This is the same saw as the Delta Cruzer which I have. I have cut over 100K board feet (thousands of cuts) and I found that as you become familiar with your saw you will find that you can be consistent in producing cuts within 1/64th of an inch. Mine does not wobble so easily side to side as your demonstration saw. You may want to talk with the support team from the manufacturer. Since I got this saw I very rarely make cross cuts on my table saw as I find this produces consistent cuts.
I have the 10 inch Delta Cruzer, and the Ridgid sliding miters are the same machine, basically. I bought it because I have limited space and this design uses way less space. I have found it to be very accurate if I take my time and am careful not to introduce any deflection myself. I replaced the stock blade with a Freud Diablo 80 tooth and the cuts are butter smooth. I often will cut 4 or more boards at the same time for accuracy and it powers through them with ease. These are just my observations, and in my opinion it is an excellent saw. However, YMMV, and this is the only sliding miter I have owned so I have nothing to compare it to. One thing about the hold-down clamp-If you push the support rod to one side you can lift it right up or push it down quickly, without using the threads. Then tighten it down by turning the threaded knob.
Ridgid tools are/were manufactured by Emerson tool company, these Ridgid NEXT tools are apparently contracted now through Chang Type Industrial Industrial (Delta). I purchased the 2nd gen Delta of this saw model 26-2251 which I returned within 3 days due to the blade deflection as you precisely described. I desperately wanted to find this saw perfect and LOVED the smoothness of the arms, But as you described when it comes to finish carpentry, you cannot have any blade deflection maybe during rough cuts of framing lumber and even that's pushing it. The harder the wood the more deflection also. They need to correct this issue or this saw is no better than a boat anchor. BEST REVIEW ON UA-cam. Thank you.
That was a good honest run down on that saw. Well done. I'm a Ridged guy and I depend on there tools every day. They make great products and I would never have guessed that wasn't made by Ridged. As far as blede deflection it all in the experienced hands operating it. Thanks for the honest demo and info.
Nice review. I have Festool Kapex and yes it has a good clamp system, but dust collection is outstanding. I am not kidding when I say that it pays for itself because of time I save on cleanup. The Festool is insanely accurate and repeatable. Easy saw blade changes, trench cuts a super simple adjustments.
I have the Delta Cruiser 10" model. It was a pretty good review. You did however leave something out. When you remove the fences, there are two swing away brackets that turn into makeshift fences. Flip them to the rear, and put a 2x4 on the base, and you effectively extend the cross cut capacity of the saw by a few inches. Very handy.
Good review, most sliding, compound miter saws are like mayonnaise, a mix of odd ingredients that end up being pretty good. The Festool, despite the guy's excuse making, does not have stellar reviews for accuracy. I own a Milwaukee 12" sliding compound miter saw, a Makita 10 sliding compound, and at the bottom cost wise, the Chicago Electric 12" slider. The Milwaukee is far and away the smoothest, has lights instead of laser, fiddly to dial in but ultimately a good precision saw. Yes, any slider is going to deflect with side pressure, that's the physics of a substantial weight at the end of a couple of guide rods. My Makita is a couple of decades old, still worthy of precision work. The HF 12", once dialed in, was a pleasant surprise, robust, accurate and used for what I bought it for, framing, it is more than fine. As I said, surprising. The Milwaukee has the best dust collection(sans vacuum) of the bunch. The large dust bag will actually get full after a day's good use. With a vacuum attachment it would be stellar, that needs a special adapter. The play in the Rigid would be unacceptable for me, the cost and maybe slightly above average quality for the Festool is laughable. I've been a builder/remodel, trim and finish guy for longer than most of your viewers have been on the planet. I appreciate the breakdown in your review. 👍
Thanks for the review. I was looking at one and wondering if I should replace my Ridgid 12inch slider. You made my decision easy. Keep what I have. And yes it is messy, but I built a big dust trap behind my saw and it traps 98% of the dust and I just vacuum out periodically and the rest of the shop does not get a repeated dustying of sawdust. Thanks for the review!
@@SpencleyDesignCo as in truly hit it with a freaking hammer lol. I've seen a hundred guys say something like that, then pump fake the strike. You were beating that thing without hesitation. A man who does what he says, and says what he means is a kin to my m.o....... salute
As someone who does woodworking as a hobby festool products would be a much to expensive outlay unless you earn a significant income ,my real concern is will it make a consistent 90 degree cut if handled gently
Mayonnaise. Don't have a question just wanted to let you know that I saw this review in it's entirety and it was fantastic. You covered just about every question I or anyone else could have asked. Two thumbs up Eric.
Mayonnaise: if you like miracle whip, you’re dead to me. But also, when you make long cross cuts, you should lift, disengage from the work piece, and then pull the blade back….when ready, slowly engage downward and push forward to make your cut more accurate. User technique is the name of game for accurate cuts. :) I have this saw and I make cabinets, shelves, furniture, etc…I’m within a 1/32” when I do. Also, you missed the MASSIVE cross-cut capacity. I can cut 3/4” (.701 hard maple ply that’s 14.25” / 15.25” deep for closet shelves all day long. Supposedly can go out to almost 18” which I have not done yet. But thanks for the video - well done!
Miter saws are great for rough cutting lumber quickly down to rough size for milling purposes. After that I switch to my miter on my table saw or get out the table saw sled. Both are much more accurate. Good thought provoking video.
I just sold my Delta Cruzer (same saw) because of the play and dust collection. I agree the dust collection on most miter saws stinks but this one is especially horrible. It spits dust right in your face, especially when it's extended. I replaced it with the metabo hpt and the dust collection is comparitively wonderful. No dust in the face what so ever and that's just with the bag. Big step up! Thanks for the review. Always nice when reviews confirm my issues
Mayonnaise haha - I really like that more companies are moving towards this arm design. It makes the saw so much more compact. I've got the Bosch 12" and love it. It came with a hold down clamp like yours, but apparently, in Europe they get something much closer to the Kapex saw. I'd love to see a saw that allowed the blade to come far enough back that you didn't need a sacrificial board to make trench cuts.
Another person point out the “kapex like” clamp in Europe which is something I didn’t know about! Does your Bosch have this much side-to-side deflection? A lot of folks asked about a comparison but I’ve never used the Bosch before
I think making a fence that adjusts forwards and backwards to compensate for the blade curvature in a trench cut would be the solution to not needing a sacrificial piece of material.
Mayonnaise. I ended up with the Delta version. I had no expectations that the saw would be extremely accurate. I looked at videos from just about every manufacturer except Kapex (wasn't going to spend that kind of money) and every one had deflection. It's the nature of the beast. My old radial arm saw with it's massive cast iron beam had deflection. As far as trim carpentry, I feel this saw is just fine, mainly because I've never seen a perfectly square wall in any house I've owned anyway. Even if the carpenter gets the wall square, the dry wall guy is going to change it enough that dead on miters from the saw are not necessary. I'll use my miter gauge or cross cut sled if I need accurate cuts. By the way, the chute made by Travis at Shop Nation really does cut the dust thrown out of those saws by at least 80% and he is working on versions for other models. Thanks for another great review.
I was just in Home Depot this morning checking out this exact same saw. One thing it is truly outstanding against all other miter saw is the silky smooth sliding and up and down motion. Instead of traditional two bars on which the saw slides Rigid uses two folding arms and the sliding motion is effortless and super smooth. Also without using two bars there is no chance any sawdust gets on the bars and hinder the sliding motion. Too bad that it not very precise as tested in this video otherwise I would buy it in a heart beat.
Mayonnaise..............I wanted to say that I feel like the guy with the Kapex didn't tell us how far the blade moved when he had his saw fully extended out, it seems like he only showed us the side to side play when the saw was pushed in, so I would like to see the okay in the Kapex with it fully extended. I literally got mine as soon as it was available with Home Depot. I haven't used it on a big project yet, but I have used it a few times for smaller items, and this thing is awesome. I have seen other people trashing Ridgid tools sometimes, and being a Milwaukee Tools fan myself, I was skeptical, but this saw is awesome and I'm glad I got it. Just goes to show you that it's all in how you feel and how it works for you. This is an amazing piece of machinery and our ancestors would think it was from space. Just keep that in mind when having any issues with the saw. Because it's literally a work of futuristic art that cuts amazingly. But as far as being a little inaccurate when extended, I feel like that's to be a little expected, and maybe you can still get a pretty straight cut as long as you go slowly and try to keep the blade centered while making your cut if it's a wide piece. With that said, this is a great video and you have a new subscriber with me.
The deflection of this saw seems to a point that it is like a handheld saw lol, even my cheap saw that is on the sliding rails has way less play than this. It feels like a failed engineering product to me. I absolutely love your honesty by highligting the good and bad things with no buillshit.
You don't have to keep turning and turning the hold-down clamp. At 8:44 you can see how the horizontal piece moves freely up and down the vertical piece. You can quickly slide the clamp to where you need it and just turn the knob to tighten it.
Mayonnaise.... I'm a Kapex man myself, but I enjoyed this video 😌 My take on the whole glide vs slide is that if the mechanism had the potential for wide range application then Festool would probably have switched to it as well. The rails on the Kapex run like silk - good old fashioned reliability. Great review! Thanks for the video!
BEARNAISE (just cuz I'm contradictory...) That was one of the miter saws I was looking at. I agree with the 2 main downsides, dust collection and imprecise cuts (even worse on angle cuts). My need was a minimalistic back clearance as I have a very small garage/shop. Out of the 2 other candidates, Metabo and Makita, I went with the Makita. Dust collection is awesome and accuracy pretty good ONCE the saw is PROPERLY calibrated (not shouting here, just an emphasis). Thanks for a great review!
@@SpencleyDesignCo Yep, pretty good one I'd say. It has some minor downsides too, though I think they are very minor, and it's not cheap. Blade deflection I think is inherent to the double bevel sliding compound concept cuz there are many points for play and fabrication tolerances are what they are. Our choice is to pick the model with the less deflection, not an absence of deflection, unfortunately, as you showed with the Festool saw.
