Looking for first hand experience with this HF Saw

[Travis Waldher]

I've looked and and handled this saw, it's sliding components feel about the same quality as craftsman, dewalt, ryobi, etc.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=91852
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/photos/91800-91899/91852.gif

Which leaves the motor, anyone used one of these? How has the motor and components held up?

[tennessee rockhumper]

if it says chicago electric on the side of it, it is a total piece of shit.

i have watched the magic smoke pour out of several chicago electric products including this one. once the magic smoke comes out, it wont work anymore.

[randii]

I've got one -- it works well enough. I have used it to cut metal with an abrasive wheel (removed all the plastic first) and it struggled, but worked passably well. Not recommeneded, BTW.

I cleaned it up and now have the plastic back in place with a regular wood blade on it, and it works well enough. I don't expect much out of it, with the abuse I have put it through, and the fact that it is Chicago Electric, but it hasn't let me down yet.

I'd buy it again.

Randii

[Aces'n'8s]

if it says chicago electric on the side of it, it is a total piece of shit.

i have watched the magic smoke pour out of several chicago electric products including this one. once the magic smoke comes out, it wont work anymore.


I have't bought a CE power tool from HF in ages, so I wonder if they still provide an extra set of brushes inside each of their power tool offerings? :laughing:

But, for limited use and budgetary constraints, CE will most likely get the job done....at least on it's initial use. :D

[Travis Waldher]

Well, a similar dewalt, hitachi, and others run $649. The Sears model runs $600.

Having run it back and forth on it's slide I found mechanically they are fairly similar. which of course leaves the electrics.

Both sport a 15A motor. The CE one spins about 700RPMS faster at 4,100rpms.

The Dewalt one has the horizontal handle which I like, but it's not worth the extra $$$. Especially since it won't be heavily used, save for building one fence.

So, the motor is the weak spot... anyone take one apart? Should it let the smoke out, is it something where I can take the motor to a shop and have it rebuilt? Hell, even at $100 for a rebuild I'de be ahead of the game.

[Aces'n'8s]

So, the motor is the weak spot... anyone take one apart? Should it let the smoke out, is it something where I can take the motor to a shop and have it rebuilt? Hell, even at $100 for a rebuild I'de be ahead of the game.

Once you buy it, maybe you could open it up and observe the motor windings. If they aren't already, maybe you could apply some heat dissapating epoxy to the windings. I would think doing that and blowing out the motor after every use would extend motor life to "reasonable" expectations...at least for a Chitown Elec. power tool.

Instead of a $100 rebuild, you might even score a better built motor to drop in/retrofit from a Porter Cable/Delta/DeWalt outlet/reman store...

[Mud in the blood]

Buy it. But when U do just spend the extra $10-$20 for the life time warranty, it's worth every penny. They don't care WHAT you do to there stuff, so long as U bought the warranty they will give U a new one on the spot. I have there chop saw, and it works better than the 2year old Makita that I have.

[D60]

I''ve got that saw. Used it just to cut a little Trex for my deck. It cut. It worked. It seemed fine. The clamping mechanism is a little hokey and interferes w the body of the motor on certain miter cuts. You can move the clamp to the other side but it just takes a little more time.

It seemed fine to me for the $180 I paid, and I just saw it in stores for $170, possibly thru 8/14 (but I could be wrong). Compared to the brand names, it's a major bargain.

I wish the laser was brighter. The dust collection bag doesn't seem to do much, but maybe that's just Trex. It also doesn't seem to like to stay attached.

DISCLAIMER: I am not a carpenter, and have never before used a miter saw, so I wouldn't know a good one from a bad one. It's for these same reasons that I bought cheap - I'm not a carpenter and I hate doing anything carpentry related.

Bottom line, I'd reco it for light use, which should be common sense considering the manufacturer

[Travis Waldher]

It's on sale right now for $179. That plus an undated 20% coupon makes it an attactive solution.

[flycl65]

I have a CE chop saw, and have gone through at least 15 abrasive blades, never a hickup works great, 7 years later, no magic smoke. But I have had drills that smoke with 1/4" deep on the the first hole. Also I seem to have had good luck the CE angle grinders, lasted longer than my dewalt did.

