Miter Saws Reviews

While sawing a 2x4 stud a knot in wood came out and lodged shearing and twisting motor shaft into. This saw may be ok for small work such as picture frames etc. but would not recommend for heavier work.

I am a woodworker by hobby, and a part time weekend warrior light contractor. I bought this saw actually used at auction, but it had apparently very little use. As I do with all of my tools, I immediately gave the saw a good inspection with a square and by making test cuts. It was out of square, but the simple adjustments for the fence made correcting that issue easy. With the original blade, the saw makes nice cuts in hardwood without issue. I like the combination of smaller blade and sliding function, and I feel that is more accurate than the wobble i've seen from larger blades.

I think this is a good saw for the money. Downers are the non-standard trigger lock that makes you think consciously about turning the saw on, but once you've had it a while, its a non issue. One other thing is the miter adjustments are cumbersome at first to get used to as well.. The combo wing-nut and flipper are, however effective and easy to use once you get the hang of it.

A good saw.

I bought the saw because of the price of all the "Big Saws" out there. I have to say for the money I have not been disappointed.
I did take off the lower blade guard right away so as to make the blade visable for fine cutting. I have no trouble operating the saw left or right handed, it has plenty of power to cut 2x material, and the crosscut will cut a 1x12 no problem. I have operated many saws in 20 yrs of construction, and I believe this to be good value for the money. While it is not a 5-600$ saw, it sure gives them a run for the money. I have used it to install crown and trim, and cut shelving, all with no problems, although I would suggest a better Freud blade for this kind of work as the stock one is more of a cross cutter not for fine trim. It beats the slop on the blade that you can get on the bigger saws by keeping the blade to 8.5 inches, the only one better that I know of in this class in a 7.5 inch makita that has a 6,000 rpm motor that cuts like a razor, but then you are back up there in price again, so the choice is yours. I do like the lightweight but very stable base to the saw also, it makes it real nice on jobsites. I do not take lightly buying tools, they are an investment and if taken care of will make you money many times more than their price, and I believe this saw will do the same.

I'm giving it 3 stars, though maybe it deserves more AS LONG AS you're not going beyond ceramic cutting. A similar plasplugs saw described the product as being able to cut stone, and i was under the impression that the compact saw could do the same. I received it yesterday, started cutting today, and I went through about 7 small 1/4 inch thick stone tiles. POP! There goes the motor. I'm replacing it with a regular, more professional tile saw that can definitely go through stone reliably. I'm not bashing the saw, necessarily, just really placing emphasis on the CERAMIC cutting abilities of this saw, and that's the limit.

Can you finish a high-quality, small job with the Plasplugs Comapct tile saw? Yes, if you are patient and careful to not abuse it.

Will you see a professional tile worker use one? No.

Limitations:

1) Water reservoir is small, heats up and dries out quickly.

2) Does not cut quickly - if you are paying someone to use it by the hour you'd be best off investing more money in a pro machine.

3) I did not experience any failures/breakdowns in making 400+ cuts in 4" limestone tiles, but this machine was not designed to last a lifetime. Don't plan on passing it to your grandchildren.

4) Real Tool Guys will make fun of your "Easy-Bake" tile saw.

I purchased a similar model at Home Depot for more money than the one offered by Amazon. We intended to tile 3 bathrooms: counters and two large showers, and a kitchen with four counters and backsplashes. We also used it to help tile our daughter's kitchen. We probably cut 400+ tiles before the motor started making strange noises. Before that the fence guide hold-down broke, making straight cuts more difficult but not impossible. With one shower to go, we will probably buy a new one. It's worth the price compared to renting and being able to go at your own pace.

This is a nice jig for just about any miter saw. It's made of materials that have been proven durable over time. It's fully adjustable, both for width of crown from wall and for hight from ceiling to bottom of crown. The width adjustment is a plastic crown stop with 2 solidly anchoring screws attached through slots in the bottom of the jig. The hight adjustment is steel extension tabs that slide up from the back fence. This is a fine set-up for dual compound saws, BUT, the motor on a standard compound (or non-compound) mitersaw will contact the back fence when you use the jig on the right side of the blade. This is not a problem if you can make all of your miter/coping cuts on the left side of the blade. The upside down method of cutting crown can get confusing if you're mitering in both directions anyway.

