Contractors and carpenters alike are fans of sliding miter saws for framing, molding, and hardwood flooring. When you’re choosing a new tool it may be easier to just go with a name brand you trust. But when both saws have so much going for them, how can you decide? In this article red battles with the yellow and black for top choice.
Milwaukee 6955-20 12-Inch Sliding Dual Bevel Miter Saw with Digital Miter Angle Fine Adjust
This saw has been a popular power tool for over five years. Let’s look at its advantages to see why.
Advantages
- The miter angle can be adjusted in increments of 0.1 degree as seen on the digital readout display.It self-zeroes on the whole range. There are also detent overrides.
- The single-lever bevel adjustment has nine positive stops between 0 and 48 degrees. The saw bevels, or tilts, to both sides.
- There are twin lights, one on either side of the blade, to show the cutline and blade thickness right on the material to be cut.
- The motor has a soft start, taking about two seconds to build to full speed. This makes for less damage to the work-piece. There’s also an electric brake that halts the blade after the cut.
- The adjustments can be made with one hand on the work-piece and one hand making the changes.
- The rails are steel and they slide on ball bearings. Some reviewers have said the saw feels sturdy and the blade does not wander.
- Milwaukee says the saw collects up to 75% of the dust and debris and channels it to the back of the saw.
- The 15amp motor stays at 3250rpm, under load or not, for cleaner cuts.
- Depth of cut at 45 degrees or 90 degrees is 6.55 inches.
- The blade arbor fits 5/8” or 1.”
- The saw comes with a carbide-tipped blade, blade wrench, manual, and dust collection bag.
- Milwaukee covers the saw with a 5-year warranty.
Nothing’s perfect. Over time there have been some complaints about the 6955-20. Let’s see if these will get in your way.
Disadvantages
- The dust collection port opening is rectangular, requiring an adapter to fit a shopvac hose.
- The included dust bag fills up after only a few crosscuts.
- There’s no included material clamp.
- The right side of the fence does not slide. The top part comes off, but that leaves only a 1” auxiliary fence.
DEWALT DW718 12-Inch Double-Bevel Slide Compound Miter Saw
This saw has been around about as long as the Milwaukee 6955-20. Let’s see why.
Advantages
- At 53 pounds with a nice carrying handle on top, it’s portable.
- It bevels 0-60 degrees left and 0-52 degrees right so you can flip the saw and not have to flip the material you’re cutting. The bevel stops are at 0, 33.9, 45, and 48 degrees.
- The miter detent plate is stainless steel and the cam lever is quick-release. There are 11 positive stops and a detent override.
- The maximum depth for cutting nested molding is 6-5/8-inches, and 6.5 inches standing vertically. It can handle 2×12 lumber at 45degrees and 2×16 at 90degrees.
- It comes with a carbide-tipped blade, blade wrench, dust collection bag, and a vertical material clamp.
- It’s backed by the DeWalt warranty: 90-days satisfaction guaranteed, 1-year free service contract, and 3-year limited warranty.
There have been a few weaknesses noticed by owners. Let’s see what they are.
Disadvantages
- There is no light and no laser to mark the cutline. (DeWalt sells a laser accessory separately.)
- The steel rails are smaller than those found on other similar saws. Some users find that this creates minor blade deflection.
- Some owners want the fence to be taller so scalloped baseboard sits square to the fence.
Conclusion
A 12-inch saw is a big purchase, one that you hope will last for a long while and help you do good work. In which saw should you invest?
If you’re not sure which to choose based on attributes alone, consider the DeWalt DW718 since it has a 90-day satisfaction guarantee. Why not try it out for a while and see what you think?
If weight is a concern, the DeWalt is more portable than the Milwaukee, weighing about 12 pounds less.
If you want a tool that’s prepared for dimly lit workspaces, consider the Milwaukee 6955-20. Even its miter angle readout is backlit.
The 6955-20 is more suited to finer work with its slower-start blade and it’s easier to fine-tune precision angles since it is accurate down to 0.1 degree.
Click here to purchase Milwaukee 6955-20 on Amazon!
Click here to purchase DEWALT DW718 on Amazon!