Every single buyer who has reviewed this innovative saw has commented that both the up-down and in-out action of it is smooth and effortless. Some even said TOO smooth and effortless – Bosch fixed that problem by adding a tension adjustment so you can tune it to your liking.

The patented Axial-Glide pivoting arm system also saves you up to 12” of space behind the saw, making it ideal for using it in a shop setting – you can actually set it up on a 20” deep bench just a couple inches from a wall.

Other Features:

• Up-front bevel lock and controls so you don’t have to reach around the back of the saw
• Integrated base extensions that pull out to increase support to up to 40” and can be locked in at any position
• Tall quick-release fences that can be slid out to the same reach as the base extensions for superior support and more accurate cuts
• A handy little length stop that can be attached to either extension for repetitive cuts
• Thumb actuated push button miter detent override right there in front of the handle/locking knob
• Easy-to-read etched stainless steel miter scale and equally clear bevel scale and indexing on the fences
• The dust collection chute will mate up to a vacuum hose in 1-1/4” or 35mm size to keep your work and your work area clean

The Bosch GCM12SD 12 inch Dual Bevel Glide Miter Saw In Action

If a picture is worth a thousand words, what’s a video worth? A million, maybe? Check out this dynamite saw in action.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I10K3N-UCnY

What Buyers Have To Say

On the CPO Bosch site (where I recommend buying)  there were 5 buyer reviews, 2 gave it five stars, 2 gave it four and one had some problem with it and gave it two.

One cabinet maker had this to say:
“The saw is perfectly balanced and is very smooth to use. It makes very clean, exact cuts. The unique glide arm is worth every extra penny it cost — both in balance/ease of use, and the workbench space savings. Highly recommend this saw, it’s certainly well worth the investment.”

On Amazon, there were 30 reviews, 16 of them five stars and 7 gave it four.

Drawbacks

There are two shortcomings I see and wouldn’t you know it, they’re the two most often mentioned by the buyers who didn’t give the GCM12SD five stars.

First off there’s a problem with the drive housing getting in the way on the right side. If you try to bevel 45 degrees to the right, you’re limited to 1/12” of thickness and mitering to the right, it’s something like 4-1/2”. What really bugged a few people is the Bosch literature claims you can cut molding up to 6-1/2” up against the fence but didn’t mention is has to be a square cut or mitered left.

The second glaring shortcoming is the lack of a laser guide. For a saw this advanced and in this price range, that’s just odd to me. Bosch does make an  arbor mounted, battery operated laser (optional, extra-cost) but it’s not very bright, only works on one side of the blade, and the batteries don’t last. Oh, and unlike saws like Makita’s, it only comes on when the blade is spinning so it doesn’t help you set up your cut before triggering.

Less of a problem is the issue of weight. Bosch says this saw weighs in at 65 lbs but a couple of buyers have mentioned figures like 80 and 88 lbs. If the buyers are right, it’s not very portable but still an excellent shop saw.

Conclusions

This a super-innovative machine, smooth operating and accurate. If you don’t need a laser and don’t have to cut tall stock mitered or beveled to the right, this is a definite yes. Expensive, but most owners love it.

Rating:

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Where To Buy

I’m definitely going to recommend buying this saw from CPO Tools. It seems a lot of people who bought from the big company that starts with “A” had major issues with the saw being damaged in shipment. And one of them said if you’re going to order this saw get it from someone who uses FedEx, not UPS. CPO uses FedEx.

At CPO Bosch, the price is right, shipping is cheap and if you’re so inclined, you can buy a factory reconditioned saw at a $120 saving. Since it won’t come with the mediocre blade the new one does, you could use the savings to buy the blade you know you want to buy for it anyway. Or put the savings toward a Bosch miter saw stand, either the folding leg model for $249.99 or the vastly superior Bosch T4B Gravity-Rise Wheeled Stand. That one would actually make this big saw very portable.

Buy the Bosch GCM12SD 12-in Dual-Bevel Glide Miter Saw

The Bosch T4B Gravity-Rise™ Wheeled Miter Stand is one of a few that will fill all those needs and do it with ease. It’s definitely sturdy at 76 lbs and it has 8” pneumatic tires to navigate a job site without tipping over.

