Mitre Saws - what to look for?

Jim Junkie

Used to sell drugs, now he just takes them
I've got a few jobs around the place that need doing and a Mitre saw would be a great help to get them done. Things like flooring, building book shelves, that sort of stuff.

As I tend to do all this sort of work myself and it inevitably turns into a never ending list, I figured it's time to buy a decent one. Does anyone here know the ins & outs of mitre saws? What to look for & what to avoid? I've used top of the line Dewalt's with slides in the past, which were great, as well as Ozito bargain basket ones, which was horrible.

Probably looking to try and keep it around the $400 mark, so I was thinking something like:
http://www.totaltools.com.au/makita-sliding-double-bevel-compound-mitre-saw-260/i1038364/
or
http://www.bunnings.com.au/ryobi-2200w-305mm-slide-compound-mitre-saw-with-laser-_p6210397.
I'm not looking for massing cut depth, as I've got some monster circular saws & saw bench's around anyway, I just need something that will cut around 50mm depth, accurately, consistently and probably around 300mm width (more is better though I guess).

Any experiences, good or bad?
 

spoozbucket

Likes Dirt
I have used the one you have listed and a much older Makita trade grade unit, the trade one is old but still feels a lot nicer to use but they both did the same job.

I have also used one(can't remember the brand) with a horizontal handle and I found it a lot easier to line your mark up but I am a full blown amateur. I would recommend buying a trade quality blade as they do seem to do a nicer cut than the ones that come on the cheaper units.
I like the look of this, horizontal handle and decent supports but if you are buying a stand that won't be an issue-

https://www.masters.com.au/product/900046422/bosch-1800w-slide-mitre-saw-pcm-1800-sd
 

Freediver

I can go full Karen
I bought the ryobi one a couple of years ago, got 2 months out of it before it died and I lost the receipt. Bunnings wouldn't help and Ryobi were just as useless. I also had a Ryobi cordless drill which the battery died on just out of warranty and they had changed the design and the new batteries didn't fit. I will never buy Ryobi again.
I have a second hand Elu sliding compound saw now which Dewalt make spare parts for(they took over Elu) and have had no complaints and no need to even look for spares but it's a comfort knowing they are available.
 

spoozbucket

Likes Dirt
I bought the ryobi one a couple of years ago, got 2 months out of it before it died and I lost the receipt. Bunnings wouldn't help and Ryobi were just as useless. I also had a Ryobi cordless drill which the battery died on just out of warranty and they had changed the design and the new batteries didn't fit. I will never buy Ryobi again.
I have a second hand Elu sliding compound saw now which Dewalt make spare parts for(they took over Elu) and have had no complaints and no need to even look for spares but it's a comfort knowing they are available.
Haha I have a 1/4" Ryobi router and if you lay it down on one out of the three sides it starts up coz the guard over the switch wasn't made big enough. Always catches you out towards the end of a job, not fun as I usually work in thongs and it tries to take a jump at your feet. DeWalt stuff is better now that it's made in China, the pommy stuff was rubbish, and expensive!
 

MARKL

Eats Squid
I have had a DeWalt slide compound saw for about 15 years and it is a great thing. Very reliable, accurate and cuts everything with ease. I built my old house with it and it did a heap of work. One of the purchases where you spend a bit more but never regret it. My recommendation would be a trade quality saw. There is a heap of good ones - DeWalt, Hitachi, Makita, Bosch etc. If you can pick one up second hand at a decent price that may be worthwhile (some guy that bought it to do a project at home - be wary of an ex tradie one as they can cop a hard life). It may also be worth considering a table saw like the DeWalt DWE7491 (a better machine than the DW745 for the money). Flooring and shelves I would say the slide compound is faster but the table saw is more flexible in some ways, comes down to what you want to do with it.
 

Dales Cannon

lightbrain about 4pm
Staff member
Unless they have changed Makita run a narrow kerf saw blade. Good because it cuts less material so it is faster and less power hungry but you are pretty much limited to their proprietary saw blades. Having said that Makita are great value for money. I have an old old 6.5" and other brands of other sizes.
 

Morgan123

Likes Dirt
Out of those selections and for the average DIYer id go the makita. It's been designed to meet a low price and I doubt it'll last that long but it should be fine.
 

kwikee

Likes Dirt
Can't go too wrong with that Makita. Looks like a lot of saw for $450. I've got a Hitachi 10" that was $1100 12 years ago, still going strong. They are real cheap now and with the twin sliders should last well.
Look for play in the movement at full extension when locked. It will flex a bit under force, but shouldn't have free play. Bit hard to check, but the cheaper ones have the motor bearings mounted in plastic rather than aluminium parts. Not good for long life.
That safety button in the Makita handle will last 10 minutes, too!
 

pharmaboy

Eats Squid
Just been looking into this in the $500 sort of budget, summary

Bosche green - noisey as, dust extraction poor
Bosche blue - poor dust extraction, reliable and very accurate ($circa $700)
aEg - excellent warranty, good accuracy and good dust extraction
Makita <500 - loved by people who don't have a trade quality SCMS , great dust extraction, not accurate out of the box, so needs to be setup ( ie read the instructions)
De Walt ? Seems on a par with makita
 
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Rob_74

Likes Dirt
Almost too embarrassed to post but i have an Aldi compound mitre saw. Just for diy stuff around the house it seems fine, accurate enough etc.
 

