Miter Saw

[Kylersk]

I'm looking at purchasing a miter saw but not sure what to get. I'm not even sure what's a good brand. I've seen the following units for sale.

Rigid 10" with laser $197

Ryobi 10" with laser $149

Porter-Cable with laser $169

Cant remember the cost of the DeWalt, but I think it's in the $200 range. Bosch, I think is just too far out of my price range. I'd like to stay under $200..

Any and all opinions are appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[Surface Tension]

I've got a Ryobi thats 20 years old. Certainly wasn't and still isn't the top of the line. In that time its been through some heavy duty use (some of which went beyond the tools intended use) and held up through 100's of construction projects. Its still going btw.

Some things to consider with your new purchase.

A compound miter, you might not have a use for the compound angles but its there when you do. Blade guard types, some styles are visually in the way. Laser guides, some guys like them some don't. Tilting bed, lenght and locking device, go through the motion of changing angles and setup, you might prefer one over the other.

[ChemE]

Pick up the 2006 Tool Guide issue of Popular Woodworking at the Big Orange Box Store and glance through the section on compound miter saws. That will give you a rundown on the various features and hopefully you'd be able match them up with what you want. Also, the tool crib at Amazon is a pretty good source of info on miter saws for both technical specs and owners' gripes and praises about their saws. I sure wish I could buy a new miter saw but my Delta keeps doing everything I need it to do. Have fun shopping!

[18 inch Crappie]

I do not think you can go wrong with any of those, I have the 12 inch Bosch w/no laser I got it at Great-8 store for $199

[IFallsRon]

What do you plan to cut and how often will you use it? I got a generic model at Menards for under $100. Works for what I need. Look for cast iron table and a fence that looks like it won't move when you bump it. Get a good blade, take your time and you can make a cheaper model do a quality job.

[musky hunter]

You did not say if you wanted to do simple mitre joints (like door trim) or compound mitre joints where you need an angle in two planes. Most people only need simple mitre joints. I own a relatively inexpensive Ryobi I bought at Menards. Being a manufacturing engineer, here is my advice on what to look for.

1) Rigidity of the base and pivot joint. You cannot cut any more accurate than the saw can hold.

2) Make sure the fence arms on each side of the blade are parallel and in line. Use a straignt edge to judge this. Some saws have an adjustment for this. If they are not perfect you may not get precisely the same angle cut left as cut right.

3) Is the base milled or inexpensively cast? Milling will leave circular machine marks.

4) Whatever you get, purchase a high quality fine tooth blade. Dull blades, or blades that are not evenly sharp, will wander off to one side through the work.

Generally speaking, the more you pay the higher the quality of the tool. But if it's just for occasional use, trimming a few doors, etc., the inexpensive saw with it's small technical faults and defects or lack of commercial quality may still do you just fine.

If it's for professional everyday use or tight tolerance work, like expensive picture framing, you may be better served purchasing a higher quality tool.

Regardless of what you get, the tool is no better than your personal skill, and accurate mitres cannot be cut on warped wood.

[hoggs222]

I was just in the same boat. One thing to consider, a 10" won't do the wider decking without flipping it over. I just bought a 12" Craftsman with a laser for $220. It works like a charm. I was looking at the sliding ones but man are those spendy for use around the house. Also Lowes has the 10" deltas for $99. No laser though. A buddy of mine has the Delta and it seems to work just fine.

[Bobby Bass]

I have a 10" compound miter glide saw from Sears- for decking and siding it's great, but heavy to move around. For trimming a 10" Ryobi it's lightweight compared to the Craftsman and does a nice job with several angle pre locks. I would consider a saw table if in your budget having a separate table for your miter saw instead of having to find a place to secure it makes life easier.

[Kylersk]

After talking to my Father-in-law (retired construction worker) I picked up a Dewalt 10" miter saw.