k0ua
Epic Contributor
I often do the exact same thing. I never understood how the laser line could do anything for me.
What to look for in a compound miter saw?
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I often do the exact same thing. I never understood how the laser line could do anything for me.
Egon
Epic Contributor
If cutting angles and you have them marked with a line the laser may give confirmation accuracy of the saw settings.
LD1
Epic Contributor
Yea, I can see that.
But my confirmation is lowering the saw, (not running) and sliding it across the cut line. If the saw teeth walk perfect down my marked line, good to go. If not, adjust as necessary
k0ua
Epic Contributor
Exactly, and since the lasers usually only come on when the saw blade rotation is started I don't see how they can be of any use. In fact they would be more dangerous to have the laser come on and project its line, but now you have a whirring saw blade spinning in free space while you are shoving a workpiece around with you hand trying to make the blade cut line line up. It all just does not make any sense to me. Am I missing something here?
It just seems so easy to line of the saw teeth for the exact cut you want without turning on the saw or having your trigger finger anywhere near the switch. It seems safer to me. Not to mention the method outlined by LD1 in an earlier post of not even marking the workpiece at all with a pencil mark but just using the tape measure to find your cut line.
Every laser saw I've used always stays on.
If they are set properly and accurate they are much nicer for production cuts. If you're doing trim in a house it'll save at the least a few seconds every cut. Over a fee hundred cuts you've saved a lunchbreak of time. That can be each day trimming out a home.
Time is money. Lasers are a great tool when used properly. They have also gotten better. Ten years ago they were gimmicky but most saws now they are tip top.
Don't need to lower saw and bend and look. Just slide board in and you see the line. Match with your pencil line and cut.
If they are set properly and accurate they are much nicer for production cuts. If you're doing trim in a house it'll save at the least a few seconds every cut. Over a fee hundred cuts you've saved a lunchbreak of time. That can be each day trimming out a home.
Time is money. Lasers are a great tool when used properly. They have also gotten better. Ten years ago they were gimmicky but most saws now they are tip top.
Don't need to lower saw and bend and look. Just slide board in and you see the line. Match with your pencil line and cut.
dickfoster
Elite Member
I have one of those laser addons and it works well for me. My saw has a blade guard so there is no safety issue. Just turn the saw on, the laser marks the cut line, slide the workpiece with my cut mark to the laser line then either clamp or hold and make the cut. Easy peasy and spot on every time.
MinnesotaEric
Super Member
Don't buy a laser. The laser bleeds on the edges and is super hard to see. Every tool I have that has a laser also has duct tape covering the laser so I can accurately follow a line.
Egon
Epic Contributor
downsizingnow48
Elite Member
I have used a sliding bevel Bosch for over 20 years and various simple miter saws too, currently a Hitachi. Never a laser. Count me as a skeptic. What could be simpler, or more accurate, than lining up a left leaning tooth with the right side of your pencil mark? A laser line has to have some width, otherwise you could not see it. So by definition it is just another source of measurement error no matter what the alignment might be.
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