need chop saw

admin

Any recommendations on a good one. I looked at the Dewalt (200.00), Ridgid (169.00) and the Hitachi (159.00). They all look similar but would like to get some good feedback on the 14" saws.
Reply:I've had a makita for about 5 yrs and no complaints. A friend has had one for about 10 yrs in a business and it's still going strong.  I always use the speed square to set it for 90* or 45*. more accurate than using the scale on the saw.                          MikeOl' Stonebreaker  "Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes"Hobart G-213 portableMiller 175 migMiller thunderbolt ac/dc stick Victor O/A setupMakita chop saw
Reply:Here's my responce from a similar question previously asked."I have 2 so I'll give you the good and bad points of both.First statement, I'll assume you know this but I just last week answered someones post on another forum who aparently learned this the hard way. DO NOT USE A WOOD MITER SAW FOR STEEL. yes they adjust real easy but you will kill your saw. Ok thats out of the way.I have a milwaulkee 14" abrasive cut off machine and a Dewalt DW871 abrasive chopsaw. Both are rated at 15amps. I don't see the rpm listed on the motor but I'll assume they are close. The milwaulkee has a straight handle the Dewalt has a D type handle. I prefer the Dewalts handle myself. The angle adjustment for the fence is different on both. The dewalt has a lever you can lift that unlocks the fence to quickly angle the fence. I find it nice when I have to make a lot of diferent angled cuts but it seems too easy for long term exact repeatable cuts. The Milwaulkee's fence uses 2 bolts to lock it. It's a bigger pain to adjust and to get it acurately locked but once its there, it stays put nomatter what. This saw I leave locked at 45* almost all the time. I use the dewalt for most fast cuts and I dont care if its out of square by a tiny bit most of the time. The locking clamp handles are different on both also. I prefer the one on the Milwaulkee vs the one on the Dewalt but its a minor difference. I get a better grip on the Milwaulkee's as its a crank vs a straight bar on the dewalt.I have had no major problems on either saw. The bolts holding the milwalkee to the base loostened a bit and the guard would jam, but once I figured out why it has been fine since. I don't see this as a problem more of just a fact of using it alot.I would love to get a cold saw but with all the other cutting gear around the shop I can't justify the cost unless I find a steel on a used one.Hope this helps. "Original thread for the rest of the comments http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php...ghlight=dewalt
Reply:I have a milwuakee for about 2 years now and i have put a lot of time on it, it seems to have good power and when matched to a good blade i get good cuts.
Reply:I've used makita, milwaukee, dewalt, and Harbor freightI would rank them like this:Milwaukee #1Makita very close 2ndHF 3rdDewalt 4ththe makita and milwaukee seem to work as intended every time.the harbor freight, well, kind of a crap shoot there, you might get one made on tuesday morning or you might get one from friday afternoon ...I hated the fence on the dewalt. it constantly moved. other than that, it seemed pretty good, but i could never get over such an important part not performing.I've had my personal milwaukee for ten years+ and it's still spinning. I've replaced the switch several times, but the rest is solid.My friend has a ridgid and it seems to be ok, although I haven't used it myself.I like the ones with a cast base better that the stamped base.Mla2ofus is right, don't trust the scale on any of these, use a good square or angle finder to set your fence.Last edited by fortyonethirty; 06-15-2009 at 06:49 PM.
Reply:I have the Dewalt and I have been getting good service out of it, but I am sure there are some more that are just as good. I would take a look at them and then decide which one is right for you. I have always been partial to Dewalt but I have Makaita tools I like just as well. At the end of the day, however, with my eyesight the way it is now, the color of the Dewalt makes it a little bit easier to see and makes sure it gets back home.
Reply:I have used all three, and honestly my choice of the above is the hitachi believe it or not,  I personally haven't had good luck with the dewalt saws.  I went thru 3 in three years, and finally bought a hitachi and it has four years on it and still going strong.  With that said, my personal choice is a boschI'm a Lover, Fighter, Wild horse Rider, and a pretty good welding man......
Reply:I've got a no name chop saw, foreign made for reference here. I hate the handle, it's not a "D" style, i dislike the clamp(because it doesn't have the "speed release flip lever") like the newer ones, BUT it's over 10+ years old and has been thru many, many abrasive blades. It just keeps on working. I use it on average 3-5 times a week. I know my next one will be a cast base, "D" handle, and a quick release clamp saw. That's if there is one with all these options. Like stated above I'd love a cold saw, but between the chop and the band saws, I get what I need done, for not alot of investment.Hillbilly Fabworks
Reply:i went with craftsman pro for it HD baseits cast not stamped steel the new onesare the same but have a lazer for the cut line Attached Images
Reply:I have a new craftsman. It was a refurb at a Sears outlet for $125.00 regularly $195 or so. I couldn't pass it up and so far I really like it. Seems solid and it has the LLLLLLazer. Makes it nice to turn it on, line up my chalk mark, and pull er down. Since, it was a refurb(couldn't tell it at all) and I got it cheaper, I decided to get the 3 year free replacement deal for $18.00 more.Since, it will be homeower use maybe it'll last me a decade or so. Tom
Reply:I'm currently building a $105M high school (I'm the project manager for the District) and I needed a chop saw for my own home use.  I surveyed the saws on site, probably 20 or more being used by 10 or more contractors, and about 90% were DeWalt. That was a good enough reason for me to purchase one.Maybe their good and maybe their cheap, but they sure were prevalent.