Makita LS1019L 10" Dual-Bevel Sliding Compound Miter Saw with Laser

This and the Festool Kapex were a toss-up for me. I work in the woodworking industry and require a saw that is extremely precise. I wanted a saw with forward-moving slider bars so I could put it closer to the wall and save space in my shop. (In his shop, my friend has a new Bosch CM10GD glider saw, which isn't very accurate. ) A good dust collection system was also a requirement for the saw. This saw has piqued my interest since I received an email from Makita announcing its impending release a few months ago. br>br>It was just released, so there aren't many reviews yet. I needed to see this saw in person because I was concerned about another review that stated that the upper fences must be removed to do bevel cuts; however, the lower fences are taller than the Bosch 4310 I'm replacing, so I didn't think this was a big deal. br>br>I decided to buy it locally for $509 and try it out with the assurance of a 30-day money-back guarantee if I didn't like it. When I got home, I installed my FastCap best fence system. I connected it to my shop vac via a dust deputy separator and tried a few cuts; the saw was impressively square horizontally over an 11-inch board. (Much better than my Bosch 4310, which can't cut squarely while using the sliders). If you don't use the sliders, the dust collection is excellent. When you use the sliders, the second dust collection shroud is obscured by the fence. The saw's main dust collection port isn't particularly large. Because the main dust collection port is small and splits into two shrouds, each collection port doesn't provide much suction on its own, but if you use this saw like a standard non-sliding miter saw and use both at the same time, the dust collection is quite impressive. br>br>The reason I'm returning the saw is because it can't cut squarely vertically. The majority of the board has a great 90-degree bevel, but the saw produces a small bevel as you approach the end of the travel (by the fence). This may be acceptable for general carpentry, but it is not suitable for highly precise woodworking. I also experienced two major kickbacks on the miter saw, which are uncommon on miter saws. It could be because of the bevel issue, or because the saw cuts in a slight curve rather than straight. As you can see in the attached photo, it overcuts in the middle of the board. It burns on the right side of the blade at the start of the cut, and the blade rubs against the board, leaving a visible step between 1/32" and 1/64" deep in the board toward the fence. br>br>I could have gotten a lemon, but I'm sending it back. br>br>I decided to bite the bullet and spend three times as much on a Festool Kapex with inaccurate lasers. Perhaps I'm simply unlucky. (br>I certainly hope the Festool's motor doesn't burn out; there have been numerous reports of motor failure online, and the cost of an out-of-warranty repair is more than I paid for this Makita, but the Kapex is a joy to use. Other issues include: br>br> br>The top fences are 1/64" higher than the main fences. (This was also apparent on the floor model. ) br>Because the back screws for the throat plate are obscured by the fence, you'll have to use a flat head screwdriver instead of a Phillips to turn them. It comes with a large amount of grease on it, which attracts dust to the sliding surfaces. br>Because the dust collection port faces downward toward the back of the saw, it must be kept away from the wall to make room for the vacuum hose, negating some of the benefits of the forward sliding design. You can't put the saw up against the wall if you want the hose to move and allow for miter cuts. br>The bevel lock may resemble a Festool Kapex, but it's just a knob that needs a lot of unscrewing to lock and unlock the bevel function. It doesn't adjust the bevel angle like a Kapex (my Bosch's bevel lock is just a front-facing lever that is much faster and easier). It is manufactured in China. )br> The laser is only visible on the blade's left side. br>Using the safety trigger with your left hand can be awkward at first, but it will become second nature after a while. br>Kickbacks are a type of remuneration that is paid to a person who has br>br>It's selling for more on Amazon than in a store (even with tax included), and I'm not willing to risk having to pay return shipping for something this large and heavy. I'm sure it doesn't come in an outer box and could be damaged in transit, and it's protected by cardboard rather than styrofoam. br>br>positive aspects: br>br>I like the direct drive motor because there are no belts to lose or replace. br>The motor is a pleasant surprise in terms of noise level. It appears to be well-made. br>It isn't overly heavy. It is reasonably priced, and it has a pleasant appearance. br>The upper fences are simple to remove and clip on to the outfeed rails to prevent them from being lost. If you're just using it as a basic chop saw, the dust collection is quite good. If you use the sliders, dust collection is adequate but not exceptional. Even though it isn't a quick release, the stock blade makes excellent cuts. br>Despite not being a quick release, the hold down can be released and clamped quickly. It has forward-sliding rails that save space. br> br>The laser was extremely precise. It cuts very square (if you ignore the curve)br>br>It might be great as a contractor saw, but if you're going to use it for that, you might want to wait for the cordless version, which will be released in the fall. br>br>I would buy a Dewalt DW717 if I didn't care about dust collection or forward-facing rails. Instead of lasers, led lights are said to be superior and never require calibration. At work, I use a Dewalt without the LED light, and it works perfectly, but it kicks up a lot of dust. The Milwalkee slider is also a great choice. We had two at school, both of which had a digital miter readout and were extremely accurate. Unfortunately, it only comes with 12" blades and has a dust collection port that isn't compatible with vacuums. The Dewalt FLEXVOLT slider appears to be the best cordless option at the moment; I haven't used one, but I prefer a 10" blade for less deflection, and the FLEXVOLT only comes with 12" blades.

