Milwalkee 12" Sliding Miter Saw On Clearance!!

SDC

OK not a saw but I thought I would let you know...
I went to HD for the 12" saw, they were sold out and I could not resist picking this up.....generator for $299.00

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WarnerConstInc.

I know what is going on with the Milwaukee 12" saws.

They are coming out with a 10" slider to try and hang with everyone else.
I think you may see the end of many 12" sliders.
All the 10" are getting lighter, cutting capacity's are getting bigger, some have thought out the dust extraction.

Now who put that package completely together first?


So hold on, maybe a new 10" saw coming to town.

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PlumbBob^2Pants

Just got the Milwaukee 12" SCMS and we had a great chance to put it to use today. After having tried Milwaukee cordless drills (they suck) a few years ago, I haven't been that big of a fan of Milwaukee tools. We have a 12 year old Sawzall and it is still going strong, though, but those drills were cheap made and lead me to believe the quality of Milwaukee has dropped off a cliff in recent years. But, the 6955-20 12" sliding compound miter saw has me rethinking that ... well, at least when it comes to this saw anyway. I have to say, it is an awesome saw and really well-made and thought out.

We have a 10" Porter-Cable that has been going strong for about 14 years, but it flew apart a few days ago on our current build, so we had to quickly find a replacement. Our brother has new DeWalt 10" SCMS and it is OK, but it feels kind of flimsy ... cheap plastic degree marker, will not suck up dust at all, maybe a little play. We got our hands on comparable Bosch, Makita, and Hitachi 12" SCMS, and they all looked and felt fairly decent. We would have been happy with the Makita or the Bosch, for sure. But, when browsing saws on Amazon.com for customer reviews we came across the Milwaukee. We weren't aware that Milwaukee was even making sliding compound miter saws and were a bit surprised to see one there. The reviews were good ... read a few more reviews at FHB and saw a cool video of it on youtube ... and so we were sold on it. And today when we used it, it lived up to all the hype in the reviews.

It was perfectly square out-of-the-box ... no initial adjustments had to be made as is reported with some of the other SCMS. There's absolutely no play in the rails, and all cuts are made with razor sharp precision. The LCD for showing the angle is really nice ... for some reason, it's a lot easier to remember the odd angles when reading from the LCD vs. reading from the angle marker arrow ... this is a nice thing when you have to switch between an odd angle to a square cut and then back to the same odd angle again. The fine adjustment knob is another really cool feature. You just pull up on the detent release lever and hold it there, push the fine adjustment knob forward, and then turn the knob to precisely tune in angles to 1/10 of a degree. The LCD tells you exactly what the angle is, so you can recreate the angle again without having to guess where you're at when you're in between degree marks ... again, just a very nice feature that makes you feel a lot more confident of the exact angle you're cutting, and that you can recreate that exact angle again and again with absolute precision.

I think Milwaukee made another good decision in putting cutting lights on this saw instead of a laser. Lasers can be fuzzy and wide, and they can actually obscure your mark ... to me, they're kind of a PITA really. I mean, if you have to line up the mark to the laser anyway, then how does it really help at all? It's just as easy to line up the cut mark with the blade ... and, the lights on this saw help you do just that in times of heavy shadow (early morning and late evening) or in dim indoor light. The lights can be turned on or off, and they're recessed into the housing of the saw ... they're not just hanging out there to be knocked off or broken.

The weight of the saw was our biggest concern. We've been toting our old 10" Porter-Cable miter saw around for years, and with no inconvenience at all. It's not a light saw, but it's not big and bulky like a SCMS either ... so it's easy to handle. But with the Milwaukee, we were surprised to see that it feels absolutely no heavier than that old Porter-Cable of ours. It may weigh a few more pounds on paper, but any difference in weight is absolutely not discernable. I carried the saw up a flight of 18 stairs today and it was not that heavy at all. Plus the it has carrying handles sticking out everywhere, and the handles on the base of the saw are rubber padded and that makes it a very comfortable carry on the hands.

