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If portability is not a requirement you could get an old Dewalt RAS for a couple hundred $'s. They will do everything a CMS can do, plus a whole bunch more. I have both, but the RAS is the go-to cross-cutting machine in my shop. The CMS is mostly for on-site work.
John
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09-04-2020, 09:52 PM
(This post was last modified: 09-04-2020, 09:52 PM by fall.)
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(09-03-2020, 08:50 PM)jteneyck Wrote: If portability is not a requirement you could get an old Dewalt RAS for a couple hundred $'s. They will do everything a CMS can do, plus a whole bunch more. I have both, but the RAS is the go-to cross-cutting machine in my shop. The CMS is mostly for on-site work.
John
Short answer; Buy an older cast iron 10" Makita chop saw and an even older DeWalt radial arm saw. (Check for worn arm ways by adjusting the rollers snug at end and see if they're loose back near the post. And no bad motor smell either. If the blade spins forever you'll need new bearings, but almost everything else can be cleaned up for another few decades of use.)
Much longer answer; I tend to think the simpler the better for repeat cuts. I've used from top of the line (short of Festool) to the least expensive Harbor Frieght sliders and they can all make a perfect cut with some tweaking and test cuts...once. If you change a bevel and/or angle then swing it back to it's previous settings, you cannot be guaranteed that it will make an identical cut. Even the cheapest pays for itself cutting vinyl soffit. For trim work my go to saw is a 14" Hitachi. I have three; one for the shop, one for the truck and one I couldn't pass up for $75. I like these because I can stand up 5-1/2" speed base to miter or cope and the angle I set it at is the angle it cuts every time. I bought a 14" Makita before the Hitachi and returnd it because it wouldn't necessarily cut plumb. I do have an old 10" Makita chop saw that sees quite a bit of use though. I also have a 9" and 12" old school DeWalt R.A.S.. The 9" is supposedly portable as it has a pair of handles on each side but it's still heavy first thing in the morning and heavier at the end of day. That being said they are both dead nuts accurate. The "detents" are finely adjustable and solid. If your table and fence don't move. repeat cuts at various settings are expected.
Sign at N.E. Vocational School Cabinetmaking Shop 1976, "Free knowledge given daily... Bring your own container"
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I bought a Dewalt 715 12" non slider back in 1998. I think it was $200. Inflation has driven it up to $225. Gave it to my neighbor a year ago when I got the Kapex. In the 20 odd years that I had it, I framed a house, cut the mounding and trim in three others, laminate floors, and countless furniture projects. Simple. Accurate. Durable. Relatively light weight. Plenty of capacity. It's a lot of saw for the money.
Math is tough. Let's go shopping!
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I agree with Admiral. Any Delta tool made in the last 20 years is immediately suspect.
From what I've been hearing (and I really can't believe I'm saying this) you might just want to take a look at the Hercules saw.
Personally I have a Bosch axial. I probably would not buy another one.
I own Festool tools, but IMO no miter saw is worth $1500 I don't care how good it is.
A lot depends on what you're doing. Miter saws intended for trim carpentry work don't always work out in a fine woodworking environment.
If portability is a factor, you also have to consider weight.
Lastly, ask yourself if you really need a slider. Most 12" saw will cut 6" wide board and are more accurate than a slider.
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I've been looking at the Bosch. Why do you say that you probably wouldn't buy another one?
shifty
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(09-03-2020, 08:38 AM)briman87 Wrote: I'm looking at getting a miter saw. Recently got a bonus at work and though I could really use a miter saw so I don't have to barrow one from my dad since he lives 2 hours away and with CoVid his state is on and off the travel restriction list every week. For a while I have looked at getting the DWS779 but I recently saw the Delta Cruzer 26-2251. I am working on setting up a small shop in my basement so eventually I would like to have a dedicated miter station so I don't have to move it around currently in the process of still setting everything up and building carts for some of my tools at am storing at my job. I know the Dewalt needs a good amount of room behind the slide so that is why I was looking at the Delta cause it has a slightly bigger cross cut ability but seems like it can go pretty much right up next to the wall. The Dewalt has a very good reputation and have seen Delta contractor table saws kind of be a clunker out of the box. Also the Delta has a belt driver where the Dewalt is direct I believe.
Delta does have a 5 year warranty compared to the Dewalts 3 year.
Anyone have experience with the Delta Cruzer?
No experience. I didn't even know they existed until I saw this post. It looks like they knocked off the Bosch Glide. My
guess is that it'd be OK for framing but the tolerances would be loose for much else. It seems like that type of extension mechanism would require fairly precise manufacturing to work accurately and repeatably. I've read instances where Bosch Glide saws would get sloppy due to bearing wear. I'm biased but precise engineering and manufacturing is not something I associate with the "new" Delta.