This stand goes from “hand truck” to work bench as easily as any I’ve ever seen. It actually uses its weight and that of the saw to raise its top up to working height so you’re not fighting with 150 pounds or so of metal, it’s helping you. Pretty nifty.

It also has extending support rails that stretch out to about 18 feet total width for good material support.

The T4B is designed to work with not only Bosch miter saws, but most competitors’ saws, too. It comes with mounts you attach to the base of the saw then clamp those to the stand.

And just so you know the Bosch engineers did some thinking, those mounts have rubber feet on them so when you take the saw off the stand and put it on a bench, table or floor, they won’t damage anything. Or slide around.

The Bosch T4B Gravity-Rise™ wheeled miter saw stand would be a great match-up with the their advanced GCM12SD 12 inch Dual Bevel Glide Miter Saw. It would make moving the big saw around a lot simpler.

What Buyers Say

Unbelievable – that’s how I’d describe the ranking for this stand. On the CPO Bosch site, it got eight 5-star ratings out of 11 reviews. On Amazon it was 51 out of 60. Pretty convincing.

Rating

I’m sticking with the crowd on this one.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Where To Buy

On this one, I’m recommending Amazon. Their price on it is $50.00 less than my usual favorite, CPO Tools. And as of this writing, it qualifies for Amazon’s free Super-Saver shipping. Considering that in the box, this thing tips the scale at over 90 lbs, free shipping is huge!

Bosch T4B Gravity-Rise Wheeled Miter Saw Stand

In the world of professional miter saws, everything counts: features, capacities, accuracy, mobility and dependability. And not necessarily in that order.

The Bosch 5412 12″ dual bevel slide miter saw, with its up-front controls meets most of those requirements head-on. And slightly better in a couple of them than their model 5312, which otherwise is the same saw. Definitely worth the slight difference in price.

The biggest difference between the two models is the 5412 has a rotating main handle, giving you the possibility of four different positions for comfort and control. With either hand. And it comes with a nice little length stop, which can be mounted on either side, for repetitive cuts of the same short length. Plus a quick, lever-action workpiece clamp. All the other features we’ll discuss here are common to both models.

Features

The first feature that puts this saw in a special class is the up-front bevel controls. If you’ve ever used a bevel slider without this advantage, you know how nice it would be to have it. No more reaching around the back of the saw to un-lock and lock the bevel.

Next, is the wedge and slot miter detent system, for sure miter settings. And as the saw wears – which it will over the years of its long life – this design assures that the detents will still be as accurate as the day it was new. The wedge-shaped bar that goes into the slot automatically centers itself due to its shape.

Another thing you’ll notice at first glance is the two extensions. While a lot of good miter saws have them, these are a little different, in that the tops of them are cast, not wire. When pushed in, they become part of the base. Extend them all the way, and you have a total of 40 inches of support. If you don’t want them extended all the way – like when you want to use the length stop mentioned above – they have clamping levers to lock them in wherever you want them.

The miter scale on the Bosch 5312 and 5412 is cast into the base, not just painted on. It won’t wear off. Of course the same can be said of the scales on the fences and the bevel scale – all are easy to read and durable.

The sliding fences on this saw are nice, too. They’re 4-1/2 inches tall and the upper portions slide out as far as the table extensions, to give you more support and more accurate cuts on things like crown moldings.

Capacity

Speaking of crown moldings, the manufacturer says you can cut them up to 6 inches angled against the fence and 10-1/4 inches lying flat. And board stock up to 12-1/2 inches wide and 4-1/4 thick can be cut at zero bevel/zero miter, giving this saw good capacity.

Mobility

At 59 pounds, the Bosch 5312 and 5412 are fully 13 pounds lighter than a comparable Jet saw and about the same as a 12 inch Makita or a DeWalt 718. Not light but not heavy, either.

