Finishing up my molding project at home and my wife told me the other morning “I think its time you get your own chop saw” (I have been borrowing one from a friend).
She wanted to know which one to get me for Xmas.
Here’s my planned usage:
- More moldings (5-6″ crown, 5″ baseboards, trim a few doors up from std builders special)
- Rebuilding kitchen in the next couple yrs (cabinets w/ face frames, raised panel doors, drawers, more trim)
- Laminate or hardwood floors (don’t know which yet)
- Who knows what else.
I am looking for something under $200 if I can get away with it, 10″ blade, side supports,. But what about the lasers?
A lot of saws out there have them and claim that they send the beam down the blade to show where the cut will be made.
I would think that the laser would show one side of the kerf, but not the other (unless there were two beams separated by 1/8″?). How about crown? Will it still show an accurate cut line if its not on the bed of the saw?
Is it even worth messing with the laser? Am I expecting too much for that amount of $?
Thanks
Larry
Replies
If the laser comes with the saw and you can turn it off...why not?
All of your name brand companies, DeWalt (my favorite for miter saws) Bosch, Hitachi, Delta....to name a few... have excellent entry level products.
One of the reasons I like the DeWalt, is I can flip up the blade guard with my thumb while holding on to the trigger and line up the blade while standing erect. Try to do that with some other saws on display. For most, you have to look under the bladeguard to line up the cut...this I find very unatural, dangerous for the eyes, hard on the back and inaccurate.
Will you be needing a tablesaw to build your kitchen?
See you then...
Welcome to the wild world of power tools
Let the games begin!
For all that 5 and 6 inch stuff it would be nice to go to a 12 inch saw and cut it upright. As far as the laser is concerned I personally think it is a complete waste of money. Change a blade or bump your saw while moving it and it is out of wack. You learn quick that if you make a mistake on a cut it is because you put your pencil mark at the wrong spot, not missing your mark. Sliders are great for checking the blade to the mark. I've enjoyed using my Makita and will probably buy another.
Have a good day. Cliffy
Larry dont buy her a chop saw get her somthing romantic A new mop allways works for me.
Searously he who dies with the most tools has the happyest relitives.
Two bills ain't going to get ya what you want. Little more and your be in an ok range.
I think you could get away with spending less than $200.
I have this saw
http://tinyurl.com/4rkcr
and I love it.
The amazon page says it will cut 4-1/2" crown (upside down and backwards) and 6" base horizontally.
The saw is very light and compact. It's 10" so a good blade will be a little cheaper.
I'm never bothered by the smaller blade, but I have a DW 12" slider that I bring out for the big jobs so maybe I'm not a good example.
Jon Blakemore
I'll second that saw, I bought it as a back up to my slider for smaller stuff... accurate, light, and fairly tough.
If I was buying a saw and had a limited budget I'd spend a bit more and get the 12"
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000063N5H/qid=1100297593/sr=8-5/ref=pd_csp_5/102-8138781-9862502?v=glance&s=home-garden&n=507846
was looking to see if the DW705 was available factory recond ...
found this instead. the double bevel DW706
$250 ... great deal! Either throw in the extra $50 or start cooking dinners ....
Jeff
$250 well fer cryin' out loud, I need a double bevel.
...hmmm.
and free shipping.
Edited 11/12/2004 6:24 pm ET by rez
larry,
that's the one.
Larry, I have had the DW 705 for abnout 10 yrs, and it has been excellent. Look at the deal Jeff found on the 706 ... that's a good price for a good saw (you can spend more and get better, but for the money you can't go wrong).
Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt
thats a good deal! Maby i can figure out some kind of excuse why i need another saw.. Im pretty good at making excuses to buy tools so you'd better tell her to order it fast before they're all gone
Well for one, I bought the table saw last year (OK - who really needs a powermatic 64 w the big table to "trim the closet door down"? Don't laugh too hard. It worked.)
I will look at the saw on Amazon. It sounds good.
As for cooking dinners, well I do that too. Any one for Chicken Marsala tomorrow night?
Thanks for the tips. I am sure that I will be back when the kitchen gets going.
Larry
Crud. The 706 recon is out of stock....
Every Christmas the 10" Delta's go on sale for anywhere from $75 to $99. They are tough little buggers that are tight, light and durable. They should easily handle the work you describe and if you ever decide to step up you can easily get most of your money back by selling it in the classifieds for a nice chunk down on a high end pro model.
Now I totally understand the mentality behind getting a much nicer saw for double the money but you might be happier spending the money on high end tools that will see a little more frequent use.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with the entry level Deltas if they will handle the work you're doing. I know a few contractors that use one for back-up or quick cuts when they don't want to drag the 12 inch slider up three flights of stairs to trim out a 1/2 bath or something.
