Product Description 12", Dual Bevel, Compound Miter Saw With Up Front Controls & Laser Tracking, Easily Accessible Up Front Controls For Bevels & Range Selector, Arbor Mounted Laser Tracking, Built In Flip Storage Crown Stops, Multi-Position Main Handle 4 Positions, 4-1/2" Tall Speed Track Sliding Fences, Miter Detent Override, Crown Molding Settings, Built In Length Stop, Includes 40 Tooth Thin Kerf Carbide Tip Blade, Dust Bag & Elbow & Wrench Set.
Amazon.com Review This is what a miter saw ought to be: accurate, sturdy, powerful, versatile, user-friendly and packed full of cool features.
If we had to choose a favorite aspect, it would have to be the handle. It's vertical. It's horizontal. And it's a couple of other things in between. It locks quickly and easily into any of four positions, so both lefties and righties have complete comfort and control.
This saw is beefy: It weighs in at 55 pounds and it's got a huge 25-1/2-inch base with built-in sliding extensions that bring your total support area to 40 inches. If you're in the market for a stand for this saw as well, we like both the Bosch TracRac as well as the DeWalt DW723.
The dual bevel is a great feature, swinging 0 to 47 degrees left and zero to 46 degrees right, with positive bevel stops at 31.6 and 33.9 degrees for flawless crown molding cuts. For miter cuts, the blade swings an impressive 52 degrees left and right. There's even a micro-fine adjustment here, letting you override a detent by as much as 2 degrees. Now that's precision.
We absolutely love the fence on this saw - Bosch calls it a Speed-track sliding fence - because it's a full 4 inches tall and has a beautifully readable inch-scale on it. It's perfect for crown molding, handling pieces up to 6 inches wide when angled against the fence.
We're suddenly rethinking our earlier statement about our favorite feature on this saw; on second thought, it might well be that all the controls - including the bevel lever - are up front. We're pretty tired of reaching around a saw body to set a bevel, so this is a most welcome upgrade. Adjustments are so much faster and easier, and all the scales are right up front, too.
Capacities are generous for a non-slider. With a 0-degree miter and 45-degree right bevel, you can cut a 2-by-6; beveling to the left, it will handle a 2-by-8. With an upright blade, you'll cut a 4-by-4 with ease.
And yes, this saw has a laser cutting guide, but unless you really want one, we wouldn't let that sway a decision on this saw one way or the other. It's a nice feature if you're likely to use it, but most of us woodworkers prefer to get a visual on exactly where that blade meets the wood.
In all, this is a beauty of a saw, with features you aren't going to find on other saws in its class. And we still can't pick our favorite between the handle and the up-front controls. It's all good.--Kris Jensen-Van Heste
Very nice saw. Right out of the box, it was calibrated perfectly, not that it has to be, as they give you instructions on how to calibrate it, but this is indicative of quality.
I have been a carpenter most of my life, and have had a wide range of tools. I sought out a lot of different miter saws, even listening to some on here rave about the DeWalt 12 inch double bevel miter saw, (I don't remember its model number, and don't care after seeing it in person). I looked at Hitachi, Makita, Milwaukee (thought they were very pricey although I own several Milwaukee tools) Dewalt, Delta, Ridgid.
Anyhow, you've got to be kidding me about that DeWalt tool. The base is very difficult to turn,and I tried it at several stores, then the knob is so close to the base when you go to 45 degrees right or left, or any degree, that you have to watch smashing your fingers on that hard turning table. What a joke. Unless you're a "tough guy" (which everyone behind a keboard is) and you're into smashing your fingers, and don't care, then get the yellow and black piece of crap. In addition, the thin sheet metal safety under the knob that you lift with your finger? Looks great and cheap. Take a look at it yourself.
And let's not forget that DeWalt was bought out by Black and Decker,(or their name was bought years ago by them) the apex of all power tools, right? Uh-huh. DeWalt is way over-rated. There is no one in his or her right mind that, side by side, would choose the DeWalt over the Bosch. Unless they're a Pittsburgh Steelers fanatic.
