someones losing their job over this...
A few months of heavy use with the R4251 12" dual bevel compound miter saw from Ridgid, and I want to share an honest review! I know that there are going to be a lot of questions like:
-Is the R4251 the same as the Delta Cruzer?
-Does the R4251 have Ridgid's lifetime service agreement?
-Is the sliding mechanism on the R4251 accurate?
-How do I change the blade on the R4251?
I'll cover ALL OF THOSE and more in this honest review!
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📖. Chapters 📖
00:00 - Unboxing and Initial Setup
01:16 - Basic Functionality
04:00 - Calibrating the Saw
05:00 - Changing the Blade
05:35 - Dust Collection
07:30 - Trench/Dado Feature
08:00 - Let's Talk About the Issues
09:06 - Testing the Sliding Accuracy
12:42 - Ridgid's Lifetime Service Agreement
13:35 - Should YOU Buy This Saw?
#ridgidtools #woodworking #mitersaw
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Is this a belt driven saw?
I’m not sure
@@rickyperkins232 , yes, yes it is. I've been really happy with the performance of this saw...
@@SpencleyDesignCo How can you be evaluating this saw if you can't answer that question? It's either belt drive, direct drive, or gear driven.
Easy, I evaluated the saw by using it
You know what? This is an insanely good review. This is what I expect out of a review, which means nothing to others. But seriously well done👍🏻
Thanks, V! I appreciate the support!
That was a good honest run down on that saw. Well done. I'm a Ridged guy and I depend on there tools every day. They make great products and I would never have guessed that wasn't made by Ridged. As far as blede deflection it all in the experienced hands operating it. Thanks for the honest demo and info.
This is the same saw as the Delta Cruzer which I have. I have cut over 100K board feet (thousands of cuts) and I found that as you become familiar with your saw you will find that you can be consistent in producing cuts within 1/64th of an inch. Mine does not wobble so easily side to side as your demonstration saw. You may want to talk with the support team from the manufacturer. Since I got this saw I very rarely make cross cuts on my table saw as I find this produces consistent cuts.
I was about to get one of those, and it is perfect time to watch your review. Specially multiple cuts that gives woble. Thank you.
Sure thing! What are you looking at buying now?
Thanks for the review. I was looking at one and wondering if I should replace my Ridgid 12inch slider. You made my decision easy. Keep what I have. And yes it is messy, but I built a big dust trap behind my saw and it traps 98% of the dust and I just vacuum out periodically and the rest of the shop does not get a repeated dustying of sawdust. Thanks for the review!
Sure thing, chuck!
Ridgid tools are/were manufactured by Emerson tool company, these Ridgid NEXT tools are apparently contracted now through Chang Type Industrial Industrial (Delta). I purchased the 2nd gen Delta of this saw model 26-2251 which I returned within 3 days due to the blade deflection as you precisely described. I desperately wanted to find this saw perfect and LOVED the smoothness of the arms, But as you described when it comes to finish carpentry, you cannot have any blade deflection maybe during rough cuts of framing lumber and even that's pushing it. The harder the wood the more deflection also. They need to correct this issue or this saw is no better than a boat anchor. BEST REVIEW ON KZhead. Thank you.
Yup! It’s a shame this saw is such a piece of junk 🤷♂️
Excellent review! I have the Delta Cruzer 10". I love it do to the footprint, but I also quickly realized I cannot use it for finish, square cuts.
Thanks! It’s definitely a bummer that it deflects so much
Great review! Love the in detail review. Much better then just reading specs from a sheet
Nice review. I have Festool Kapex and yes it has a good clamp system, but dust collection is outstanding. I am not kidding when I say that it pays for itself because of time I save on cleanup. The Festool is insanely accurate and repeatable. Easy saw blade changes, trench cuts a super simple adjustments.
Sounds better than this hunk of junk 🤣
Look my Parallel Guided Power Saw.
Miter saws are great for rough cutting lumber quickly down to rough size for milling purposes. After that I switch to my miter on my table saw or get out the table saw sled. Both are much more accurate. Good thought provoking video.
I couldn't agree more. Thanks for watching, Terry!
