Bosch VS Makita 12″ slide compound miter
garybuilds
| Posted in Tools for Home Building on
OK, I’m sure this subject has been covered endlessly, but can’t find recent posts.
I own a 10″ Makita and never liked the skimpy fence nor the side tales, just bars, useless. Block of wood is better. Anyhow, I love Bosch in general but their compound saw looks like it might have toooo many adjustments and knobs on it. I’ll have to give a training course to my crew ! as well as myself I guess. However, its fence looks very useful with the scale on it and its height. The side tables look like they would actually work. I’ve read that the detents are easy to override and the settings are good.
Any opinions / advise out there?
Thanks, Gary
Replies
I've got the Bosch 5412L saw, and I've had very few problems with it. I like the up-front controls; they seem to speed adjustments over leaning behind the saw to set angles.
It did come with a bowed fence. I used it for a couple of months before I realized that. I was going crazy wondering why my miters didn't fit.
I can't tell you how it will do with a crew, since I work by myself. But it does seem pretty solidly built. I have it on the older Rigid miter saw stand. The whole set-up is a little bulky, but nice and stable.
thanks, i'll check for a bowed fence if I get it. How accurate do you feel the laser is? Looks like the gauge on the fence could be good for short repeated cuts, etc... Didn't know that you could adjust the vertical angle from the front of saw. Is there a light in there too?
The laser was pretty accurate when it was working. The battery died, and I haven't replaced it in 2 years.
I should get a new battery. The laser was kind of handy.
There's no light, but I do try to set up some kind of work light near the saw if I'm working inside. At 54 yo, I sometimes need help seeing things LOL.
I've used a friend's DeWalt slider a few times. I like my Bosch better. I have no idea how the Makita is.
I have both the 10" and 12" Makita and we have a 12" Bosch in the shop and my personal preference is either of the Makita's.
Doug
Thanks. Care to explain your opinion a bit? Sounds like you've got a perfect set of experiences: both the Makita and the Bosch.
used 12" makita slider for years, the one that has the scale in the front. great saw. tried 10" bosch slider sold it right after i bought it, also bought 10" makita slider with scale on the side, couldn't get used to it so i sold that one too. i always liked makita saws. i wish i could try the 12" bosch for a few weeks.
Looks like it's a toss up between the Makita and Bosch.
http://www.taunton.com/finehomebuilding/how-to/articles/sliding-compound-miter-saw-tool-review.aspx?nterms=89580&ac=fp
I have a Bosch slider and I love it. So, apparently does Gary Katz and most others who do demos at trade shows - they all seem to use Bosch.
It is complicated at first and you will have to show people how to use the settings, especially the bevel controls that are not intuitive for right bevels and for bevels beyond 45°.
Benefits are tremendous though:
-Miter adjusts to 52° left and 60° right.
-Miter gauge is on the front and easy to read. Some Makitas I have seen have the gauge on the right where a board set on the table would hide it.
-Miter detent lockout enables setting cuts within 1/4° or less of a detent position without it dropping into the detent.
-Bevel gauge is large enough to read easily.
-The handle has safety thumb locks on both sides and a wide trigger bar in the middle so you can operate it with your left hand as easily as with your right.
-The handle rotates so you can set it vertical, horizontal or in-between.
-Depth of cut stop can be quickly set back to full depth and then returned to your setting with just a push of a button - makes sharing the saw easier.
The thing is heavy, but Bosch has a killer rolling stand with "gravity rise" feature like their table saw stand.
Thanks for the very detailed advice. I've ordered the Bosch, if for nothing else than for variety. It seems I'm always alternating between Bosch and Makita over time. I love Bosch table saw, though mine is beat now but has a great fence and side tables, etc... My current 10" Makita chop saw has lasted years but I never liked the small fence on it and the two locking mechanisms constantly confuse my crew and over the years, myself. The main locking knob bends easily cause it's often used as a handle. Reaching behind to pivot the saw has always been a real royal pain in the behind.
One more tip. When the saw arrives, check the fence with a straight edge. There have been a few cases where the casting has warped a bit such that the right and left fences were not true with one another. Mine was perfect, the one that my Habitat for Humanity chapter got was off about 1/2 degree on each side. Bosch service center replaced the casting without question even though we did not have the receipt for the machine.BruceT