10-in. Sliding Compound Miter Saws (tool test).pdf

Photos: Mark Schofield

10-in. Sliding Compound

T o o l T e S T

Miter Saws

B y A n d y B e A s l e y

They’re versatile, accurate, and reasonably priced

starting up a computer software company, you

probably juggle cost and performance tradeoffs

when making a purchase for the shop. A well-made

tool that’s capable of multiple tasks is always near the

top of my shopping list. That’s why I like the miter

saw so much. But if you are shopping for a miter saw,

the choices can be bewildering, with four major types

available. There are fixed compound-miter saws (CMS)

as well as sliding compound-miter saws (SCMS), and

both come in 10-in. and 12-in. blade sizes.

To help select which type you need, consider two

common scenarios: mitering tall moldings and cross-

cutting wide stock. Compared to any SCMS, both

the 10-in. and the 12-in. CMS can cut taller material

standing vertically against the fence, but the 10-in.

sliding saw beats both CMS sizes when you lay the

molding flat on the table. Need to crosscut a 12-in.

plank? Forget about a standard CMS; even the 12-in.

version can crosscut only about 8 in. Finally, while

a 12-in. sliding saw can crosscut wider stock than a

10-in. model, you’ll pay about another hundred bucks

for the measly half-inch of additional capacity.

The ability to miter, bevel, crosscut wide material,

make compound cuts, and even plow dadoes, all at a

reasonable price, makes the 10-in. slider a perfect fit for

many shops. However, some saws achieve this compro-

mise between cost and capability better than others.

Miter adjustments

Obscured miter

scale. Although the

scale is clearly print-

ed on the Makita

saw, the pointer’s

location on the side

of the table makes

it hard to read, espe-

cially when cutting a

right-hand miter.

Detent override is

useful. It can be

difficult to set a

miter angle fraction-

ally different from

one with a preset

detent. The Milwau-

kee (shown here)

and Bosch saws

feature a detent-

override lever that

solves this problem.

A good saw is the sum of its parts

A sliding compound-miter saw must perform three

basic operations: The head must pivot to create miter

cuts; it must tilt to perform bevel cuts (the compound

action makes use of both features); and the cutterhead

must slide in and out on tubular steel guide rails to

give the machine its impressive crosscut capability.

I tested the six 10-in. sliding compound-miter saws on

the market. All offer similar cutting capacities, but two

were available as left-hand, single-bevel models only.

To cut a right-hand bevel you must swing the workpiece

around, perhaps awkward in a cramped shop.

While the saws are similar in basic features

and specifications, the details are what make the

Cast scales are

hard to read. Saws

with miter scales

cast in the metal

were harder to read

than those with print-

ed scales. Metabo’s

was a particular

eye-strainer.

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S e P T e M B e r / O C T O B e r 2 0 0 6

I f you’re like me and didn’t make a fortune by

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Angle adjustments

The bevel-angle setting is on the back of most of the saws. Milwaukee’s top-

mounted knob and dust-free scale were the best of the bunch.

Tune-ups maintain accuracy. Most of the saws will re-

quire minor tweaking to set and maintain accurate angles.

In this regard, the Bosch saw was the most user-friendly.

Fences must adjust, too

difference when it comes to achieving high-quality,

repeatable results. Because these tools may cut miters

one minute and bevels the next, all adjustment con-

trols must be easy to access, operate, and lock. All

angles—fence to table, fence to blade, and blade to

table—must be right on target, and the saw’s design

should facilitate adjustments to maintain accuracy.

Selecting accurate miter angles should be easy—

The miter angle is the setting that is changed most

often on these saws, so the scales must be readable

and the angle setting precise. The most readable miter

scales are those on the Chicago electric, Hitachi, and

Makita saws, while the blunt, raised castings of the other

saws aren’t as legible. However, because the Makita’s

scale rotates with the table, it can be awkward to get

a straight view of the side-mounted angle pointer.

All the saws feature detents at the frequently used

angles, but it can be difficult to lock in an angle just

shy of these fixed detents. The Bosch and Milwaukee

saws feature an override for precise angle selection.

Setting the bevel angle can be hit and miss—

Bevel controls typically get less frequent use, but on

some of the saws the scales and controls almost ap-

pear to be an afterthought. The standout is Bosch’s

front-mounted lock; it makes even continual changes

a breeze. The other five saws feature rear bevel locks.