Ideate

Senior Member
Almost too embarrassed to post but i have an Aldi compound mitre saw. Just for diy stuff around the house it seems fine, accurate enough etc.
Don't be embarrassed. I bought a 909 sliding compound from Masters for $89. I've built furniture with it.. the last being a massive 6 draw chest for the bedroom. I did buy a 100t blade though that cost more than the saw but it's still going strong about a year later and is accurate once setup.
 

boyracer

Likes Dirt
I have 2. A makita 300mm 1214...bloody big/bloody heavy/bloody good. S/H you'd get on one for ~500. You can buy every spare part for them still. it's set up with infeed/outfeed tables in shed. But...
I also have an ozito 250mm i found in hard rubbish. if i need to take it anywhere/chuck it in car, its the one. also use it with a steel cutoff blade sometimes. plasticky and light but still able to be setup and squared. Ive seen 'em on sale for 60 clams!
If you want the width of cut @300mm I'd go big and S/H.
 

Jim Junkie

Used to sell drugs, now he just takes them
Sounds like Ryobi is out then. While tempted by the price of the Makita, I really hate buying tools twice, so putting in a bit extra for trade level might be the go it seems.

Just been looking into this in the $500 sort of budget, summary

Bosche green - noisey as, dust extraction poor
Bosche blue - poor dust extraction, reliable and very accurate ($circa $700)
aEg - excellent warranty, good accuracy and good dust extraction
Makita <500 - loved by people who don't have a trade quality SCMS , great dust extraction, not accurate out of the box, so needs to be setup ( ie read the instructions)
De Walt ? Seems on a par with makita
Sounds like AEG or Bosch blue might be worth a look in then. Off I go for a bit more looking it seems. Anyone know a good place to find second hand tools too? Just gumtree or is there somewhere more specific?

Thanks.
 

rangersac

Medically diagnosed OMS
I picked up a second hand old Makita trade jobbie about five years ago, that was being sold because the inertia brake wasn't reliable once the saw got hot, so didn't meet H+S requirements. Built like a tank and cock on in terms of accuracy. Highly recommended.
 

Dales Cannon

lightbrain about 4pm
Staff member
Sorry, didn't realise you were talking compound mitre saws (didn't click the links) I have the Makita. It is superb. I had to fine tune the setup and adjust the stops to get it spot on but that only took a few minutes. Best thing I did was get a 100 tooth blade. Cuts as neat as a planed surface. I too paid nearly $1k a few years ago.
 

silentbutdeadly

has some good things to say
Of the two...Makita. Most of that choice is based on preconception rather than having tried them. We've had a Makita saw for ages.

Regardless of what you pick...put the supplied blade in the spares box and grab a decent Freund or CMC (or similar) branded blade. Something like this even on an el cheapo unit will transform the user experience no end
 

pharmaboy

Eats Squid
Of the two...Makita. Most of that choice is based on preconception rather than having tried them. We've had a Makita saw for ages.

Regardless of what you pick...put the supplied blade in the spares box and grab a decent Freund or CMC (or similar) branded blade. Something like this even on an el cheapo unit will transform the user experience no end
I'd bet my left testicle ( love to take risks.) that the makita saw you've had for ages isn't a made in China under $400 jobby?

Though I wouldn't bet anything at all, that you've use a SCMS a shit load more than me, so who am I to question - by the time I walk into a shop, anything could happen (apart from a ryobi or an ozito)



i think I've decided I'll go the AEG just based on the exceptional warranty - Though will need to cut some fc in the near future - hoping a 30mm arbor isn't going to be a problem for that
 
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kwikee

Likes Dirt
Beware that AEG isn't the old German AEG you may have known. They sold their small power tool range license to one of the Chinese manufacturers. Genuine AEG I'd say go right ahead. The current crop of orange AEG, not so sure.
 

spoozbucket

Likes Dirt
Beware that AEG isn't the old German AEG you may have known. They sold their small power tool range license to one of the Chinese manufacturers. Genuine AEG I'd say go right ahead. The current crop of orange AEG, not so sure.
Yup, the only positive thing I have heard is from one of the trolls at Bummings.
 

Jim Junkie

Used to sell drugs, now he just takes them
Beware that AEG isn't the old German AEG you may have known. They sold their small power tool range license to one of the Chinese manufacturers. Genuine AEG I'd say go right ahead. The current crop of orange AEG, not so sure.
This pretty much seems to sum it all up. Makita I've always know to be a reliable brand, but these days they're doing there best to compete on the cheap market so naturally the quality suffers. Sounds the same with AEG.

I guess I'm just going to have to accept that if I want quality I'll have to pay for it, or go second hand. Nothing pisses me off more though than shitty cuts in timber. Had a few show up on my deck as a result of the cheap-as-hell Ozito mitre saw and I see the bastards every day. Annoys me to no end.

What I was hoping for was something that would hold up well to light use with accurate cuts. Sounds like there are a few options, I'll just need to get into the store & wiggle the handles a bit to see what moves and check them out with a square.
 
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