Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Features:
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Experience:
True enough, I haven’t had the Makita saw for long. My decision toward the Makita was based on magazine reviews and Amazon.com feeback. When I first set this saw up on my job, I literally could not believe how smooth it is. There is no compare! I am not exaggerating when I say this is by far the smoothest machine in my shop; literally, silky smooth. It puts my Bosch 3915 to shame in terms of it’s incredibly smooth action. It’s a carpenter’s wet dream. Every pass through the material is a cut of precision and there’s a light to illuminate each perfect slice. (Don’t laugh at the light, it’s handy for getting those last few cuts at the end of the day without having to setup real work lights)

Comments:
Unfortunately I’m suffering buyers remorse to some degree but I’m committed to this saw so hopefully I can adapt to the features that trouble me. Being an old hand at adapting to new technology, new levers and buttons and even new ways of thinking I am still confused as to what good putting the angle indicator at the far right of the table does?

Something new to me is the steel lever for changing the angle. It’s as fluid and easy to operate as making a cut, however the slide lock is a large twist knob above the angle lock knob and it sucks! When do you lock the slide? I lock it when I am moving the saw; unplug, lock down the motor, turn to 45º, lock the slide and transport… but no! With the Makita if you lower the housing you can’t get the tight grip you need to effectively twist and lock the slide. Even with the housing up, it requires sufficient torque to effectively lock the slide in place. I go through the step of tightening the control, thinking it’s locked, then I upright the saw stand and the damn thing slams backward. WTF?
A complaint other than the slide lock and the tendency for sawdust buildup limiting full slide motion, is the tiny fence. True, Makita offers a better fence as an ‘optional accessory’ and that’s because it needs it. With the Makita LS1013FL you are cutting your crown moulding flat. Not even standard 3 1/2″ colonial will be supported by the itsy-bitsy little fence.

The pin that locks down the housing works better than Bosch’s spring-assisted twist thingy. The depth stop is nice, doesn’t get in the way and is easy to adjust.

This saw has a weird balance to it on the stand. I think it’s awkwardly balanced in general with a lot of weight up high that cantilevers beyond the base.

[View with PicLens]

In Summary:
It’s the smoothest tool in my shop. It’s as pretty as can be and that fact worries me. I am not always gentle. I’ve had it a few months and I haven’t gotten over the little things that bother me. Really, who can imagine actually producing an angle indicator that you can’t see? It’s like they forgot we needed one and threw it over in the corner because it interfered with some mechanism. Hey designer, the angle setting is the one thing I look at, need to check and make adjustments to on a regular basis.

This saw is another cause of frustration for me. On the one hand it is the best chop saw I have ever owned and on the other hand it suffers from a uniqueness that some may not be able to overcome. It’s like they made the best car the world has ever seen but put the steering wheel in the back seat.

The LS1013FL at Makita.com (Product Data)

Makita LS1013FL on Amazon.com (Good price and reviews!)
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In the above gallery, my Makita LS1013 sits like royalty atop the completely garbage Ridgid MS-UV which I positively regret purchasing.

Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars

Features:

• 10-inch slide compound miter saw with dual guide rails for accuracy
• 13 amp, 2.8-horsepower motor; 3-inch wide sliding base extends base and fence to 28-inches
• Aluminum base; all ball-bearing construction
• Includes saw, 60-tooth carbide blade, dust bag, work clamp, blade change wrench, hex wrench, table-inserts
• 52 by 15 by 11-1/2-inches; 64-1/2-pounds; 1-year warranty

Experience:
The 10″ Bosch sliding miter saw has been my #1 for a long time, recently resigned to my shop in favor of the new Makita LS1013 for work. The Bosch 3915 and I have been in and out of the truck, up and down stairs, setup upon pump-jacks, setup on the roof, setup on the floor. I have run my company with this saw for years. It’s a nice piece of machinery and superior to yellow and orange brands by far. This is the kind of equipment a guy needs and relies on. Not only to work reliably but to be continually precise, easy to adjust repeatedly and manageable for transportation.

Comments:
A saw is a saw, right? I mean there are a dozen miter saws on the market from big name tool companies and we can expect they all will cut accurately and last us a reasonably long time. Is this General Motors vs. BMW vs. Toyota? Sort of because I liken driving one of those yellow saws to a clunky American beast and this Bosch to The Ultimate Driving Machine.

I like the detent lockout mechanism. I like the positive detents and they never clogged. The slide bearings occasionally need lube, like any, but handle a build-up of wet sawdust all day long. The motor is still running smoothly after years of service without maintenance.