That might be true but how practical would that be jobsite to jobsite
I just sold my Delta Cruzer (same saw) because of the play and dust collection. I agree the dust collection on most miter saws stinks but this one is especially horrible. It spits dust right in your face, especially when it's extended. I replaced it with the metabo hpt and the dust collection is comparitively wonderful. No dust in the face what so ever and that's just with the bag. Big step up! Thanks for the review. Always nice when reviews confirm my issues
Thanks for watching! I totally agree, this saw is absolute junk 🤣
Mayonnaise. Excellent honest review, and spot on. I have owned the Delta Cruzer 12” version for a couple of years now and wish I’d seen a review like this before buying it. The dust collection does really suck!…even for a miter saw. And the deflection is bad and very irritating. Like you said, for accurate precision cuts I now always use my table saw and quality miter gauge. Thanks!
I’m glad to hear a delta user chime in and confirm the same thing I see. Dang it sucks that your saw is this bad too!
That was an excellent video. Previously I tried the 10" Delta Cruzer and hated it. I understood the saw would not provide precise cuts due to the deflection and could live with that as I was only doing rough cuts. What I could not live with was the amount of dust that would get thrown in my face even with vacuum dust collection connected. Again excellent review, thanks for sharing.
I appreciate the feedback, Pancho! What are you using now?
@@SpencleyDesignCo Metabo 10" sliding miter saw and I really like it; however recently I been just using a cordless Makita circular saw for my rough cuts therefore the miter saw rarely gets used. I guess I could really live without a miter saw but just like having it in the shop for some reason.
That’s how I am. I haven’t had a miter saw for almost 2 years but got one just to see if I could change my mind. I’m unlikely to use the miter saw for anything until I get into home renovation projects
You didn’t say mayonnaise😡
Mustard
Good review. I wonder if the deflection would be worse with bevel cuts.
Thanks for the very thorough review. It good to see a tool review that appears to be non bias.
Thanks for watching! I tried my best to be impartial
Mayonaise. Discovered your channel the other day. Lots of good stuff and honest opinions. I think most wood workers I watch seem to agree that a miter saw is only for rough breakdowns. In larger shops a person would typically position it in an area where they do rough breadowns along with a jointer and planer.
I was just in Home Depot this morning checking out this exact same saw. One thing it is truly outstanding against all other miter saw is the silky smooth sliding and up and down motion. Instead of traditional two bars on which the saw slides Rigid uses two folding arms and the sliding motion is effortless and super smooth. Also without using two bars there is no chance any sawdust gets on the bars and hinder the sliding motion. Too bad that it not very precise as tested in this video otherwise I would buy it in a heart beat.
The slider is super super smooth!
I wonder how it compares with the Delta Cruzer.
Probably very similar
@@JamesKelly89 it is the cruzer BUT Orange
Hopefully the delta one doesn’t deflect this bad 🤣
Mayonnaise I’m in the market for a slider and was leaning toward this over the blue one until I saw this video (can’t imagine buying the Kapex $$$). The whole point of a 12” slider is to make wider crosscuts, the slop is a deal-breaker for sure. Thanks for a great review, subs +1
Definitely a dealbreaker on this hunk of junk
Thank you so much for this video. I was just about to buy this and I’m so thankful I saw this.
Miracle Whip - I appreciate the honest review. Looking to get a miter saw. Bosch is top on my list but it is pricey. Was looking for a cheaper option. Hoping Rigid might work I need a high accuracy saw. You saved me A LOT of potential headaches. Thanks.
Miracle whip?
Mayonnaise. Don't have a question just wanted to let you know that I saw this review in it's entirety and it was fantastic. You covered just about every question I or anyone else could have asked. Two thumbs up Eric.
Thank you very much, Julio!
Holy crap! Never in a million years did I expect true hammer contact! Subscribed, I highly respect a man who does what he says!
True hammer?
@@SpencleyDesignCo as in truly hit it with a freaking hammer lol. I've seen a hundred guys say something like that, then pump fake the strike. You were beating that thing without hesitation. A man who does what he says, and says what he means is a kin to my m.o....... salute
I’m not sure I follow, but I take it as a compliment? Haha
@@SpencleyDesignCo in the shortest way. Most people are bullshitters
Nicely done video!!! You came up in my video feed for the first time today. I just subscribed. Very impressed with your presentation.
