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Makita LS1212 12-Inch Dual Rail Slide Compound Miter saw with Carbide-Tipped Blade | List Price: $1,258.00
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Brand: Makita
Binding: Tools & Hardware
Features: - Powerful 15 amp motor handles all materials
- Electronic speed control maintains blade speed regardless of load
- Miters up to 60 degrees right with positive stops at common angles
- Bevels at 45 degrees to both sides--right and left
- Package includes a carbide-tipped blade
LS1212 Review [Posted on 2004-12-29]
I purchased my Makita LS1212 from Amazon.com in December of 2003 as a replacement for a 30 years old radial arm saw with a 7.5 inch blade. It arrived without problems or damage. I also purchased a Dewalt miter saw stand, well worth the money. If experience counts when determining the validity of a review, I apprenticed as rough frame and finish carpenter for 20 years, but my current profession is Electrical Engineering. I was primarily concerned with finding a well built - solid saw that would produce precise, accurate cuts. After reading many reviews and visiting various resellers, I determined that the LS1212 was the saw for me. I use my saw for home repair and upgrades, both at my house and my friends. My Criteria for choosing this saw included:
1. Solid Construction, many of the saws I tested had wobble in the blade when not on. I really think a blade should not wobble when off, even if the manufacturer claims it will firm up when rotating. The Makita LS1210 was rock solid, I was not able to find a major reseller of the LS1212 to test it, but as it turns out, its rock solid too. This feature is essential when lining up a cut before turning the saw on.
2. Feel of the saw, did my hand feel comfortable on the saw's handle. Even though the handle does not rotate, its fixed vertical position is very comfortable to me. The handle has a round safety switch, when depressed, it permits the long trigger to be squeezed and the saw springs to life. Once the trigger is depressed, the safety switch remains depressed until you release the trigger -- so you can move your thumb to a more comfortable position if you like.
3. Precise and Accurate cuts. So far I've framed a Garage door and installed a Stanley 50 inch Sliding Mirror closet door. Cut various moldings and window trims. The accuracy of this saw is superb. The pointer gauge required adjustment, out of the box so that is showed 0 when it was in the 0 stop detent. But it's designed to be adjusted so not really a big deal and its been holding the adjusted value over a lot of bumps. It cuts effortlessly through oak, pine and cedar. The saw has the capacity to cut a 4x4 post and more in one pass, and I'm about to use it. The glide is tremendously smooth and easy to push or pull. With your hand firmly on the saw handle, its easy to rotate the saw down or up.
4. Ease of use? The controls are simple to understand and so far easy to use. Its possible to lock the slide position, bevel angle and miter angle at any positon. The bevel angle is locked from in back of the saw.
5. Smart Design. I really liked certain saws, all the controls were up front, all of the letest innovations like laser cutting guide, but these saws also had belt drives, Belts just don't make a lot of sense to me, too many mechanical problems waiting to happen (Slippage, Breakage, Spot Burn Out, Poor Torque, etc), the gear drive is so much better. Brushes are easily replaced on this saw -- it won't be a concern for some time.
I've noticed, Makita puts the saw blade safety guard return on the inside of the blade housing, very smartly designed, nothing to snag or bend -- This is especially important when on an unpredictable job site.
Overall Impression:
This is an excellent saw, I only wish I had it when I was younger and using a manual miter saw with a dull blade. What required 5 minutes would have only been .5 seconds. Well worth the money, plus I received a 12V impact driver -- required follow up with the clearing house since they had no record of receiving my mail. The impact driver is also great -- I can't imagine how I did some jobs without it.
When the motor revs up or down, there is a definite rotational jerk transferred to the saw's handle, it's the physics of a rotating body coming into play. Once you learn to expect it, it's not so bad, you just don't want to be surprised when it happens for the first couple of times.
Any suggestions I have would just be further improvements on an already great saw, but I would like to see the following additions:
1. Laser Light Cutting Guide. This feature would be greatly beneficial to me.
2. Bevel lock moved to front, 90% of the time its fine locking it down from behind the saw.
3. Cam lock some of the controls, but not critical.
Bottom Line:
I think if you buy it, you will find it a reliable, high tolerance and above all rock solid and very durable saw. I recommend it and I would buy it again with no regrets.
Great Saw - Curious Pricing [Posted on 2004-12-31]
I had been waiting to purchase this saw from Amazon for about two years. The saw is wonderful (I have used a friend's LS1212 several times because my chop saw is an 8" and cutting crown molding on a small saw is a real pain). Just before Christmas I priced this saw again from Amazon ($579.00 on December 23, 2004) which was comparable to the prices from all of the other discount tool sources.
Today the price for the LS1212 had risen to $699.95 on the Amazon web site - that is a $121 increase in one week! Needless to say I went to another discounters web site and purchased the saw for last week's price of $579.00.
I don't understand a 10% price increase (in one week) on this saw (from the largest tool discounter in the world) but I suggest that if you are looking to purchase the LS1212 you might want to shop around.
Georgia Woodworker [Posted on 2005-02-03]
I purchased the Makita LS1212 two years ago. Since then, I have cut hundreds of board feet of various types and this saw is the best I've ever used. I still haven't replaced the blade and after all this use, it still cuts like new! If your in the market for a fine cutting machine, don't hesitate buying the Makita LS1212! You will not regret it, by no means.
BUYER BEWARE - RECONDITIONED UNITS not new !! [Posted on 2005-07-26]
For a used, reconditioned unit, it's a mighty fine saw. Too bad it was advertised as new, and too bad there is no mentioned of "reconditioned" except when it arrives on the doorstep in a box marked "reconditioned" and you see the wear & tear on the unit.
So, BUYER BEWARE ! Amazon is not selling a new unit. These are old, used, good condition reconditioned saws, which are fine, but worth $$$ less than Amazon is selling them for....
USED ..... RECONDITIONED ..... NOT NEW !!!
POORLY SHIPPED ! The very heavy saw was just thrown into a big box with a bunch of air filled packing cushions. It is no wonder that many people have noted damage to their saws in the other reviews. So, again, WARNING WARNING BUYER BEWARE !!!
And AMAZON, I thought your standards were higher.
Love the saw but my slide rails are froze [Posted on 2006-10-23]
Its a great saw. Has anyone got any suggestions on oiling the rails?? Or any fix for this problem
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