Mayonnaise-I appreciate your honest review; however, my experience with the Rigid 12” traditional style slider is very similar. A number of years ago I was superintendent for a company doing hotel renovation. As the job was several states away, I did not bring my own tools, but was given permission to purchase anything I needed and would be reimbursed later. He also noted his preference for Home Depot, so Rigid was what I bought. My trim carpenter complained he couldn’t get a 90 degree cut on the wide trim boards we were using, so if I remember correctly he brought his own saw to finish the job. Maybe we could have tightened things up and improved the cut, but we were under a deadline.
Mayonnaise I’m in the market for a slider and was leaning toward this over the blue one until I saw this video (can’t imagine buying the Kapex $$$). The whole point of a 12” slider is to make wider crosscuts, the slop is a deal-breaker for sure. Thanks for a great review, subs +1
That was an excellent video. Previously I tried the 10" Delta Cruzer and hated it. I understood the saw would not provide precise cuts due to the deflection and could live with that as I was only doing rough cuts. What I could not live with was the amount of dust that would get thrown in my face even with vacuum dust collection connected. Again excellent review, thanks for sharing.
@@SpencleyDesignCo Metabo 10" sliding miter saw and I really like it; however recently I been just using a cordless Makita circular saw for my rough cuts therefore the miter saw rarely gets used. I guess I could really live without a miter saw but just like having it in the shop for some reason.
That’s how I am. I haven’t had a miter saw for almost 2 years but got one just to see if I could change my mind. I’m unlikely to use the miter saw for anything until I get into home renovation projects
Your review is the same as my friend discovered with her saw kerf movement. Cuts were off even with a stop block being used. They were very sad and returned the saw.
Mayonnaise I have that exact saw and I agree the dust collection sucks. I just deal with it. I vacuum at the end of the day. The place of the miter saw for me is breaking down long pieces and doing crown, baseboard and other trim molding. Plenty of accuracy for that. I agree that it won't compete with the Festool, but many amateur woodworkers can't justify that kind of money for the amount of work done. I often wonder what the craftsman 100 years ago would think of our power tools. I bet they would be thrilled to have access to most of them.
Mayonnaise The downfalls for this saw are exactly why I tend to agree with your #1 tool you regret buying. Miter saws in general seem to be somewhat overrated because most of the time you'd get a better cut using a crosscut sled on a good table saw. I think you'd be better off spending the extra cash on a better table saw unless you're using it in a construction setting where you're only cross cutting and accuracy within a sixteenth is plenty.
When installing wall base and crown molding, dealing with 17' long pieces of trim, a miter saw is definitely worth every penny compared to a table saw even with a sled. :)
I got a 10" Cruzer when it first came out as a promotion item for $300. Just love it and it sells for over $600 now. The rigid looks like the same saw with a different paint job.
I bought a Ridgit sliding miter saw about 10 years ago. The first thing I did was put a tile blade and set it up to cut tile I ran a hose and ran water all over the saw.. I was able to cut with in 1/32 and made very accurate cuts. After that i set it up to cut wood.. I saturated it with WD40 and it still cut exact I use it to cut inside miters like in a raised panel and make good cuts. It is somewhat worn but still cuts good enough for me... I am now 80 so I don't feel I should spend money to buy a new one.
Mayonnaise: Thanks for this honest and informative review. I’m in the market for a new saw and this is the one I was waiting for due to the zero clearance feature. Now, not even a contender. Although it probably wouldn’t affect most of the things I use a miter saw for, just knowing it has that much deflection would drive me nuts. Thanks.
Mayonnaise. Excellent honest review, and spot on. I have owned the Delta Cruzer 12” version for a couple of years now and wish I’d seen a review like this before buying it. The dust collection does really suck!…even for a miter saw. And the deflection is bad and very irritating. Like you said, for accurate precision cuts I now always use my table saw and quality miter gauge. Thanks!
lol right? This is for the weekend diyer or general contractor looking for a quick cheap mitre saw with decent performance and quality. Dude is only looking at this from a carpenter/furniture makers perspective. He needs to look at who the tool is for and review it with that in mind. He can still throw in a few words from a professional wood workers perspective as well. Biggest mistake a lot of tool reviewers make
Mayonnaise Rigid is a Home DEPOT OWNED COMPANY AND THE QUALITY IS JUST SLIGHT UPGRADE FROM RYOBI WHICH IS ALSO HOME DEPOT Good for DIY use only with much lower Precision.
Mayonnaise, I bought a Ridgid about 3 months ago and I haven't been able to use it yet because I live in a cold climate and I don't have a heated garage yet, so I want to still believe I got a great Miter Saw at a great price. No, it's not a Festool but no saw compares to Festool, I did like your review of the saw it gives me a way to correct problems the saw has so, I want to thank you for that. I enjoyed your review, very fair conclusion.
Mayonnaise a lot of people talking about Mayonnaise. I didn't understand what was going on until the end of the video...I have the regular 12 inch sliding DeWalt and got curious so I tested it. When it's at zero, it takes all my weight to get the blade to deflect. At full extension it only deflected maybe 1/8 inch with a decent amount of force. Also, my first miter saw was the OG Chicago from Harbor Freight. The clamp that came with the saw was actually good. It slid up and down and had a screw knob to lock it in. That was probably the only good thing about that saw.
Mayonnaise- I am a life time RIDGID power tool fan. Before I watched your video I had already decided not to buy this saw because of the lack of a lifetime warranty. RIDGID has always been good to follow thru with the warranty even on batteries. I am definitely not going to get this saw after watching your video. FYI I have been looking to upgrade from my current Kobalt 7.25 sliding miter saw. Oh well I will keep looking. Thanks for the video.
Mayonnaise… I have the 10” version. It cuts beautifully. I’m 55 and have had 4 miter saws and tested out many friend’s saws over the years. I gave most of mine away as the deflection was terrible. This saw is actually not bad for its deflection. Yes, if you need the perfect cut use a table saw and an accurate sled, but this saw is by no means bad by comparison to others including the festool. Always remember… The saw doesn’t move, the person does. It’s all about the user… so when guys are being rough with their saws they are gonna get rough cuts! It’s just that simple.
The play in the kerf is a deal-breaker. If I want a rough-cut I'll use my RAS. For precision I need to be able to rely on my miter saw. Thanks and cheers!
Mayonnaise, I have this exact saw and I have made 40 pieces of furniture like night stands, tables, and other items with exact and tight cuts. It’s been an awesome saw for me.
Mayonnaise - When I need totally accurate cuts, I always go to the table saw, even if my all-the-bells-and-whistles miter saw were dead accurate. My opinion is any miter saw, whether D/W or any other, will always have some movement in the direction demonstrated. The more opportunities for movement, the more movement you'll get.
I found a fix for this saw…The $219 price. At that price the shadow system makes it worth the purchase. I only use it rough cut jobs. I also go really slow not to cause any deflection. I will NOT use it for finish or anything that requires. I’d buy more of these if I could. My Dewalt 780 is for the detail work.
Thank you for the great review....I do feel however that the side to side deflection demonstration is potentially misleading, and appearing worse than it really is. If the blade thickness is 1/8", and the overall gap was 1/4", it could simply mean that the blade can deflect as much as 1/16" on each side, and not necessarily 1/8" on one side...there's a big difference there. 1/16" on each side does not sound that bad to me, compared to other saws that is.
Is the deflection issue relevant if you’re making a single cut? I’ve had this model for a few days and the sight line is nice, once you line up your cut and don’t push the saw to the left or right it seems fine to me.
@@SpencleyDesignCo Very true. Sorry if you said it in the video, but if you could do it over, what saw would you get? Just don’t want to regret it for the next x years I have this. The Bosch is probably my next option, but a couple hundred more.
@@SpencleyDesignCo Actually I just ended up returning it. Didn't think I could live with the deflection. Plus I had a little scary moment where the blade guard didn't go back down after a cut, leaving the blade spinning while pulling my hand away from the wood. I little oil seemed to help. But it really made me question whether this saw is up to the Ridgid quality I've seen with other tools. Just doesn't seem to have the same quality in terms of materials and build. Went with the Bosch 10" for $200 more. Money well spent and minor over the next 10 years or so I'll have this saw.
Mayonaise. Columbus based guy here too! I think that biggest thing regarding side to side play when using a newer miter saw is being mindful of your body and the torque and tension you're putting on the handle. It can be harder to do if you're on a job site cutting different dimensions for framing, etc. But in a shop it seems like it'd be easier. Without firsthand knowledge or use, I'm impressed with the Ridgid but will look at the full market before I make a choice. I have an old Dewalt that works pretty good so at the moment, I'll stick with it.
You’re absolutely right! I actually tried the test again really trying to keep the blade perfectly straight, and even then there was a pretty good amount of deflection
Thanks for the review. Ive been waiting a long time to see a test on mitersaw blade deflection. I would like to see more mitersaw reviews with a test for deflection in addition to the miter accuracy. 1/8" deflection could drive me crazy eve in trim carpentry. Thanks again and maybe consider doining more like this.
MAYONNAISE Great review of the saw. I wondered if you had any comments on the Fine Woodworking review of sliders (Winter 2023). They said “They all [9 sliders that they reviewed] traveled true and were sufficiently rigid, making them all up to the task of furniture-quality cuts.” FWW labeled the Ridgid R4251 as a “Best Buy”. Best overall was the Makita. They did not test the Festool. Do you think you got a bum saw? Any way to adjust the slop out of the saw? Just curious why your experience seems a bit different from FWW. Thanks for making and sharing your video. Very helpful.