Thank you very much, Scott! You’ve got a lot of videos to catch up on 😜
I'll start checking them out ...binge watching 😊
Much appreciated! Trying my best to gain any traction I can on KZhead 🤣
Mayo.....Thanks for the great review of the saw. I really liked your honest assessment and recommendation of who should buy the saw and what the intended market is.
Thanks! Honestly, I think it’s a very very slim number of people that would get any use out of this saw
I have the Delta Cruiser 10" model. It was a pretty good review. You did however leave something out. When you remove the fences, there are two swing away brackets that turn into makeshift fences. Flip them to the rear, and put a 2x4 on the base, and you effectively extend the cross cut capacity of the saw by a few inches. Very handy.
I never knew that! Pretty neat!
BEARNAISE (just cuz I'm contradictory...) That was one of the miter saws I was looking at. I agree with the 2 main downsides, dust collection and imprecise cuts (even worse on angle cuts). My need was a minimalistic back clearance as I have a very small garage/shop. Out of the 2 other candidates, Metabo and Makita, I went with the Makita. Dust collection is awesome and accuracy pretty good ONCE the saw is PROPERLY calibrated (not shouting here, just an emphasis). Thanks for a great review!
Thanks for checking out the video, Patrick! Seems like a lot of people like that makita
@@SpencleyDesignCo Yep, pretty good one I'd say. It has some minor downsides too, though I think they are very minor, and it's not cheap. Blade deflection I think is inherent to the double bevel sliding compound concept cuz there are many points for play and fabrication tolerances are what they are. Our choice is to pick the model with the less deflection, not an absence of deflection, unfortunately, as you showed with the Festool saw.
I wouldn’t say the festool is perfect by any means. Since making the video, I’ve used the festool and I still wouldn’t want it in my shop
I have the 10 inch Delta Cruzer, and the Ridgid sliding miters are the same machine, basically. I bought it because I have limited space and this design uses way less space. I have found it to be very accurate if I take my time and am careful not to introduce any deflection myself. I replaced the stock blade with a Freud Diablo 80 tooth and the cuts are butter smooth. I often will cut 4 or more boards at the same time for accuracy and it powers through them with ease. These are just my observations, and in my opinion it is an excellent saw. However, YMMV, and this is the only sliding miter I have owned so I have nothing to compare it to. One thing about the hold-down clamp-If you push the support rod to one side you can lift it right up or push it down quickly, without using the threads. Then tighten it down by turning the threaded knob.
Thanks for the review. Ive been waiting a long time to see a test on mitersaw blade deflection. I would like to see more mitersaw reviews with a test for deflection in addition to the miter accuracy. 1/8" deflection could drive me crazy eve in trim carpentry. Thanks again and maybe consider doining more like this.
Thanks for watching! What saw would you like me to test next?
@@SpencleyDesignCo Is there a saw with acceptable deflection for woodworking , that is in a price range for home users?
I haven’t used any miter saws that I’m comfortable recommending to people. All the ones I’ve used were awful
Mayonnaise: Thanks for this honest and informative review. I’m in the market for a new saw and this is the one I was waiting for due to the zero clearance feature. Now, not even a contender. Although it probably wouldn’t affect most of the things I use a miter saw for, just knowing it has that much deflection would drive me nuts. Thanks.
Haha yeahhh…if you’re doing framing the deflection probably wouldn’t matter. But it would drive you nuts knowing it’s there! 🤣
Nice review! What's crazy is my old Ridgid non sliding saw has a quick clamp. Must be a cost saving measure.
Thanks! Quick clamps are so handy! It’s a shame more saws don’t have them
True. I bought two of those Ridgid quick clamps and put them on my Bosch miter saw. They are tops for making multiple adjustments.
Mayonnaise: Thanks for the thorough review. I was looking for reviews as I was debating about returning the R4251 I just bought to make lots of picture frames accurately. I could not get a square corner to save my life, and contacted customer service. Their advice was to check cal, which I am confident is dead on. If I cut a 45 miter angle, and immediately put the cut piece up to the blade, there is at least a 1 degree delta. Your review confirms my suspicions about the wambliness of the mechanism, and I am taking her back and going back to the table saw/sled. I need a method to create fixturing stops for longer pieces for the sled.
