Replies

1. 
   Mooney | Feb 25, 2004 02:05am | #1

   I have the Dewalt slider and like it except for heavy. Good veiw of the blade . Dust bag on that model doesnt work with out vacumn. The 12 inch chop saw uses a dust bag alone . Dont understand it . Ive got both. Over all the Dewalt is a solid built saw that doesnt need tweaking normally .

   Tim Mooney

1. 
   Floss | Feb 26, 2004 05:08am | #15

   Tim,

   I bought my Hitachi 8.5" slider 12 years ago and still use it as my primary miter saw. I also have a Delta 34-080 (old cast iron dog) 10" chop saw that I use for cutting newell posts. I primarily build stairs but use the hitachi for all other finish carpentry tasks, ie. built-in's, wainscot.crown,casing,and base. I have found that this saw in particular has been extremely reliable and accurate over all these years. I hardly find the need for extremely accurate detent stops since most situations require precision cutting where most angles are bisected and rarely fall into any standard category of preset angles available on any given saw table. Plus I cut all of my crown moulding flat and find that the smaller stout blade(forrest chopmaster) is less prone to deflection in the cut. I only wish the saw would bevel both ways, then I think it would be the ultimate finish saw. I had many years of practice with this saw and developed my work habits to accomodate any shortcomings that I may encounter due to limited capacity or bevel angles.

   The best I can say is that it is well made, and if taken care of, it should last a good long time.

   Good luck in your search.

   J.P.

1. 
   Mooney | Feb 26, 2004 06:18am | #16

   Thanks JP

   You mention the stops . Funny thing FYI,

   The yellow chop saw doesnt move well inbetween stops for stopping that is . The yellow slider is a dream at it . Ivge wondered about that big difference and being the same color more than the dust pick up, which the slider flunks and the chop saw does very well.

   Tim Mooney

1. 
   Floss | Feb 26, 2004 08:45pm | #17

   Tim,

   I know, one would think that a company which makes more than one style saw would have the engineering to a point to where there is some kind of continuity as far as quality is concerned between their own products. I think you just need to pick one and then see what works for you. Enogh practice with any tool just makes you better.

   J.P.

2. 
   bill_1010 | Feb 25, 2004 02:08am | #2

   id suggest a 10" blade over the 8.5.   blades are easier to find and youll have greater possibilities with various trim.  Id be worried that you'd outgrow that 8.5 faster then you can imagine.

   Makita or Bosch sliders are the way to go.

3. 
   RW | Feb 25, 2004 02:34am | #3

   While I can't imagine wanting something smaller than you have, I can answer what I'm using. I have the Bosch 12"SCMS and the smaller saw which I rarely use (but weighs about half as much as the Bosch, good for punch list things) is a 10" Delta. I'm not sure what you'd accomplish with a smaller saw. I already have capacity issues when I try to cut skirt boards or closet shelving at an angle, and end up playing the lift the board up into the blade trick for that last inch. Now if Hitachi would take their 15" chop and put it on rails . . . oh, but then I'd just be carting around a radial arm, wouldn't I? :-)

   "The child is grown / The dream is gone / And I have become / Comfortably numb "      lyrics by Roger Waters

1. 
   heyoka | Feb 26, 2004 01:46am | #11

   Thanks guys! I'm basically trying to go light. A small, lightweight saw to cut dimensionally small wood (aka:trim). Seems to make sense to me. I do agree with everyone about the capacity issue and yes I really would love to get the new Bosch 12" or 10" slider but really don't find a saw like that necessary 95% of the time. Unfortunately, a double bevel slider doesn't exist in an 8.5" model and that is a feature I find very helpful on a daily basis. So what's a guy to do? Looks like the market is forcing me to get a 10" saw. Not what I was originally after, but oh well! I'm not set on my decision yet so let's see what some others have to say. Oh another thing. I drive a car (VW Jetta) and keep my tools in the trunk. Again, an 8.5" saw will fit much better than a 10 or 12 will. Space. space, space!

   Mike    

1. 
   heyoka | Feb 26, 2004 03:09am | #12

   Ok, I've looked over the new Bosch 10" dual compound slider and it looks great. I just can't find any real specs on it. Anyone know the cutting capacities of this saw? Thanks.

   Mike 

1. 
   briank | Feb 26, 2004 04:05am | #13

   I don't think you would go wrong with either the Bosch or Makita 10" SCMS--with the 8.5 I think you would run into enough situations where you needed the extra capacity that you would regret it.  If the 12"s would move themselves onto the jobsite, I'd love to have one there everyday--but I make do with a 10" SCMS.  Both the Bosch and Makita saws have gotten very good reviews---the Dewalt we have creates a dust storm even with a vac hooked up!!

4. 
   jako17 | Feb 25, 2004 03:58am | #4

   I have been using the hitachi 8.5 for at least five years. It has been no trouble at all.My critisisms are : 1) awkward to carry 2)Far too much information on the horizontal circle( do you use 1/ 10 roof pitches?) 3) weak detents 4) dust bag that is only ornamental.5) poor cursor for vertical angle( flimsy piece of plastic).6) Ihate the safty start triggerlock,but most saws come with them.Otherwise I like it and would not change to another size,But there again I don't do a lot of large crown.We have one that has been abused in the shop that was one of the first and still going.The guard on that self destructed years ago.

1. 
   donpapenburg | Feb 25, 2004 04:34am | #5

   Bosch makes a 10" just like the 12 " now.

5. 
   Sphere | Feb 25, 2004 05:00am | #6

   My arsenal includes a delta 10" compound, a freud 8.5 slider, a B&D 10" Rad. saw, and a new Bosch 12 slider..belive it or not the little freud is not too bad..light weight, accurate and wore out..almost 15 yrs. old..brushes just quit. go for light weight and what suits the job at hand,,if it don't work..go buy another saw. then ya got a few for loaners..

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1. 
   Mooney | Feb 25, 2004 08:12am | #8

   I dont believe in loaning , but Im into lite weight gear to haul around packing and unpacking , carrying up stairs and  over mountains.

   Ill take the light saws . Put me down there .

   Tim Mooney

6. 
   Taylorsdad | Feb 25, 2004 05:40am | #7

   I loved my 12"Bosch CMS so much that I traded up to the Bosch SCMS and I love it even more. I think Bosch makes the best out-of-the-box blade on the market as well. The SCMS is such a bear though that I bought a cheap 10" Ryobi CMS for small stuff and its worked out great.

1. 
   Mooney | Feb 25, 2004 08:14am | #9

   A bear means heavy right ????????????????????????? You went and bought a lighter one ! uh huh .

   Tim Mooney

1. 
   Taylorsdad | Feb 26, 2004 04:36am | #14

   I'm sure its heavier than my previous Bosch CMS, but what I specifically meant by "bear" was that its awkward to lift due to the rails the weight is distributed over a larger area.  Lets put it this way, I gave up the lifting fight quickly and bolted it to a mobile miter stand whose legs fold under and I can now move it around like a handtruck. 

7. 
   Dreamcatcher | Feb 25, 2004 09:04am | #10

   I have the makita 10" SCMS. Great saw. nice size table. reasonable weight. A little cumbersome to lug through the house, but worth it.

   Used to use the Hitachi 8.5". very tough and accurate...but too small 10% of the time.

   gk