I was and still am going to buy this saw! Like most other tools I have in my shop, I enjoy correcting defects like the one you pointed out with the wobble. As an industrial designer and a machinist, I have rarely found any piece of machinery that could not use some improvement. I'm not sure where the 'looseness' of the R4251 is coming from but with a little tinkering I'm confident some precision bushings and pins will rectify the problem. As with most mass-produced items, the name of the game is profit! So most manufacturers will opt to use the least expensive parts they can get that will still do the job. You get what you pay for. If the rest of the saw is engineered to function structurally(ie. handle the load forces to be applied) and suitable material is used, then the modifications should be minimal, if not, then it may not be worth the effort. Looking at this saw on display a few weeks back, I was more interested in the structural design of the parts like how well ribbing and stiffeners were designed and found them to be pretty sound so this will be a good little project! I also like the way this saw looks, the length it extends it adjustability. Yeah, the clamps are cheesy but most are and making better ones are simple. In the end I'll have a very good tool for little money.
Mayo. I’ve been looking to get a sliding MS and haven’t found one that checks all the boxes. As a cabinet maker accuracy is vital. I like the Bosch except I don’t believe it has a laser or light cut line which is a deal breaker.
mayonnaise 1) Would you buy the Rigid over the Delta? 2) If you lock off the slide is the saw more consistent or is there still a lot of deflection? 3) Is the Angle guide with the detents made from aluminum like the Makita that is know to wear out resulting in some play when placed at a standard angle? I am researching 10" zero clearance sliding miter saws. Thank you
@@SpencleyDesignCo I will save up for a Bosch Glide but also hope Makita corrects their detent plate mistake by the time I'm ready to buy. Thanks for the totally honest review!
Mayo.....Thanks for the great review of the saw. I really liked your honest assessment and recommendation of who should buy the saw and what the intended market is.
I ordered these and got them delivered. I took it out of the box and first thing i checked out of the box was the deflection. The fact that it didn't take much force to cause it to deflect I knew right away that i was returning this saw.
05:54 I'm watching the blade as you lower it into the wood and it appears to be off center and oscillating almost as if the arbor hole in the blade is too big for the arbor. For anyone going back and watch for this look and you will see that the blade moved up/down rapidly as he lowers the blade but before it comes in contact with the wood. It might be from the reflection of light on the blade but it seems to be more than that. Only someone who has had their hand on the saw could answer this. This saw as far as I know has not even showed up in my local HD. 07:30 The trenching feature is nothing new. Many saws have had that for decades. My DW708 which is over 15 years old has this. I know you're not saying it's something new I'm just pointing out that it is almost a standard feature on better miter saws and has been for a long time. 08:30 The old DeWalt DW708 had one of the best hold-downs I have seen on a miter saw ever. It is part number DW7082 Vertical Clamp and is still available. You can find it online for about $60 but if it will fit any other saw I have no idea. It is fast and easy to adjust. You can clamp it down tight in less than 15 seconds. Mayonnaise
It is the stock blade in the video which is junk so I probably is wobbling. Also, there’s bound to be lighting issues with LEDs and slowing down the frame rate to 180 frames per second. Probably the two combined made it look awful 🤣
I have the 12” Delta Cruzer version, and I think the biggest advantage for me is having the zero clearance in the back-I’m working in a tight space. I have not tested the deflection yet, but I think it won’t be a big issue if you work carefully. But it is a drawback of the way the slide is designed.
Mayonnaise. Yes, this is another question. lol I noticed your two zero-clearance table saw inserts hanging on your wall and they look VERY familiar. Are they for a Ridgid R4512, by chance? If so, did you make them, yourself, or did you buy them? I have that table saw and just converted it over to 240v and LOVE it! Well, let's be honest. I have a LOVE/hate relationship with it. And that "hate" would be in smaller letters if I was so inclined to tweak the font in this post, but it's not worth the trouble. lol The "hate" part is dealing with the ridiculous design of the throat. I have a feeling that someone at Ridgid thought, "Hey...if we design the throat of this thing to be like this, then it would be so downright difficult for customers to make their own ZC inserts, we can offer ours!" Unfortunately, Ridgid never saw this through. Apparently the only ZC inserts, that are available, online (that I've found, anyway), are Leecraft. I bought one of those and, through the poor packaging (which allowed the thin locking lip at the back of the insert to get snapped mostly off) and my own stupidity in rushing without thinking things through, mine looks like it has been in a war zone. It still works, but looks like the back end of an Orangutan!
Mayonnaise I am just a DIYer doing stuff around the house and trying to get into woodworking. I am debating between a Ridgid corded or cordless miter saw. I am a big fan of Ridgid and that is what is influencing my brand preference. Thanks for your input!
Mayonnaise. This video cemented my decision to make a radial arm saw the center of attention other than the table saw, rather than a miter saw. I grew up using a radial arm saw. And after getting back into woodworking recently after decades of hiatus, I just don't see the draw of a miter saw versus the radial arm saw. Well tuned, they are as accurate as or better than what you can do with even a high dollar miter saw. Thank you for another fantastic video!!!!
Mayonnaise. I liked the video. I have a Ryobi Miter saw and I went through the same process with that saw. What I found was that in normal use with normal pressure there is a 1/16" deflection. I was surprised because my previous Ryobi non-sliding miter saw had 0 deflection. I took it in to the Ryobi repair facility and they said that was in tolerance. As you said in the video sliding miter saws will have some deflection because of the nature of the tool. It all depends on how much you want to spend. Delta sells a Miter saw with a similar configuration as the Rigid you reviewed with a similar amount of deflection. I think the multiple hinge design introduces errors. I decided not to buy the Delta, though I have many other Delta tools, because of that review. Please keep the videos coming.
Mayonnaise; Great reveiw with information that i was looking for. I am happy to see that I am not the only one that stores wood above the garage door. :) Thanks.
I have been buying tools for over fifty years. Early in those years, I was driven more by what was the cheapest, than the quality of a tool. They generally did a less than stellar job, and usually wore out at a young age. Since then, I have become far more discerning about quality, and can say that aside from the Rigid shop vac I have purchased (and I have issues with it), none of their products meet with what I consider my quality standards. This evaluation mimics my idea of what a review should be, and without knowing this guy, I know he is correct.
I have to disagree with your assessment. I have owned multiple Dewalt, Bosch mitersaws over the last 25 years. Currently I still use a dewalt dw780 installing high end kitchen cabinetry, staircases and finish trim. I purchased this saw in the 10” for my small shop because of it’s ability to be closer the wall. I do really fine cutting all the time. As with any fine woodworking, the blade plays a huge part in the cuts. Blade that comes with this saw should be thrown in the garbage unless you use it only for framing. When my Dewalt is ready for retirement, I am planning on getting another of these for a daily saw. My Dewalt is only a couple years older and I tend to get about 7-8 years out of them. As far a comparison between the cuts on both. I haven’t noticed one or the other to be better. But the sliding on this saw is so easy. I have used festools many times and honestly I don’t like it. The ergonomics of the handle feels weird for me. Also the way it locks it from coming down really irritates me. I have chipped out more boards because it won’t move and then bam, it does and I smash the wood. No thank you, plus the price is ridiculous.
That defelction is huge although, like you say, fine for a construction saw (albeit kinda large). I upgraded my mitre saw last year and it took me months to decide - I don't need portabilty or huge capacity. I wanted Accuracy: in the end I forked out the extra for the Festool KS60e, the 40V Makita was my second choice but I really didn't want yet another battery system (I have goood range of 18V Makita tools already). With care I get dead accurate 90deg and standard mitres, for a 45deg angle cut (think mitred box) well that's over to the table saw as that feels safer at that angle and is likely more accurate every time. Clamps: the KS60 uses the standard Festool track type clamps, 2 slots at the back and it has 2 slots for them on the front too - I often make cuts on small pieces and I use these clamps all the time - I'll often use 3 clamps to make one cut (safely) to a small block. Another bonus; compared to my old Elektra Beckum the dust collection is around 70% better too.
Choosing the right tool for the job is paramount. If someone needs precision down to the nearest 1/4 of a millimeter then no miter saw is for you not even the festool. All sliding miter saws have some play in them some more than others. There is also the issue of blade deflection. I still feel like a 10 inch miter saw has less blade deflection than a 12 inch saw.
Mayonnaise: Thanks for the thorough review. I was looking for reviews as I was debating about returning the R4251 I just bought to make lots of picture frames accurately. I could not get a square corner to save my life, and contacted customer service. Their advice was to check cal, which I am confident is dead on. If I cut a 45 miter angle, and immediately put the cut piece up to the blade, there is at least a 1 degree delta. Your review confirms my suspicions about the wambliness of the mechanism, and I am taking her back and going back to the table saw/sled. I need a method to create fixturing stops for longer pieces for the sled.
Mayonaise. Discovered your channel the other day. Lots of good stuff and honest opinions. I think most wood workers I watch seem to agree that a miter saw is only for rough breakdowns. In larger shops a person would typically position it in an area where they do rough breadowns along with a jointer and planer.
I own a 12” fixed double bevel compound miter saw for my use in custom furniture building. Dust collection is through a auto switched shop vacuum and the machine is equipped with a Forrest Signature Series super premium blade. With the saw dialed in my cuts are accurate, smooth and ready for 98+% of my work. The widest sometimes get a touch up on a shooting board with a 5-1/2 jack plane. With boards wider than its capacity I’ll generally use my tablesaw and miter sled or a track saw. After many years in the shop sawing wood I find that a sliding compound miter saw is the least of my wants or needs. They just don’t provide the accuracy I need with wider stock. I wouldn’t recommend any of them for most needs of a woodworker. If I were a production carpenter my needs would surely differ.
My sliding mitre saw is cheap and good enough for furniture making, but after making the cut I use an edge sander to get perfect length, smooth finish and accurate angles, usually 90*. I wouldn’t be without it. If you are a power tool woodworker starting up I would recommend a sliding mitre saw and a top of the range edge sander. Together they are my most used tools after the circular saw. Mitre saw for cross cuts, table saw for ripping. Sander or hand plane for finishing.
Duke's Mayonnaise! Ridgid's LSA is pretty much worthless anyway. I had a massive issue with a product and took it to an authorized service center. Ridgid didn't want to replace any parts. They wanted the 3rd party technician to fix the issue, which was caused by Ridgid not including a pretty important part in the box to begin with. And on top of that, they were only paying the service center a flat $19 fee. That barely covers the time it takes to diagnose the problem. I just bought the Delta Cruzer 12" and it doesn't have that much deflection at full extension. Maybe yours came a little loose?
