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.
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.
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.
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.
I don't think Ridgid technically builds anything, just their name gets slapped on stuff anymore sadly. Back when Ridgid was built by Emerson they had really good tools, not so much anymore. They're built by TTI (Techtronic Industries), who also makes Ryobi and Milwaukee as well as Walmart's Hart brand. So you'd think since TTI makes Milwaukee the Ridgid stuff would be better LOL.
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. 👍
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.
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
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!
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.
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.
@@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
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.
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
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 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!
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.
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 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
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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. :)
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: 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!
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.
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
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.
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.
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; 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.
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
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.
I got the Hercules 12" Dual Bevel Sliding Compound Miter Saw last year for about $100 less, very solid saw compared to a lot of other brands out there.
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.
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- 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 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.
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.
Mayonnaise- super glad I watched this bc I am a furniture builder looking for a better miter saw. I don’t have the funds for a kapex, so I was looking into a Bosch or delta cruzer when I saw yours. Glad to know it’s the same as the delta bc I need that style for my workspace. Any suggestions to look into for the shorter style depth compared to the long bar style?
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!
Mayonnaise - I just bought the 10" version last night. It's in the trunk of my car. I'd previously purchased a Ryobi 10" Slider and the 45's are off. I'm doing all new Window casings and finishing trim. The 45's were so bad, I ended up wasting expensive wood. I cannot seem to adjust the Ryobi as the detents are case in. So on one side I have 44.3 degrees and the other 44.9. It may not sound like much error but it is on finishing carpentry. Guess I won't even take the Ridgid out of the Trunk and take it back. Not sure what to buy for accurate finishing work?
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?
Crazy.. just ordered the Bosch and I am seeing this. I wouldn't give up the Bosch (and the stand).. but interesting how this (and some cheaper china brands) are using a similar dual arm setup instead of the way most are on the sliding rods. Curious how it compares to Bosch (and Festool). Makes me wonder how they aren't "as good" given similar features. I'd have to imagine all saws including Bosch with this arm might deflect the same way? But maybe the Bosch having the arm on the side and one on top prevents that?
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.
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. 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: 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.
Hi guys how I can to have one ridgid tile wet saw 10 inch because here where I am in New Zealand it's not this tool , someone have some ideas ☺️👍😊 thanks guys.
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.
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.
When I changed out the stock blade I had to cut part of the dust chute and back off a bolt just to get clearance to do it. Yours looked way easier than mine
The deflection is a deal breaker for me. Right now I have the contractor who built my house Dewalt 12” sliding Miter sitting in my Garage so I went out to see how much deflection was on that saw there was not much at all and I really had to push on it to see any. He is quitting and wants me to buy it so I think I will and put up with it needing more clearance. Thanks for the review as I really wanted to buy the Rigid. I know you and others say that you rather rely on your TS for miter cuts, but watching guys doing crown molding they can get really nice tight compound cuts with a MS so I think you should be able to dial them in as good as TS.
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..
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.
Mayonaise: Do you think a zero clearance insert might help some with defection? I'm a beginner and need the space saving. I also go slow and use multiple passes.
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.
Mayonnaise: Thank you for providing an unbiased review. So, have you tried any DeWalt miter saws? For production, there is a reason why many carpenters buy the Skil model 77, 7-1/4 inch saw, namely, reliability. After crowning the lumber and by using a speed square some folks might be surprised how accurate those old technology saws actually are and they are not limited to on the ground use only. For larger dimensional lumber, the Magnesium SAWSQUATCH Worm Drive (Diablo Blade)SKILSAW SPT70WM-22 10-1/4 Inch blade along with a speed square makes accurate cuts, and if that doesn't float you boat, then perhaps the ultimate beam saw, the Skilsaw SPT70V-11 SUPER SAWSQUATCH 16-5/16-Inch Worm Drive Circular Saw Bundle with 32 Tooth ATB General Saw Blade (16-5/16-Inch) along with a speed square makes accurate cuts. But after all of this hyperbole being said, I own the Ridgid R4222 as mounted to a portable wheeled stand by Ridgid, AC9946, and for most tasks, I still prefer an appropriately sized speed square and and either my 35 year old model 77 Skil saw 7-1/4 inch, my Magnesium SAWSQUATCH 10-1/4 inch, or my Makita 5402-A Beam saw 16-5/16 inch; mostly because they are long ago paid for, and I know what they can accomplish. All saws make a mess from sawdust, but there nothing worse than a poorly designed dust collection system.
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.
Would you get this over the dws780? The zero rear clearance appeals to me as my workbench is against a wall. I dont do anything serious probably dont even need anything close to this but I want one still regardless and i think its between this and the dewalt 780
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.