I did suffer a few problem with the Bosch 3915 despite it’s overall quality. After a few years it became near impossible to push the handle downward, starting a cut. The plastic blade guard was stuck. I thought it was a bad bearing along the guard’s retracting cam but replacing it didn’t ease the lowering of the blade. The problem has been discussed and a fix posted online. The dust collection bag is around here somewhere but I haven’t seen it in years, it’s worthless.

My only real complaint has little to do with the saw and more to do with my line of work. These saws are too damn heavy and I am getting too old to lug this stuff all over the countryside everyday. To be perfectly honest weight is one reason I chose the Makita for my next saw, but I may list more complaints for that saw so be sure to read my review of the LS1013.

If I had to choose another compound miter saw, knowing the choices of Makita, Hitachi, Dewalt and Ridgid I would choose the Bosch again.

Bosch 4410L 10-Inch Dual Bevel Sliding Compound Miter Saw at Amazon.com

Bosch miter saws at Bosch
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Description: This stand has everything and it weighs it. There are nice steel rollers on multi-direction adjustable support arms. Fasten your saw to removable  mounting rails that simply clamp to the stand for easy attachment and removal. It’s got great levers to tighten all the adjustments. There are poorly designed legs that pull out and pivot down from the extensions.

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Experience:
I struggled with the package at the Depot. I got a cart. I assembled for an hour. Fit and finish were questionable. I mounted the saw and brought it to a siding job for a month. It’s a little unsure of itself on its tubular feet. A little top heavy, no doubt. The first week on the job both support legs for the roller extensions broke off. One orange clip shattered but the leg still worked. Some laborers failed to notice the little steel ball you press in to unlock the leg before pivoting it back up and sliding it inside the extension leg and broke it clean off.
Comments:
It’s a 100lb. nightmare. That’s my impression and it comes at a high price because this stand does it all. MOST importantly, it’s got wheels. The sole reason I purchased this down-right heavy-as-lead miter saw stand was for the wheels. I should have known better when I couldn’t manage the box in the store without a cart. The second best feature are the nice rollers but the support legs on mine broke leaving the roller supported by the extension arms, a little wobbly.

I dislike this stand so much that I started this blog. It pisses me off every time I use it and I’ll tell you why because it’s features epitomize the demands of a mobile carpentry shop but it’s functionality and quality are seriously lacking.
I recently purchased another miter saw. I picked up the Makita LS1013FL . The 10" Makita comes in a few pounds lighter on the scales which helps with day after day lifting from shop to truck to job back to truck and shop, ugh. So sick of this back and forth am I that I decided to buy wheels for my saw; roll to truck, pivot onto bed and slide it in. No lifting.
Well, true enough I can now roll my saw, attached to the MS-UV, to my tailgate, lift and heave-ho it’s in. Open tailgate, lean down wheels first and roll to site. The stand should weigh less than 1/2 of it’s current weight of 94lbs !

[View with PicLens]

Links:
MS-UV at Ridgid.com (Product Data)

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The Hitachi C8FB is a relic and was replaced by the C8FB2 in the 1990′s. I have ‘the original’ 8-1/2″ sliding compound miter saw.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Description: (by Hitachi)
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In 1988, Hitachi developed the first sliding compound miter saw, the C8FB, to combine the capacity of a radial arm saw and the convenience of a miter saw.  Today, Hitachi continues the tradition of innovation and engineering with new features in addition to classic quality.

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Experience: I was there when Hitachi developed that first compound miter saw and I used it for my career for almost 20 years. The Hitachi that now sits in my shop storage due to a bad bearing doesn’t look anything like today’s laser equipped, lighted 12″ compound miter saws. It vaguely resembles the new C8FSE available in stores today but it’s lightweight in comparison and still accurate after a million cuts.
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Comments: As new compound miter saws came onto the market I stuck with my Hitachi for years. After 15 years of service without a single maintenance issue I retired my C8FB for the Bosch 3915. The only comment that comes to mind is what good are 10ths? Most pitch cuts are a fraction of 12. I think it was a language barrier thing and I’m not sure if it’s been corrected on the current model, 8FSEw. I doubt many are thinking of buying an 8″ saw these days but application specific, this is still a strong contender 20 years after it’s inception.

Links:
Hitachi C8FB2 at Hitachi.us (Product Data)

Hitachi C8FSE 8-1/2-Inch Sliding Compound Miter Saw at Amazon