Miter saw advice.

[cgnjeep]

I need some advice from any cabinetmakers / finish carpenters out there. I am currently looking to replace my current sliding miter saw and need to get some feedback from other fellow installers. I am a cabinetmaker and have been in the trade for 10 years. I have worked in everything from furniture building, commercial millwork and residential cabinetry. I have been working for myself as a residential cabinetry installer for the past 2 years.

I am moving to Kelowna BC in February and will need a new miter saw for prefinished crown work. I have been using a Bosch 5312 12" Dual-Bevel Slide Miter Saw for the past two years (not the gliding arm one). I recently sold it because the saw got sticky and went out of whack every time I folded and unfolded the gravity stand. I have mostly used 12" Bosch and Dewalt saws in the past but find them to be a little on the heavy end. I am getting tired of packing up a 100lb saw after lifting cabinets all day.

Here are the options I'm considering:

1. Makita LS0714 - Light and compact, apparently has decent dust extraction. I have no experience with Makita saws but have only heard and read positive things on this one.

2. Bosch CM10GD - I have used the 12" model in the past and liked the gliding arm, very smooth. Just not sure about keeping it's square due to issues with my current Bosch. This saw is the heaviest at 80lbs

3. Festool Kapex - All I'm going to say is, convince me this saw it worth $1,920 CAD ($1,460 USD). I have a TS55 and absolutely love it, best and most useful tool I own by a mile, but the price was reasonable. I have the budget for the Kapex but am very reluctant to spend it especially with the Canadian dollar having dropped so much.

If you have any other suggestions please specify.

 

[wptski]

I have a Bosch CM10GD.  Look at it on Amazon, the negative reviews as some are having problems with theirs tacking square in the glide mode but not chop mode.  This is my first and probably my last miter saw I'll ever own.  I have a thread on it here.

Here's a picture that I sent to Bosch which was supposedly passed along to a senior tech which I've never heard from.  It shows both sides of the blade with a solid square.  I should have posted this in my other thread.

Normally checking squareness, etc. is done on the left side but look what I have found on mine.

[attachimg=1]

 

[Lbob131]

Looks like the left hand table is off. Not uncommon.

 

[wptski]

Looks like the left hand table is off. Not uncommon.

It's dished toward the center on both sides but there must be a small lower pocket on the left side.

 

[johnbro]

I'm not a finish carpenter at all but I did the casing around the doors and all the base in my downstairs (900 sq feet) with my Kapex and CT26. At the end of the day there were about 2 teaspoons of dust on the floor behind the saw stand to vacuum up. That's it. so there's that. My buddy who IS a professional finish carpenter (very high end homes) sets his Dewalt chop saw up outside and does a lot of running back and forth.

On the Kapex once you set the lasers exactly you don't need to sneak up on a cut you can line it up with the laser and cut it. I have a 10 inch makita SCMS and it's a pretty nice saw but pales in comparison to the Kapex.

 

[sheperd80]

Ive been a custom home finish carpenter for 10 yrs. Ive used a few Makita chopsaws and they all sucked with poorly designed, awkward controls, and unreliable angle detents. The older Boschs are great, havent used a Glide yet but thats probably my next saw if my old Ridgid ever dies.

I say avoid the Kapex. Motor issues aside its just not a good carpenters saw. Its underpowered, fiddly and slow to use. Its advantages (dust collection, accuracy and cut quality) just dont shine in finish carpentry. I used it for awhile and hated it, especially for crown or baseboard where im constantly changing bevel and miter angles. Add to that the fact that to have a good rolling stand and extensions will cost a fortune for a setup thats rickety and slow as hell to setup.

Dewalt and Bosch have been consistently good in my experience. With proper setup they will make consistent perfect cuts and have power to spare. Take the time to tune and square everything and youll be happy.

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