If you would prefer to use the full capacity of your saw though,,, buy the crown stops that the manufacturer of your saw offers. The manufacturer of your saw probably offers crown stops that let you use the full capacity of your saw. The Bench Dog takes away 3/4 inch wide and 3/4 inch high, just like a homemade version would. On a 10 inch miter saw this can be a problem when cutting wide crown molding. Although, you can make a home made version that leaves the capacity at original specification.

ONE LAST THOUGHT, FASTEN THIS DOWN TO YOUR SAW!!!!! Keep your fingers a little while longer and make your cuts more accurate. Leaving this jig loose could lead to cumulative error. Sawdust can get under it, the angle could be affected by the way you have the material supported, etc. The fence is probably the best place to attach, just put a couple of short screws right through the back of the fence and into the jig. Then if the material is a little off of the jig on one side or the other, you'll be able to see it. And with the jig fastened down, the chance of the jig sliding around and losing your mark is eliminated. This is a nicely crafted jig and will give you very dependable service if you treat it well.

I'm sure there are plenty of carpentry experts who can cut crown molding in their sleep or construct a jig out of scrap wood in their shop. But for the beginner, like myself, this is a helpful jig that simplifies cutting crown molding. It has helpful diagrams on the jig to remind you how to position it on the miter saw. Yes, as noted in other reviews, when making a left cut, the saw will not cut the molding entirely, but I simply grabbed my coping saw to finish the 1/4 inch that remained. All in all, I think it was well worth the $25 I spent.

I just finished 30 door crowns using cove molding. I really didn't know these jigs existed. So, after finishing all these cuts manually, I bought this jig. Wish I had it a month ago. Much more consistant cutting - the wood stays in place.

I bought the Incra 1000 Miter gauge a couple of years ago and it has been nothing but trouble ever since. I have to say though that I was too lazy to call for a replacement and when I did just the other day, Incra offered to replace it for free even though it was way out of warranty.

The first thing that happened was that all that gadetry at the end of the miter guage (used to set half degrees and lock the setting in) simply did not work. For one thing, at 90 degrees, the little metal pointer didn't go into its slot. There was simply no way to do it because the gauge is inaccurate by almost half a degree. But by adjusting it manually using the usual triangle method before each cut I was able to get it square. Of course thats how I had to use the stock gauge so I was no better off with the Incra. Unfortunately I did not notice that the slot adjustment screw that Incra stupidly put halfway under the track was proud by a fraction of inch. This prevented the wood from coming up flush against the track and it would then be cut at an angle that was just slightly out of perfect square. The difference was so small that I didn't notice it and spent hours trying to figure out why my parts didn't assemble correctly. There is no way to fix this except to remove the screw but that leaves the miter bar sloppy in the slot.

The workmanship on this was terrible and the design flawed. I simply do not understand the good reviews. All I can figure is that Incra has no quality control and you could get a good one or a bad one. In their defense, they will replace it with smiles. But who needs that agravation?? When you buy a tool you expect it to work.

I have a contractors table saw that I got when my portable wore out. It cost much more, but boy is it worth it. This miter system is awesome. I have had trouble replicating specific angles, and this does that, and keeps my fingers away from the table saw blade. What more can I ask.......great device.

I've been using this miter gauage now for almost three months and I simply love it. I'm not sure if poor reviewers received bad items or their expectations are simply too high but this miter gauge is one of the best additions to my shop. The allen bolts for the fence position is not much of a pain as was outlined before. Incra gives you a large screwdriver-handled allen driver to use for the fence positioning which makes it easy as can be. I would worry about the constant vibration and loosening of knobs if Incra used those instead. Once you set the gauge square to your blade, it doesn't move one bit from there. Incra gives plenty of room for miter slot differences as well by choosing to use or not use 6 expandable, pressure washers. On my old table saw, I only had to use the three that were originally on the gauge. When I upgraded to my 22124, the miter gauge was slightly loose. I added two more washers, from all of the extras that Incra includes, and now it is tight as can be.

