Indecision rules, I think.

[Feltwell]

Very pathetic to post this up really.....

To treat myself as a result of getting a new job, I've decided to buy myself a slide compound mitre saw, as currently I've only got a small and cheap chop saw. Whilst I like Makita stuff a lot, I don't like it enough to spend the £400 - £600 that a decent one would cost, so it's time to look at the cheaper options.

Which brings me to the choice I have:-

Spend £200-ish on a very good quality, but old fashioned design, saw from Axminster very similar to the one below. Lovely saw, I can get one that's been a customer return and has had a simple fault fixed. From the reviews it will outlive me. Dust extraction is poor, no laser guide, neither of which bother me that much, but it will only cut wood up to 61mm thick. The quality of it should mean that it cuts accurately.
http://www.axminster.co.uk/axminste...itre-saw-prod32404/?searchfor=mitre saw quiet

Or - spend a similar amount on a saw which is probably not such good quality, certainly will be noisier, but which will cut up to 110mm thick. It may not be quite as accurate though, certainly on the pre-defined angle stops.

http://www.sipuk.co.uk/tools/info_SIP01502.html

I've got a SIP router and I'm very pleased with it - it's not top quality but for amateur use it's plenty good enough, which is what I wonder about the saw above.

How often will I need to cut wood between 61 and 110mm thick? Not that often really, most will be below 61mm. But it'll happen often enough that I'll curse!

I had a sliding compound mitre saw years ago, but it was so cr@p that I got rid of it very quickly - I can't complain too much, it was a freebie from my work at the time, but it was so cheap and nasty and wobbly that the cuts it gave were horrendously inaccurate.

So what do you reckon? Medium-ish quality and more features? Or "outlive me" quality but less features and a bit restricted in use? Anyone got a sliding mitre saw?

 

[LadyArowana]

Having a thing that doesn't cut the thing you want it to cut is like having no thing at all.

How often will I need to cut wood between 61 and 110mm thick? Not that often really, most will be below 61mm. But it'll happen often enough that I'll curse!

I doubt you will curse not having the older more beautiful one though, it's a saw not a piece of lovely furniture!

Many congrats on the new job too.

 

[Flyfisher]

I bought one of those Axminster mitre saws about 5 years ago and have been very pleased with it. I rarely cut anything much larger than 4x2, for which it is fine. On the odd occasion I've needed to cut more I've found it very easy to cut one side, rotate the wood and cut the other (I'm not exactly cabinet-making!). I've also use this technique quite a bit when laying 110mm plastic drains, though if I had to do this regularly then it would be annoying and I'd definitely buy a larger model.

I used it a lot when fixing our roof and I've also used it for a fair bit of stud-walling and other carcassing work. I've also used it a lot when fixing up our outbuildings and it has never missed a beat. There seems to be no 'play' at all and cuts are clean an accurate (well, as accurate as the operator!). The induction motor is certainly a great deal quieter than the 'screamers'. I also have a metal chop saw and it makes a horrendous noise when running - if I used it a lot I'd have to wear ear defenders, but I've never felt that need with the Axminster saw, even when using it all day.

I can't really comment on the dust extraction as I've never used it, though I don't really see why it shouldn't work. It's only a right-angled tube close to the saw blade so I'd expect the actual 'efficiency' to be wholly dependent on the nature of the vacuum unit connected to it.

I've also never used a laser guide. By the time you've marked the wood it's not exactly hard to accurately align the blade anyway. I have a hand-held circular saw with a laser and I'd say it's more trouble than it's worth - I left it switched on, the battery ran down and I've never replaced it. Perhaps I'm missing the point but I find it easy enough to live without them.

I'd say your post has already pinpointed the real decision you have to make, i.e. will you regularly be needing a larger cut. If not, I reckon you'll be pleased with it, rather than a larger but less solid model.

Congratulations about the new job by the way.

 

[Andrew Bodenham]

Feltwell,

That Axminster saw is visually identical to the ElektraBeckum saw that I have, and at that price it's a real bargain. I'd give the Sip job a miss.

I've used mine for all sorts over the last 9 years, and never been frustrated by it's capacity. For deep timber you can always cut roughly to length with a handsaw, then take a shaving cut with the mitresaw to finish. It's the motor housing that limits the depth of cut normally, but if you just take a 1mm cut (i.e. timber to the left of the saw blade) then you can utilise almost the full radius of the blade.

 

[Feltwell]

Thanks FF and Andrew, that's really useful. I thought it was a bit odd that it would only cut wood up to 61mm thick, when other saws with the same size blade seem to manage up to another inch or so, into the 80-something mm range. Knowing that you can do that shaving cut clinches it for me, it's the Axminster one I'll go for. I've read elsewhere that is used to be produced under a different name, so what you say there Andrew doesn't surprise me.

Re. the job - thanks, it's back to the corporate world for me, albeit a small part of a huge group. Has it's downsides without question but it pays better and there's pretty much zero chance of my employer going bust, which has become an increasing concern of late!

 

[Feltwell]

As a matter of interest Andrew - who do you reckon produces the best blades for those saws?

 

[Flyfisher]

I wonder if ElektraBeckam make all of the Axminster "white" range of powertools?

I've also got their "white" cordless drill/driver, which has had a fair bit of use and abuse over the past 4-5 years but is still going strong - though I notice that they no longer sell it. Perhaps they are discontinuing all their "white" range?

 

[Feltwell]

I wonder if ElektraBeckam make all of the Axminster "white" range of powertools?

I've also got their "white" cordless drill/driver, which has had a fair bit of use and abuse over the past 4-5 years but is still going strong - though I notice that they no longer sell it. Perhaps they are discontinuing all their "white" range?

Not sure. I think a lot of Electra Beckum became "Metabo" brand.

