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Miter Saw Review - Which to buy Chop Pull Bevel

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DennisCTB
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Posts: 2707 NorthWest NJ
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2012-01-13          182060


I have begun to replace rotten trim on the outside of my house and looking at getting a Mitre saw. I have been using my old stationary table saw in the basement, but I cannot chop long trim pieces easily and bevel chops are timely with multiple trips to the basement.

The prices seem to be around $200 for a simple Dewalt chop saw up to $600+ for a pull bevel cut. But the larger pull saw looks so big in the box that the portability looks like it could be an issue. My trim fascia boards are mostly 6" wide.

Any advice...?




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kthompson
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2012-01-13          182075


Get a piece of the molding you will be using and see if the saw is large enough to cut through it at any angle you will need to. Of course you can do that without the saw on.

Second check out motor repair shops. Happened to find out recently one here does the warranty work and has some good deals. Have looked at pawn shops and here Lowes is no more than the pawn shops but save about a third at motor shop.

Large and bulky also equals more stability when using it which is a real plus.

But do know the new price before you look used or repaired. ....


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hardwood
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2012-01-14          182077


Mine is an old Sears non sliding that I think would chop six inches.
I've wonderd about getting a newer sliding type but just don't use one enough to justify the high price. The big sliding type are heavy and most can be bought with a stand, so they are a substantual piece of equipment.

I'd vote for the non sliding type.

Brand, I don't know enough about current brands to make a call on that

Frank. ....


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kwschumm
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2012-01-14          182089


I've got a 10" Porter Cable compound miter saw (not sliding) with a laser guide. It will do 6" cuts easy. It's somewhat portable, and lighter than a sliding saw, but not something you want to haul up a ladder to work on scaffolding. The laser guide with two beams that show both edges of the kerf is really a nice feature. I bought a work stand for it too. Takes a bit longer to move and set up that way but it's a lot easier on the back and I'm not getting any younger. ....


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auerbach
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2012-01-15          182094


I got my "King" 10"-blade slider at Costco. I think it was $180. Only problem after 10 years: the laser-light battery failed. A stand with wheels at one end makes it portable. ....


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hardwood
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2012-01-15          182095


There is a website called MiterMaster that will calculate the angle settings for compound miters for table saws, chopsaws, etc. This chart assumes that the angle guages on the saws are dead on accurate, which they aren't, but it is a good place to start.
I've got a little Wixie digital angle finder that is magnetic so it will cling to a blade to help getting the angles right. It won't help a bit tho unless you zero it out on a known flat surface like the table saw table or a chop saw fence, etc. that will be relative to the setting you're after.
Frank. ....


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DennisCTB
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2012-01-18          182114


For my purposes I wanted something light and portable that took up minimal space, had the laser, had decent user reviews and was low in cost.

So I bought the Hitachi for only $149. Have not tried it yet so the jury is out for now as to whether the good reviews were warranted.

Have not used it as it has turned very cold here, so the pvc azek trim I bought can actually crack when nailed below 30 degrees. So I may be waiting awhile, the warm weather we had been getting got me acting like it would never get cold, and started some repairs I should have let go until spring.

....


Link:   Hitachi Compound 10 inch Mitre with Laser

 

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kthompson
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2012-01-18          182117


Dennis, the only Hitachi item I have is only 5 or so months old and am pleased with it. Cordless drill and flashlight. Have already had to replace the bulb in the flashlight (drill has one also) and for dozen years never had to in the Dewalt flashlight. Also the Dewalt drill had better screw troque settings but still pleased with the set. Oh was that battery costly. Like $8 or $10 for two which is only way packaged.

But you are installing the modling outside I guess. Could you cut it to fit. Bring into heated area and when safe temp to nail take it out a piece or two at the time to install? ....


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skipll
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2012-01-21          182138


I have a DeWalt 12" double bevel compound Miter saw that I paid $359 on 11/12/08 at Lowes. It will cut 8" on 0° miter--& 5.5" on 45°miter(it is possabale to cut 6" on 45° by lifting the the edge of the board a bit--carefully). I would recomend this saw to anyone but not the single bevel.

BTW---there is a way to turn your skill saw into something to do these cuts--Takes a bit of fabrication ---but it is not hard to do. I have done this in the past a few times long ago. If ya want more info just ask. ....


