How good is your laser?

[Anonymous]

After many weeks/months of deliberation (and some good advice from this forum) I've bought a Elektra Beckum KGS331 mitre saw and after only a couple of days have nothing but praise for it, the only hic-up is the laser that came with it.
After having a excellent laser on my last Rexon mitre saw, the line on the E/B is very fuzzy and it's width is about 3mm that makes it next to useless for accurately aligning the blade to a pencil line.
Is this the norm for this model or does anyone know if it can be adjusted?
I've now gone from good laser/awful saw (Rexon) to awful laser/good saw.
Oh well you ca'nt have everything.

 

[Bean]

My only experience of lasers on power tools is with my brothers performance pro circular saw and the laser is a waste of time, the saw is far more accurate with it switched off than on.

Bean

 

[Shadowfax]

Hi Redhil
If the beam is about 3mm wide it must be set up to be the thickness of the blade kerf. This means you don't have to compensate for a cut made on the "wrong" side of the blade. However, it sounds like the beam is not focused properly. Contact EB and ask for advice on that. If they won't play ball send the thing back and get a replacement. After all if the laser manufacturers can't get a laser line to be sharp there is not much hope for them!
The beam should be set up to be directly under the blade so that it shows precisely where the blade will cut. It should not be fuzzy.
Regards.

SF

 

[trevtheturner]

Hi Redhil,

Sorry, can't help you with your laser but welcome to the forum!

Cheers,

Trev.

 

[devonwoody]

The laser on my axminster aswm10 is a waste of time it varies and I dont think the securing position has got any guts if I tighten the set screws any further.

 

[Anonymous]

I quite like the laser on my Rexon. Adjusts for either side of blade and works rather nicely.

The lasers at work easily cut 8mm steel and do a fine job on wood (oh yes we've tried 'em)

Cheers

Tony

 

[CYC]

Hi Redhil, I haven't seen this laser on the EB before, but I when I read your post I thought the same thing as Shadowfax: if it's 3mm wide it must be reflecting the kerf of the blade. Sounds good to me, you can bring the pencilled line from the left of right of the blade and still know exactly where to cut.

 

[Ian Dalziel]

Hi Redhil,

Welcome to the forum, I had the elektra beckum laser which i didnt rate at all especially at the £85 price tag, i now run the porter cable 7700 (norms old one) which is in a different league to lasers saws from here.
Try and adjust the laser so that it catches about half the thickness of the blade but still shines about 0.5mm or less onto the workpiece it should improve, but from memory the EB is pretty much fixed so adjusting it is pretty time consuming, i might be wrong though it was about 4-5 years ago i had it.
I have seen a lot of lasers now attached but they seem to be more of a sales gimmick than a useful addition to the saw

regards
Ian

 

[Dewy]

The laser on my saw was set corectly when new but had moved the second time I used it. There was no possible adjustment as it was already at the far left of the slide. Now I don't bother with it. It's only a guide and not intended to be accurate although I would like it to lineup with the left of the blade instead of the right.