Drawbacks

The main drawback to these saws I can see has to do with the housing for the drive belt. When you want to cut on a 45 degree bevel to the right, it gets in the way of any stock taller than 1-3/4 inches. Unless you’re also mitering to the left, that is. Beveling left, it gives you another inch of clearance. This is probably a problem with most dual bevel miter saws, whether belt or gear driven.

Another shortcoming is they don’t come with a laser guide, a little surprising considering all the thought that went into them. I would have thought when Bosch upgraded from the 5312 to the 5412 they would have included this feature that’s become so common on professional miter saws.

What Buyers Say

On the CPO Bosch site (my recommended dealer) there are only four reviews. But all four gave it five stars. On Amazon, you can’t really tell because they mixed up reviews for 3 or 4 different models. However, of the total of 50 reviews, 32 gave it five stars.

Conclusions

The Bosch 5412 is a well-designed and well-built miter saw, not unusual for this famous German company. And at about $100 less than saws like the Jet 12SCMS and $50 less than the Makita LS1216L, the 5412 is a bargain. Unless you need the laser, that is.

I’d give this saw five stars if it had a laser and didn’t have that clearance problem on the right side.

Rating:Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

To read the full specs and feature list (most of which are pretty standard for a sliding dual-bevel saw in this class) and to buy this impressive tool, click the link here:

Bosch 5412 12-in Dual-Bevel Slide Miter Saw with Upfront Controls

As you can see in this first photo, the stand has large 12″ solid rubber wheels and a big rubberized handle to roll it around the site and get the saw where you need it. And it has built-in extensions with a roller on the left extension to help you handle longer stock with ease.

Having read user reviews of this stand and a couple others made to go with high-end contractor miter saws, the Makita stands out. One of the others earned complaints because the wheels are so small, it tips over when it’s being pulled around a job site. The other comes with pneumatic tires that are prone to puncturing with all the loose nails in a construction area.

And one was deemed too light-weight and flimsy for the heavy saw being put on it. The Makita 195083-4 doesn’t have either of these problems.

To read the full review of the 195083-4 click here. If you also want to read the full review of the LS1016L 10 dual sliding compound miter saw click here. The stand is also paired up with the 12″ Makita LS1216L and that’s called the LS1216LX.

Click on an image below to see a larger version.

The Makita LS1016LX combination dual sliding compound miter saw and portable jobsite stand can be purchased as one unit, saving approximately $50 versus buying them separately.

The best source I found for this combo setup is Tool King. They’ve been around for a long time and are ranked in the top 50 of all Internet retail sites by Internet Retailer, and industry publication. They’re also a member of Better Business Bureau Online Reliability Program and their site is McAfee secured. Trust them.

Makita LS1016LX 10-inch Dual-Slide Miter Saw with Laser and Stand

A few of the unique JET features I like are:

• The patented Green XACTA Laser™ that shows up much better than red in daylight conditions
• The time-saving up-front controls, including the bevel lock, so you don’t have to be reaching around the back of the saw to adjust the bevel
• The enclosed slide rail system that stays clean and smoothly operating
• The totally unique motor location, above and to the rear of the operating arm and blade to give you a clear view of your work
• The encased v-belt connecting the motor to the fence that not only makes that motor positioning possible, but also cuts down on vibration and noise
• The sliding top portions of the fences that give you better support when cutting bevels
• The fences have increment marks on them (like a ruler) to make repetitive cuts simpler
• The two carry handles that are positioned to provide balance when you’re moving it
• The pull out arm that slides out of the back to help stabilize the saw on a work bench or floor

Here you can see the up-front controls

There are some features too, that aren’t necessarily unique to JET, but not what you’d expect on a 10″ saw in this price range. Like the adjustable depth stop that lets you do trenching or grooving. Or the balance spring in the operating arm knuckle that makes moving the blade up and down easier and smoother.

You’ll also find a tool-free work clamp that can be mounted to either side of the blade and swung right and left for more reach and flexibility. In fact, all of the controls, adjustments, locking knobs, etc. are tool-free.