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
Mayonnaise, great review dude, really appreciate it. Question- if you snug down the adjustment screws for the resistance on the slide joints-does that reduce the size play? At the expense of some easy motion and smoothness. Thank you
Miracle Whip - :). Hmmm, I was all in favor until you showed the deflection. Now I have to make a compromise. I think the Makita has the better linear rails, but it lacks the blade shadow, which sound like it's a bit better than the laser.
Miracle Whip. What can I say? Not a mayo guy. Thank you for your review. One important feature is how the saw can be up against the wall when in use. Some of the play might be minimized by tightening the knuckle adjustments. Yes/No? Jobsite sawdust is not a big deal, except when doing finish work, like trimming out a finished home. Different story in home shops. Some builders go to great lengths to capture dust from these type saws. Not crazy about the brand. I own no Rigid tools. Merry Christmas and blessings to you and yours.
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.
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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.
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 🤷♂️
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.
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.
I don't think Ridgid technically builds anything, just their name gets slapped on stuff anymore sadly. Back when Ridgid was built by Emerson they had really good tools, not so much anymore. They're built by TTI (Techtronic Industries), who also makes Ryobi and Milwaukee as well as Walmart's Hart brand. So you'd think since TTI makes Milwaukee the Ridgid stuff would be better LOL.
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!
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.
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
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 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
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!
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
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!
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?
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 🤣
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 🤣
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
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
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 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
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.
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
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.
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- 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!
Good review. I wonder if the deflection would be worse with bevel cuts.
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
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?
Mayo, good vid. Did I miss where you talked about it being able to be set against a wall with out needing a hole for the bars?
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
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: 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!
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!
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
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
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...
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 😀
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; 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!
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.
Nicely done video!!! You came up in my video feed for the first time today. I just subscribed. Very impressed with your presentation.
Thank you very much, Scott! You’ve got a lot of videos to catch up on 😜
I'll start checking them out ...binge watching 😊
Much appreciated! Trying my best to gain any traction I can on UA-cam 🤣
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
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
Mayo! Lol great review! The keyword trick borrowed from blacktail studio?
Thanks, Fred! Glad you enjoyed it! What’s blacktail studio?
I got the Hercules 12" Dual Bevel Sliding Compound Miter Saw last year for about $100 less, very solid saw compared to a lot of other brands out there.
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.
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!
Thanks for the review. I'm look for saw like that with out taking up all the room. I guess I'm taking up room.
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 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
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!
Mayonnaise- super glad I watched this bc I am a furniture builder looking for a better miter saw. I don’t have the funds for a kapex, so I was looking into a Bosch or delta cruzer when I saw yours. Glad to know it’s the same as the delta bc I need that style for my workspace. Any suggestions to look into for the shorter style depth compared to the long bar style?
Definitely DO NOT buy this one! I’ve never used them, but I’ve heard good things about the Bosch, Makita, and high end dewalt
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.
Mayonnaise - I just bought the 10" version last night. It's in the trunk of my car. I'd previously purchased a Ryobi 10" Slider and the 45's are off. I'm doing all new Window casings and finishing trim. The 45's were so bad, I ended up wasting expensive wood. I cannot seem to adjust the Ryobi as the detents are case in. So on one side I have 44.3 degrees and the other 44.9. It may not sound like much error but it is on finishing carpentry. Guess I won't even take the Ridgid out of the Trunk and take it back. Not sure what to buy for accurate finishing work?
Oh man I had an old ryobi and the positive stops were terrible!
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
Crazy.. just ordered the Bosch and I am seeing this. I wouldn't give up the Bosch (and the stand).. but interesting how this (and some cheaper china brands) are using a similar dual arm setup instead of the way most are on the sliding rods. Curious how it compares to Bosch (and Festool). Makes me wonder how they aren't "as good" given similar features. I'd have to imagine all saws including Bosch with this arm might deflect the same way? But maybe the Bosch having the arm on the side and one on top prevents that?
Just got my saw yesterday！very good review!already subscribed!
Thank you for the support!
if the miter angle is wrong when it fall into the indents,,can you adjust the indents to tune it in
Yes, but the blade still deflects horribly
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.
Mayo- what blade should I purchase to replace the blade that comes with the saw
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 😜
What is the distance from the back of the saw/wall to the front of the fence?
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!!!!
Mayonaise do you think it would be possible to change the gear ratio to cut metal?
Iwas concerned that it would lack power
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!
Mayonaisse - Thanks for the review. What about tightening the adjustments on the hinges for less deflection?
I tried that, and unfortunately it didn’t help
Thanks for the reply.
Thanks for checking out the video, Carl!