The only thing I can see that may be a problem in the future is the way Milwaukee has designed the rails to be locked in place for transport and for standard miter cuts on narrow material; they use a simple thumbscrew that tightens down from the base of the saw into one of the rails. If one overtightens this too many times, I can see it weakening or stripping out. Maybe I'm paranoid about that, but that's been my experience with thumbscrews ... so, I'm going to try not to overtighten it if I can help it. Seems like Milwaukee could have come up with something a little better for this functionality. I won't knock the design too much until it gives me problems, though.

When one looks at build quality, features, price, and just overall value, I feel like this saw is the best 12 " sliding compound miter out there.

Andrew M.

I have had the Milwaukee for a while and I am not all that impressed. What are we going to do when it develops play in the slide, there is no set screw like on any other I have had/used., get this ,the Milwaukee tech said preload that small lock screw. Yea that will work to damage the rail surface. Stupid design feature. I guess since I paid $470 , thinking a got a deal, I am not pleased.

The bevel lock does not really hold the massive head absolutely fixed with the cable/spring loaded lock design. The lights, the LED on my DW717 is way better. I did replace the cheap auto type bulbs with better ones to at least make them brighter. I agree the plastic pointer is cheap on the dw717, prefer the scale on my dw706, but it has no effect on performance it has not moved since I set it. I use my Bosch angle finder if I want to get really picky anyway.

$299 worth it, not for $500. The 10" blade and better rigidity[ you can laterally move that saw's head almost 2 times the DW, try it you will be surprised in how much head flex exists.] make the DW717 more accurate. The play you have spoke of on the DW can be adjusted out, there are set screws and bolts, DW717 has that ability as any other miter saw I have has, not the Milwaukee. I played around for an hour trying to get the bevel lock better, no luck, as it is spring loaded, with no fixed lock ability by lever or screw.

I am no DW supporter, I hated the dw718 I had, but the 717 is a good saw, and strikes a good balance in weight and features.

PlumbBob^2Pants

Yeah, I really don't know what they were thinking with this. Maybe it will be a problem, and maybe it won't ... only time will tell. As someone who will abuse this saw and put it to the test everyday, I just don't like the idea of it being something that I feel like I have to be careful with. If the thumbscrew doesn't hold up, then I'll probably move on to the Makita the next time around.

I bumped the head of the Milwaukee really hard, from the side, yesterday when swinging a 2 x 6 x 16 around to be sawed ... the bevel didn't move off zero. It has the easiest to use and best bevel lock design I've seen on all the SCMS's I researched ... with bevel detents at all the key angles and at zero, so there's no guessing.

Unless the head play/flex is something that comes about with use, I'm just not seeing it. I've tried to twist the head and move it side-to-side when sawing, and it wouldn't budge ... it cut right down the mark everytime, and with no play.

Do you mean on the DeWalt or the Milwaukee? The Milwaukee has a three position bevel lock mechanism ... and no knobs or flimsy levers to twist to lock it in place. It's fast and easy to use, and with the bevel detents, it's idiot proof too.

The 10" DeWalt is a good saw ... my brother is really happy with it and it would hold up to some abuse, but for $100 more the Milwaukee 12" was just too hard to pass up. IMO, it's just a lot better value for all that you get and for the build quality. I'm real happy with it.

PlumbBob^2Pants

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the 10" DeWalt can't be locked in place to be used as just a miter saw...right? It's head can only be locked for transport, and when it's unlocked it's sliding on the rails ... am I wrong on that? I guess that's the logic behind the thumbscrew ... to hold it fully extended so it can be used as a non-sliding miter saw too. If that's the case, then I'd still like to see some kind of latch on it to hold it locked for transport, though.

Andrew M.

You are wrong, the DW717 head locks by flipping a bracket to keep it non moving. Takes a second to do.

The head flex may not really be an issue in use, I know all SCMS have flex, just this Milwaukee saw is no better than any other possibly more there. I think with a good low or negative hook angle blade and good technique , should be a non issue. The saw looks like it has a massive casting to prevent flex but it is just the cover that makes it look that way. Mine cuts OK with a DW series 60 , 60th blade made in UK. Those are great blades, of course not made now. The stock blade is fair to poor.

