Thread: Recommendations for SCMS under $500

If its an occasional use, anything from Bunnings will fit the bill. Their returns policy is impressive, for eg purchased an AEG vacuum cleaner from them once, lasted about 11 months before the power take off died. Took it back and they happily accepted the return.

Other than that obviously secondhand market often comes up within your price range. Have seen a few Bosch GCM12GDL come up on gumtree a few weeks ago for next to nothing.

Alternatively Bunnings happily dock stuff for either nothing or some places charge $1 per cut

Originally Posted by tonzeyd

If its an occasional use, anything from Bunnings will fit the bill. Their returns policy is impressive, for eg purchased an AEG vacuum cleaner from them once, lasted about 11 months before the power take off died. Took it back and they happily accepted the return.

Yeah I have done that - I forget how easy it is.

Other than that obviously secondhand market often comes up within your price range. Have seen a few Bosch GCM12GDL come up on gumtree a few weeks ago for next to nothing.

I will have a look around.

Alternatively Bunnings happily dock stuff for either nothing or some places charge $1 per cut

If it came to this I could also take it to the mens shed for no charge

Here are a few you might be able to look at second hand.
Makita Ls1017l Makita Ls1216 Slide Compound Mitre Saw 1650W 305Mm or Makita Ls1017l
While you probably will not be able to test them, the condition will probably be able to tell you a lot. You may need to budget a replacement blade. The stores may have stock that is not on the web.

Good luck with you search.

Originally Posted by Handyjack

Here are a few you might be able to look at second hand.
Makita Ls1017l Makita Ls1216 Slide Compound Mitre Saw 1650W 305Mm or Makita Ls1017l
While you probably will not be able to test them, the condition will probably be able to tell you a lot. You may need to budget a replacement blade. The stores may have stock that is not on the web.

Good luck with you search.

Thanks for the leads.
I'm somewhat put off by the described condition; "Working condition, has been well used"
The more I think about it the more I'm avoiding buying a used SCMS.
Because they are designed as more or less portable machines they're just not able to be built or made like cast iron WW machines that can take a bit of a beating and are still able to cut right.
Lotsa flimsy alloy bits to bend buckle, wear and break.
I have in mind a near new SCMS at the mens shed, someone set a work experience student the thrilling tsk of largely unsupervised sawing up all the shed offcuts into fire wood.
After a couple of hours of this that saw never cut right.

Does it have to be sliding? Personally I dislike them; I have a Dewalt 10” chop saw and there is relatively little that it doesn’t have the capacity to cut through. I find SCMS tend to flex in use; either by the operator hauling down to hard on one side or the material being tough enough to deflect the blade away from the desired cutting line.

For storage and ease of use it is lashed onto a Toughbuilt mitre saw stand; this beast folds up vertically and as it has large wide wheels dragging it over blue metal or rough ground is easy. On the flip side; those wheels can cause the stand to move around in use. For docking long lengths of timber I use it in conjunction with a pair of Triton Multistands; the stands are rock solid but the saw tends to “bounce” around a little as if it was sitting on suspension.

Thanks CT.
A Chop saw would have a number of advantages for me, one being weight as this thing will have to be stored under a bench. The other is physical size as the potential storage space under the bench is real tight. I know what you mean about the flex - especially after that school kid gave the one at the mens shed a hammering.

One reason I'm thinking slider is one of the cuts I would like to be able to make without turning the workpiece is through 100x 100 cross sections and from what I can see a 12" chop saw can't quite manage this?

Another reason for going for 12" is I already have a useful number of 12" cross cutting blades for my TS.

Originally Posted by BobL

One reason I'm thinking slider is one of the cuts I would like to be able to make without turning the workpiece is through 100x 100 cross sections and from what I can see a 12" chop saw can't quite manage this?

I see your dilemma; the Makita LS1221 is just a bee’s winky shy at 98 X 153mm capacity. I know the venerable LS1440 can breeze through 4 x 4 timbers but that has a 14” blade and can’t do compound mitres.

Originally Posted by Chief Tiff

I see your dilemma; the Makita LS1221 is just a bee’s winky shy at 98 X 153mm capacity. I know the venerable LS1440 can breeze through 4 x 4 timbers but that has a 14” blade and can’t do compound mitres.

Might just have to wear the turning of stock.

As you said BobL turning the material is no big deal if you support the material and I'm sure with your experience that won't be an issue.

Bob, what about a 6 point crosscut and a pair of saw horses? Saw takes up no space and the saw horses stack against the wall, under a bench, or outside under the eaves etc.

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Originally Posted by Fergiz01

Bob, what about a 6 point crosscut and a pair of saw horses? Saw takes up no space and the saw horses stack against the wall, under a bench, or outside under the eaves etc.

Yep - have that setup and use it often.

This mob recently had a dewalt 10” saw on special, it’s a rebadged elu, induction motor, belt drive, super smooth I had one for a time it was a good little saw. I realise it’s over $500 and not sure if there’s Sydney Tools in WA, but it’s the first link I found. They’re a good unit.
Sydney Tools

also, stay away from bosch, lots of plastic and lots of problems.

Originally Posted by riverbuilder

This mob recently had a dewalt 10” saw on special, it’s a rebadged elu, induction motor, belt drive, super smooth I had one for a time it was a good little saw. I realise it’s over $500 and not sure if there’s Sydney Tools in WA, but it’s the first link I found. They’re a good unit.
Sydney Tools

also, stay away from bosch, lots of plastic and lots of problems.

Thanks RB, my previous experience with ST has not been that good so I'm not likely to shop there.

Although I have mainly a Makita gear my blue and green Bosch gear (3 angle grinders and 2 corded drills) has been pretty good. A few years ago I mercilessly flogged my green bosch corded drill and successfully melted the FWD/REV switch but was able to fix it by simply flipping the switch (no it didn't reverse the usual directions).

SWMBO has given the green light for me to go over the $500 so am revisiting all options. Handsaw is one, but cutting Al extrusions with it are problematic.

One problem is lack of stock and although stores are advertising their full range of gear but most of the bigger saws have been sold out since June - limited stock not coming in till mid next month.

Im in a similar boat, especially now that i need to do a bunch of other construction around the house and my little old 8" has died.

Did you decide on a saw?

Im currently looking at the Makita LS1018L, which even though its only a 10" saw is pretty capable.