miter saw question

12” sliding compound to me is the only way to go. Best capabilities. I would never go back to the 10”. Mine is a Dewalt.

-- Nature created it, I just assemble it.

For 20 yrs I had a craftsman 10 in. miter saw and it had plenty of power, it would cut right through a 4×4 but the width of a cut board was only about a 1×10, but I needed a saw to cut wider boards, so I bought a rigid 12 in. sliding miter saw and it will cut 4×4’s, 1×12’s, maybe upto 15” wide and not sure yet if it will cut through a 6×6.
So it just depends on what you wood use it for as to which one you’ll need.

My current 10” slider gets me through everything I have needed it to. It’s a P.O.S. Ryobi. It will cut 2×12’s, I don’t do much cross cutting more than 6”’s on it, anything longer than that usually goes over to the table saw.

I can’t imagine needing more than a 10” slider for anything I currently do.

Paul

I failed to mention, I currently have a stationary saw and would replace it with another one. I am not interested in purchasing a slider. I have a circular saw to do wide boards.

-- Andrew, California

If you were cutting large Crown molding you would see the difference. I believe 5-1/2 inch would need the larger saw. I have an OLD Rockwell 9 inch. I went to a job and saw what the customer wanted and my saw wouldn’t do it. HE had a 10 inch and told me to feel free to use it. It wouldn’t cut any deeper than my 9 inch. I got a 12 inch and it worked fine. That was my experience. I own a Bosch 12 inch slider now. I like it but it doesn’t stay accurate very long. My old 9 inch stays dead on. I have used a 12 inch Dewalt a lot and was satisfied with it. You will pay more for the blades. They make 10 inch sliders. They might be a compromise if you could bring yourself to own a slider.

I think my main question is, what is the maximum width stock I can cut? Would like a comparison between the 10 and 12 inch

-- Andrew, California

If the build quality of the two sizes of saws were identical, a 10” saw will produce superior cut quality due to a smaller diameter blade having less runout.

The reason for the switch to a 12” saw is capacity, not quality.

The single most versatile saw on the market will be the 10” slider. And in the Kapex, provides the cut quality and lighter weight of a 10” saw and nearly the capacity of a 12” saw due to an innovative design.

Presently, the largest capacity in a non-slider 12” CMS is the DeWalt. Delta used to have the 12” saw with the greatest capacity of any CMS, but that saw was discontinued.

Expect a 10” CMS to cut a 1×6 flat or 1×4 standing or a 5” nested crown.

A 12” CMS will cut roughly a 1×8 flat, 1×6 standing and 6-1/2” nested crown.

Sliders in 10 and 12” have about the same capacity in flat stock, and the 12” sliders have some gains in vertical and nested cutting, but regular 12” CMS have the greatest vertical capacity. 12” sliders are beasts to move, so best left in one spot.

-- https://www.basswoodmodularllc.com/

Do you have a particular brand in mind? Ridgid? Even if not you could always go to any Manufacturers Web Site and check the difference.

They usually give cutting capacities as such: Dewalt 12” will cut a 2×10 90 degrees. A 2x8 45 degrees.

These are the “Specs for the Dewalt 10 inch:

These are the “Specs for the Dewalt 12 inch:

-- Richard (Ontario, CANADA)

Another though is price of blades between 10” and 12”. I don’t see that you would gain much its 2” wider at center line of the blade, 1/4 of the blade is used so I would guesstimate it would be less than an inch difference on a 1” thick board.

Yeah these were the specs I was after. I need to be able to make straight and miter cuts for redwood 2×6. I do a lot of planter boxes and furniture builds with redwood. Anybody ever make 45 degree miter cuts on a table saw with a miter gauge?

-- Andrew, California

a 45 degree cut on a properly tuned table saw is my go to over a miter saw any day, yes I do these cuts on a miter gauge weekly.

My new TS has a 4 foot CS capacity and a 6 foot 45 degree capacity.

Paul

PLK- Excellent picture, thanks for the detail. Is that fence attached to your miter gauge?

-- Andrew, California

Yes, It’s attached to the miter gauge with 1/8” bolts that slide into the miter gauge.

Paul

Paul this is excellent. What’s a good way to cut four boards the same length with 45 degree miters?

-- Andrew, California

12” cuts a 6×6 post in one pass. Sometimes I think a sliding 10” would be just as good.
I went with a non-sliding 12” Dewalt and have been very happy.

-- Willie, Washington "If You Choose Not To Decide, You Still Have Made a Choice" - Rush