What to look for in a cheap DIY-level compound miter saw?

r3nu4l

I'm planning on doing a few projects at home this year, including making a dining table and fixing/laying new skirting.

I'll need a compound miter saw but also need some help in determining what features to look out for, having never owned such a saw before. Budget will be around €150 max...

Any advice appreciated

recipio

At that price you will get only get a budget saw so I would concentrate on making it safer and more refined. Put in a zero clearance base plate and if possible a 12mm ply fence, eliminating the big gap on the left hand side. The large gaps left in the plastic saw inset are to facilitate bevel cutting on the flat which you will almost never need. Besides that a 60 tooth quality crosscut blade will make all the difference.

Calahonda52

As above, plus your saw will be light so having it well fixed down is key so as it wont move when being used.
Most lightly your saw will have a plastic blade guard which requires a lot of TLC when saw in use.
Lastly let the blade stop fully before going near the work piece after cutting: the tendons on the back of your hand are prime targets.
And finally, the cheaper the saw the less rigidity it will have so 100% accurate mitres and 100% square cuts may require some effort.
As above a good blade is key

Keep well and good luck with the purchase and use

Sparks

And try to get the simplest one you can. Do you really need the compound part? If so, do you really need a double bevel one?

This was the one I went with in the end : http://www.ie.screwfix.com/erbauer-erbcm2502-25mm-compound-mitre-saw-230v.html

But looking back, I'd get one without the compound part if I could.

Calahonda52

On sale in Lidl today

listermint

There is a compound miter saw on Amazon that is well within your budget and has hundreds of positive reviews. It has good features and maybe just needs a 60tth blade.

It's on my list of purchases

This is her

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Evolution-Rage3-Multipurpose-Sliding-Mitre/dp/B00C23UCI8/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1486920359&sr=8-4&keywords=compound+mitre+saw

mashed13

Whatever you do, don't buy the one from woodies! Paid 150e last year and it's a joke, near to impossible to get straight cut, plastic parts, dust bag, laser broke after few good uses. So many functions but only good to cut firewood...
Look at something with 100% accuracy and you may want to increase your budged a little otherwise I wouldnt be even bothered to buy mitre, you won't be able to get good cuts for you furniture and all of this will end in a big frustration!

Sparks

The one from woodies - you mean the Rok one? Yeah, they seem a bit lower than B&D in quality. The fancy-pants "FURY! RAGE! MACHO!!" one is apparently not terrible, but don't buy it in Woodies, go buy it off screwfix.ie and you'll get the next model up (the "trade" model rather than the "diy" model) for less money than woodies are charging.

But honestly, in this price range, you might as well buy one from aldi or lidl.