It’s definitely very wambly!
Good review. Just subscribed. Most saws will have play like this. I work in a prefab shop doing walls and stairs. The miters that slide on rails will have slightly less play. DeWalt seems to offer the least.
Thanks, Tyler! Seems like a lot of folks in the comments really like that dewalt one
Mayonnaise haha - I really like that more companies are moving towards this arm design. It makes the saw so much more compact. I've got the Bosch 12" and love it. It came with a hold down clamp like yours, but apparently, in Europe they get something much closer to the Kapex saw. I'd love to see a saw that allowed the blade to come far enough back that you didn't need a sacrificial board to make trench cuts.
Another person point out the “kapex like” clamp in Europe which is something I didn’t know about! Does your Bosch have this much side-to-side deflection? A lot of folks asked about a comparison but I’ve never used the Bosch before
I think making a fence that adjusts forwards and backwards to compensate for the blade curvature in a trench cut would be the solution to not needing a sacrificial piece of material.
That would work too
@Zac Builds, whats the side to side deflection like on your Bosch?
I asked him on our podcast and he said it’s pretty stable but does still deflect if you press hard
You don't have to keep turning and turning the hold-down clamp. At 8:44 you can see how the horizontal piece moves freely up and down the vertical piece. You can quickly slide the clamp to where you need it and just turn the knob to tighten it.
True, however that doesn’t work when you are working with boards of varying thickness
Mayonnaise. I watched the entire video and was impressed with your honesty.
Also, the fence would determine how low the horizontal piece can slide down, which means extra turning
Come on, we've all thrown these clamps away for this exact reason... 😉
Wow looks just like the 12" Delta Cruzer saw I purchased several years ago. Love it.
Thanks for checking out the video, Andrew! It's made by their parent company
Great review. Your presentation and quality is fantastic. Subscribed for sure. I've seen a few of these folding arm type saws and have been thinking about it. That wiggle room is just not acceptable for me. I'm looking to upgrade from my sliding harbor freight miter saw and I'm trying to find a good saw that doesn't cost an outrageous amount for my small shop. I've seen the Metabo saws which have the rails facing forwards instead of shooting out behind the blade for a mile. Might pick one of those up when I'm done upgrading other things.
That’s so much for the support, David!
The deflection of this saw seems to a point that it is like a handheld saw lol, even my cheap saw that is on the sliding rails has way less play than this. It feels like a failed engineering product to me. I absolutely love your honesty by highligting the good and bad things with no buillshit.
For sure! This saw is 100% junk 🤣
I had the Dewalt rail type slider for years but switched 5 years ago to the Bosch hinge arm slider, much better and more accurate but to each his own
Have you tried this orange one?
Mayonnaise The downfalls for this saw are exactly why I tend to agree with your #1 tool you regret buying. Miter saws in general seem to be somewhat overrated because most of the time you'd get a better cut using a crosscut sled on a good table saw. I think you'd be better off spending the extra cash on a better table saw unless you're using it in a construction setting where you're only cross cutting and accuracy within a sixteenth is plenty.
I couldn’t agree more!
When installing wall base and crown molding, dealing with 17' long pieces of trim, a miter saw is definitely worth every penny compared to a table saw even with a sled. :)
It all depends on what you work with. If I were doing molding, I would absolutely use a miter saw
Awesome job and great commentary. She’ll do you right for years to come. Was the bench design based on Third Coast Craftsman’s design? I’ve been looking at building something similar but as a beginner was a bit daunted.
The bench is just a kreg bench
I got a 10" Cruzer when it first came out as a promotion item for $300. Just love it and it sells for over $600 now. The rigid looks like the same saw with a different paint job.
Yup, it’s made by their parent company
Good review BUT I think your Math is waaay off. 9 out of 10 people aren't furniture makers. THose guys aren't buying Rigid
When ya make one of theses video's the price is not for the home worker,very expensive!!! they gave ya a free unit to review and Gabor them,lol
Just got my saw yesterday！very good review!already subscribed!
Thank you for the support!