Mayonnaise. Did I spell that right? Anyway, I now own my third miter saw in roughly thirty years (I'm guessing here) Started out with a "Sears" brand sliding thing that sort of resembled a mini radial arm saw. I needed it for a job where I was installing wainscotting (among other things) but had to take it in for some remediation, as the base didn't sit level. Not sure how that's even possible with a cast aluminum base? Eventually, I said to the "tool Dude" at Sears, I either need that saw back, or my money. I got my money. Went to a competitor and bought a "Miter Box" by Delta, that was basically a chop saw. Heavy beast of a thing, but couldn't do compound miters. Sold it. And then went with a Bosch, which I've now had for maybe 15+ years? (Memory is dim) It's a compound miter saw that seems to be pretty darned accurate, and the only drawback that I find somewhat annoying is, you cannot set it close to a wall, as you'd be able to do with the Rigid or any of the other saws with the fancy articulating pull out thingies. I've contemplated upgrading, but now I'm not sure why? Where I have it now, the overhand doesn't seem to matter, and by the way, the blade that came with it was just fine. It had some sort of goofy laser thing, but once the batteries wore out, and even though I replaced them, it never did work consistently again. I'd sooner have the light that you demonstated. So, THANKS for telling me to keep my saw. Carry on!
mayonnaise 1.Does the saw come with the "new" MAX OUTPUT battery? 2.Is it a brushless motor? 3. How long does it run off of a 4Ah battery? 4. In the same price range (+/- $60), is there a battery saw like this you can recommend for reasonably good finishing work? I already have a good table saw. 5, Different topic: sometimes cutting a piece out of a 4 x 8 ft. plywood, using my table saw is very difficult (say I want a piece 35 " x 49"). Is there a tool I can use to guide me circular saw and get excellent accuracy?
Mayo, It was interesting because I'd been looking at a Bosch with the same sliding system. Expensive. I didn't know Ridgid made one. However I just bought a used Harbor Freight Admiral 12" for $110.00 that was like new except the guard was missing. That was $10.00 from the parts dept. Now if I can just figure out how to mount it. Thanks for the video.
Good review. Just subscribed. Most saws will have play like this. I work in a prefab shop doing walls and stairs. The miters that slide on rails will have slightly less play. DeWalt seems to offer the least.
I have to say that I have this saw in the 10" and I don't have nearly that amount of play in my saw. I'm not saying that there's no play at all but it's closer to a 1/16th either to the right or left at full extention, and pushing in either direction. I'm very happy with this saw as my basic jobsite saw..
First lad, the clamp is supposed to be slid up and down the shaft then the last few turns are to tighten it, second, you obviously need to snug up the knuckles to take up the slack from your side to side, you mentioned how easily it floated, well it was probably too loose those aren't so much for tightening the slide as they are for reducing side to side play. snug it up and try again. Thanks for the review though
Mayo. I just bought the 10-inch R4241. How would you all compare it to the Bosch CM10GD? The bevel on my R4241 will not stay tight outside of the detents. Fairly like pressure will increase the bevel angle. 👎 Dust collection and dust bag location are absolute disasters.
Have the delta cruzer 12" version - I consider it a construction and jobsite tool, not a furniture tool. It's very precise for what it is - +/-1/32" on 3/4" ply cuts is my typical experience using mechanical stops at 90 degrees. I can flip boards over for up to 27-28" total cut width and the overlapping cuts are nearly indistinguishable. I use mine in a negative pressure shroud most of the time. Otherwise, yep - it's messy. Worst part of the delta version is the current inrush is huge, and the initial torque jerks the saw head quite a bit - I installed a soft start: huge improvement and this allows rapid, repeated cuts without tripping. Not sure if rigid put a soft start on theirs - this is definitely the biggest thing to improve on imho. The trench cut depth is actually the most unreliable dimension on this saw - not sure about % error but the little depth stop screw is definitely janky. I would like to have one that feels a bit more refined and precise, but for $400 I paid a few years ago this saw has been generally great and acceptably precise.
Mayonnaise- I just ordered this miter saw about an hour ago for $379.99 from Home Depot. I’ve watch many videos and reviews and pretty much all miter saws have deflection. I liked the Festool, but $1500 it’s too much for me. My Dewalt DWS780 had deflection as well, but I made just I push down when cutting and not side to side. I also mainly make 90 degree cuts. If making picture frames I use my table saw.
Mayonnaise. lol Just wanted to point out that, with the clamp that comes with the saw, it is slide adjustable. Meaning that, once you put it in its hole behind the fence, you can slide it down the bar until the pad contacts the workpiece, then turn to tighten it. I have this saw and have never had the issue you showed. Also, as for the deflection, is something lose? I only ask because mine doesn't deflect nearly that much, even fully extended! I mean...WOW! That's a lot of deflection! Especially when fully retracted.
Mayonnaise. I have the delta version, and it's good enough for rough cuts. For accurate cuts, I still go to a hand plane on a shooting board, or table saw with a sled. Also I recently sold my delta 12in saw, and planning to buy this. The only reason is my table saw, jointer, thickness planer, amd oscillating belt sander are all ridgid. And I still have the big ridgid miter saw mobile stand.
It's funny. I just watched a video on the delta. Saw this and was like "oh, it's a black and orange delta" lol. Great review. And the always sunny clip definitely sealed the subscribe lol
Mayonnaise. Awesome review! Please review the Makita 12" slider. I think the two most important features of this saw were overlooked. 1) It has MUCH greater capacity - even more than DeWalt's 2x16 ability with the "backfence" gimmick. I think the extreme capacity is also a lot of the reason for the side-to-side movement) 2) The space saving design over the typical bars that don't stick out behind it. I have a 500 square foot shop and I can't put my Dewalt anywhere that doesn't waste a ton of space behind the saw. Also, I'd love to see some more cuts with actual measurements of the cut boards with a square and tape measure. My Dewalt DHS790 has the same deflection as the Bosch glide 12" and I have tested two Kapexes that have only slightly less deflection. Don't forget the Kapex is WAY smaller. If Festool made a 12", I would have bought one years ago. I am still searching for the ultimate 12" sliding miter saw.
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Is this a belt driven saw?
I’m not sure
@@rickyperkins232 , yes, yes it is. I've been really happy with the performance of this saw...
@@SpencleyDesignCo How can you be evaluating this saw if you can't answer that question? It's either belt drive, direct drive, or gear driven.
Easy, I evaluated the saw by using it
You know what? This is an insanely good review. This is what I expect out of a review, which means nothing to others. But seriously well done👍🏻
Thanks, V! I appreciate the support!
This is the same saw as the Delta Cruzer which I have. I have cut over 100K board feet (thousands of cuts) and I found that as you become familiar with your saw you will find that you can be consistent in producing cuts within 1/64th of an inch. Mine does not wobble so easily side to side as your demonstration saw. You may want to talk with the support team from the manufacturer. Since I got this saw I very rarely make cross cuts on my table saw as I find this produces consistent cuts.
I have the 10 inch Delta Cruzer, and the Ridgid sliding miters are the same machine, basically. I bought it because I have limited space and this design uses way less space. I have found it to be very accurate if I take my time and am careful not to introduce any deflection myself. I replaced the stock blade with a Freud Diablo 80 tooth and the cuts are butter smooth. I often will cut 4 or more boards at the same time for accuracy and it powers through them with ease. These are just my observations, and in my opinion it is an excellent saw. However, YMMV, and this is the only sliding miter I have owned so I have nothing to compare it to. One thing about the hold-down clamp-If you push the support rod to one side you can lift it right up or push it down quickly, without using the threads. Then tighten it down by turning the threaded knob.
Ridgid tools are/were manufactured by Emerson tool company, these Ridgid NEXT tools are apparently contracted now through Chang Type Industrial Industrial (Delta).
I purchased the 2nd gen Delta of this saw model 26-2251 which I returned within 3 days due to the blade deflection as you precisely described. I desperately wanted to find this saw perfect and LOVED the smoothness of the arms, But as you described when it comes to finish carpentry, you cannot have any blade deflection maybe during rough cuts of framing lumber and even that's pushing it. The harder the wood the more deflection also. They need to correct this issue or this saw is no better than a boat anchor. BEST REVIEW ON UA-cam. Thank you.
Yup! It’s a shame this saw is such a piece of junk 🤷♂️
That was a good honest run down on that saw. Well done. I'm a Ridged guy and I depend on there tools every day. They make great products and I would never have guessed that wasn't made by Ridged. As far as blede deflection it all in the experienced hands operating it. Thanks for the honest demo and info.
Nice review. I have Festool Kapex and yes it has a good clamp system, but dust collection is outstanding. I am not kidding when I say that it pays for itself because of time I save on cleanup. The Festool is insanely accurate and repeatable. Easy saw blade changes, trench cuts a super simple adjustments.
Sounds better than this hunk of junk 🤣
Look my Parallel Guided Power Saw.
I have the Delta Cruiser 10" model. It was a pretty good review. You did however leave something out.
When you remove the fences, there are two swing away brackets that turn into makeshift fences.
Flip them to the rear, and put a 2x4 on the base, and you effectively extend the cross cut capacity of
the saw by a few inches. Very handy.
I never knew that! Pretty neat!