Very happy though - got the saw for £221 inc postage, and it's new with a warranty - a customer return to Axminster that's had a simple fault fixed. It's currently on Axminster's site at £270, reduced from £367 as it looks like it is discontinued. Everyone likes a bargain!

 

[Andrew Bodenham]

Feltwell,

For sawblades I've found the offerings of CMT and Freud very good. Also worth a look is Wealden Tool Co, who also supply all my router bits. I've had a couple of Bosch blades, but I've not been quite so impressed.
All depends what you're going to cut of course. A fine tooth blade with alternating sharp tips is great for mouldings, especially if you make up a simple tray (say 6mm ply base with a 20mm square batten along the back) to clamp onto the bed of the machine. This can be cut to your chosen angle (typically 45deg) and then remains in place when you cut something like glazing beads. The zero-clearance tray supports the small moulding and prevents any breakout at the back of the cut, and also allows accurate alignment of the cutting line. I wish I had a photo of this set-up; it's very simple but not so easy to describe!

 

[Penners]

Fantastic news about the job, Feltwell! Well done! Tell us more....

Incidentally, I have a 25-year-old De Walt radial arm crosscut saw which is just wonderful. I'd buy one today in preference to any brand new sliding chop saw.

 

[Feltwell]

I wonder why radial arm saws have gone out of fashion - sliding mitres have pretty much taken over apparently. I'm told they are safer, presumably as you push away to cut, although the degree of safety of any circular saw depends more on the operator than anything I'd say! I've also heard comment that pound for pound a sliding mitre is more accurate, although a decent radial arm saw is fine.

Seeing as how I've splashed out on a good quality saw I hope to be saying much the same as you in 25 years time.

 

[Feltwell]

A fine tooth blade with alternating sharp tips is great for mouldings, especially if you make up a simple tray (say 6mm ply base with a 20mm square batten along the back) to clamp onto the bed of the machine. This can be cut to your chosen angle (typically 45deg) and then remains in place when you cut something like glazing beads. The zero-clearance tray supports the small moulding and prevents any breakout at the back of the cut, and also allows accurate alignment of the cutting line. I wish I had a photo of this set-up; it's very simple but not so easy to describe!

I think I know what you mean. For now, I've bolted 2 pieces of hardwood to the fence, cut precisely at 90 degrees and 45 degrees in one direction only.

When it comes to needing to cut in the other direction, or swinging the saw over to do a compound mitre, I'll need to either remove the hardwood or cut it - I'll probably just cut it and then make up a tray as you describe for any future fine cutting. Having some "sacrificial" hardwood bolted to the aluminium machine fence seems like a good idea anyway, to protect the fence.

 

[Penners]

Feltwell - that's a nicely made fence. The only problem with it may be that you risk some breakout at the back of a simple 90 degree cut, on the right-hand side (where the 45 deg section of fence is). There's no support for the back edge of the board at this point.

I usually find it beneficial to clamp a sacrificial fence in front of the more permanent fence. That way you cut the fence as you cut the workpiece. This gives you a very clean, breakout-free back edge.

It's also a good plan to adopt the same approach with a sacrificial baseboard. Adjust the cutting height of the saw so that it just cuts a mill. or so into the baseboard. Again, this makes for a virtually breakout-free underside to the cut.

 

[LadyArowana]

I think I know what you mean. For now, I've bolted 2 pieces of hardwood to the fence, cut precisely at 90 degrees and 45 degrees in one direction only.

.

Congratulations on your new piece of kit, obviously very exciting, do you have a project lined up to christen it with?

 

[Feltwell]

Thanks Penners. As I'm right handed, most of the time I'm bringing in the piece to be cut from the left - the bit on the right of the blade becoming the offcut, so a bit of breakout on that side doesn't matter too much. That fence is more just to protect the aluminium machine fence, and stop the worst of the breakout, the machine fence itself stopping a good way back and offering practically no support.

I like your idea of clamping a "very" sacrificial temporary fence on, and a baseboard - if I'm doing fine work then I'll certainly give that a try. I've got a small basic chop saw, I was going to Ebay it but I may just keep that for "rough" use so I can keep a good fine-toothed blade on the new saw.

 

[Feltwell]

Congratulations on your new piece of kit, obviously very exciting, do you have a project lined up to christen it with?

It's sad I know, but you know how much boys like their toys!

Nothing that specific, just general use. So far it's helped make a terrace of 3 nest boxes for sparrows - as I need to block up some holes were they are getting into the inside of the garage, but I'm too soft not to offer them alternative accomodation! - and I need to trim some fascia boards I'm making up for the garage, where it will be much more accurate than my cutting them with a handsaw

 

[LadyArowana]

I don't think it's sad at all, I think it's wonderful for boys to have toys and be happy! My dearest husband doesn't expect to understand why I need lots of handbags, or even a handbag at all rather than an old plastic carrier, so it seems only fair. Making new homes for the evicted birds is very kind, are sparrow numbers still decreasing? I remember reading that they had become much less common.

 

[Feltwell]

I think they are still decreasing, not that you'd know it from round here. We have loads in our garden, but alas their favourite hedge is slowly dying from something incurable and at some point I'll have to take it out

I wouldn't mind them nesting in part of the garage roof, apart from the fact that the youngsters keep managing to find their way inside the garage and it's a right game trying to then get them out. I found a tiny fledgling stuck in my garage bin last year - luckily it was alive and flew off OK once put outside, it can't have been there for long. So they need to be excluded for their own good, but they are very adept at finding odd holes I've missed!

It's probably a little late for nesting this year, but if anyone wants to encourage sparrows then these "terraced" birdboxes seem to work well for them, they are a very social bird.

http://www.beautifulbritain.co.uk/htm/wildlife_gardening/sparrow_terrace.htm