The JMS-10SCMS also has a push button arbor lock to make changing blades easier and a simple push-pin to lock the operating arm down for transporting. I like the way they made all the handles, knobs and controls a bright orange – it’s amazing how much quicker the eye locates them so you don’t have to be looking around for them.

The versatile clamp

Speaking of handles, the operating handle on this saw is handy, too. It’s big and horizontal so you can use either hand comfortably and the laser switch is located right up on the top, ahead of where your hand goes.

Negatives

Like most miter saws, this one doesn’t have ideal dust collection. But it can be connected to a shop vac or a more expensive dust collection system like the Festool.

And, also typical of most miter saws, the 40 tooth OEM blade isn’t great. It’s okay for cutting 2×4′s and such but if you’re going to be doing trim work you’ll want to replace it. It does have a standard 5/8″ arbor so that’s easy. Funny thing is, the manufacturer’s brochure says it comes with a 60 tooth blade but close-up photos clearly show a 40. (You might want to click that link to the brochure, too. It’s pretty informative.)

Conclusion

This is just personal preference here, but I like the look of this saw – the pleasant, easy-on-the-eyes beige color and bright knobs. If I were to get back into serious woodworking I’d put it at or near the top of my wish list. Not to mention the long list of features that makes it stand out against other 10″ sliding compound miter saws. It has almost all the gizmos and doo-dads of its 12″ brother, the JMS-12SCMS without the price or the extra 20 pounds. And unless you’re working with 6″ moldings or other large material, do you really need a 12″ saw?

When reviewing a miter saw, I like to read what buyers have to say. But, like with JET’s 12″ JMS-12SCMS, I had trouble finding them for this saw. It seems it’s languishing in obscurity! But of the few I did find, one gave it four stars and the others all gave it five. All said they were very satisfied with the JET JMS-10SCMS. They said it was accurate right out of the box and it met or exceeded their expectations.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Where To Buy

In looking around at online sources for the JET JMS-10SCMS I found that the price only varies $10 – $459.99 to $469.99. However, I also noticed that other sites, like Woodcraft and Rockler, add anywhere from $35 to $60 for standard shipping. The exception to this is CPO. As of this writing, they offer $6.99 flat rate shipping (subject to change) on all their saws and same day shipping.

When you follow the link below, you might notice on that page the model number is wrong: It says JMS-105CMS. I suspect the webmaster misread it and no one has corrected it yet. Not to worry, it’s the right saw.

JET JETN707110 B3NCH, JMS-10SCMS, 10-in Dual Bevel Sliding Compound Miter Saw

Specifications

• Arbor Size: 5/8″
• Bevel Stops: 0°, 33.9° and 45° left & right
• Miter Stops : 10 stops, -45° to 60°
• Cut Capacity @90° : 3-5/8″ x 12”
• Miter Capacity: 45° left – 60° right
• Blade Speed : 4200 RPM
• Height: 20.7″
• Length: 35.8″
• Width: 25.2″
• Net Weight: 50.7 lb.
• Motor Current : 15 A

The Jet JMS-12SCMS (also designated as Model 707120 B3NCH) is so unknown, I had trouble finding many buyer reviews for it. However, of the 6 or 7 I found, all but two rated it a solid 5 stars. Those other two gave it a 4-star rating: one didn’t like the plastic control handles and the other wasn’t satisfied with the dust collection bag.

Most buyers said this saw was accurate right out of the box (no one said it wasn’t) and one was impressed with the blade, too. As he said, most original equipment miter saw blades go in the recycle bin and are replaced right away with an aftermarket blade. Not so with this one.

The JMS-12SCMS has a few unique features that stand out, like the enclosed slide rail system. It keeps the rails and bearings clean and working smoothly. Another is the up-front controls, including the bevel lock – with most bevel miter saws you have to reach around the back to adjust and lock the bevel setting.

In this photo you can see the easy-to-access controls and also the two swing-out arms that add support when cutting wider stock. I haven’t seen that on any other miter saw.

Another thing this saw has that you won’t find on any other is a green laser, instead of red. The green light shows up better in the daylight so it helps you all the time, not just some of the time.