Milwaukee’s is the easiest to use, and this saw also

has the best bevel scale (it’s large, easy to read, and

attracts less dust than the scales on the other saws).

Tables and fences work together for stock sup-

port— The fence plays an important role in accuracy

and safety; it should be 3 in. to 4 in. tall to support

vertical workpieces on both sides of the blade, and the

Clever design. On the Milwaukee, the tall

end of the left-hand fence is kept close to

the blade for miter cuts. For bevel or

compound cuts, the fence is unclamped

and flipped so that the short end will not

interfere with the blade.

Problem fence. When bevel-

cutting on the Metabo, the

rectangular auxiliary fences

must be removed.

F I N e W O O d W O r k I N g

Some handles are better than others

Custom-fit handle. The twin red safety but-

tons make the handle on the Bosch suitable

for left- or right-handed users. In addition, the

handle can be rotated to four positions based

on personal comfort.

Right-handers only. The black trigger lock on

the Hitachi is designed to be depressed by the

thumb of the right hand. Lefties will find the

operation awkward.

Hang on tight. Milwaukee’s open handle,

made from slippery plastic, makes it easy for

your hand to slide away from the switch.

user should be able to move it quickly out of the way

when the cutterhead is tilted for beveling. Because

most of the saws pair a large, moveable left fence with

a low, fixed right fence, the Bosch really stood out

from the crowd: Both of its easily removable fences

are 4 in. tall and offer great support close to the cut.

The tables on these saws are fairly compact. The

exception is the Makita, which boasts a large, steady

surface. However, all of these tools would benefit from

shopmade extensions for supporting larger stock (see

“Add wings to your saw,” FWW #181, pp. 62-63).

setting up a new saw

It may sound crazy, but read the owner’s manual first. Unpack the saw by

grasping its base or carrying handle(s) and not the saw head, which can

cause damage. Check the depth stop to ensure that the blade cannot hit

the tool base when the saw head is fully lowered. If your saw has adjust

able kerf inserts, leave them spaced wide open; you can move them closer

to the blade later, after the blade angle is dialed in (the Milwaukee is the

exception—its solid kerf plate must be cut by the user).

Because most saws will arrive out of alignment, expect to refer to the

owner’s manual for cor

rective action. Get the

saw to the point where

all of the detents for

common angles yield

perfect results.

Attach the machine

to its permanent work

table with screws or

bolts through the

mounting holes in the

base. These are large

tools, so even with the

mitercontrol knob and

part of the turntable

overhanging the front

of the worktable, you’ll

still need about 30 in. of

working depth.

Dust collection and lasers vary in usefulness

I tested each saw with its dust bag (except the Metabo,

which doesn’t have one) and then connected it to an

excellent Fein vacuum. The first thing I learned was

that dust collection was most effective when cutting

solid wood at least 2 in. thick. In this situation, the

sawteeth and the chips exit the wood close to the typi-

cal dust-pickup port. The chips from thinner stock and

the dust from sheet goods often escaped entirely.

Bearing those limitations in mind, I found that the

Hitachi worked well with just the dust bag attached,

with the Makita a close second. On all the saws, collec-

tion improved significantly with the vacuum attached;

the Hitachi, Makita, and Bosch saws being roughly

equal. The exception was the Metabo, whose fixed,

rear-mounted dust port was too far from the cutting

action for the vacuum to be effective.

The laser cutting guides available on the Bosch, Hi-

tachi, and Makita saws don’t live up to their billing.

None are sharp enough or display well enough to re-

place the more accurate method of aligning the blade

Make a series of test cuts to check the tool

for square. Use a wide strip of plywood to test

miter accuracy, and a thick piece of wood to

check the bevels (including the vertical setting).

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S e P T e M B e r / O C T O B e r 2 0 0 6 49

B O S C H 4 4 1 0 L

The best saw in this survey has many

features that make it exceptionally easy

and enjoyable to use. The adjustable, four-

position grip is ideal for either hand; up-front

controls make this saw the most convenient

for permanent mounting; and the large

workpiece clamp operates like a bench

holdfast and is the easiest to position. In

addition to its miter-detent override, the saw

features a microadjustment knob for fine-

tuning a cut 2° on either side of a detent.

