If you're anything like me, you'll read 27 diferent miter saw reviews before you pull the trigger on the mac-daddy of all power tools: a sliding-compound miter saw. And who can blame you: some of these tools will almost put a $1000 dent in your checking account. Plus, men usually can't resist analyzing features like blade rpms, cut capacity, and material support extensions.
Every manufacturer is known for a certain type of tool: Milwaukee is famous for the Sawzall. Porter Cable for routers. Makita has always been an innovator in cordless technology. Hitachi is known for it's miter saws...and for good reason. They introduced the first sliding compound miter saw 25 years ago, and today Hitachi makes one of the best 12-inch sliders around...so let's have a closer look at the Hitachi C12LSH 12-inch sliding compound miter saw.
First things first: this saw performs like an absolute beast, and it looks like one too...I can't decide whether it looks more like a 68-pound BMX decal, or the 2009 slime-green Seattle Seahawks jerseys. Anyway, someone at Hitachi thought this Predator-styling was cool, and I don't really mind as long as they keep making 'em like this one.
I must admit that I truly hated the blade that came with this tool. However, once I installed a 12" Forrest Chopmaster, it cut like a dream, with no wobble. If you've seen any miter saw reviews before this one, you'll know that any entry in the 12" slider category will have plenty of juice...and so did this one: The Hitachi C12LSH employs a soft start that eases you into 15 amps of power at full throttle.
Let me highlight three feature of this saw that really set it apart from the pack:
1. The most updated feature on this tool is a digital LCD module mounted to a flexible arm above the saw blade, which displays miter and bevel readings down to a tenth of a degree. This is pretty cool, but what I like even more is a feature that has been standard on all Hitachi saws for several years now -- the laser guide, which can be dialed in to hairline accuracy for cuts. Unlike some other saws which have tried to duplicate this feature, the blade on this tool does not have to be spinning for the laser to be switched on. It's also visible in broad daylight, and is easy to adjust from one side of the blade to the other.
2. Also new to this model is a micro-adjustment guage for both the miter and bevel settings. What does this mean to you ? Well, if you need to cut a 45.5 degree miter, you won't have to wiggle the handle past the detent setting to finesse this cut...you simply dial it in without moving the table at all. Very cool indeed.
3. Possibly the best feature on this tool are the zero-clearanace rails, which will pay for itself on the job. With any other slider, you would have to set it up at least two feet in front of a wall to prevent the tool from smashing into the drywall when you return the blade to finish the cut. This feature allows you to back right up to a wall, which really opens up walking lanes when you're trimming a remodel job...Heck, you can even set up in a hallway!
This is a heavy-duty machine, and it weighs a ton as well...Tipping the scales at almost 70 pounds, it's one of the biggest of the Big Dogs. This won't stop me from mounting it on a portable stand with 10-inch wheels and hauling it around my next trim job, because it 's just too cool of a tool to leave in the shop.
It's hard to beat the combined features and performance of this Hitachi. Having said that, this is a lot of saw, and it may not be suitable or neccessary for a homeowner to purchase a large saw like this one -- Ten inch sliders can do just about everything that a 12 inch model can, at about 2/3 the price. I encourage you to comparison shop based upon your budget and needs before you buy...One way to do that is to check out some more miter saw reviews by visiting my blog at http://www.squidoo.com/miter-saw-reviews. I look forward to seeing you there!
Author Resource:
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