One more thing, I almost bought the Makita 12 inch single bevel. Had one for years, great saw, but I passed. The handle on it is awkward, and the guard, just like my old one, lame. So I went for a change.
First, the Bosch is easy to set on any angle. When you do this all day, ease matters. Secondly, the bevel is moved from the front, and is cake to set. Thirdly, you can tell by looking at this saw, it is well made and highly engineered. It cuts smoothly and accurately, and some on here have said it's loose and inaccurate? Yeah, right. Not so. I suppose you cabinet makers who cut 90 degree angles over and over, more than any other angle, are the experts? Not. I am not impressed that you are a cabinet maker. I know cabinet makers, and their angle of trade is 90 degress all day long. Yeah, a few others once in a while. So spare me the bologna that the Bosch is sub-standard.
When you remodel and deal with diverse angles and minute adjustments, like real carpenters, then you'll know the truth.
If you want a quality saw, buy the Bosch. The only downside I've found is its size. But once I get the T4B, then I can wheel it anywhere, so no biggie. Oh yeah, it was missing the hex wrench and multi tool, but had those anyhow.
Don't believe the DeWalt nor the "cabinet maker" hype. They're clueless. Get the Bosch and thank me later. Best one for the money.
And thanks Amazon, right on time, and good price on it.
Tough decisionDecember 17, 2008 Rod Holtman(Orange County, CA) 2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I have had a Craftsman 12" miter saw for 14 years and it was fine for what I did with it, and I did most everything. It was getting old, and a screw was missing off the blade guard. I tried to hold the blade guard up while I finished one last cut, and the blade guard came down quickly, the blade caught it and shattered the whole deal. I was happy to have all my fingers, but decided that it was just too dangerous to use any longer. So I went hunting for a new 12" miter saw. I was originally interested in a slider, but with all the moving around I do, the weight was an issue, so I narrowed my search to a dual bevel, 12" compound miter saw. I looked at them all, and read all the reviews and narrowed it the Bosch and the DeWalt, finally deciding on the Bosch. I have not regretted my decision and find it is everything I need and then some. Very smooth and nice machine.
CROWN KINGNovember 24, 2008 William D. Lance(Nashville) 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Purchased saw to install all new oak trim in my home which has many, many compound miters. Out of the box, no adjustment...absolutly perfect accuracy...pays to buy the best, and BOSCH is it.
Great saw, great serviceNovember 12, 2008 Richard P. Stopher(Fulton, IL) 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
After a lot or research, I purchased this saw from CPO through Amazon. It was shipped the same day that I ordered and I got it in 3 days. Out of the box it was within .2 degrees in all settings. I took the time to make the adjustments and now it is dead on and I know a little more about the saw. The only problem I had was registering the saw online. I called Bosch and they took care of the regisration in about 2 minutes. This is a quality miter saw that does what it is made for. Now I get perfect picture frame every time. Amazons review about this saw is dead on. If you are going to be doing finish work, I recomend you get a good quality 80tooth blade to replace the one comes with the saw. But that is with every miter saw on the market.
Unuseable unrepareable out of boxOctober 31, 2008 Franco Guerri(Montana) 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This is the worst mitre saw I've ever bought to date at least a dozen of various makes. We set up the saw on one of our chop saw benches and discovered that it had 2 defects that made the saw unuseable. 1] the main articulation that moves when you cut had at least 1 to 1.5 degrees of play. 2] the notches that control angle of cut would not click in, so when you tightened the locking handle it would rack off angle 2-4 degrees. Bottom line an unuseable saw. How does a manufacturer come up with two such defects? Being a student of quality manufacturing I can tell you that if you have so much variability in your manufacturing process that you come up with two defects this big, you are in BIG trouble. I had always had good luck with Bosh tools, and my guys wanted this saw when the Makita gave up after years of service in our custom cabinet shop. Of course it's going back, and we just repaired the Makita.
Copyright 2008 MyHardwareOutlet.Com, on the Internet since 2005