This is a great video. I'm so close to buying this mitre saw, but torn between this or DeWalt. I do love the slide arms for storage reasons. I'm just a DIY guy so exact cuts not needed, but would be nice. I have a 10" Ryobi mitre saw now, I just want to cut larger material. Thanks again for the video
Get the dewalt
Mayonnaise I have been looking for a zero clearance to work in smaller space. Very fair review and it's given me enough info to make a decision. Thanks ! And to Ridgid Also for putting it out there.
I appreciate the honest feedback, Dan! Which saw do you think you’re going to go with?
@@SpencleyDesignCo Due to limited space I'm holding out. I have 2 saw's neither accurate, not in the shop, that I can use for ripping long stock. I'm excited about My Soon to be upgrade to the R4560 Ridgid TS. Thanks for the video on that, it should arrive any day. I think in the end I will look for more repeatable cuts. Also I'm trying to lean into learning more table saw skill's . Dan
I think you’ll love that new table saw! It’s a great value for the money!
Great review Very helpful.Thank you!
Thanks for watching Duane!
Mayonnaise-I appreciate your honest review; however, my experience with the Rigid 12” traditional style slider is very similar. A number of years ago I was superintendent for a company doing hotel renovation. As the job was several states away, I did not bring my own tools, but was given permission to purchase anything I needed and would be reimbursed later. He also noted his preference for Home Depot, so Rigid was what I bought. My trim carpenter complained he couldn’t get a 90 degree cut on the wide trim boards we were using, so if I remember correctly he brought his own saw to finish the job. Maybe we could have tightened things up and improved the cut, but we were under a deadline.
Thanks for your feedback Alan
Mayonnaise Great review!!! I've been looking to replace my Dewalt 708 Sliding Combo Saw and was super excited thru most of your video but it went into the trash dumpster when you got to the cons.
Thanks for checking out the video, John! I tried my best to be as honest as possible
Mayonnaise I am just a DIYer doing stuff around the house and trying to get into woodworking. I am debating between a Ridgid corded or cordless miter saw. I am a big fan of Ridgid and that is what is influencing my brand preference. Thanks for your input!
Mayonnaise. I liked the video. I have a Ryobi Miter saw and I went through the same process with that saw. What I found was that in normal use with normal pressure there is a 1/16" deflection. I was surprised because my previous Ryobi non-sliding miter saw had 0 deflection. I took it in to the Ryobi repair facility and they said that was in tolerance. As you said in the video sliding miter saws will have some deflection because of the nature of the tool. It all depends on how much you want to spend. Delta sells a Miter saw with a similar configuration as the Rigid you reviewed with a similar amount of deflection. I think the multiple hinge design introduces errors. I decided not to buy the Delta, though I have many other Delta tools, because of that review. Please keep the videos coming.
I appreciate the support, Jim!
Delta actually makes this saw for Ridgid.
It’s actually made by their parent company
I like the way you showed how the saw has that slight trenching imperfection, good job. I personally do not plan to gorilla the saw to make an uneven trench. I consider this an overkill scenario. Still and all you did a good job pointing this out.
😂 gorilla the saw,!!! It was his pinky finger…so you’d get at least some deflection even being careful. Good review though huh!
Mayonnaise! Good review and really good to know. I have owned the Ridgid R4221 sliding miter saw for nearly four years and it's been great. I own a number of Ridgid tools and have had good service from all of them. That said, one of the big attractions of the brand for me is the Lifetime Service Agreement (LSA); if they are moving away from that I'll be more likely to look at other brands in future.
No LSA on this one since it’s made by a delta
Good review, most sliding, compound miter saws are like mayonnaise, a mix of odd ingredients that end up being pretty good. The Festool, despite the guy's excuse making, does not have stellar reviews for accuracy. I own a Milwaukee 12" sliding compound miter saw, a Makita 10 sliding compound, and at the bottom cost wise, the Chicago Electric 12" slider. The Milwaukee is far and away the smoothest, has lights instead of laser, fiddly to dial in but ultimately a good precision saw. Yes, any slider is going to deflect with side pressure, that's the physics of a substantial weight at the end of a couple of guide rods. My Makita is a couple of decades old, still worthy of precision work. The HF 12", once dialed in, was a pleasant surprise, robust, accurate and used for what I bought it for, framing, it is more than fine. As I said, surprising. The Milwaukee has the best dust collection(sans vacuum) of the bunch. The large dust bag will actually get full after a day's good use. With a vacuum attachment it would be stellar, that needs a special adapter. The play in the Rigid would be unacceptable for me, the cost and maybe slightly above average quality for the Festool is laughable. I've been a builder/remodel, trim and finish guy for longer than most of your viewers have been on the planet. I appreciate the breakdown in your review. 👍
Thanks for watching!