One more thing that’s different about this saw is the power train. As you can see in the photo above, the motor is mounted above and behind the blade. The manufacturer points out that this gives you greater cutting capacity but I think just as important is it gives you better visibility.

The motor is connected to the blade by an enclosed v-belt, which is quieter and takes up less space than a gear drive system. It requires no cleaning or maintenance.

Here’s The List of Features

Shortcomings

Something you may have noticed in the specs is the 5/8″ arbor on the Jet JMS 12-SCMS. This is about the only shortcoming I see and it might come to light when you try to replace the blade. Most 12″ blades come with a 1″ bore but you CAN buy a miter saw blade with 5/8″ bore – most double miter machines use them. A good source is Just Saw Blades that carries a wide selection of professional blades.

Another negative, as mentioned in the part above about user reviews, is the dust collection. The bag is small and mounts on the top, not the bottom. But let’s look at reality: If you’re doing any serious amount of work with a saw like this, you’re probably going to want to connect the port to a shop vac or other dust extraction system.

Conclusions

Like Jet’s famous table saws, the JMS 707120 B3NCH 12-SCMS is well thought out and a precision machine with great features. But UN-like their table saws, this machine is competitively priced, in the same range as similar saws from Makita, Milwaukee, etc.

I’m going to stick with what people who have bought this saw had to say and give it a very good rating:
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Where To Buy

I found the Jet JMS-12SCMS Dual Bevel Sliding Compound Miter Saw at a few places online, all at the same price. But one online store has low flat rate shipping of $6.99 instead of the $40 or so others charge. And it’s a very reputable online store, with a whole site dedicated to Jet tools. They’ve been in business a long time and satisfied 1000′s of customers – they’re BBB Online Accredited and the site is secured by VeriSign so you can rest easy using a credit card. (Price and shipping rates subject to change.)

Click this link:

JET JETN707120 B3NCH, JMS-12SCMS, 12-in Dual Bevel Sliding Compound Miter Saw

This saw, like its sliding brother, comes with a couple of great features I particularly like. First is the digital miter angle readout. It’s coupled with an over-ride of the standard detent mechanism and gives you fine miter adjustments. It’s claimed to be accurate to 1/10th of a degree. Working in any environment where things aren’t exactly square (which is every structure ever built) this is a life saver.

The other feature I really like is the paddle-shaped bevel release lever. It’s a 3-stage lever: pull it part way up and it releases the bevel lock and lets you go to the next standard setting. Pull it all the way up and it totally releases and lets you go to any angle you want. Push it down again and it locks the bevel setting.

The miter and bevel scales are stainless steel and easy to read and the odd-looking handle/trigger is comfortable and easy to use with either hand. And it has two built-in lights, one on either side of the blade to light the way. As a few buyers who have reviewed this saw suggest, other manufacturers would be wise to include this feature on their saws.

When you combine the lights with the clear blade guard, you get excellent visibility at your cut point. Even in bad lighting.

Most buyers have said this saw comes out of the box ready to use – no adjustments necessary. Although you’ll probably want to upgrade from the 60 tooth OEM blade, especially if you plan to do any trim work.

Both Milwaukee miter saws have a depth of cut stop system that allows you to cut trenches or dados and that would be handy if you need to notch a stud for a pipe or something.

The power comes from a 15 amp, 3.3 hp max direct drive motor with both soft start (to eliminate jumpy starts) and electronic speed control to maintain blade speed at any load.

For dust collection, the 6950-20 has a shroud behind the blade that picks up sawdust from both sides of the blade and routes it to a chute behind the saw. It comes with a large cloth bag that hangs from the chute.

Overall, this is a very precision, solidly built and heavy duty saw and is quite easy to operate. Plenty of power and a good selection of features. However, it also comes with the same drawbacks as the sliding model.

Drawbacks

1. The Milwaukee 6950-20 has no laser guide (which may or may not matter to you) and surprisingly, both models lack any kind of hold-down clamp for your material. Milwaukee doesn’t offer one and there’s no way to mount one.

2. While the left fence slides for bevel cutting, the right one has to be removed to bevel right-to-left. Why they didn’t make that one slide too, I’m not sure.