[AthlonAJ]

My uncle picked one up for the same purpose, a fence project and he didn't see the point in shelling out $$$ for something he'd rarely use. It's a little over a year old now and been through a few more projects (deck and shed/garage), still working fine.

[Travis Waldher]

Well, I picked it up today.

It was marked on the shelf for $259. rang it up and it was $169, added the 20% off coupon and it came down to about $136.

Went next door and also found a bagger for my Craftsman riding lawnmower. Regular price is $329, out the door of the scratch and dent store for $150.

[Peter_C]

It's on sale right now for $179. That plus an undated 20% coupon makes it an attactive solution.

Where did you get an undated 20% off coupon and can you post it to share?

Thanks!

[TheRedHorseman]

Where did you get an undated 20% off coupon and can you post it to share?

Thanks!
no kidding, post that bad boy!

[makya]

Travis, I had one of those saws, It works"OK" for standard projects. Just don't expect to cut good miters with it. the slide on the one i had (and the one I returned, and the one i returned before it) was kinda sloppy and the pivot would shift when cutting compounds. Just make sure you adjust everything and true it up before you use it.

[mike]

Fine Woodworking reviewed it actually in the most recent issue. Here's their synopsis paraphrased:

Under powered, jerky operation, imprecise and most telling 'Although performance dramatically improved with the Forrest blade, it still wasn't good enough to justify buying a blade that costs more than the saw itself'


you'll have to let us know if your results vary

[D60]

Fine Woodworking reviewed it actually in the most recent issue. Here's their synopsis paraphrased:

Under powered, jerky operation, imprecise and most telling 'Although performance dramatically improved with the Forrest blade, it still wasn't good enough to justify buying a blade that costs more than the saw itself'

LOL! I think most telling is Fine Woodworking. If you're looking at this saw, you're good with Coarse Woodworking. I know I was. In fact I even bought it w the intention of cutting up dimensional wood for the shop woodstove on those cold nights. It's easier than firing up the chainsaw, faster than sawzall + vise, and way easier than 7 1/4 circular. The 12" blade plus slide lets you cut larger dimensional stuff, and then consider a 10" non-slide Ryobi starts at $100. For $36 Travis got a lot more saw IMO.

The market seems polarized; if you need better you've gotta step up to a $600 Milwaukee or Dewalt............which is absolutely fine if that's what you need.

[mike]

Dude, I wouldn't USE a sliding compound miter saw on FINE woodworking.

[Travis Waldher]

Dude, I wouldn't USE a sliding compound miter saw on FINE woodworking.

Bingo.

I went and felt the mechanics of the sliding compounds on several saws. First the HF unit, then all the brands that Sears, Lowes, and Home Depot had to offer.

Mechanically speaking, the Non-HF stuff felt marginally better, but no where near enough to warrant spending more than $500 more.

For $136 or so, it's going to make dealing with building my kids playset and picket fence a lot easier. None of that requiring extremely precise miters, then again I wouldn't expect precise miters from a sliding compound saw.

Considering I won't be using the saw even every month, it sounded like a good gamble.

Once I get it fired up and start using it, I'll post up how it does.

[Travis Waldher]

Where did you get an undated 20% off coupon and can you post it to share?

Thanks!


http://www.billt.com/harborfreightcoupons.htm

[Travis Waldher]

Under powered, jerky operation, imprecise and most telling 'Although performance dramatically improved with the Forrest blade, it still wasn't good enough to justify buying a blade that costs more than the saw itself'

Should also be added, their opinion of the saw is almost worthless without knowing what they are comparing the saw to.

If they are used to a $1000+ saw, then of course they are going to pan the HF saw.

As well as tossing an expensive blade at a saw that is worth less than the blade. Who cares? Unless someone has an emotional issue with doing that.

[mike]

They compared the following models:

bosch 3310L $510 * best overall
hitachi C10FSH $500
Makita LS1013L $500
Metabo 6497-6 $570
milwaukee 6497-6 $430 * best value

[indulf]

mike, for those of us that dont get that mag, how did that hitachi saw rank? i hvae my eye on the C12LSH - their 12" sliding saw with laser and digital readout.

[indulf]

mike, for those of us that dont get that mag, how did that hitachi saw rank? i hvae my eye on the C12LSH - their 12" sliding saw with laser and digital readout.