Yes, the bevel issue is in the non pre-made stops. If the cut would bind I think it could move out of bevel position on thick stock. I can move it push it if I try hard enough, and I went through the numerous steps outlined in the service instructions [check out the instructions,unlike any I have done]available at their site. On the stops it is solid. I would have designed it with a second mechanical, manual screw lock instead of only a spring/cable tension design .

At $299 it is a good deal, I just hope the slide system keeps solid as there is no practical way to reduce the slack, if it develops other than pre loading the lock screw. I suppose you could drill/tap there and place a set screw too with brass in contact with the rod similar to the DW. when that happens. I was able to get the DW717 very smooth and no real play in the slide setting the socket head screw.

PlumbBob^2Pants

We paid $650 for ours. We mised out on the Home Depot deal, but I can say that this saw is worth every penny of $650.00. After having used for it more than a few days now I'm even more confident in its quality. We've put the fine adjustment to use several times, and this is something you won't know you're missing until you use it just one time ... what a time saver, and I couldn't live without it now. And it's not as heavy or awkward to carry as some make it out to be ... carry it with it set at 60 degrees and it isnt awkward at all.

Here are a few reviews of it that I read before buying ours ... for anyone else that may be thinking of buying one, too:

Fine Home Building Review of Milwaukee 6955-20 Sliding Compound Miter Saw

Fine Home Building - Video of Milwaukee 6955-20 Sliding Compound Miter Saw

Fine Home Building - Milwaukee 12" Sliding Compound Miter Saw leads the pack

TBFGhost

Not to side track, but I still have yet to find a better bevel lock then Bosch...same with the fences, but from what hear Bosch owns the rights to these.... I really really REALLY wanted to get the new Makita 1016, but I am going to wait for Bosch to make a new 10" slider and go for that....

Newera

I need a favour. Could one of you that have purchased the 6955-20 measure something for me. I'd like to know what the overall depth of the saw is from back of rail to front of bevel knob (when the rail is all the way back). I measured a few other brands at HD today but the Milwaukee was not on display. The DeWalt was about 36" and the Bosch was a crazy 45"! I would be using the saw primarily in my small home shop, so depth is an issue.

Thanks!

WarnerConstInc.

I think it is pushing 40".

It's not pushing, it knocked 40" down, its total depth is 43"
Funny, Milwaukee does not list that number on their spec sheet.

Edit: shallowest slider I find find the dimensions on (they put it in the catalog) is 19 3/4"

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Newera

Thanks for the reply. Which slider was this that was 19 3/4"? This would obviously be the dimension in which the slider was pulled all the way forward and locked (for transport purposes).

Rustbucket

On a hunch, and being that this information was coming from Warner, I figured this was the Kapex he was talking about.

http://www.festoolusa.com/products/s...cs-561287.html

The fact that the rails don't slide with the carriage makes this a very compact design that can almost be pushed up against a wall.

Winchester

On my Hitachi I can adjust how I want it to slide on the rails so you can use it without needing rear clearance. i.e. you can butt it back against the wall

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Ryan

WarnerConstInc.

Yes it is. I can push my kapex almost right up to a wall. I really only need about an 1" off room behind the saw. That little bit of space is needed for when you swing the saw left to right.

The 19 3/4" is the total depth of the whole saw. It never gets any deeper than that number.

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WarnerConstInc.

Ryan, that was nice about the Hitatchi's but, you still have that room behind the saw for the rails (even though they are fixed).

Kapex has it's rails forward and they don't move. The saw head carriage slides on the fixed rails.

I can take a picture to show you guys what I mean, right after I feed the 4 month old her peas and banana's.

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darr1

as my van has been broken into and a lot of things stolen i priced one of these saws over here in ireland and with the stand it will set me back 1400 euro , yous are very lucky getting this at such a good price

TBFGhost

Don't forget about this guy which is coming to town soon...





No more stupid rails, no more wasted space....

WarnerConstInc.

That arm set up would only bother me on a bevel cut or compound cut.

I hope that works for them and is not a total bomb.

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TBFGhost

care to elaborate why...

this is just a guess, but I am thinking it will be far better then rails during bevel/compound cuts....for the weight of the head won't be 12" away from the actual bearings and bushings that control everything...ever think about the leverage the head has on rails when it is fully extended and tilted over 45?

The KAPEX seems like a great saw....but....its not for me.