Kamilah Cardenas

| May 28, 2021

First and foremost, I'd like to state that I previously used a Festool Kapex miter saw. Actually, there were two of them. br>The saw was primarily used to cut 1" think maple and poplar at a 90-degree angle. 45deg. The first one lasted about 5 years, and the second one lasted about 2 years before failing due to a motor failure. I'm still a Festool fan and have a variety of their tools, but the out-of-warranty repair for the saw is in the $250-$300 range. The tool will cost around $300 (plus shipping), plus you'll be without it for a week. And let me tell you something- When the saw isn't in use, none of these failures occur. For $1, I believe. They should do a little more research, testing, and whatever else is necessary to make the motors more rigid, according to 5K. br> As a result of my Kapex experience, I've decided it's time to look for something new. My focus was drawn to two saws-- Because it is designed for shop use, the Makita LS1019 L and Bosch CM10GD have different forward rail systems and space-saving capabilities. I was looking for a few things, and one of them was- Dust collection, ease of use, versatility, and ergonomics are all factors to consider when cutting precision (miter and bevel). br> Here's how I'm going to start using the Bosch saw: br>The first thing I noticed was how nice the packaging was, which is one of the main reasons for inaccurate tools after destressing if it's bad. Before I started testing, I made sure the miter and bevel were perfectly 90 degrees. The miter cut was excellent, but the bevel cut had a slight deflection near the end, which was my first criticism. br>The tool was connected to a vacuum, but the dust collection did not impress me in the least. It shooted dust all the way to the front of the saw when compared to the Kapex it was at about 50%. br>Despite the bulky hinge type movement, I found the overall movement of the saw to be very smooth. Other things I noticed were an initial kick when you squeeze the trigger and the lack of a laser (I don't use a laser for precise cuts, but rather for rough sizing). br>I liked how all of the adjustments were pre-programmed. The front of the saw, as well as the table and fence, were all fairly straight. Dust collection, the initial trigger kick, the lack of a laser, and a bevel cut that isn't perfect are all deal breakers for me. br> As for the Makita, it's as follows: br>I'm not sure things were much better over here. To begin, consider the packaging. It's the worst it's ever been. The first two units arrived with the box and were severely damaged, but the third unit arrived in good condition. Now, let's talk about poor design. They discovered the dust port in an awkward location, protruding from the back of the saw in a backwards direction. Pushing the saw tide against a wall is therefore impossible. Surprisingly, the 12" unit has a different set up (not sure why), which, to my surprise, fit perfectly on the 10" model and has the dust port at the top, so I bought one from Makita for around $21. br>Things I enjoyed - After adjusting the miter/bevel, all cuts were straight and square, and dust collection was comparable to that of the Kapex. The movement was smooth, there was a laser, the fence and table were straight, but wider (table), the miter was 60 degrees both ways, the bevel was 48 degrees both ways, there was no kick at start or stop of the saw, and the handle was very comfortable. br>br> Aside from the dust port and shipping issues, I gave it 5 stars because it is very similar in quality to the Festool Kapex at almost a third of the price, and I only hope it will last a little longer than the Kapex.

Titus Cordova

| Jan 31, 2021