3. A common complaint from buyers is the weight and bulk of this saw. At 55 pounds, it’s heavier than some dual bevel sliding saws, such as the Makita LS1216L at 52 pounds. And it’s bulky: As one buyer said, if you have to carry this saw around an inside job site, you’re going to build some muscle and ding some walls. The size also means you need lots of space to set it up and use it. So the conclusion is, it’s not really a great job site saw, but good for a shop.

4. Another commonly mentioned shortcoming is the dust collection setup. While it may work well if you’re set up with it on a saw stand where the bag can hang freely, if you’ve got it on the floor or on a big table, it kinks the bag so the dust can’t get in it.

5. Also, the sawdust outlet on this saw is rectangular so there’s almost no way to adapt a shop vac or dust extraction system to it. If you had some suction working, this would be a great design. Two years ago Milwaukee said they’d be coming out with an adapter to connect a round shop vac hose but I can’t find it on their web site.

Specifications

Conclusion

Even though most of the buyer reviews I found were 1-1/2 to 2 years old, I have to go along with what these people say. And most of them say that regardless of a few shortcomings and drawbacks, this is a pretty good saw. Like I said though, it’s not really a good portable job site tool so I have to qualify my endorsement. I’m giving the Milwaukee 6950-20 Dual Bevel Compound Miter Saw 4 stars.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Where to buy the Milwaukee 6950-20 Dual Bevel Compound Miter Saw

If you’re considering purchasing a Milwaukee 6950-20 we highly recommend going to CPO Milwaukee. This is a web site devoted entirely to Milwaukee tools, so you can rest assured they know them well.

CPO has been in business since 2003 and have thousands of satisfied customers and are even customer certified by Bizrate.  Ordering through their site is secure and they’re a member of BBB Online, so you can trust them.  And they accept Pay Pal for totally secure transactions.

Milwaukee MILN6950-20 12-in Dual-Bevel Compound Miter Saw

One of my favorite unique features is the digital miter readout combined with a microadjust/detent override. The scale reads in tenths of a degree, is highly accurate, and is easily repeatable.

My other favorite is the bevel lock setup. On the back of the saw is wide lever, shaped more like a paddle, that you pull up. Pull it up halfway, and the bevel will stop at the 9 standard stops. Pull it up all the way for infinite adjustment from zero to 48 degrees.

The 6955-20 also has a depth-of-cut adjustment so you can cut dados and trenches. It’s never going to replace a dado on a table saw, but in a pinch on the job site, it’ll do.

The miter and bevel scales are stainless steel and easy to read.  Dust collection is much better than most, with a shroud behind the blade that leads to an outlet behind the saw, where you attach a very large collection bag. The shortcoming of this system is the outlet isn’t round so it’s hard to attach any kind of vacuum to it.

The very different looking horizontal handle is comfortable, has no safety, and is easily triggered with either hand. And another convenience is the two built-in lights, one on each side, that light up the cutting area extremely well. Combine the lights with the clear blade guard, and visibility is very good. Good enough you won’t need a laser (which this saw does not have).

The power is supplied by a 15 amp, 3.3 hp maximum direct-drive motor with soft start and constant power control to maintain constant speed under all load conditions.

The fences are tall, to support large stock like crown molding. The left fence slides but for some bevel cuts, you have to remove the right one. Apparently the motor housing will hit it if you don’t take it off. And another related issue is this saw doesn’t come with any clamp or vise to hold the material in place. Just about every other saw in this class does.

Specifications

Conclusion

As I said at the  top of this article, the Milwaukee 6955-20 is a heavy duty saw and going along with that classification, it’s big and it’s heavy – 65 pounds. It’s really not a great job site saw, in my opinion. At least not for the average sized person. Yes, it has some cool features and yes, it’s from a manufacturer we all know and respect. But….

When researching to do a review of a tool, I like to read as many user reviews as possible – those are the REAL reviews. And a great thing about the Internet is it’s all out there to be found.

