( 7 reviews )
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Posted: Dec 12 2008
Excellent saw. The digital readout is convenient and very accurate to the 1/2 degree. The Hitachi laser is better than any other out there in that it can be used WITHOUT the blade spinning. This allows you to safely line up your work before pulling the trigger. The bevel and angle adjustments are smooth and accurate. The quality of the materials are unmatched. And of course the most important part, the saw is powerful and true. I'm very pleased.
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Posted: Oct 25 2008
I have had this saw for over two years and it has worked out well. Really, no problems and out of the box it worked well enough, but I save my precise cuts for the table saw/cross cut sled. One thing that has to be said for this saw or almost any saw is the stock blade is inferior and you will not realize the value of the saw without a better blade. Of course dishing out +300 for a saw then having to add another $75 or so for a quality blade hurts! I am using a Freud Diablo blade and what a difference. Clean clean cuts, but a great blade may make any saw great. For me the digital read out is an okay feature, but I move the darn thing to the mechanical stops 90% of the time. More useful in the bevel than miter. Once in awhile I have used to dial in very precise angles (like 7.5%). The laser can be very useful, but you have to check it and adjust it. Cut a shallow kerf in a 2x4, then lower the blade into that kerf and clamp down the wood. Now raise the blade and adjust the laser to fall in that kerf. Sounds easy! Since the left/right adjustment is hard to get to and you can't see really it, you would think that somewhere in the manual they might do you a favor and tell you the size Allen wrench you need. How about metric vs. English at least? One word of advice. If you are thinking about a 10" sliding compound miter, but are hesitating about spending the extra 2 to 3 hundred $, I say bite the bullet and do it. Makita has a nice one and I have seen it for 500ish. You will find yourself wanting that extra bit of versatility and cross cut capacity (this saw is about 8 1/4" cross cut, 5 3/4 at 45 miter). I have a few tools that I love like family and others that do the job. This one is not something I fall asleep dreaming about or ever find myself looking at in a fond dreamy way, but it is a workhorse. Still, it is pricey because of the gizmos. If you need more capacity, get a sliding saw. If you are using it for rough cuts and want to save some money, get one without all the bells and whistles (laser, digital) and save the money. If you want something in between, I think this is a safe bet.
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Posted: Mar 10 2007
The Lasers and Digital readout are brilliant. Need to buy a good blade though