Good review, most sliding, compound miter saws are like mayonnaise, a mix of odd ingredients that end up being pretty good. The Festool, despite the guy's excuse making, does not have stellar reviews for accuracy. I own a Milwaukee 12" sliding compound miter saw, a Makita 10 sliding compound, and at the bottom cost wise, the Chicago Electric 12" slider. The Milwaukee is far and away the smoothest, has lights instead of laser, fiddly to dial in but ultimately a good precision saw. Yes, any slider is going to deflect with side pressure, that's the physics of a substantial weight at the end of a couple of guide rods. My Makita is a couple of decades old, still worthy of precision work. The HF 12", once dialed in, was a pleasant surprise, robust, accurate and used for what I bought it for, framing, it is more than fine. As I said, surprising. The Milwaukee has the best dust collection(sans vacuum) of the bunch. The large dust bag will actually get full after a day's good use. With a vacuum attachment it would be stellar, that needs a special adapter. The play in the Rigid would be unacceptable for me, the cost and maybe slightly above average quality for the Festool is laughable. I've been a builder/remodel, trim and finish guy for longer than most of your viewers have been on the planet. I appreciate the breakdown in your review. 👍
Thanks for watching!
Thanks for the review. I was looking at one and wondering if I should replace my Ridgid 12inch slider. You made my decision easy. Keep what I have. And yes it is messy, but I built a big dust trap behind my saw and it traps 98% of the dust and I just vacuum out periodically and the rest of the shop does not get a repeated dustying of sawdust. Thanks for the review!
Sure thing, chuck!
Mayonnaise- it is so crazy that it literally is just swapping out blue for orange and then it's a Delta Cruzer! Great video. Well done!
Thanks for checking out the video!
Holy crap! Never in a million years did I expect true hammer contact! Subscribed, I highly respect a man who does what he says!
True hammer?
@@SpencleyDesignCo as in truly hit it with a freaking hammer lol. I've seen a hundred guys say something like that, then pump fake the strike. You were beating that thing without hesitation. A man who does what he says, and says what he means is a kin to my m.o....... salute
I’m not sure I follow, but I take it as a compliment? Haha
@@SpencleyDesignCo in the shortest way. Most people are bullshitters
As someone who does woodworking as a hobby festool products would be a much to expensive outlay unless you earn a significant income ,my real concern is will it make a consistent 90 degree cut if handled gently
Mayonnaise. Don't have a question just wanted to let you know that I saw this review in it's entirety and it was fantastic. You covered just about every question I or anyone else could have asked. Two thumbs up Eric.
Thank you very much, Julio!
Mayonnaise: if you like miracle whip, you’re dead to me. But also, when you make long cross cuts, you should lift, disengage from the work piece, and then pull the blade back….when ready, slowly engage downward and push forward to make your cut more accurate. User technique is the name of game for accurate cuts. :)
I have this saw and I make cabinets, shelves, furniture, etc…I’m within a 1/32” when I do. Also, you missed the MASSIVE cross-cut capacity. I can cut 3/4” (.701 hard maple ply that’s 14.25” / 15.25” deep for closet shelves all day long. Supposedly can go out to almost 18” which I have not done yet.
But thanks for the video - well done!
It does have a lot of crosscut capacity!
Miter saws are great for rough cutting lumber quickly down to rough size for milling purposes. After that I switch to my miter on my table saw or get out the table saw sled. Both are much more accurate. Good thought provoking video.
I couldn't agree more. Thanks for watching, Terry!
That might be true but how practical would that be jobsite to jobsite
I just sold my Delta Cruzer (same saw) because of the play and dust collection. I agree the dust collection on most miter saws stinks but this one is especially horrible. It spits dust right in your face, especially when it's extended. I replaced it with the metabo hpt and the dust collection is comparitively wonderful. No dust in the face what so ever and that's just with the bag. Big step up! Thanks for the review. Always nice when reviews confirm my issues
Thanks for watching! I totally agree, this saw is absolute junk 🤣
Mayonnaise haha - I really like that more companies are moving towards this arm design. It makes the saw so much more compact. I've got the Bosch 12" and love it. It came with a hold down clamp like yours, but apparently, in Europe they get something much closer to the Kapex saw. I'd love to see a saw that allowed the blade to come far enough back that you didn't need a sacrificial board to make trench cuts.
Another person point out the “kapex like” clamp in Europe which is something I didn’t know about! Does your Bosch have this much side-to-side deflection? A lot of folks asked about a comparison but I’ve never used the Bosch before
I think making a fence that adjusts forwards and backwards to compensate for the blade curvature in a trench cut would be the solution to not needing a sacrificial piece of material.
That would work too
@Zac Builds, whats the side to side deflection like on your Bosch?
I asked him on our podcast and he said it’s pretty stable but does still deflect if you press hard
Mayonnaise. I ended up with the Delta version. I had no expectations that the saw would be extremely accurate. I looked at videos from just about every manufacturer except Kapex (wasn't going to spend that kind of money) and every one had deflection. It's the nature of the beast. My old radial arm saw with it's massive cast iron beam had deflection. As far as trim carpentry, I feel this saw is just fine, mainly because I've never seen a perfectly square wall in any house I've owned anyway. Even if the carpenter gets the wall square, the dry wall guy is going to change it enough that dead on miters from the saw are not necessary. I'll use my miter gauge or cross cut sled if I need accurate cuts. By the way, the chute made by Travis at Shop Nation really does cut the dust thrown out of those saws by at least 80% and he is working on versions for other models. Thanks for another great review.
I was just in Home Depot this morning checking out this exact same saw. One thing it is truly outstanding against all other miter saw is the silky smooth sliding and up and down motion. Instead of traditional two bars on which the saw slides Rigid uses two folding arms and the sliding motion is effortless and super smooth. Also without using two bars there is no chance any sawdust gets on the bars and hinder the sliding motion. Too bad that it not very precise as tested in this video otherwise I would buy it in a heart beat.
The slider is super super smooth!
I wonder how it compares with the Delta Cruzer.
Probably very similar
@@JamesKelly89 it is the cruzer BUT Orange
Hopefully the delta one doesn’t deflect this bad 🤣
Thanks for your honest comments, much appreciated!
There’s one thing you can count on me for, and that’s honesty!
Mayonnaise..............I wanted to say that I feel like the guy with the Kapex didn't tell us how far the blade moved when he had his saw fully extended out, it seems like he only showed us the side to side play when the saw was pushed in, so I would like to see the okay in the Kapex with it fully extended. I literally got mine as soon as it was available with Home Depot. I haven't used it on a big project yet, but I have used it a few times for smaller items, and this thing is awesome. I have seen other people trashing Ridgid tools sometimes, and being a Milwaukee Tools fan myself, I was skeptical, but this saw is awesome and I'm glad I got it. Just goes to show you that it's all in how you feel and how it works for you. This is an amazing piece of machinery and our ancestors would think it was from space. Just keep that in mind when having any issues with the saw. Because it's literally a work of futuristic art that cuts amazingly. But as far as being a little inaccurate when extended, I feel like that's to be a little expected, and maybe you can still get a pretty straight cut as long as you go slowly and try to keep the blade centered while making your cut if it's a wide piece. With that said, this is a great video and you have a new subscriber with me.
Thanks for the support!
The deflection of this saw seems to a point that it is like a handheld saw lol, even my cheap saw that is on the sliding rails has way less play than this. It feels like a failed engineering product to me. I absolutely love your honesty by highligting the good and bad things with no buillshit.
For sure! This saw is 100% junk 🤣
I had the Dewalt rail type slider for years but switched 5 years ago to the Bosch hinge arm slider, much better and more accurate but to each his own
Have you tried this orange one?
I was about to get one of those, and it is perfect time to watch your review. Specially multiple cuts that gives woble.
Thank you.
Sure thing! What are you looking at buying now?
You don't have to keep turning and turning the hold-down clamp. At 8:44 you can see how the horizontal piece moves freely up and down the vertical piece. You can quickly slide the clamp to where you need it and just turn the knob to tighten it.
True, however that doesn’t work when you are working with boards of varying thickness
Mayonnaise. I watched the entire video and was impressed with your honesty.
Also, the fence would determine how low the horizontal piece can slide down, which means extra turning
Come on, we've all thrown these clamps away for this exact reason... 😉
Mayonnaise....
I'm a Kapex man myself, but I enjoyed this video 😌 My take on the whole glide vs slide is that if the mechanism had the potential for wide range application then Festool would probably have switched to it as well. The rails on the Kapex run like silk - good old fashioned reliability.
Great review! Thanks for the video!
Thanks for watching! I’m glad you don’t have to use this piece of junk 🤣
I like the smooth, elegant, Kapex, but the cost steered me to the Delta.
BEARNAISE (just cuz I'm contradictory...) That was one of the miter saws I was looking at. I agree with the 2 main downsides, dust collection and imprecise cuts (even worse on angle cuts). My need was a minimalistic back clearance as I have a very small garage/shop. Out of the 2 other candidates, Metabo and Makita, I went with the Makita. Dust collection is awesome and accuracy pretty good ONCE the saw is PROPERLY calibrated (not shouting here, just an emphasis).
Thanks for a great review!
Thanks for checking out the video, Patrick! Seems like a lot of people like that makita
@@SpencleyDesignCo Yep, pretty good one I'd say. It has some minor downsides too, though I think they are very minor, and it's not cheap. Blade deflection I think is inherent to the double bevel sliding compound concept cuz there are many points for play and fabrication tolerances are what they are. Our choice is to pick the model with the less deflection, not an absence of deflection, unfortunately, as you showed with the Festool saw.
I wouldn’t say the festool is perfect by any means. Since making the video, I’ve used the festool and I still wouldn’t want it in my shop
Mayonnaise-I appreciate your honest review; however, my experience with the Rigid 12” traditional style slider is very similar. A number of years ago I was superintendent for a company doing hotel renovation. As the job was several states away, I did not bring my own tools, but was given permission to purchase anything I needed and would be reimbursed later. He also noted his preference for Home Depot, so Rigid was what I bought. My trim carpenter complained he couldn’t get a 90 degree cut on the wide trim boards we were using, so if I remember correctly he brought his own saw to finish the job. Maybe we could have tightened things up and improved the cut, but we were under a deadline.
Thanks for your feedback Alan
Mayonnaise I’m in the market for a slider and was leaning toward this over the blue one until I saw this video (can’t imagine buying the Kapex $$$). The whole point of a 12” slider is to make wider crosscuts, the slop is a deal-breaker for sure.
