Living without a Miter Saw? Festool table instead?

[Tahoe Gator]

Long story short, setting up my workshop in a new house and I'm debating if I want to install my Makita compound miter saw. 

The rationale for my debate: On one hand, the miter saw is one of my most used tools, and probably my most used large power tool. On the other hand, it takes up valuable bench top space and, especially, is probably my worst dust creator. 

Regarding dust, it being a newly setup shop, I looked into how to abate dust from the miter saw and came across these setups that use sliding doors to increase air pull from the dust collector...

https://www.diymontreal.com/miter-saw-dust-collection/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SfgSIekuos

...the issue is, of course, those hood setups take up even more bench space and make it far less practical to remove the saw and use that bench space for something else when circumstances dictate. 

This led me to wonder: Perhaps I should re-think use of a miter saw itself? Two ideas emerged:

1. Put the miter saw on a portable stand (such as this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000VZ...UTF8&psc=1) and, when I use it, wheel it outside (my shop has double doors to the yard) and let is spew all the dust it wants. Obviously, that has weather implications (cold, heat, rain, etc.) for when I can use it. 

2. Transition all of my miter saw uses cases to my Festool table with sliding saw. While the Festool table takes more effort to setup a cut, it is as accurate, probably safer, and makes considerably less dust, or rather close to no dust at all such is the sliding saw's dust extraction when connected to my Fein vacuum. Note: I deliberately set up my bench height to match the Festool table height (which you can see at the right in the first picture below) to make handling larger pieces more practical.

So, I'm curious if anyone else has chosen to either...

A. Put their miter saw on a portable stand for use outdoors rather than a permanent station in their shop?

B. Use a Festool table and sliding saw in lieu of a miter saw, and if so, how well that substitution works? 

Pics of my shop below for reference. 

   

   

[jcredding]

My last shop was big enough for a dedicated miter saw station, as will my new one once finished. Even then, I’ve been using the Bosch stand you’re considering and prefer that approach. It allows me to bring it close to the house for doing work inside and I can throw it in the back of the truck easily if needed. When I use it, I hook my shop vac up to it and that helps with the dust - both inside and out.

I don’t own Festool stuff, so can’t speak to that as an alternative.

[R Clark]

My miter saw stays in the loft over the shop.  I only use it when I'm doing something like working on trim over at the house or if I need capability at a different location.  Haven't run that miter saw in at least two years.

I just don't see most miter saws being good enough for furniture work.  I use sleds, jigs, and my Incra 1000SE for miter cuts on WWing projects.

Might feel differently if I had a Kapex, but alas...

[fredhargis]

What Ray said, mine is in storage until a home improvement project comes up. I don't really see them as a woodworking tool.

[Handplanesandmore]

If you had a tablesaw, I might hesitantly agree with others that you could store away the miter saw until you need it. But with only a tracksaw (you call it a sliding saw)? No way. The tracksaw is poor at doing a no. of things as compared to a tablesaw (repetitive cuts of small pieces, dadoes and bevel cuts all of which can be handled without second guesses by a good miter saw).

You may survive with the tracksaw and an "on-call" miter saw but your woodworking will be one of compromises.

My suggestion is to find room for it. What is that black tool cabinet for? Can it be moved to somewhere for the miter saw?

Remember that the tracksaw is good for breaking down sheets, and building stuff with ply and mdf. Some will say they can build everything and furniture with only the tracksaw.....I personally dont think the portable tool can replace the stationary tool, and I know none who do that either. It's like saying a drill press isn't neccessary as long as you own a cordless drill. If you're a carpenter rather than a furniture maker, the saying might be right.

If you are familiar with the fog, you should know how much money people throw at their mfts for accessories and gadgets.....trying to make them work!

Simon

[EricU]

I would like a miter saw for cutting down boards and such.  No place to put it though, so I don't think I will get one.  I was tempted when lowes was recently clearing out a metabo, but I don't think they would have honored that price at my local store without more effort than I care to expend.

[ajkoontz]

I built a box similar to the one you linked to around my Makita LS 1013 . Mine is nowhere near as nice. It does a great job keeping the dust contained and the sliding doors haven't caused any hassle for the rare times I cut something other than 90*. To be honest, I need to re-engineer the DC because my set-up doesn't really suck the dust away like it should. But it does keep the dust contained enough to where it doesn't spew all over the shop. I clean it out with a shop vac once a year or so. I started out using plans WOOD magazine had years ago for a SCMS cart with folding wings. It worked ok but I eventually built the cart into a wall of cabinets so it is stationary. All that to say, my vote is built in against a wall with a DC 'box'. If I didn't have the space I would get an anti-gravity stand like you mention, but in no case would I get rid of the SCMS. I do 50/50 home improvement type projects/ fine woodworking. Fine WW is sort of a stretch because I'm somewhat of a hack, but I'm in the SCMS is a necessary tool for a WW shop camp.

[Cooler]

The Mafell Erika replaces the table saw and miter saw.  If I were starting over and had limited space that is the route I would take.  (Watch the videos--and don't let the price scare you off--it replaces several tools).

https://www.timberwolftools.com/mafell-e...l-push-saw

[crokett™]

I have a miter saw. I take it outside of my shop to use it, but that's mostly because I have a small shop so it lives on a shelf. I only use it for breaking down pieces and crosscutting pen blanks. A finish carpenter/woodworker that I know would disagree that they aren't accurate enough for furniture work.

[Admiral]

I would like a miter saw for cutting down boards and such.  No place to put it though, so I don't think I will get one.  I was tempted when lowes was recently clearing out a metabo, but I don't think they would have honored that price at my local store without more effort than I care to expend.

I have my chop saw mounted on a Ridgid collapsible mobile platform and use a handsaw to cut down stock, which is actually quite efficient.  I rarely use the chop saw in the shop.