I found a lot of reviews of this saw, both users and reviewers. But what I discovered is that none of them – either type – was written in the past year or year and a half. A lot of users rated this saw highly, even though most had some complaint(s) about it and I thought that was interesting.

Then it struck me that since they were written, other new competing saws had hit the market. Better, more advanced machines, like the Makita LS1216L. The point is, when the Milwaukee 6955-20 dual slide compound saw came out, it was “state-of-the-art” and the best out there.  Not now.

To be honest and realistic, for about the same price, unless you’re a big fan of the Milwaukee name, I think a person is better off buying the Makita.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Where to buy the Milwaukee 6955-20 Dual Bevel Sliding Compound Miter Saw

If you’re considering purchasing a Milwaukee 6955-20 we highly recommend going to CPO Milwaukee. This is a web site devoted entirely to Milwaukee tools, so you can rest assured they know them well.

CPO has been in business since 2003 and have thousands of satisfied customers and are even customer certified by Bizrate.  Ordering through their site is secure and they’re a member of BBB Online, so you can trust them.  And they accept Pay Pal for totally secure transactions.

Milwaukee MILN6955-20 12-in Dual-Bevel Sliding Compound Miter Saw

The list of features and capabilities of this saw is mind boggling! We’ll get to those in a minute, but first I have to say the video I watched on the Festool site totally blew me away! If you’d like to see it, it’s below.

Now, about the features. We’ll start with one that no other manufacturer can boast: variable speed. You choose the right speed for the material you’re cutting and the electronic control will keep the powerful 1600 watt motor at a constant speed under any load.

Next, there’s Festool’s revolutionary, compact design. They’ve combined a light weight magnesium alloy base (the saw weighs in at 47 lbs) with a smaller than normal footprint, making this saw truly portable. And with the rails forward design, you don’t have a lot of the saw hanging out the back.

For a 10″ (actually 260mm blade diameter) that can do most of the work of a 12″ saw, the Kapex KS 120 saves a lot of space. And, as one professional remodeling contractor said, he doesn’t bang into doorways with this saw like he did with the 12″ saw he previously used. When you’re doing remodels, you definitely don’t want to be dinging up your customer’s woodwork!

Something else you don’t want to do in a customer’s house is leave a mess. When combined with the Festool CT 22 or CT 33 dust extractor, the Kapex is capable of collecting up to 91% of the sawdust. (You may also be able to adapt a shop vacuum to mate up to the dust extraction port – the port accepts a 26 or 27mm hose.)

Other features include:

• Dual Lasers- You can line up cuts from the left or right side using the dual lasers. The lasers mark both sides of the kerf. Using the three axis adjustment controls, you can fine-tune them.
• Counter Spring Balanced – The bevel adjustment is counter spring balanced so you can position the bevel at any angle and the head will stay in position even when it’s not locked. This makes angle adjustment a lot less tedious and more accurate. And bevel gauges are on both sides of the saw for easy viewing.
• Bevel Lock Knob – Use the bevel lock knob conveniently located on top of the Kapex to control the bevel settings and  lock the bevel angle.
• Bevel Fine-Adjustment Knob – This one is a great feature you don’t see on other saws. Use the fine-adjustment knob to control the bevel of the cut to fractions of a degree with extreme precision. The knob rotates and engages a rack and pinion to move the head.
• Ergonomic Handle Position – The center-positioned handle allows you to make cuts with either hand.  And the 2-stage trigger helps prevent accidental triggering.
• Special Cutting Position – The Kapex incorporates a special cutting position that provides a taller than usual cutting capacity by using the back portion of the blade more effectively.
• Trenching Capability – With the flip of a knob, you can cut trenches for lap joints or to notch for pipes and other obstacles. Flip the knob back up and you’re back to normal miter saw position in seconds.
• Deck Height – The deck height matches the height of the Festool  “systainer 1″ storage containers. On the job site, you can use one or more systainers to support longer stock.  These are available for separate purchase from a Festool dealer.
• FastFix Blade Changes – The Kapex features Festool’s patented FastFix blade change system. Turning the fast fix knob locks the arbor,  locks out the trigger for safety and allows the blade to be changed with one hand.
• Blade Kerf and Guard Design – The Kapex blades are thin kerf which reduces load on the motor and improves the cut quality. They’re a good quality, with noise reduction and vibration dampening features. The large 30mm arbor hole reduces blade deflection.
• Warranty – The Festool Kapex KS 120 comes with a 3 year factory warranty, better than most.
• Cord & Tool Storage – Includes an on-board tool storage for the power cord and arbor tool. A far superior and safer solution than simply wrapping the cord around the saw to move it. And the arbor tool (an allen wrench, by the way) is always handy for quick blade changes using the FastFix system.