Thanks for a great review, subs +1
Definitely a dealbreaker on this hunk of junk
Thanks for the very thorough review. It good to see a tool review that appears to be non bias.
Thanks for watching! I tried my best to be impartial
That was an excellent video. Previously I tried the 10" Delta Cruzer and hated it. I understood the saw would not provide precise cuts due to the deflection and could live with that as I was only doing rough cuts. What I could not live with was the amount of dust that would get thrown in my face even with vacuum dust collection connected. Again excellent review, thanks for sharing.
I appreciate the feedback, Pancho! What are you using now?
@@SpencleyDesignCo Metabo 10" sliding miter saw and I really like it; however recently I been just using a cordless Makita circular saw for my rough cuts therefore the miter saw rarely gets used. I guess I could really live without a miter saw but just like having it in the shop for some reason.
That’s how I am. I haven’t had a miter saw for almost 2 years but got one just to see if I could change my mind. I’m unlikely to use the miter saw for anything until I get into home renovation projects
You didn’t say mayonnaise😡
Mustard
Your review is the same as my friend discovered with her saw kerf movement. Cuts were off even with a stop block being used. They were very sad and returned the saw.
It was definitely a bummer!
Nice review! What's crazy is my old Ridgid non sliding saw has a quick clamp. Must be a cost saving measure.
Thanks! Quick clamps are so handy! It’s a shame more saws don’t have them
True. I bought two of those Ridgid quick clamps and put them on my Bosch miter saw. They are tops for making multiple adjustments.
Mayonnaise
I have that exact saw and I agree the dust collection sucks. I just deal with it. I vacuum at the end of the day.
The place of the miter saw for me is breaking down long pieces and doing crown, baseboard and other trim molding. Plenty of accuracy for that. I agree that it won't compete with the Festool, but many amateur woodworkers can't justify that kind of money for the amount of work done. I often wonder what the craftsman 100 years ago would think of our power tools. I bet they would be thrilled to have access to most of them.
Mayonnaise
The downfalls for this saw are exactly why I tend to agree with your #1 tool you regret buying. Miter saws in general seem to be somewhat overrated because most of the time you'd get a better cut using a crosscut sled on a good table saw. I think you'd be better off spending the extra cash on a better table saw unless you're using it in a construction setting where you're only cross cutting and accuracy within a sixteenth is plenty.
I couldn’t agree more!
When installing wall base and crown molding, dealing with 17' long pieces of trim, a miter saw is definitely worth every penny compared to a table saw even with a sled. :)
It all depends on what you work with. If I were doing molding, I would absolutely use a miter saw
I got a 10" Cruzer when it first came out as a promotion item for $300. Just love it and it sells for over $600 now. The rigid looks like the same saw with a different paint job.
Yup, it’s made by their parent company
Good review. I wonder if the deflection would be worse with bevel cuts.
I bought a Ridgit sliding miter saw about 10 years ago. The first thing I did was put a tile blade and set it up to cut tile I ran a hose and ran water all over the saw.. I was able to cut with in 1/32 and made very accurate cuts. After that i set it up to cut wood.. I saturated it with WD40 and it still cut exact I use it to cut inside miters like in a raised panel and make good cuts. It is somewhat worn but still cuts good enough for me... I am now 80 so I don't feel I should spend money to buy a new one.
Mayonnaise: Thanks for this honest and informative review. I’m in the market for a new saw and this is the one I was waiting for due to the zero clearance feature. Now, not even a contender. Although it probably wouldn’t affect most of the things I use a miter saw for, just knowing it has that much deflection would drive me nuts. Thanks.
Haha yeahhh…if you’re doing framing the deflection probably wouldn’t matter. But it would drive you nuts knowing it’s there! 🤣
Mayonnaise. Excellent honest review, and spot on. I have owned the Delta Cruzer 12” version for a couple of years now and wish I’d seen a review like this before buying it. The dust collection does really suck!…even for a miter saw. And the deflection is bad and very irritating. Like you said, for accurate precision cuts I now always use my table saw and quality miter gauge. Thanks!
I’m glad to hear a delta user chime in and confirm the same thing I see. Dang it sucks that your saw is this bad too!
Good review BUT I think your Math is waaay off. 9 out of 10 people aren't furniture makers. THose guys aren't buying Rigid
When ya make one of theses video's the price is not for the home worker,very expensive!!! they gave ya a free unit to review and Gabor them,lol
lol right? This is for the weekend diyer or general contractor looking for a quick cheap mitre saw with decent performance and quality. Dude is only looking at this from a carpenter/furniture makers perspective. He needs to look at who the tool is for and review it with that in mind. He can still throw in a few words from a professional wood workers perspective as well. Biggest mistake a lot of tool reviewers make
Mayonnaise Rigid is a Home DEPOT OWNED COMPANY AND THE QUALITY IS JUST SLIGHT UPGRADE FROM RYOBI WHICH IS ALSO HOME DEPOT Good for DIY use only with much lower Precision.
Thank you for watching
Mayonnaise, I bought a Ridgid about 3 months ago and I haven't been able to use it yet because I live in a cold climate and I don't have a heated garage yet, so I want to still believe I got a great Miter Saw at a great price. No, it's not a Festool but no saw compares to Festool, I did like your review of the saw it gives me a way to correct problems the saw has so, I want to thank you for that. I enjoyed your review, very fair conclusion.
Mayonnaise a lot of people talking about Mayonnaise. I didn't understand what was going on until the end of the video...I have the regular 12 inch sliding DeWalt and got curious so I tested it. When it's at zero, it takes all my weight to get the blade to deflect. At full extension it only deflected maybe 1/8 inch with a decent amount of force.
Also, my first miter saw was the OG Chicago from Harbor Freight. The clamp that came with the saw was actually good. It slid up and down and had a screw knob to lock it in. That was probably the only good thing about that saw.
Sounds like that dewalt saw is a little more stable than this one 😀
@@SpencleyDesignCo It is, but can't sit flush up against the wall.
I’d probably take that trade off for the accuracy 😀
Big reason that I use these saws is to make straight cuts so glad I went another route!
what saw did you end up going with?
Mayonnaise- I am a life time RIDGID power tool fan. Before I watched your video I had already decided not to buy this saw because of the lack of a lifetime warranty. RIDGID has always been good to follow thru with the warranty even on batteries. I am definitely not going to get this saw after watching your video. FYI I have been looking to upgrade from my current Kobalt 7.25 sliding miter saw. Oh well I will keep looking. Thanks for the video.
Good choice because this thing sucks 🤣
Mayonnaise… I have the 10” version. It cuts beautifully. I’m 55 and have had 4 miter saws and tested out many friend’s saws over the years. I gave most of mine away as the deflection was terrible. This saw is actually not bad for its deflection. Yes, if you need the perfect cut use a table saw and an accurate sled, but this saw is by no means bad by comparison to others including the festool. Always remember… The saw doesn’t move, the person does. It’s all about the user… so when guys are being rough with their saws they are gonna get rough cuts! It’s just that simple.
The play in the kerf is a deal-breaker. If I want a rough-cut I'll use my RAS. For precision I need to be able to rely on my miter saw. Thanks and cheers!
Agreed, the slop absolutely kills this saw!
Sorry Paul but if your RAS is not cutting dead-nuts perfect you have either worn out the ways or you do not know how to set it up properly.
Probably don’t need to talk about his nuts unless you’re a doctor 😜
Mayonnaise, I have this exact saw and I have made 40 pieces of furniture like night stands, tables, and other items with exact and tight cuts. It’s been an awesome saw for me.
Mayonnaise - When I need totally accurate cuts, I always go to the table saw, even if my all-the-bells-and-whistles miter saw were dead accurate. My opinion is any miter saw, whether D/W or any other, will always have some movement in the direction demonstrated.
The more opportunities for movement, the more movement you'll get.
I found a fix for this saw…The $219 price. At that price the shadow system makes it worth the purchase. I only use it rough cut jobs. I also go really slow not to cause any deflection. I will NOT use it for finish or anything that requires. I’d buy more of these if I could. My Dewalt 780 is for the detail work.
Mayonnaise: Hands down the best review and demo video I have seen. Thank you.
Thank you for the great review....I do feel however that the side to side deflection demonstration is potentially misleading, and appearing worse than it really is. If the blade thickness is 1/8", and the overall gap was 1/4", it could simply mean that the blade can deflect as much as 1/16" on each side, and not necessarily 1/8" on one side...there's a big difference there. 1/16" on each side does not sound that bad to me, compared to other saws that is.
Thanks for watching
Mayonnaise....I wonder if you would get a better result running the same test with a better blade.
Tried it, and it still was awful
I owned the Delta version of this saw. Deflection was a pain in the ass.
Is the deflection issue relevant if you’re making a single cut? I’ve had this model for a few days and the sight line is nice, once you line up your cut and don’t push the saw to the left or right it seems fine to me.
If you’re happy with your saw, that’s all that matters 😀
@@SpencleyDesignCo Very true. Sorry if you said it in the video, but if you could do it over, what saw would you get? Just don’t want to regret it for the next x years I have this. The Bosch is probably my next option, but a couple hundred more.
@@SpencleyDesignCo Actually I just ended up returning it. Didn't think I could live with the deflection. Plus I had a little scary moment where the blade guard didn't go back down after a cut, leaving the blade spinning while pulling my hand away from the wood. I little oil seemed to help. But it really made me question whether this saw is up to the Ridgid quality I've seen with other tools. Just doesn't seem to have the same quality in terms of materials and build. Went with the Bosch 10" for $200 more. Money well spent and minor over the next 10 years or so I'll have this saw.
I 100% would recommend returning this saw
Mayonaise. Columbus based guy here too! I think that biggest thing regarding side to side play when using a newer miter saw is being mindful of your body and the torque and tension you're putting on the handle. It can be harder to do if you're on a job site cutting different dimensions for framing, etc. But in a shop it seems like it'd be easier. Without firsthand knowledge or use, I'm impressed with the Ridgid but will look at the full market before I make a choice. I have an old Dewalt that works pretty good so at the moment, I'll stick with it.
