Sorry for yet another thread, but I'm on a buying spree 
One of my next jobs is laying an oak floor (only 130mm engineered), fitting skirting (about 6") and architrave etc, so if I'm going to get a mitre saw, now seems like the time to do it. I've just ordered a plunge saw for longer cuts, and I won't be getting a table saw due to space. I'd like it to be reasonably accurate, so I'm not faffing about tidying up cuts, but I don't think I could cope with a maximum cut of 130mm (it will get used for furniture, but I appreciate mitres will need work). I've done a lot of searches and there have been a fair few threads on the subject. The main point seems to be that if you want accuracy, and you want a large cut (read sliding), it's going to cost you. Sliding saws by even the decent brands generally seem to struggle with accuracy (although there are exceptions). I expect to have to pay at least £200 (happy to pay less), and want to avoid spending over £300. While I'm happy buying second hand, I worry that I wouldn't be able to get the saw accurate if it wasn't when I received it, and I had no help. I guess my priorities are: 1) Cut size (bare minimum 6", pref more) 2) Accuracy 3) Size 4) Features (double bevel) 5) Noise.
I'm thinking the best options are:
The Bosch GCM8S - about £279 - I think it's supposed to be fairly accurate, not take up too much space, and have a fairly large cut (long, but not deep)
The DeWalt (er. they've made so many I'm confused) DW777? £300 ish - because of so many models, I don't know which are more and which are less accurate. Also, I'm not sure about the DW777's dust extraction, which I believe can be good if you buy the extra parts needed, and have a 100mm extraction facility (I don't). The DW712 sounded good (maybe too big?), a reputation for accuracy (given that it slides), available new at under £300 at one point, but I assume it's an old model, and now over £300 for a reconditioned model.
The non sliding Makita LS1040 (£160) and DeWalt DW703 (£170) are probably more accurate, but their cut lengths are just a bit too low for me.
The Metabo (Elektra Beckum) KGS 255 seems fairly popular, but whenever I see it compared directly with one of the DeWalts, it seems to come second. I particularly like the fact it's a bit quieter (induction motored), but I'd only use that to choose if other things were equal.
I think the Makita LS0714 is a fair bit deeper than the Bosch and DeWalt models I'm looking at, which would probably count it out. Unless it's much better, in which case maybe I'd have to work around it's size.
The Bosch GCM10S (or 10sd, don't know the difference), DeWalt 718 and Makita LS1214 are all too big and too expensive to consider.
So what do you guys think of the Bosch GCM8S and comparable DeWalts, or alternatives?
Thanks
One of my next jobs is laying an oak floor (only 130mm engineered), fitting skirting (about 6") and architrave etc, so if I'm going to get a mitre saw, now seems like the time to do it. I've just ordered a plunge saw for longer cuts, and I won't be getting a table saw due to space. I'd like it to be reasonably accurate, so I'm not faffing about tidying up cuts, but I don't think I could cope with a maximum cut of 130mm (it will get used for furniture, but I appreciate mitres will need work). I've done a lot of searches and there have been a fair few threads on the subject. The main point seems to be that if you want accuracy, and you want a large cut (read sliding), it's going to cost you. Sliding saws by even the decent brands generally seem to struggle with accuracy (although there are exceptions). I expect to have to pay at least £200 (happy to pay less), and want to avoid spending over £300. While I'm happy buying second hand, I worry that I wouldn't be able to get the saw accurate if it wasn't when I received it, and I had no help. I guess my priorities are: 1) Cut size (bare minimum 6", pref more) 2) Accuracy 3) Size 4) Features (double bevel) 5) Noise.
I'm thinking the best options are:
The Bosch GCM8S - about £279 - I think it's supposed to be fairly accurate, not take up too much space, and have a fairly large cut (long, but not deep)
The DeWalt (er. they've made so many I'm confused) DW777? £300 ish - because of so many models, I don't know which are more and which are less accurate. Also, I'm not sure about the DW777's dust extraction, which I believe can be good if you buy the extra parts needed, and have a 100mm extraction facility (I don't). The DW712 sounded good (maybe too big?), a reputation for accuracy (given that it slides), available new at under £300 at one point, but I assume it's an old model, and now over £300 for a reconditioned model.
The non sliding Makita LS1040 (£160) and DeWalt DW703 (£170) are probably more accurate, but their cut lengths are just a bit too low for me.
The Metabo (Elektra Beckum) KGS 255 seems fairly popular, but whenever I see it compared directly with one of the DeWalts, it seems to come second. I particularly like the fact it's a bit quieter (induction motored), but I'd only use that to choose if other things were equal.
I think the Makita LS0714 is a fair bit deeper than the Bosch and DeWalt models I'm looking at, which would probably count it out. Unless it's much better, in which case maybe I'd have to work around it's size.
The Bosch GCM10S (or 10sd, don't know the difference), DeWalt 718 and Makita LS1214 are all too big and too expensive to consider.
So what do you guys think of the Bosch GCM8S and comparable DeWalts, or alternatives?
Thanks