Mayonnaise: thanks for the review. Helpful review. All I use my miter saw for is rough cuts, so this may still be a good buy for me with the space saving. Disappointing that it moves so much though. 😕
The space saving is definitely a great feature and for rough cuts, it would be PERFECT to have!
11:30 this is exactly why i have 2 old radial arm saws for my woodworking and use a miter saw for cutting framing only. for the cost of this saw, i have less into 2 very accurate radial arms, a decent cross cut blade and a decent set of dado blades.
People seem to enjoy their radial arm saws
Mayonnaise: Great video. I personally have the ten inch version of this saw. Being slightly smaller the saw does not have nearly as much play. All in all it’s a mid tear saw and you did a fantastic job laying out all the pros and cons.
Thanks for the feedback, Quentin!
Blade deflection is as much a result of your thin-kerf finish 12” blade as it is the saw mechanism. If you try to keep it straight, it cuts straight.
I’m sure it would fit fine
Your review is the same as my friend discovered with her saw kerf movement. Cuts were off even with a stop block being used. They were very sad and returned the saw.
It was definitely a bummer!
Excellent review and thanks.
Thank you very much, duong!
Great video, answered all the questions I had - Thx
Thanks, Michael!
Very well presented and quite informative .. thanks!
Glad it was helpful!
Mayonnaise-Thanks for the review Eric! I’m about to start my research into a miter saw so good to know about the good, the bad and the ugly about this one
Thanks for checking it out! If possible, I’d really suggest getting your hands on the saws in person.
Mayo NICE Video! Finally a good review. Thanks
Mayonnaise- it is so crazy that it literally is just swapping out blue for orange and then it's a Delta Cruzer! Great video. Well done!
Thanks for checking out the video!
thanks for the video . Informative . And I believe this has its use within the industry .
Thanks for watching!
Mayonnaise. Great video, you addressed any question I might have about this saw, and I appreciate your honesty.
I appreciate you checking out the video, Mitchel! Any others questions you have?
Mayonnaise; Great reveiw with information that i was looking for. I am happy to see that I am not the only one that stores wood above the garage door. :) Thanks.
Thanks for watching, Ted!
I have to say that I have this saw in the 10" and I don't have nearly that amount of play in my saw. I'm not saying that there's no play at all but it's closer to a 1/16th either to the right or left at full extention, and pushing in either direction. I'm very happy with this saw as my basic jobsite saw..
Mayonaise. Columbus based guy here too! I think that biggest thing regarding side to side play when using a newer miter saw is being mindful of your body and the torque and tension you're putting on the handle. It can be harder to do if you're on a job site cutting different dimensions for framing, etc. But in a shop it seems like it'd be easier. Without firsthand knowledge or use, I'm impressed with the Ridgid but will look at the full market before I make a choice. I have an old Dewalt that works pretty good so at the moment, I'll stick with it.
You’re absolutely right! I actually tried the test again really trying to keep the blade perfectly straight, and even then there was a pretty good amount of deflection
Have the delta cruzer 12" version - I consider it a construction and jobsite tool, not a furniture tool. It's very precise for what it is - +/-1/32" on 3/4" ply cuts is my typical experience using mechanical stops at 90 degrees. I can flip boards over for up to 27-28" total cut width and the overlapping cuts are nearly indistinguishable. I use mine in a negative pressure shroud most of the time. Otherwise, yep - it's messy. Worst part of the delta version is the current inrush is huge, and the initial torque jerks the saw head quite a bit - I installed a soft start: huge improvement and this allows rapid, repeated cuts without tripping. Not sure if rigid put a soft start on theirs - this is definitely the biggest thing to improve on imho. The trench cut depth is actually the most unreliable dimension on this saw - not sure about % error but the little depth stop screw is definitely janky. I would like to have one that feels a bit more refined and precise, but for $400 I paid a few years ago this saw has been generally great and acceptably precise.