Incra really put some solid engineering into this product and you can tell the first time you use it. The long fence alone is a great addition to running stock through my table saw. I've even used this as a tapering jig in a bind.

Im a remodaling contractor and depend on all my tool to work.
I purchased this saw as a back-up saw for my MK101.This saw has limited capacity on miter cuts due to motor is to close to the sliding table. It is under powered for hard tiles and stone, Also the rip guide did not line up at all, as on my other MK saw, the motor arbor bearing neede to be replaced after the first month.It will spray a lot of water out
the back. It is very loud for a small saw, due to the motor seams to be
a modified angle grinder.

Any one looking for a good tile saw should buy a MK 101.

I purchased the MK 770 not so long ago. The saw works really great, good cuts ect... . This machine does spray a lot of water, so, I decided to buy the "water hood" from MK Diamond, specifically for the 770. This item was pretty pricey, $150.00 to be honest. I figured I will be reciving a very ridgid hood that will stand up on the job site. Wow! was I wrong, and angry, too. I recived this flimsy piece of plastic that, if the wind blew over 5 mph it would tear in two. I can not believe MK Diamond would sell this crappy accessory, and for $150.00 no less. This hood can not cost more than $0.75 to make, literally.

I e-mailed MK Diamond on their water hood, asking them how could they justify charging $150.00 for this thing, and letting them know I was very dissatisfied with this accessory. That was months ago... haven't heard back from them.

I would give the saw 5 stars but,the water hood? I just can not get over.

This is the first wet tile saw I have used, but regardless, I am very pleased with the Mk-770's performance. It is far superior to the score and crack method of cutting tiles.

Positives

1. Setup of the saw was quick and easy and on test runs the the saw cut square and true.
2. The simple fence supplied with the saw is right on the mark.
3. The pump supplies plenty of water.
4. The saw has plenty of power.
5. Plastic, removable water basin allows for easy clean-up.
6. Sliding platform is very smooth and stable.
7. A very smooth, chip-free cut.

Negatives
1. Shoots out a bit of water (this was fixed/alleviated with strategically placed duct tape)
2. Rather loud. I don't have anything to compare it to except a radial saw. Earplugs are more than sufficient to reduce the noise.

One last thing, the included stand is actually a pair of sawhorses which are actually quite nice in that they are plastic, light weight, and spacesaving. Two 2x4's across the sawhorses made for a very stable saw stand.

Enjoy the saw.

I got this one because it's small enough to take to job sites, but it's not big enough to do the vigorous cross-cutting in my workship -- max stock width is 6" (nominal). Unless you're going to lug it around, go with a sliding 10 or better 12" saw. Other than that, I love the saw. Quality is very good...

I purchased this saw about a year ago. The saw has performed great. The only reason I did not rate this saw a 5 is that changing the blade is a pain in the you know what. The small spring inside the blade gaurd is difficult to line up when reassembling after changing the blade. But the saw performed great right out of the box. It was very accurate. I do not have an extention table yet, I'm kind of cheap that way but I will be setting it up in a table system I have seen on The New Yankee Work Shop. I think you will like the saw very much. When this one is worn out I will buy the compound sliding miter saw next, but if not that one I would buy this one again.

For a midpriced compound miter, this saw is an excellent choice! Solid, stable and accurate cuts all around. Plenty of power and lots of capability. A really good saw.

I have owned this table for 4 years now. Let me tell you about it. First the main table saw cast iron surface is not flat, there is a bow making it hard to align the blade at 90 degree. The blade insert is of thin cast aluminum and is bowed as well, not a surprise when you cast something with a long slot in it but inadequate for this use. The dust removal through is inefficient, you'll get dust inside and under the table. The miter saw extension is next to useless. It is also bowed from bad machining process (again a cast iron piece that has not been stress relieved before machining). The result is that it is impossible to align with the main table. The alignment system for the miter saw table is a four point system which means there is one redundant degree of liberty adding more difficulty. The miter attachement is also flimsy and deflects under load, it is very difficult to make straight cuts.

