June 2007
Miter & table saws
Making the cut
LINING IT UP A laser line makes precise cuts easier on the top-scoring, $200 Ridgid MS1065LZ compound miter saw.
If you’ve ever sawed molding or flooring by hand, you know how hard it can be to eyeball angles and keep a firm grip on the
job. Portable miter and table saws are trimming away more of that guesswork and elbow grease as they move from contractors
to homeowners.
We focused our tests on compound miter saws and table saws with 10-inch blades, a common size large enough for most projects. Compound miter saws let you adjust the blade’s crosscut angle as well as its downward angle, or bevel, before you lower it to the wood. Sliding versions can handle wider lumber by letting you also push the blade inward. More models now project a bright red laser line to help you line up your cut.
Need to rip-cut a length of shelving or trim a door? Portable table saws have blades that project up through the cutting table like larger versions, yet are easy to move where you need them. Most come with folding stands or wheels. The latest are easier to adjust and use.
We also tested the first table saw that stops the blade when it contacts a hand or finger (see SawStop table saw). While we found several saws to recommend, some top saws and features cost top money, and several models are worth trimming from your list. The details:
Paying more buys more miter saw. You can spend just $100 for a low-scoring saw. But paying as little as $30 more buys you faster, more accurate sawing--important for cutting molding and other decorative trim. Among sliding models, a $500 Bosch sawed through our hickory 4x4 and oak 2x6 boards more briskly than similarly priced models.
Some table saws are bargains. Faster sawing and better accuracy mean cleaner cuts and less wasted wood. The $450 Ridgid TS2400LS sawed fastest and delivered precise rip cuts, yet costs $50 less than two lower-scoring models. Close behind the Ridgid: the $230 Ryobi BTS20 and the $300 Hitachi C10RA3.
Cordless didn’t cut it. The $330 Bosch 3918 is among the few battery-powered miter saws. Besides costing far more than most plug-in electric saws, the cordless Bosch was the slowest and least powerful in this test. We managed only 50 cuts though our pine 2x4 before its battery ran down. A spare battery, which costs $65 to $75, isn’t included.
HOW TO CHOOSE
While you can rent miter or table saws for about $45 per day, a single project can easily make buying one worthwhile. Keep these considerations in mind:
Don’t buy more than you need. Sliding compound miter saws cut lumber up to 12 inches wide compared with 6 inches for nonsliding saws. Having to lower its blade and push it away from you, however, makes accurate cuts tougher. For cutting wide stock, consider buying a conventional miter saw and a portable table saw for about the same price as a sliding miter saw. Although you can also buy a table saw alone and do miter and bevel cuts, table saws finish edges less smoothly overall than miter saws.
Go beyond brand. Even big names can perform inconsistently across saw models. Along with our scores, check for features such as a holding clamp and a laser guide for miter saws and a sturdy miter fence, or gauge, for table saws.
Upgrade the blade. Better blades are flatter and more heat-resistant, have thicker carbide on their teeth for smoother cuts, and wobble less. But they don’t necessarily come with the saw. A midrange $75 aftermarket blade (42-tooth CMT251) nearly always yielded faster and smoother cuts than the standard blade in our tests. We also suggest choosing a blade with more teeth if you value a cleaner finish, fewer teeth for faster rough-cutting and ripping.
We focused our tests on compound miter saws and table saws with 10-inch blades, a common size large enough for most projects. Compound miter saws let you adjust the blade’s crosscut angle as well as its downward angle, or bevel, before you lower it to the wood. Sliding versions can handle wider lumber by letting you also push the blade inward. More models now project a bright red laser line to help you line up your cut.
Need to rip-cut a length of shelving or trim a door? Portable table saws have blades that project up through the cutting table like larger versions, yet are easy to move where you need them. Most come with folding stands or wheels. The latest are easier to adjust and use.
We also tested the first table saw that stops the blade when it contacts a hand or finger (see SawStop table saw). While we found several saws to recommend, some top saws and features cost top money, and several models are worth trimming from your list. The details:
Paying more buys more miter saw. You can spend just $100 for a low-scoring saw. But paying as little as $30 more buys you faster, more accurate sawing--important for cutting molding and other decorative trim. Among sliding models, a $500 Bosch sawed through our hickory 4x4 and oak 2x6 boards more briskly than similarly priced models.
Some table saws are bargains. Faster sawing and better accuracy mean cleaner cuts and less wasted wood. The $450 Ridgid TS2400LS sawed fastest and delivered precise rip cuts, yet costs $50 less than two lower-scoring models. Close behind the Ridgid: the $230 Ryobi BTS20 and the $300 Hitachi C10RA3.
Cordless didn’t cut it. The $330 Bosch 3918 is among the few battery-powered miter saws. Besides costing far more than most plug-in electric saws, the cordless Bosch was the slowest and least powerful in this test. We managed only 50 cuts though our pine 2x4 before its battery ran down. A spare battery, which costs $65 to $75, isn’t included.
HOW TO CHOOSE
While you can rent miter or table saws for about $45 per day, a single project can easily make buying one worthwhile. Keep these considerations in mind:
Don’t buy more than you need. Sliding compound miter saws cut lumber up to 12 inches wide compared with 6 inches for nonsliding saws. Having to lower its blade and push it away from you, however, makes accurate cuts tougher. For cutting wide stock, consider buying a conventional miter saw and a portable table saw for about the same price as a sliding miter saw. Although you can also buy a table saw alone and do miter and bevel cuts, table saws finish edges less smoothly overall than miter saws.
Go beyond brand. Even big names can perform inconsistently across saw models. Along with our scores, check for features such as a holding clamp and a laser guide for miter saws and a sturdy miter fence, or gauge, for table saws.
Upgrade the blade. Better blades are flatter and more heat-resistant, have thicker carbide on their teeth for smoother cuts, and wobble less. But they don’t necessarily come with the saw. A midrange $75 aftermarket blade (42-tooth CMT251) nearly always yielded faster and smoother cuts than the standard blade in our tests. We also suggest choosing a blade with more teeth if you value a cleaner finish, fewer teeth for faster rough-cutting and ripping.