Having a 10" table saw, I went with a 10" for the chop saw so I only have to buy one size of blades. There's a lot more 10" equipment in use than 12", so volume causes a big difference in blade prices and availability.
My only mistake was not getting a slider.
-- J.S.
Jeff, I don't see a price on that link. You sure the $250 wasn't for a 705? 706R's I've only see down around $270 with free shipping.
jt8
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/browse/-/527694/ref=th_hp_tn_8/102-8138781-9862502
same offer here.
it's factory reconditioned.
Someone else said they're sold out ... I'd check back ... or call and see when more are due.
I try to get all my stuff factory reconditioned when I can ... I've actually held off buying something new on the market till enough were recond'd for them to start selling.
Same warrenty as new ... this time human hands have worked the bugs out ...and way cheaper ... I prefer factory recond'd. I hate amazon ... love Tool Crib. I check the amazon site direct and call Tool Crib on the 800 number.
Jeff
Jeff
Well that's gonna piss me off. I paid like $280 for a reconditioned one from Toolking. Probably ordered it about the time you had originally posted that message, but I didn't read your post until days later... by which time they were apparently sold out (and therefore not listing price).
Grrr.... This will be my first experience with ToolKing. It is OK, but so far hasnt' impressed me. I had followed a link from http://www.buy.com to it. I've had REAL GOOD luck with Buy (electronics/compstuff/books), and they usually have fast service. Shoot, I had one thing (modem or some such) I'd ordered from Buy late one Sunday night. It was waiting by my door Tuesday when I got home. Wheeeew! hard to beat that for service (although some orders take longer, especially if media mail is involved).
Hmm.. so I paid $30 too much for the 706R. Oh well, can't win them all.
jt8
Edited 11/17/2004 12:53 pm ET by JohnT8
As IMERC keeps claiming DW suckzz and I finally came to believe that even with all my yellow tools.
My DW CMS just crapped out on me the same time my DW 18V drill did.....spose I kept buying those yellow tools cause I have a DW radio/charger.When IMERC spent the night here this week he pulled out his favorite brand tool....Bosch....a hammer drill and drilled a hole through an 8" rock in less than one minute....totally blew my mind!!!
the thing looked so light duty I thought it was a toy....not any more.
I think Bosch has some of the best tools from all I've seen
Be well and say hi to your kids from me
andyThe secret of Zen in two words is, "Not always so"!
When we meet, we say, Namaste'..it means..
I honor the place in you where the entire universe resides,
I honor the place in you of love, of light, of truth, of peace.
I honor the place within you where if you are in that place in you
and I am in that place in me, there is only one of us.
http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
sounds like he has the same hammer drill I do ...
the Bosch Bulldog. I have the 7/8th model.
I don't buy one brand over another ... I buy what I think is the best of that particular tool ....
and I've used most chop's and sliders out there once or twice ...
I prefer the DeWalts ...
the Bosch slider is way low on the list in my opinion.
If you want to avoid DeWalt for some stupid reason ... look to the Makita.
Jeff
As IMERC keeps claiming DW suckzz and I finally came to believe that even with all my yellow tools.
That is why I was shocked to see a yeller drill in his hand in that one pic.
jt8
That is why I was shocked to see a yeller drill in his hand in that one pic.>>>>
It was my drill : )The secret of Zen in two words is, "Not always so"!
When we meet, we say, Namaste'..it means..
I honor the place in you where the entire universe resides,
I honor the place in you of love, of light, of truth, of peace.
I honor the place within you where if you are in that place in you
and I am in that place in me, there is only one of us.
http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
That is why I was shocked to see a yeller drill in his hand in that one pic.>>>>It was my drill : )
But it looked like he was actually USING it, not pitching it out the door... ;)
I've got a couple yeller tools. So far haven't had any problems with them. I don't care what brand a tool is as long as it performs.
jt8
the DW was handy... So I used it...
Ended up digging out the "BOSCH" any ways.....
had to drive those 3" Piffen Screws right proper to hold those sleepers in place...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Larry,
My personal mitre saw has a laser and I find it to be a bit of a gimmick. In bright sunshine it isn't visible at all, and because it is mounted directly behind the blade, it picks up a lot of sawdust on the lens as well. The company I work for has a variety of Dewalt, Makita, Bosch and Hitachi saws and none of them have a laser. I find I can use all of them just fine without. The laser (when it is working) is handy for angled cuts on wide boards, but not essential. Any sliding mitre saw is just as easy for checking accuracy.
This is the saw I have. http://www.kingcanada.com/Products.htm?CD=81&ID=2518. I bought it 5 months ago for $199 CDN ($160 US). It was set up accurately right out of the box and is an excellent value entry level saw.
My advice would be, don't worry about a laser. If it comes at no apparent extra cost, fine. But don't pay extra for a saw that has it. Personally I would try to find a sliding saw, they are much more versatile.
Wally