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DennisCTB
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2012-01-22          182145


Quote:
Originally Posted by kthompson | view 182117
...... Could you cut it to fit. Bring into heated area and when safe temp to nail take it out a piece or two at the time to install?


Yes I was thinking along those lines but Azek is also, but these repairs are like a game of chess. The Azek contracts and expands with temp so it is ideal to do the work when things are around average temps like 70. Also I am splicing into the existing trim so I need to Bondo the joints at time of install, and the Bondo requires warmer temps as well.

We finally had snow and single digit temps here this weekend so it is going to have to wait.... ....


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DennisCTB
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2012-01-22          182151


Quote:
Originally Posted by skipll | view 182138
.... I would recomend this saw to anyone but not the single bevel....


Why is the double bevel so critical to you? I have not opened the box yet on the inexpensive single bevel I bought, anf thought that just having a chop saw would make my occasional use better.

Thanks for you insight! ....


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skipll
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2012-01-23          182152





I guess I recommended the double bevel cause I am a carpenter by trade, now retired. I am also a tool freak LOL.
Let me say I think a single bevel will do ya just FINE, but there may come a day if you're gona do some more wood working projects ( crown molding--picture frames etc.)---you may wish ya had a double bevel. ( I think a double bevel is $100 more but not sure).
Hope it warms up a bit for ya------I don't know where our winter went here-----it's 48ºf here ....


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kthompson
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2012-01-23          182154


Skip, my miter saw is a single bevel and before bought it talked with a good friend who is a cabinet maker for years. He uses the same saw and said the give up is you will have to filp the molding since you can not the saw. The little I have used it seems to be correct. Will admit for a short piece of molding no issue fur for a 16 foot piece inside an issue at time. But the price I found for double bevel was much more and saw much heavier but that could have been due tothe models that Lowes had in stock.

Is my experience on the flipping wrong being the big difference between the single and double bevel?

As to crown molding...that is a good test for thinking ability.

Dennis, one simple tip I have for anyone cutting molding is take a pencil and draw a line the direction the cut is to be on the surface that will be cut on the angle. Helps me. ....


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skipll
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2012-01-23          182155


Yup KT-----"Dennis, one simple tip I have for anyone cutting molding is take a pencil and draw a line the direction the cut is to be on the surface that will be cut on the angle. Helps me."

I do that on the edge of flat stock also----to remind me which way the bevel is supposed to be---I get turned around quite easy LOL ....


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hardwood
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2012-01-23          182156


Don't feel bad, I make a Bo Bo now and then too.
I had several drawers to make for a desk recently, everything seemed to be going smoothly.
I must have been daydreaming or something as I ended up with all right hand drawer sides and no left hand ones.
Frank. ....


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DennisCTB
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2012-01-23          182157


Quote:
Originally Posted by skipll | view 182155
Yup KT-----"Dennis, one simple tip I have for anyone cutting molding is take a pencil and draw a line the direction the cut is to be on the surface that will be cut on the angle. Helps me."I do that on the edge of flat stock also----to remind mewhich way the bevel is supposed to be---I get turned around quite easyLOL


Amen to that... have to do that as well or I get messed up. Also try to mark the cuts with the wood in place so I can be sure of the lengths and angles. ....


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skipll
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2012-01-23          182158


Nother thing I do Dennis---is to mark the wood as to which piece is the one I want & which is not. I use 'O' (O = I want this piece)for the piece I want & 'X' for not wanted. Helps me & trust me---I need all the help I can get LOL ....


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DennisCTB
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2012-01-23          182160


When I was a teenager I was cutting some wood to nail to the back of 4 shutters we were hanging with hinges on my parents house. I did a quick measure of about 11 inches. So I cut all the the eight pieces 10.5 inches. While it was only the back of the shutters, the gap was quite large. My Dad and Brother referred to me as "Ten and a Half" for many years after that and occasionally mention it to this day LOL ! ....


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kthompson
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2012-01-27          182191


Dennis 10.5, much better than many policians are referred to. ....


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DennisCTB
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2012-02-21          182479


Because of the weather I have not used the 10 inch Hitachi miter saw I bought at Lowes. I stopped in to look at the dual bevel 12 inch Hitachi and they has it on sale for $249. So I bought it and returned the single bevel. It is quite a bit heavier, 43 pounds vs 26 pounds, but still manageable, and as Hardwood said heavy will make it stay put and the 12 inch blade will allow for the biggest cuts. ....