You’re absolutely right! I actually tried the test again really trying to keep the blade perfectly straight, and even then there was a pretty good amount of deflection
those things look like a great tool for framing accurately.. but not for any kind of cabinet work that requires tight fits on the miters...
Thanks for the review. Ive been waiting a long time to see a test on mitersaw blade deflection. I would like to see more mitersaw reviews with a test for deflection in addition to the miter accuracy. 1/8" deflection could drive me crazy eve in trim carpentry. Thanks again and maybe consider doining more like this.
Thanks for watching! What saw would you like me to test next?
@@SpencleyDesignCo Is there a saw with acceptable deflection for woodworking , that is in a price range for home users?
I haven’t used any miter saws that I’m comfortable recommending to people. All the ones I’ve used were awful
MAYONNAISE Great review of the saw. I wondered if you had any comments on the Fine Woodworking review of sliders (Winter 2023). They said “They all [9 sliders that they reviewed] traveled true and were sufficiently rigid, making them all up to the task of furniture-quality cuts.” FWW labeled the Ridgid R4251 as a “Best Buy”. Best overall was the Makita. They did not test the Festool. Do you think you got a bum saw? Any way to adjust the slop out of the saw? Just curious why your experience seems a bit different from FWW. Thanks for making and sharing your video. Very helpful.
I was and still am going to buy this saw! Like most other tools I have in my shop, I enjoy correcting defects like the one you pointed out with the wobble. As an industrial designer and a machinist, I have rarely found any piece of machinery that could not use some improvement. I'm not sure where the 'looseness' of the R4251 is coming from but with a little tinkering I'm confident some precision bushings and pins will rectify the problem. As with most mass-produced items, the name of the game is profit! So most manufacturers will opt to use the least expensive parts they can get that will still do the job. You get what you pay for. If the rest of the saw is engineered to function structurally(ie. handle the load forces to be applied) and suitable material is used, then the modifications should be minimal, if not, then it may not be worth the effort. Looking at this saw on display a few weeks back, I was more interested in the structural design of the parts like how well ribbing and stiffeners were designed and found them to be pretty sound so this will be a good little project! I also like the way this saw looks, the length it extends it adjustability. Yeah, the clamps are cheesy but most are and making better ones are simple. In the end I'll have a very good tool for little money.
Mayo. I’ve been looking to get a sliding MS and haven’t found one that checks all the boxes. As a cabinet maker accuracy is vital. I like the Bosch except I don’t believe it has a laser or light cut line which is a deal breaker.
At 4:59 But before you change the blade make sure you first unplug the saw from the wall outlet.
mayonnaise 1) Would you buy the Rigid over the Delta? 2) If you lock off the slide is the saw more consistent or is there still a lot of deflection? 3) Is the Angle guide with the detents made from aluminum like the Makita that is know to wear out resulting in some play when placed at a standard angle? I am researching 10" zero clearance sliding miter saws. Thank you
Whatever you do, do not buy either of them. This saw is junk
@@SpencleyDesignCo I will save up for a Bosch Glide but also hope Makita corrects their detent plate mistake by the time I'm ready to buy. Thanks for the totally honest review!
For sure! That’s one thing you can count on me for, honesty 🤣 ridgid wasn’t very happy about this video
Mayo.....Thanks for the great review of the saw. I really liked your honest assessment and recommendation of who should buy the saw and what the intended market is.
Thanks! Honestly, I think it’s a very very slim number of people that would get any use out of this saw
I ordered these and got them delivered. I took it out of the box and first thing i checked out of the box was the deflection. The fact that it didn't take much force to cause it to deflect I knew right away that i was returning this saw.
05:54 I'm watching the blade as you lower it into the wood and it appears to be off center and oscillating almost as if the arbor hole in the blade is too big for the arbor. For anyone going back and watch for this look and you will see that the blade moved up/down rapidly as he lowers the blade but before it comes in contact with the wood. It might be from the reflection of light on the blade but it seems to be more than that. Only someone who has had their hand on the saw could answer this. This saw as far as I know has not even showed up in my local HD.
07:30 The trenching feature is nothing new. Many saws have had that for decades. My DW708 which is over 15 years old has this. I know you're not saying it's something new I'm just pointing out that it is almost a standard feature on better miter saws and has been for a long time.
08:30 The old DeWalt DW708 had one of the best hold-downs I have seen on a miter saw ever. It is part number DW7082 Vertical Clamp and is still available. You can find it online for about $60 but if it will fit any other saw I have no idea. It is fast and easy to adjust. You can clamp it down tight in less than 15 seconds.
Mayonnaise
It is the stock blade in the video which is junk so I probably is wobbling. Also, there’s bound to be lighting issues with LEDs and slowing down the frame rate to 180 frames per second. Probably the two combined made it look awful 🤣
I have the 12” Delta Cruzer version, and I think the biggest advantage for me is having the zero clearance in the back-I’m working in a tight space. I have not tested the deflection yet, but I think it won’t be a big issue if you work carefully. But it is a drawback of the way the slide is designed.
This saw is fine, just gently feed the blade into the material with a downward motion without forcing the blade sideways. Very simple.
Thank you for the feedback
Mayonnaise. Yes, this is another question. lol I noticed your two zero-clearance table saw inserts hanging on your wall and they look VERY familiar. Are they for a Ridgid R4512, by chance? If so, did you make them, yourself, or did you buy them? I have that table saw and just converted it over to 240v and LOVE it! Well, let's be honest. I have a LOVE/hate relationship with it. And that "hate" would be in smaller letters if I was so inclined to tweak the font in this post, but it's not worth the trouble. lol The "hate" part is dealing with the ridiculous design of the throat. I have a feeling that someone at Ridgid thought, "Hey...if we design the throat of this thing to be like this, then it would be so downright difficult for customers to make their own ZC inserts, we can offer ours!" Unfortunately, Ridgid never saw this through. Apparently the only ZC inserts, that are available, online (that I've found, anyway), are Leecraft. I bought one of those and, through the poor packaging (which allowed the thin locking lip at the back of the insert to get snapped mostly off) and my own stupidity in rushing without thinking things through, mine looks like it has been in a war zone. It still works, but looks like the back end of an Orangutan!
Mayonnaise
I am just a DIYer doing stuff around the house and trying to get into woodworking. I am debating between a Ridgid corded or cordless miter saw. I am a big fan of Ridgid and that is what is influencing my brand preference. Thanks for your input!
Mayonnaise. This video cemented my decision to make a radial arm saw the center of attention other than the table saw, rather than a miter saw. I grew up using a radial arm saw. And after getting back into woodworking recently after decades of hiatus, I just don't see the draw of a miter saw versus the radial arm saw. Well tuned, they are as accurate as or better than what you can do with even a high dollar miter saw. Thank you for another fantastic video!!!!
Mayonnaise. I liked the video. I have a Ryobi Miter saw and I went through the same process with that saw. What I found was that in normal use with normal pressure there is a 1/16" deflection. I was surprised because my previous Ryobi non-sliding miter saw had 0 deflection. I took it in to the Ryobi repair facility and they said that was in tolerance. As you said in the video sliding miter saws will have some deflection because of the nature of the tool. It all depends on how much you want to spend. Delta sells a Miter saw with a similar configuration as the Rigid you reviewed with a similar amount of deflection. I think the multiple hinge design introduces errors. I decided not to buy the Delta, though I have many other Delta tools, because of that review. Please keep the videos coming.
I appreciate the support, Jim!
Delta actually makes this saw for Ridgid.
It’s actually made by their parent company
Mayonnaise; Great reveiw with information that i was looking for. I am happy to see that I am not the only one that stores wood above the garage door. :) Thanks.
Thanks for watching, Ted!
Also, dust bags on miter saws must be like guards on table saws-thrown in with the machine but not well engineered.
Haha that’s a good point on the dust bag
I have been buying tools for over fifty years. Early in those years, I was driven more by what was the cheapest, than the quality of a tool. They generally did a less than stellar job, and usually wore out at a young age. Since then, I have become far more discerning about quality, and can say that aside from the Rigid shop vac I have purchased (and I have issues with it), none of their products meet with what I consider my quality standards. This evaluation mimics my idea of what a review should be, and without knowing this guy, I know he is correct.
I have to disagree with your assessment. I have owned multiple Dewalt, Bosch mitersaws over the last 25 years. Currently I still use a dewalt dw780 installing high end kitchen cabinetry, staircases and finish trim. I purchased this saw in the 10” for my small shop because of it’s ability to be closer the wall. I do really fine cutting all the time. As with any fine woodworking, the blade plays a huge part in the cuts. Blade that comes with this saw should be thrown in the garbage unless you use it only for framing. When my Dewalt is ready for retirement, I am planning on getting another of these for a daily saw. My Dewalt is only a couple years older and I tend to get about 7-8 years out of them. As far a comparison between the cuts on both. I haven’t noticed one or the other to be better. But the sliding on this saw is so easy. I have used festools many times and honestly I don’t like it. The ergonomics of the handle feels weird for me. Also the way it locks it from coming down really irritates me. I have chipped out more boards because it won’t move and then bam, it does and I smash the wood. No thank you, plus the price is ridiculous.
That defelction is huge although, like you say, fine for a construction saw (albeit kinda large). I upgraded my mitre saw last year and it took me months to decide - I don't need portabilty or huge capacity. I wanted Accuracy: in the end I forked out the extra for the Festool KS60e, the 40V Makita was my second choice but I really didn't want yet another battery system (I have goood range of 18V Makita tools already). With care I get dead accurate 90deg and standard mitres, for a 45deg angle cut (think mitred box) well that's over to the table saw as that feels safer at that angle and is likely more accurate every time. Clamps: the KS60 uses the standard Festool track type clamps, 2 slots at the back and it has 2 slots for them on the front too - I often make cuts on small pieces and I use these clamps all the time - I'll often use 3 clamps to make one cut (safely) to a small block. Another bonus; compared to my old Elektra Beckum the dust collection is around 70% better too.