This last feature may not sound like much and it’s not rocket science. It also didn’t cost them much to include it on the Festool Kapex when no one else does it. After seeing it in action, I wonder why every sliding compound miter saw – most of which cost a lot of money – doesn’t include it.

Conclusion

It looks like Miter Saw Reviews loves the Festool Kapex KS 120 Sliding Compound Miter Saw and I have to admit, it’s not only revolutionary in its design, but just plain impressive. But there’s that thing about the price and another about the non-standard blades, meaning you’re just about stuck buying the expensive Festool blades for it.

But let’s play devil’s advocate and look at the other side of it. First off, if you want to do the best work you can for your paying customers, you want the best tool.

And consider what was previously said about the ease of getting this machine into the spot you need it. And the dust extraction, leaving the environment neat and clean. If you can get in and out leaving a house cleaner than other contractors, and do the quality work you can do with a high-quality saw, you’re likely to get referrals. That would make it a good investment – an investment in your professional reputation.

As for the blades, all is not lost. They’re not in the regular catalog yet, but Tenryu is now making a couple of blades for this saw.

Now, if you haven’t already, watch the video and see if you’re not as impressed as I was.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Would be 5 stars except for the price.

The price on this Festool miter saw is fixed at $1375 and no one sells it for less. If this price is too steep for your budget, but you still want a state-of-the-art 10″ miter saw with capacity more like a 12″, check out the Makita LS1016L 10″ Sliding Compound Miter Saw at less than half the price of the Festool.

Where To Buy

If you’re considering purchasing a Festool Kapex KS 120 Sliding Compound Miter Saw we highly recommend going to CPO Festool. This is a web site devoted entirely to Festool tools, so you can rest assured they know them well.

CPO has been in business since 2003 and have thousands of satisfied customers and are even customer certified by Bizrate.  Ordering through their site is secure and they’re a member of BBB Online, so you can trust them.  And they accept Pay Pal for totally secure transactions.

Standard shipping is free to anywhere in the lower 48 states from CPO Festool.

Festool 561287 KAPEX KS 120 EB Sliding Compound Miter Saw

TheMakita LS1216LX is their 12″ LS1216L dual bevel slide compound miter saw, coupled with the equally impressive 195083-4 heavy duty miter saw stand. (If you haven’t yet read the reviews of these two exceptional tools, click on the links above to read them now.)

For the very professional contractor, this combination appears to be the ultimate setup: A super capable 12″ miter saw on a serious, no-fooling around portable stand. And remember, this isn’t some generic, one-size-fits-all stand, it’s made exclusively by Makita to use with their newest generation of sliding compound miter saws, the 12″ LS1216L and the 10″ LS1016L.

Buying this package deal will save you about $150 compared to purchasing them separately and at nearly 150 pounds total weight, $5.99 flat rate shipping is one heck of a bargain!

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

If you’re considering purchasing a Makita LS1016LX combination we highly recommend going to CPO Makita. This is a web site devoted entirely to Makita tools, so you can rest assured they know them well.

CPO has been in business since 2003 and have thousands of satisfied customers and are even customer certified by Bizrate.  Ordering through their site is secure and they’re a member of BBB Online, so you can trust them.  And they accept Pay Pal for totally secure transactions.

Standard shipping to the lower 48 is a flat rate of $6.99  and if you order by 3 pm Eastern Time and it ships same day.

Makita LS1216LX 12-in Slide Compound Miter Saw with Laser and Stand