+- MacResource (https://forums.macresource.com)
+-- Forum: My Category (https://forums.macresource.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=1)
+--- Forum: Tips and Deals (https://forums.macresource.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=3)
+--- Thread: Miter Saw or Cordless Circular Saw? (/showthread.php?tid=180913)
Pages:
1
2
Miter Saw or Cordless Circular Saw? - anonymouse1 - 07-07-2015
Every so often I have a small project around the house that involves cutting wood--making a prayer/meditation bench, making a frame for a cat door, etc.
I was originally thinking of getting a decent cheap sliding miter saw on ebay or on sale--maybe $150 for a Wen or Craftsman. I don't get a good feeling about the Ryobi or Harbor Freight....
But then I realized I don't have a dedicated workroom, and less expensive miter saws are notorious for spewing sawdust all over the place. That means vacuuming every time I use the miter saw. So then I thought maybe I'd be better off with a cordless circular saw--just get a workmate bench, go outside, and let the sawdust fall on the lawn. No cleanup required!
But then I thought circular saws aren't as accurate, especially if I ever want to cut a miter. And trying to do a repeatable bevel? Oy!
So I'm stuck on the fence, and return to the collective wisdom of the MRF--cordless circular saw or miter saw?
Thanks!
Re: Miter Saw or Cordless Circular Saw? - OWC Jamie - 07-07-2015
Use the mitre saw outside ?
Or connect a shop vac to it ?
Re: Miter Saw or Cordless Circular Saw? - cbelt3 - 07-07-2015
Bench ? Circular saw. Plug in kind. Unless you make it out of miter-saw sized boards.
Framing ? Miter saw.
For the stuff I do, I take out the circular saw VERY rarely. And I have a portable workbench, and saw outside on the driveway. And then sweep the sawdust into the grass.
Re: Miter Saw or Cordless Circular Saw? - steve... - 07-07-2015
Could you get by with one of these?
$15 at Home Depot
Re: Miter Saw or Cordless Circular Saw? - Paul F. - 07-07-2015
I've been learning a lot of tricks on using my cordless DeWalt circular saw from a friend of mine (a contractor)...
You can clamp a guide at any angle on a workpiece, then run the saw along the guide... done.
Is it 100% as accurate as the miter saw? I doubt it... but I can move the DeWalt to my work, rather than moving the work to a miter saw, which is a big advantage in a lot of cases.
For general around the house stuff, faced with that choice, I would pick the cordless circular saw again.
Re: Miter Saw or Cordless Circular Saw? - Spiff - 07-07-2015
Go for the miter saw. It will give you accurate and clean cuts every time. Much better than a circular saw, which is not guaranteed to give you consistent cuts. I just got a miter saw and am very happy with it. I use it outside and sweep it up later.
Dewalt sells their basic model for about $200 at Lowes. Not much more than the price point you are thinking about ($150). It is solid, portable, and gets excellent reviews. I quick grip clamp it to my B&D portable workbench and away I go! Weeeee!
Re: Miter Saw or Cordless Circular Saw? - Paul F. - 07-07-2015
You know the REAL solution to this, right?
Buy both
Re: Miter Saw or Cordless Circular Saw? - BernDog - 07-07-2015
I would buy in this order, due simply to versatility.
1) corded circular saw
2) Miter saw
3) cordless circular saw
If you're going to buy one thing, go with 1. If you're going to buy two things, I'd consider 2 and 3, but it depends how much you'd use it, and what kind of projects you'd be doing with the circular. 1 and 2 might be a better choice.
For your description, I'd say use a miter outside on your portable work bench. Or, just on the ground if your geography allows it.
Re: Miter Saw or Cordless Circular Saw? - Paul F. - 07-07-2015
A year ago I would have agreed with the corded circular saw. Now having used a reasonably decent quality cordless circular saw, I'm not sure what advantages a corded model would have any more, except a cord to get in my way every time I turn around.
I'm sure they DO have advantages, but for the 'average guy'? Not sure I'd put a corded model above the cordless.
Re: Miter Saw or Cordless Circular Saw? - lost in space - 07-07-2015
You'll get the most accuracy with the miter saw. Miter can only cut smaller pieces, like you won't be able to cut a 2 ft wide piece of plywood with it.
You'll get the most versatility and portability with the circular saw. You can indeed get pretty accurate with a decent circular saw using guides clamped to your workpiece. Time consuming, but effective. It was my only power saw for 20 years, and I built some basic furniture and finished a basement with it.
For around the house, light shop use, I'd get the circular saw first. Then the miter saw, then a bandsaw, then a drill press, then a belt sander, then a table saw, then . . . . . . . ad bankruptum.
edit: Workmate is a great thing to have if you don't have a dedicated bench, good even if you do. Don't get a new one, they're junk. Look for an older one on CL. Here's a link with good info:
Workmate types