Hi guys how I can to have one ridgid tile wet saw 10 inch because here where I am in New Zealand it's not this tool , someone have some ideas ☺️👍😊 thanks guys.
Who are you talking to?
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!
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.
When I changed out the stock blade I had to cut part of the dust chute and back off a bolt just to get clearance to do it. Yours looked way easier than mine
Interesting. I didn’t have that problem at all
Does it come with a spare belt for the belt drive? Slippage, is there a slack tension adjustment?
Very good demonstration , I like rigid tools but I have a Dewalt trim saw. I almost forgot Mayonnaise 😅
The deflection is a deal breaker for me. Right now I have the contractor who built my house Dewalt 12” sliding Miter sitting in my Garage so I went out to see how much deflection was on that saw there was not much at all and I really had to push on it to see any. He is quitting and wants me to buy it so I think I will and put up with it needing more clearance. Thanks for the review as I really wanted to buy the Rigid. I know you and others say that you rather rely on your TS for miter cuts, but watching guys doing crown molding they can get really nice tight compound cuts with a MS so I think you should be able to dial them in as good as TS.
it's definitely a deal breaker on this saw
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..
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.
Mayonaise:
Do you think a zero clearance insert might help some with defection? I'm a beginner and need the space saving. I also go slow and use multiple passes.
Maybe, but probably not. The entire sliding mechanism is super super sloppy
I have a delta Cruzer which is the same saw and I love it.
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.
Mayonnaise:
Thank you for providing an unbiased review. So, have you tried any DeWalt miter saws?
For production, there is a reason why many carpenters buy the Skil model 77, 7-1/4 inch saw, namely, reliability. After crowning the lumber and by using a speed square some folks might be surprised how accurate those old technology saws actually are and they are not limited to on the ground use only. For larger dimensional lumber, the Magnesium SAWSQUATCH Worm Drive (Diablo Blade)SKILSAW SPT70WM-22 10-1/4 Inch blade along with a speed square makes accurate cuts, and if that doesn't float you boat, then perhaps the ultimate beam saw, the Skilsaw SPT70V-11 SUPER SAWSQUATCH 16-5/16-Inch Worm Drive Circular Saw Bundle with 32 Tooth ATB General Saw Blade (16-5/16-Inch) along with a speed square makes accurate cuts.
But after all of this hyperbole being said, I own the Ridgid R4222 as mounted to a portable wheeled stand by Ridgid, AC9946, and for most tasks, I still prefer an appropriately sized speed square and and either my 35 year old model 77 Skil saw 7-1/4 inch, my Magnesium SAWSQUATCH 10-1/4 inch, or my Makita 5402-A Beam saw 16-5/16 inch; mostly because they are long ago paid for, and I know what they can accomplish. All saws make a mess from sawdust, but there nothing worse than a poorly designed dust collection system.
Thanks for watching! Yes, I’ve used a dewalt saw
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!
Mayonnaise... Thanks for the time and review... I still need a saw for perfect glue seams and trim ... Without going festool... Any suggestions ?
Sure thing! Why not use a table saw?
Would you get this over the dws780? The zero rear clearance appeals to me as my workbench is against a wall. I dont do anything serious probably dont even need anything close to this but I want one still regardless and i think its between this and the dewalt 780
Wow looks just like the 12" Delta Cruzer saw I purchased several years ago. Love it.
Thanks for checking out the video, Andrew! It's made by their parent company
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.
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 what saw would you recommend for best bang for the money
I haven’t found a single miter saw that I like
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
Mayonnaise - Thank you. I'm in need of a good miter saw and videos like this are very helpful
Thank you so much for this video. I was just about to buy this and I’m so thankful I saw this.
Mayonnaise, great review dude, really appreciate it. Question- if you snug down the adjustment screws for the resistance on the slide joints-does that reduce the size play? At the expense of some easy motion and smoothness. Thank you
Unfortunately not, I tried everything possible and there’s just too much slop.
Miracle Whip - :). Hmmm, I was all in favor until you showed the deflection. Now I have to make a compromise. I think the Makita has the better linear rails, but it lacks the blade shadow, which sound like it's a bit better than the laser.
I think just about any miter saw would be better than this one 🤣
Miracle Whip.
What can I say? Not a mayo guy.
Thank you for your review. One important feature is how the saw can be up against the wall when in use.
Some of the play might be minimized by tightening the knuckle adjustments. Yes/No?
Jobsite sawdust is not a big deal, except when doing finish work, like trimming out a finished home. Different story in home shops. Some builders go to great lengths to capture dust from these type saws.
Not crazy about the brand. I own no Rigid tools.
Merry Christmas and blessings to you and yours.
Thanks for checking out the video, Neil! Unfortunately there are no adjustments that can be made to minimize the play in the saw
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