Thanks for watching
Choosing the right tool for the job is paramount. If someone needs precision down to the nearest 1/4 of a millimeter then no miter saw is for you not even the festool. All sliding miter saws have some play in them some more than others. There is also the issue of blade deflection. I still feel like a 10 inch miter saw has less blade deflection than a 12 inch saw.
Mayonnaise: Thanks for the thorough review. I was looking for reviews as I was debating about returning the R4251 I just bought to make lots of picture frames accurately. I could not get a square corner to save my life, and contacted customer service. Their advice was to check cal, which I am confident is dead on. If I cut a 45 miter angle, and immediately put the cut piece up to the blade, there is at least a 1 degree delta. Your review confirms my suspicions about the wambliness of the mechanism, and I am taking her back and going back to the table saw/sled. I need a method to create fixturing stops for longer pieces for the sled.
It’s definitely very wambly!
Mayonaise. Discovered your channel the other day. Lots of good stuff and honest opinions. I think most wood workers I watch seem to agree that a miter saw is only for rough breakdowns. In larger shops a person would typically position it in an area where they do rough breadowns along with a jointer and planer.
I own a 12” fixed double bevel compound miter saw for my use in custom furniture building. Dust collection is through a auto switched shop vacuum and the machine is equipped with a Forrest Signature Series super premium blade. With the saw dialed in my cuts are accurate, smooth and ready for 98+% of my work. The widest sometimes get a touch up on a shooting board with a 5-1/2 jack plane.
With boards wider than its capacity I’ll generally use my tablesaw and miter sled or a track saw. After many years in the shop sawing wood I find that a sliding compound miter saw is the least of my wants or needs. They just don’t provide the accuracy I need with wider stock. I wouldn’t recommend any of them for most needs of a woodworker. If I were a production carpenter my needs would surely differ.
Sounds like a nice setup!
My sliding mitre saw is cheap and good enough for furniture making, but after making the cut I use an edge sander to get perfect length, smooth finish and accurate angles, usually 90*. I wouldn’t be without it. If you are a power tool woodworker starting up I would recommend a sliding mitre saw and a top of the range edge sander. Together they are my most used tools after the circular saw. Mitre saw for cross cuts, table saw for ripping. Sander or hand plane for finishing.
That’s an interesting approach, but I like the concept!
Duke's Mayonnaise!
Ridgid's LSA is pretty much worthless anyway. I had a massive issue with a product and took it to an authorized service center. Ridgid didn't want to replace any parts. They wanted the 3rd party technician to fix the issue, which was caused by Ridgid not including a pretty important part in the box to begin with. And on top of that, they were only paying the service center a flat $19 fee. That barely covers the time it takes to diagnose the problem.
I just bought the Delta Cruzer 12" and it doesn't have that much deflection at full extension. Maybe yours came a little loose?
Mayonnaise. Did I spell that right? Anyway, I now own my third miter saw in roughly thirty years (I'm guessing here) Started out with a "Sears" brand sliding thing that sort of resembled a mini radial arm saw. I needed it for a job where I was installing wainscotting (among other things) but had to take it in for some remediation, as the base didn't sit level. Not sure how that's even possible with a cast aluminum base?
Eventually, I said to the "tool Dude" at Sears, I either need that saw back, or my money. I got my money. Went to a competitor and bought a "Miter Box" by Delta, that was basically a chop saw. Heavy beast of a thing, but couldn't do compound miters. Sold it. And then went with a Bosch, which I've now had for maybe 15+ years? (Memory is dim) It's a compound miter saw that seems to be pretty darned accurate, and the only drawback that I find somewhat annoying is, you cannot set it close to a wall, as you'd be able to do with the Rigid or any of the other saws with the fancy articulating pull out thingies. I've contemplated upgrading, but now I'm not sure why? Where I have it now, the overhand doesn't seem to matter, and by the way, the blade that came with it was just fine. It had some sort of goofy laser thing, but once the batteries wore out, and even though I replaced them, it never did work consistently again. I'd sooner have the light that you demonstated. So, THANKS for telling me to keep my saw. Carry on!
Mayonnaise- thanks explaining your neutral position and the highs and lows, I appreciate it! Have a good one, and thanks for the the awesome content.
Thank you for the feedback and checking out the video!
I live mine. Yes it creates some dust but they all do. I have to have it do to wall space issues. It will be the final miter saw that I will purchase.
mayonnaise 1.Does the saw come with the "new" MAX OUTPUT battery? 2.Is it a brushless motor? 3. How long does it run off of a 4Ah battery? 4. In the same price range (+/- $60), is there a battery saw like this you can recommend for reasonably good finishing work? I already have a good table saw. 5, Different topic: sometimes cutting a piece out of a 4 x 8 ft. plywood, using my table saw is very difficult (say I want a piece 35
" x 49"). Is there a tool I can use to guide me circular saw and get excellent accuracy?
it's not a cordless saw. kreg makes a circular saw guide for cutting sheets goods and it's pretty good for the price
Mayo, It was interesting because I'd been looking at a Bosch with the same sliding system. Expensive. I didn't know Ridgid made one. However I just bought a used Harbor Freight Admiral 12" for $110.00 that was like new except the guard was missing. That was $10.00 from the parts dept. Now if I can just figure out how to mount it. Thanks for the video.
Thanks for checking out the video, Andy!
Good review. Just subscribed. Most saws will have play like this. I work in a prefab shop doing walls and stairs. The miters that slide on rails will have slightly less play. DeWalt seems to offer the least.
Thanks, Tyler! Seems like a lot of folks in the comments really like that dewalt one
I have to say that I have this saw in the 10" and I don't have nearly that amount of play in my saw. I'm not saying that there's no play at all but it's closer to a 1/16th either to the right or left at full extention, and pushing in either direction. I'm very happy with this saw as my basic jobsite saw..
First lad, the clamp is supposed to be slid up and down the shaft then the last few turns are to tighten it, second, you obviously need to snug up the knuckles to take up the slack from your side to side, you mentioned how easily it floated, well it was probably too loose those aren't so much for tightening the slide as they are for reducing side to side play. snug it up and try again.
Thanks for the review though
Mayo. I just bought the 10-inch R4241. How would you all compare it to the Bosch CM10GD?
The bevel on my R4241 will not stay tight outside of the detents. Fairly like pressure will increase the bevel angle. 👎 Dust collection and dust bag location are absolute disasters.
Have the delta cruzer 12" version - I consider it a construction and jobsite tool, not a furniture tool. It's very precise for what it is - +/-1/32" on 3/4" ply cuts is my typical experience using mechanical stops at 90 degrees. I can flip boards over for up to 27-28" total cut width and the overlapping cuts are nearly indistinguishable.
I use mine in a negative pressure shroud most of the time. Otherwise, yep - it's messy.
Worst part of the delta version is the current inrush is huge, and the initial torque jerks the saw head quite a bit - I installed a soft start: huge improvement and this allows rapid, repeated cuts without tripping. Not sure if rigid put a soft start on theirs - this is definitely the biggest thing to improve on imho.
The trench cut depth is actually the most unreliable dimension on this saw - not sure about % error but the little depth stop screw is definitely janky.
I would like to have one that feels a bit more refined and precise, but for $400 I paid a few years ago this saw has been generally great and acceptably precise.
This doesn’t have soft start either. It’s the same saw made by their parent company
Mayonnaise- I just ordered this miter saw about an hour ago for $379.99 from Home Depot. I’ve watch many videos and reviews and pretty much all miter saws have deflection. I liked the Festool, but $1500 it’s too much for me. My Dewalt DWS780 had deflection as well, but I made just I push down when cutting and not side to side. I also mainly make 90 degree cuts. If making picture frames I use my table saw.
Mayonnaise! Great video! Got a recommendation on a mitre saw for trim and crown moulding?
Thanks for watching! I haven’t used a miter saw that I like yet, so I don’t have a recommendation
Mayonnaise. lol Just wanted to point out that, with the clamp that comes with the saw, it is slide adjustable. Meaning that, once you put it in its hole behind the fence, you can slide it down the bar until the pad contacts the workpiece, then turn to tighten it. I have this saw and have never had the issue you showed. Also, as for the deflection, is something lose? I only ask because mine doesn't deflect nearly that much, even fully extended! I mean...WOW! That's a lot of deflection! Especially when fully retracted.
Mayonnaise. I have the delta version, and it's good enough for rough cuts. For accurate cuts, I still go to a hand plane on a shooting board, or table saw with a sled. Also I recently sold my delta 12in saw, and planning to buy this. The only reason is my table saw, jointer, thickness planer, amd oscillating belt sander are all ridgid. And I still have the big ridgid miter saw mobile stand.
Why’d you get rid of the delta?
Mayo! Lol great review! The keyword trick borrowed from blacktail studio?
Thanks, Fred! Glad you enjoyed it! What’s blacktail studio?
It's funny. I just watched a video on the delta. Saw this and was like "oh, it's a black and orange delta" lol. Great review. And the always sunny clip definitely sealed the subscribe lol
Thanks so much for the support, Rob!
Thanks for sharing . Thanks for the translator, translated it into Vietnamese, it's very helpful
Mayonnaise. Awesome review! Please review the Makita 12" slider. I think the two most important features of this saw were overlooked. 1) It has MUCH greater capacity - even more than DeWalt's 2x16 ability with the "backfence" gimmick. I think the extreme capacity is also a lot of the reason for the side-to-side movement) 2) The space saving design over the typical bars that don't stick out behind it. I have a 500 square foot shop and I can't put my Dewalt anywhere that doesn't waste a ton of space behind the saw. Also, I'd love to see some more cuts with actual measurements of the cut boards with a square and tape measure. My Dewalt DHS790 has the same deflection as the Bosch glide 12" and I have tested two Kapexes that have only slightly less deflection. Don't forget the Kapex is WAY smaller. If Festool made a 12", I would have bought one years ago. I am still searching for the ultimate 12" sliding miter saw.
Thanks for watching!