The fence is excellent with its tubular sliding mechanism. The power is good. All in all, a table for carpentry not for cabinet or furniture making where precision cut is needed.

I agree with the other review, Home Depot was rude and my local woodworking shop tried to push a Jet on me. I bought it at Amazon.com. I have the sliding table, 52" fence, both extension tables. My biggest complaint is the rear table is small and being I have it on a mobile base is a pain becuase it does not fold up or down. The saw went together very well and has adjusted perfectly. This is not a slap it together and expect it to be right type of saw. Plan on spending a few days getting it adjusted correctly. I had no issues with the fence or arbor alingment even after checking with a dial indicator. Out of the box the fence head slide stop was broken. I called DeWalt and was very impressed with their service. A new head was shipped promptly.
Side note: Don't ever believe Amazon when they say ships in two -three weeks............ I waited 3 months!!!!! If I was in need of a saw due to failure of my present one I would have cancelled the order. Over all this is a wonderfull piece of equipment and I rate it 95 out of 100....

I'll start with what's really important to me, and then I'll talk about the detractors. I bought this saw five months ago, but before I wrote a review I wanted to get some sawdust on the floor first. Bottom line this table saw cuts wood -- and does it very well. That's why I gave it a five star rating. I suppose a 3hp cabinet saw does a better job, but for a guy cutting wood in his garage that��s a bit of overkill. But hey, if you got the money, go for it.

What do I like about this saw:

-- It's heavy. It doesn't move a bit when you rip a big board.
-- The sliding table is a thing of beauty. It's massive and when you clamp a board on it to cut, momentum carries it thru the blade with no vibration or kick back.
-- The 52 inch fence is dead accurate. The first few weeks I measured every cut with a tape till I realized the fence was more accurate than my tape.
-- The mobile base is worth its weight in gold. It works like a champ.
-- It's made in the USA.

What I don't like:
-- The blade that comes with the saw is mediocre at best. Good for cutting your neighbor��s wood when he mooches off your table saw.
-- The sliding table came wrapped in cosmoline. It took forever to remove, even when I used steel wool.
-- The dust exhaust is at a very awkward angle. I connect it to my portable shop vacuum. Reaching it is a constant bother.

Words of caution:
-- Setting this saw up takes a bit of time. I��ve seen where some say they did it in 3 hours or less. Maybe they did. It took me two days to get it put together and properly tuned. Be prepared, there��s an awful lot of bolts, nuts and washers. This is not an open the cardboard box and start cutting table saw.
-- With the DW746KB model, there is a separate manual for each piece (outfeed table, fence, saw, mobile base, sliding table). The manuals don��t all work in harmony with each other. READ all the manuals first. Then start putting the saw together. HINT: Put the mobile base together first, then build the saw on top of it.
-- Pay very close attention to the tuning procedures. Take a break if you need to. Five months after building this thing, I know I need to go back and do one part of it over again to get it right.

This blade looks good on paper. The plate flatness is nearly perfect with unmeasureable runout. This may be part of the problem, because on my saw, it burns hardwoods (oak, mahogany, etc.) You can't push the piece through the saw fast enough to get a edge without a burn mark, an that is on both sides of the blade. Cut quality is very good, but plan on planing away the burn marks.

This blade looks good on paper. The plate flatness is nearly perfect with unmeasureable runout. This may be part of the problem, because on my saw, it burns hardwoods (oak, mahogany, etc.) You can't push the piece through the saw fast enough to get a edge without a burn mark, an that is on both sides of the blade. Cut quality is very good, but plan on planing away the burn marks.

I don't know what the guy is talking about with the burn marks, but I don't think it's the blade that's causing them. Everything I've cut so far has been smooth and clean ~ the cut so smooth it's almost shiney like it's been buffed.