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DennisCTB
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2012-04-23          183287


My wife and daughter finally shamed me into getting on with finishing the work on the bay window I had ripped apart in early January.

As I mentioned I now have the Hitachi 12 " dual miter saw with dual bevel and laser. This model is about 40 pounds so I set it up in the garage on the floor. I also have an old 10" table saw set up in the basement, which I used for ripping the boards to size.

I was replacing rotten pine 1 and 1/4 pine trim and molding, replacing with Azek pvc trim so I could forego doing this again in a couple of years.

I made scarf cuts in the existing trim to be removed with my Bosch Oscillating plunge saw blade. Since I wanted to cut the scarfs at 45 degrees, I cut a 45 degree cut on some scrap wood with the Hitachi and then nailed the scrap in place and used it as a guide, worked very nicely.

Oh and this was my first time with a laser saw, it is wonderful to have laser show you exactly where the blade will cut. Would never buy a saw without one. And so glad I returned the 10" as it would have been too small for the material I was cutting.

Because I was replacing corner trim I had to rip 30 degree angles on the Trim boards. Another wrinkle was that the Azek boards were smaller than the 5 quarter pine and measure about 4 quarter. So I had to rip some birch plywood to shim it up. I used galvanized round head nails on the Azek.

I was replacing only the bottom portion of the vertical sections so getting it to line up and stay in place was a little tricky. Since my kids are not that helpful and I needed three sets of hands I took a hydraulic jack and put a little pressure on the vertical trim boards to hold them into the scarf joint while I nailed them into place, very nice.

I also used Azek/PVC molding to trim the panel under the center window. While you can nail Azek trim boards just like wood. PVC moldings are another story. I foolishly forgot reading about the fact that they need to be drilled to nail them, the stuff is like a rock, without a drilled hole you can pound the crap out of it and only manages to bend the nails :(

....


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kthompson
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2012-04-23          183302


I need four pieces of plastic moulding on top and bottom of 6 inch treated post under porch. Be glad for you to show me how good you are at it. ....


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DennisCTB
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2012-04-24          183318


Send me the measurements and I'll UPS you the cut moldings LOL ....


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Murf
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2012-04-24          183320


Quote:
Originally Posted by DennisCTB | view 183287
My wife and daughter finally shamed me into getting on withfinishing the work on the bay window I had ripped apart in early January.


Around here that's called the "Honey do" list.

It's a long one too. ;)



Best of luck. ....


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skipll
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2012-04-24          183322


Hey Dennis-----got any photos of your project?
Glad ya went with the double bevel............ ....


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hardwood
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2012-04-24          183323


90% of our kitchen cabinet business stopped with the delivery of the cabinets, the finish carpenters took care of the installation.
That being said I never had need of anything greater than an ancient Crapsman chop saw. It did the job wnen we needed one but was a real PIA to get set correctly and keep it there.
The compound miters if we had any we did on a Radial arm saw. I'd have to look but I think our radial arm saw will cut almoat thirty inches at a 45% angle, enough to miter a standard 26 inch wide countertop.
There is a website called Miter masters, (I think), that will compute the angle settinga for about any compound miter cut you can come up with.
The degree markings and the little pointer that is supposed to tell you where the blade is set is so horribly inaccurate on even the high dollar sawa that they might as well not even put them on the saw.
I use one of those little Wixie digital angle guages and don't even look at the angle guage on the saw. So long as you zero the little Wixie out on the blade before you set it the little thing works really good.

Frank. ....


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kthompson
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2012-04-24          183327


Quote:
Originally Posted by DennisCTB | view 183318
Send me the measurements and I'll UPS you the cut moldings LOL


Just got them nailed up. thanks. ....


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DennisCTB
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2012-05-01          183435


Here is a picture of the repaired bay window.



All wood under the center bay was replaced with Azek, the center plywood panel is all that was kept. On the vertical trim boards I only replaced the bottom 3 feet with a scarf cut to splice it into the existing wood trim.

After using the Azek, I am not a fan yet, rather work with wood. Have to see how it holds up and how the heat of summer and cold of winter causes expansion or contraction. ....


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