That’s good, because the miter scale and its

chubby pointer aren’t all that precise (though

the detents are). The laser cutting guide

aligns with only the left edge of the blade

and is too blurry for accurate work.

with a pencil mark or using a stop. The only time I

found a laser useful was while cutting molding at large

bevel angles: The line helped me to visualize where

the tilted blade would enter the profiled material.

MODEL

AND SOURCE

STREET

PRICE

AMPS

MAX. CUTTING

DEPTH IN.

MAX. CUTTING

WIDTH IN.

Bosch 4410L

boschtools.com

877-267-2499

$510

0° bevel, 3 7 ⁄ 8 ;

45° bevel,

left 2 3 ⁄ 8 , right 1 1 ⁄ 2

0° miter, 12 1 ⁄ 8

45° miter, 8 3 ⁄ 4

Performance: I don’t want much, just great results

My testing focused on saw performance in four areas:

smoothness, accuracy, power, and ease of use. I evalu-

ated smoothness of cut by crosscutting wide pieces of

veneer plywood and 8/4 hard maple. This included

a trimming cut near the end of the maple to see how

much the blade tended to deflect when not supported

equally on both sides of the cut. Because many us-

ers will replace the manufacturer’s blade, I duplicated

each test with a top-quality aftermarket blade, a new

80-tooth Forrest ChopMaster. I measured the tools’ ac-

curacy (once I’d set them up properly) by cutting mate-

rial at selected miter and bevel settings, then checking

the results with a Starrett square. The power test was a

subjective evaluation of motor drag while crosscutting

a wide hardwood plank. Finally, after cutting various

materials in as many different settings as possible, I

scored each saw on how easy it was to use.

Chicago Electric 90891

harborfreight.com

800-444-3353

$100

5.1

0° bevel, 3 1 ⁄ 2 ;

45° bevel,

left 1 3 ⁄ 4

0° miter, 12

45° miter, 8 1 ⁄ 8

Hitachi C10FSH

hitachipowertools.com

800-706-7337

$500

0° bevel, 3 11 ⁄ 32 ;

45° bevel,

left 2 3 ⁄ 16 , right 1 3 ⁄ 16

0° miter, 12 9 ⁄ 32

45° miter, 8 19 ⁄ 32

Makita LS1013L

makita.com

800-462-5482

$500

0° bevel, 3 5 ⁄ 8 ;

45° bevel,

left 2, right 1 1 ⁄ 4

0° miter, 12

45° miter, 8 1 ⁄ 2

Metabo KGS 303

metabousa.com

800-638-2264

$570

0° bevel, 3 3 ⁄ 16 ;

45° bevel,

left 2 1 ⁄ 8 , right 1

0° miter, 11 7 ⁄ 32

45° miter, 7 7 ⁄ 8

Milwaukee 64976

milwaukeetool.com

800-729-3878

$430

0° bevel, 3 7 ⁄ 16 ;

45° bevel, left 2 1 ⁄ 8

0° miter, 12 3 ⁄ 8

45° miter, 8 3 ⁄ 4

And the award goes to…

I’m often asked if I get to keep the tools I review.

Unfortunately, the answer is an emphatic no. But if the

rules change, the saw I’d keep is the Bosch, my choice

for best overall. Cutting performance was superb and

the saw’s many smart features made it a pleasure to

use. The Makita was a close second—it cut marginally

better than the Bosch but didn’t handle as well.

If you’re looking for a solid, dependable saw at a fair

price, the best value of this group is the Milwaukee.

It’s only a single-bevel tool, but the lower price is

worth the slight inconvenience.



M A K I TA L S 1 0 1 3 L

This saw pairs superb cutting performance with an

innovative design. The left fence swings away for

beveling, and an optional height extension is available

for the undersize right fence. Because the miter

scale rotates with the table, I found it awkward to

get a straight view of the side-mounted angle

pointer. Additionally, this saw

was the most susceptible to

angle errors caused by sloppy

miter detents. The blurry laser

guide required a lot of patience

to adjust from one side of

the blade to the other.

Andy Beasley is a retired U.S. Air Force pilot and lives in the

mountains of Colorado.

F I N e W O O d W O r k I N g

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