miter saw

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Looking at 2 miter saws the Dewalt dws 780 for $499
https://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-...ding-Compound-Miter-Saw-DWS780/202922350


or


https://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-...w-with-70-Miter-Capacity-R4221/206726927
The Rigid for $299 ?

Both sliding saws, both dual bevel. Both have a light or laser.

I was really looking at the Dewalt, but the Dewalt has 50 degree right and 60 degree left angles

The Rigid does 70 degrees both directions

Dewalt is a 6.75 max thickness Rigid is 4 inch

Dewalt is about 7 lbs lighter.

Thoughts?
 
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Edit above post! Reviews for the Rigid are numerous for blade wobble. So i think i'll avoid.

Thanks though.
 
The 780 is proven, I have used it extensively. If Dewalt is the most accessable pro power tool brand, Rigid is the most professional-style homeowner tool brand. Their jobsite vacuums are unparalleled but I'm not a fan of their power tools. 780 hands down but try to get the promotion where it comes with a stand.

If you're going to drop the coin on the 780 consider the Makita that has the shortened sliding mechanism, especially if you plan on putting against a wall.

You will never break the 780 unless you abuse it.
 
Thanks Max!

I do have 2 of their vacs and they are great. I will never use the saw like a contractor. I am going to replace my homes windows, and recase and trim them all in stained poly wood so i never have to paint again.

But enough to get a quality saw.

About 20 windows to trim , mostly in oak or maple.
 
If you're just re-casing windows, you don't need a sliding miter. Most sliding miters aren't as accurate as fixed chop saws. I have an ancient Delta behemoth with a 12" blade, and it's never been inadequate for any cuts I need to make.
 
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Originally Posted by JerryBob
If you're just re-casing windows, you don't need a sliding miter. Most sliding miters aren't as accurate as fixed chop saws. I have an ancient Delta behemoth with a 12" blade, and it's never been inadequate for any cuts I need to make.
You will never see any serious carpenter with a non-sliding mitre saw. However, you will see plenty of saws on jobsites with out of square fences and blades from getting tossed around in the back of a pick up truck.

You don't realize how important the blade brake is on modern saws until you start making cuts on an old mitre saw. I like them and they are fun to use, but I also like my fingers.
 
I bought the 12" from HF and it seems to do the job. I like high end tools as much as the next guy but my woodworking skills are very poor at best and given the fact I only needed it for a few jobs I just couldn't justify a higher priced unit.
The saw has decent reviews but I was reading the blade is just as important as the tool so I bought a high quality blade, it cost a lot more than I thought it would but it cut nice and smooth.

It did the job better than I expected and ran fine, I cant knock it for the money. The blade I got also cuts PVC pipe so it will come in useful in other ways when I need it. I got the Craftsman extendable table for it for $90, it seems ok also.
 
I have the earlier version of the Dewalt saw without a laser. Probably had it sixteen years. It cuts perfectly every time, one of my favorite tools. I highly recommend getting the stand.
 
Originally Posted by maxdustington
The 780 is proven, I have used it extensively. If Dewalt is the most accessable pro power tool brand, Rigid is the most professional-style homeowner tool brand. Their jobsite vacuums are unparalleled but I'm not a fan of their power tools. 780 hands down but try to get the promotion where it comes with a stand.

If you're going to drop the coin on the 780 consider the Makita that has the shortened sliding mechanism, especially if you plan on putting against a wall.

You will never break the 780 unless you abuse it.


This.
 
Trav touches on an important point. The blade quality is very critical.

I have the older deWalt 12" compound slide and the original deWalt blade left a glass smooth cut. After years of use and cutting a few nails, it got dull, until I find a local guy to sharpen it (shipping 2 ways plus sharpening equals the cost of a new blade), I got a replacement. deWalt moved blade production to China in the meantime, so I looked elsewhere. The first was a "Made in Germany" 12in. Craftsman that is supposed to be good for both table and miter saws. What a piece of crap that was. Lifted the workpiece constantly, rough cuts, blowouts, wide kerf (much wood destruction).

So then I sprung for a real blade, a narrow kerf Freud LU91R012. Back to safe cuts and leaving a glass smooth finish behind.
 
Originally Posted by JerryBob
You'll never see a serious cabinetmaker with a slider.

Probably not since he'll have a shop full of tools perfectly suited to every task. I do agree with you that a 12 inch none sliding saw will do most everything you need to do, and in a less costly, smaller, lighter package. That being said I have a 780 and it's a nice piece of equipment. Plenty accurate for general carpentry. Huge capacity too. I went from a lower end 10 inch regular miter saw. It's just too small.
 
Thanks, HD was sold out of the dws779combo which is basically the 780 without the light. Lowes had the 779 combo ( saw and portable miter saw stand) for $399.

The 780 with the same stand would have been around $750 or so as there was no combo deal. While i would have liked the light, i didn't need it for $300+ more!

Ordered it tonight.

Yes blades are a big deal. I like freud blades. Oldham used to make some good blades but not sure they are around anymore.
 
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