Being a (one of the many?) fiscally-challenged woodworkers, I'm a sucker for
a sale. I was in a HF store last weekend and considered this 50% off saw:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=90891
I didn't buy it because I have a couple more weekends to make up my mind,
and I have to figure out a place to put a miter saw in my single-car garge
shop.
This saw cannot be confused for the $550 DeWalt sliding miter saws. For one
thing, I felt I could fairly easily put sidewise torque on the saw and cut
angles not quite 90 degrees, or 45 degrees, or whatever the angle was set
for. Yet I also had the feeling that if I was reasonably careful making the
cut it would be sufficiently accurate.
A $99 slide miter saw is a huge temptation. I'd appreciate and positive or
negative feedback on this saw.
Thanks.
-- Mark
Paul in MN wrote:
> the single tube
> slide is a bit sticky. I think they are making a double tube slide
> now which may be better.
This is a double tube slide model. It is a 10" blade. The 12" model is a
single tube. Perhaps it is the model you have. The 12" seems to me to be a
bit better than the 10" double tube...
> All in all it
> will be the last thing I will replace after getting my jointer,
> bandsaw, mortiser, blah, blah, blah.
Yeah, that's what I'm thinking. "Champagne Tastes" on a "Beer Budget." I
will replace everything if I hit the lotto. ;-)
-- Mark
Mark -
I bought this saw as a knockabout and "savior" saw after my DeWalt 10 CSMS
got ripped off by my neighbor. I've had it for a couple of years and
finally replaced it last summer with a Bosch slider. While you're right, it
isn't a DW, I felt it was well worth the money. I have it set up under
cover outside and have been using the hell out of it for building an additon
to the house. If you're careful not to torque the saw one way or the other,
it's pretty accurate. Keep the slide tube clean and use a sharp blade and I
think you'll be happy. It is fashionable among rec'rs to crumb on HF, but
there are deals to be had there... Not everyone has the budget, needs or the
patience to "wait til later to buy" pro tools, and I think that this saw is
one of HF's better deals. That being said, I couldn't bring myself to put a
Forrest WWII blade on it - the blade costs more than I paid for the saw.
Most of your cuts are going to be on fairly narrow stock, I'd imagine (less
than 6") and it should be pretty easy to get cuts like that square. My HF
was dead on out of the box and the lock for 0 degree and 90 seems plenty
sturdy. The best advice I can give you is to get a good blade (Freud??) and
get yourself set up with in and outfeed tables and a clamp for a fence for a
stop and you'll be one happy camper.
The HF saw is small enough and portable so that I can easily take it
elsewhere for work and even tho' I *DO* keep it locked up wherever I am
using it, I sleep easier knowing I've used the hell out of it and only paid
a hundred for it. My Bosch will NEVER go outside.... I don't think I could
carry it anyway...
So, there... I'd say go for it. I would very much buy and recommend the saw
to anyone, even if they already had a big yellow, green, red or blue one...
YMMV,
John Moorhead
"Mark Jerde" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:u7dmd.9643$pP5.7700@trnddc05...
> Being a (one of the many?) fiscally-challenged woodworkers, I'm a sucker
> for
> a sale. I was in a HF store last weekend and considered this 50% off saw:
>
> http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=90891
>
> I didn't buy it because I have a couple more weekends to make up my mind,
> and I have to figure out a place to put a miter saw in my single-car garge
> shop.
>
> This saw cannot be confused for the $550 DeWalt sliding miter saws. For
> one
> thing, I felt I could fairly easily put sidewise torque on the saw and
> cut
> angles not quite 90 degrees, or 45 degrees, or whatever the angle was set
> for. Yet I also had the feeling that if I was reasonably careful making
> the
> cut it would be sufficiently accurate.
>
> A $99 slide miter saw is a huge temptation. I'd appreciate and positive
> or
> negative feedback on this saw.
>
> Thanks.
>
> -- Mark
>
>
>
>
"Mark Jerde" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:u7dmd.9643$pP5.7700@trnddc05...
