed. Having said that I haven't been able to get a cut that is satisfactory so I'm going to pull the trigger on an upgrade tomorrow.

I just need to weigh up whether I go for something smaller than 305mm (current Ryobi one) and then either a Makita or Bosch.

I'll have a look at YouTube and watch a review reviews perhaps.

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Originally Posted by tonzeyd

I know this one point is bit controversial, but mitre/scms IMO are roughing cut machines. ie used to break down longer material. If you want dead on accuracy use a table saw sled or shooting board afterwards

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Agree. I dislike SCM saws intensely; they wobble in the cut and can be deflected by any change in the material like a knot or a void. Plus 90% of the time they are only used as a chopsaw but almost no-one locks the sliding carriage to make that task safer. Max cut is usually only about 15” for a 14” saw so pretty limited really.

I’m building a traditional toolchest 40” x 24” x 24”; the boards were marked out using knife lines then rough cut with a circular saw. They were sized accurately to the knife lines with a cheap(ish) Luban
Low Angle jack plane running on a bit of formply…. much cheaper than a SCMS; definitely safer and more accurate and much easier to store.

Some comparative specs.

The Bosch glide saw with a 305mm blade has a 90º max cut of 104 x 340mm, @ 45º its 98 x 240 mm,
Makita 305mm SCMS @90º Hs mx cut of 107 x 363 to 92 x 382, @ 45º its 92 x 268mm to 107 x 255mm

The Makita 305mm chop śaw has a max cut at 90º of 98 x 153mm, At 45 its 98 x 107mm.
Max of 48º Mitre and 45º bevel angles.

The Makita 355mm chop saw has a max 90º cut of 122 x 152mm, at 45º its 122 x 115mm
It's a mitre only (no bevel) with a 45º max

Thanks for all the replies everyone. I went Sydney Tools planning to buy the Makita LS1219L (after essentially a flip of a coin). Whilst they were trying to locate the box.... I changed my mind after trying the Bosch GCM 12 GDL. The smooth gliding arm felt so good and the depth of the saw was for me, significantly less than the Makita. It won't stick out as far from the wall and in a 2 car garage will be better.

Took the day off work to build a mitre station (using my old mitre saw as I had no room to set up the Bosch). Still need to add more features but I've done enough for today. I haven't tried the new saw yet... I think I'll take tomorrow off too and have a good play with it.

Attachment 514192

Attachment 514193

Attachment 514194

Well done, very fancy mitre station.

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Originally Posted by MarkvH

Thanks for all the replies everyone. I went Sydney Tools planning to buy the Makita LS1219L (after essentially a flip of a coin). Whilst they were trying to locate the box.... I changed my mind after trying the Bosch GCM 12 GDL. The smooth gliding arm felt so good and the depth of the saw was for me, significantly less than the Makita. It won't stick out as far from the wall and in a 2 car garage will be better.

Took the day off work to build a mitre station (using my old mitre saw as I had no room to set up the Bosch). Still need to add more features but I've done enough for today. I haven't tried the new saw yet... I think I'll take tomorrow off too and have a good play with it.

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Could you let me know how the Bosch GCM 12GDL is performing. I recently purchased a new Makita LS1219 but after 2 attempts with original and a replacement saw, we were unable to get a good accurate square cut. Makita has been returned for a refund. Maybe this a problem with SCMS. Like to see the Bosch or maybe a DeWalt.
S

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Originally Posted by shedfriend

Could you let me know how the Bosch GCM 12GDL is performing. I recently purchased a new Makita LS1219 but after 2 attempts with original and a replacement saw, we were unable to get a good accurate square cut. Makita has been returned for a refund. Maybe this a problem with SCMS. Like to see the Bosch or maybe a DeWalt

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What do you consider to be "accurate"? As I mentioned in my previous post SCMS are NOT accurate in my view; they are good enough for carpentry but that's it. For a big name branded saw getting a cut edge within a millimeter or so of square along the full length of the sliding carriage is pretty darned good... for a builder.

I have a Dewalt chop saw; I spent a looong time getting the blade square to the platten and fence but still only consider it to be good enough for rough work. If I want accuracy (ie less than 1/10th mm in any direction) I shoot the edges by hand to a knife line.

When looking for a mitre saw go for one that allows adjustments of the fence etc. Most mitre saws require adjustment from factory.

I have the 12" Bosch non glide and it is ok, probably should have got the 10" as 12" is pretty wieldy.

I also have a Dewalt RAS which are good if you spend the time to adjust them.

I bought a Bosch Glide Saw. It's probably about 6yrs old now and wouldn't say it's had a huge amount of work or even a hard life being in a hobby workshop. I went to tune up everything the other day and have to say it's incredibly frustrating and fiddly to get it perfect. What I found was you would slack off adjustment bolts etc and make sure everything was 90º & 45º, then when you went to tighten everything it would slightly shift out of alignment. I got it as good as I had the patience for but more recently it's not cutting anything 90º & 45º so going to try and adjust it again - really not happy with it for something that cost over $1k! I would be very happy to get rid of it and get Wadkin RAS if it wasn't for the space!