I guy who has a woodworking/industrial tools store sold me the blade, told me I'd be just as happy with it as the Forrest WWII and he sells WWII blades also (for a little less than twice the price). He knew I wanted a good value, but I would have gone ahead and bought the WWII if this one wasn't really good. He must be counting on my repeat business, otherwise he'd go out of business being that honest and not trying to push more expensive goods on customers.

I have no idea why the price has gone up to a hundred bucks on Amazon? What's up with that? I got my for less than seventy WITH a free 5" stiffener.

I recently purchased the attachment, assembled and adjusted it to my bandsaw (Jet 14" cabinet with a 1/4" 4 tpi blade), placed my project on it and started to cut. The first few inches of the 22 inch diameter circle went okay and then I noticed my band saw blade deflecting toward the jig. The blade continued to creep out of the guides as I turned the project. Each time I backed out and started over, I noticed the circle getting smaller and the blade starting to touch the jig. I disassembled everything, including the blade and guide rollers, readjusted and followed all instructions to the letter yet I still have the same problem with the attachment. Freehand works perfectly with much tighter radii so it's difficult to believe the blade is responsible. I called Delta technical support and was told either the blade was responsible or the jig was located too far forward in front of the blade. Again, I followed the assembly instructions exactly using the spacing bar and setting the middle of the slot to the leading edge of the blade teeth. The jig is flat and square to the table. Since the blade tries to turn into a tighter radius, could the instructions be wrong. If so, how far back do I set the jig?

The quality looks good, it's easy to assemble and adjust but I can't understand what I'm doing wrong. All suggestions or comments would be welcome. Thanks

The attachment wasn't at fault!
I had trouble with the circle cut becoming smaller and my blade coming out of the guides. It turns out that I had to tension my blade a little more. I heard some good tips and devoted a couple hours to troubleshooting. After adjusting the tension half way to the next size, the attachment works as expected and instructed. I also rounded the back of the blade and now cut circles easily.

The attachment wasn't at fault!
I had trouble with the circle cut becoming smaller and my blade coming out of the guides. It turns out that I had to tension my blade a little more. I heard some good tips and devoted a couple hours to troubleshooting. After adjusting the tension half way to the next size, the attachment works as expected and instructed. I also rounded the back of the blade and now cut circles easily.

Inaccurate table stops, stand keeps falling apart,motor did not last long, I found this site searching for parts, which are near impossible to find and 3 times more expensive than other brands, I have saws from two other brands with little or no problems, this one is a major dud.

As a professional homebuilder, I've used most of the saws on the market. I've also experimented with blades and saw stands. This saw is simply not well designed. If you can't reproduce the same angle of cut consistently, then the saw has no right on a job site. Specifically, the locking system for the miter stop is difficult to control precisely. You must check the gage on both sides to ensure it's even in the range-forget fine control. More importantly, the sliding system that supports the saw head flexes and allows the blade to deflect. Even with thicker, stiffer blades, I get multiple cut lines on the material. Lastly, the safety guard is dangerously sloppy. It gets stuck on the work material or interrupts saw use in general. With the prices of other well-designed saws dropping (e.g. Hitachi, Makita) why even consider this saw. If you inherit one you can use it as a chop saw or for decking! Delta makes many fine tools, but this is not one of them.

As a homeowner of a 100 year old colonial, I have used this saw outside and inside and it has been flawless. I cut 2800 linear feet of Philippine mahogany for the porch and at least 800' of 4 1/2" crown molding in the bedrooms. It came out of the box cutting square and accurate. If it needed any adjustment, the wrenches are attached on the left hand leg.

The angle stop took a little getting used to (I would have been happier with a more positive stop), but now I am comfortable with it. I bought a 60 tooth blade for the finish work, and this saw makes me look like I know what I'm doing (the crown molding cheat sheet is nice working around the bay windows).

I like the horizontal handle, and the scale is easy enough to read. It is not too heavy to carry outside or upstairs and is still very stable. I have been very satisfied with the Delta.