> Being a (one of the many?) fiscally-challenged woodworkers, I'm a sucker
for
> a sale. I was in a HF store last weekend and considered this 50% off saw:
>
> http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=90891
>
> I didn't buy it because I have a couple more weekends to make up my mind,
> and I have to figure out a place to put a miter saw in my single-car garge
> shop.
>
> This saw cannot be confused for the $550 DeWalt sliding miter saws. For
one
> thing, I felt I could fairly easily put sidewise torque on the saw and
cut
> angles not quite 90 degrees, or 45 degrees, or whatever the angle was set
> for. Yet I also had the feeling that if I was reasonably careful making
the
> cut it would be sufficiently accurate.
>
> A $99 slide miter saw is a huge temptation. I'd appreciate and positive
or
> negative feedback on this saw.
>
> Thanks.
>
> -- Mark
>
Hi Mark. I've got one of those myself. Actually my wife bought it for me
for my birthday. It is an adequate saw. When I am making cuts that matter
I always break out the square to check and or the 45 for mitres. As you
mentioned, you have to be careful not to pull or you will be off a degree or
so. I set up the other day to do an octagon picture frame, and the cuts are
ever so slightly off of 22.5. It's for gramma so she won't notice the last
little bit. It is only a 10 amp (I believe) so it does bog down some, and
the single tube slide is a bit sticky. I think they are making a double
tube slide now which may be better. For general framing type duties like a
doghouse or such, it is a no-brainer. I find myself using my table saw for
any finer cuts that need to be made lately. All in all it will be the last
thing I will replace after getting my jointer, bandsaw, mortiser, blah,
blah, blah.
Hope this helps,
Paul
In article <u7dmd.9643$pP5.7700@trnddc05>,
"Mark Jerde" <[email protected]> wrote:
> Being a (one of the many?) fiscally-challenged woodworkers, I'm a sucker for
> a sale. I was in a HF store last weekend and considered this 50% off saw:
>
> http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=90891
That saw has been "50%" off for several years. It is a pretty good saw.
I have two of them.
>
"Mark Jerde" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:%Bdmd.4814$N_5.427@trnddc03...
> Paul in MN wrote:
>
> > the single tube
> > slide is a bit sticky. I think they are making a double tube slide
> > now which may be better.
>
> This is a double tube slide model. It is a 10" blade. The 12" model is a
> single tube. Perhaps it is the model you have. The 12" seems to me to be
a
> bit better than the 10" double tube...
>
> > All in all it
> > will be the last thing I will replace after getting my jointer,
> > bandsaw, mortiser, blah, blah, blah.
>
> Yeah, that's what I'm thinking. "Champagne Tastes" on a "Beer Budget."
I
> will replace everything if I hit the lotto. ;-)
>
> -- Mark
>
>
Actually Mark, mine is the 10" single tube. It is a couple of years old
now. I imagine you could easily have a couple of years of use out of one as
well. Even if you sell it later at a 50% loss you are only out 50 bucks.
BTW, when you do hit the lotto, give me a shout. I wanna talk to you about
something. :-)
P.
On Tue, 16 Nov 2004 02:29:15 GMT, "Mark Jerde"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>Paul in MN wrote:
>This is a double tube slide model. It is a 10" blade. The 12" model is a
>single tube. Perhaps it is the model you have. The 12" seems to me to be a
>bit better than the 10" double tube...
the previous version of the 10" saw was a single tube setup. I owned
one for a couple of days back when. It was just to sloppy and the
safety release for the trigger fell/broke off the first time I moved
the saw. I took it back and got a refund. Recently I noticed that
the new 10" saw was a double tube setup so I took a look and I'm
still not impressed. The 12" single tube setup seemed better to me.
Even the $ 600 sliders I tried exibited some flex when twisted/pulled
off line. When I tried this same test on my old DeWalt RAS I could
detect no deflection (eyeball.)
Conclusion:
Sliders (good ones that is) are a great boon to carpenters but lack
the precision need for fine woodworking. If you need you need the
extra reach of a slider for your woodworking endevors consider an old
DeWalt RAS. If precision is the issue and you do not really need a
slider then an ordinary compound miter saw should serve you better
than a slider.
Regards
Bob