This doesn’t have soft start either. It’s the same saw made by their parent company
Condom, love the chapter features in your videos! I have the same model ( freebie) from Home Depot seeds program. I’m a DIYer and for me it’s a great saw for what I do, I like the width feature to be able to cut a very wide board 16 inches ( I think ). I haven’t noticed the reflection. I will have to check that out! Keep the videos coming bro. ☮✌🏻
hmmm
Mayo! Lol great review! The keyword trick borrowed from blacktail studio?
Thanks, Fred! Glad you enjoyed it! What’s blacktail studio?
Mayo, It was interesting because I'd been looking at a Bosch with the same sliding system. Expensive. I didn't know Ridgid made one. However I just bought a used Harbor Freight Admiral 12" for $110.00 that was like new except the guard was missing. That was $10.00 from the parts dept. Now if I can just figure out how to mount it. Thanks for the video.
Thanks for checking out the video, Andy!
First video that I've actually seen this new Ridgid miter saw and I was really interested because I have the Ridgid miter saw with the oversized deck it's 12" but it's a big miter saw. But I guess I'll stay with the DeWalt 12 inch dual bevel slider miter saw and not the cheaper Home Depot brand because DeWalt makes two different miter saws ones for the homeowner and the other is for the professional. But I've never gone wrong with the DeWalt miter and table saw with the rolling stands. Great video very good info.
A lot of folks seem to like that one!
Joeseph, I'm curious where you would buy the professional Dewalt Compound sliding miter saw at, if not Hone Depot, how much you pay for it, and the model number please. I'm looking for one currently for some work I have coming up. Thanks.
Thanks for this video. That degree of deflection is unacceptable. I'm in the market for a new miter saw and I'm scratching this one off my list.
That defelction is huge although, like you say, fine for a construction saw (albeit kinda large). I upgraded my mitre saw last year and it took me months to decide - I don't need portabilty or huge capacity. I wanted Accuracy: in the end I forked out the extra for the Festool KS60e, the 40V Makita was my second choice but I really didn't want yet another battery system (I have goood range of 18V Makita tools already). With care I get dead accurate 90deg and standard mitres, for a 45deg angle cut (think mitred box) well that's over to the table saw as that feels safer at that angle and is likely more accurate every time. Clamps: the KS60 uses the standard Festool track type clamps, 2 slots at the back and it has 2 slots for them on the front too - I often make cuts on small pieces and I use these clamps all the time - I'll often use 3 clamps to make one cut (safely) to a small block. Another bonus; compared to my old Elektra Beckum the dust collection is around 70% better too.
Thanks for watching
Mayo - thanks so much for the review!
Sure thing! Thanks for checking out the video, Carl! I’ve got tons of other content you might be interested in too 😀
I own a 12” fixed double bevel compound miter saw for my use in custom furniture building. Dust collection is through a auto switched shop vacuum and the machine is equipped with a Forrest Signature Series super premium blade. With the saw dialed in my cuts are accurate, smooth and ready for 98+% of my work. The widest sometimes get a touch up on a shooting board with a 5-1/2 jack plane. With boards wider than its capacity I’ll generally use my tablesaw and miter sled or a track saw. After many years in the shop sawing wood I find that a sliding compound miter saw is the least of my wants or needs. They just don’t provide the accuracy I need with wider stock. I wouldn’t recommend any of them for most needs of a woodworker. If I were a production carpenter my needs would surely differ.
Sounds like a nice setup!
When I changed out the stock blade I had to cut part of the dust chute and back off a bolt just to get clearance to do it. Yours looked way easier than mine
Interesting. I didn’t have that problem at all
Mayonnaise! Great video! Got a recommendation on a mitre saw for trim and crown moulding?
Thanks for watching! I haven’t used a miter saw that I like yet, so I don’t have a recommendation
Mayonnaise- thanks explaining your neutral position and the highs and lows, I appreciate it! Have a good one, and thanks for the the awesome content.
Thank you for the feedback and checking out the video!
Really appreciate this review! The sliding mech had me getting attached but the dust collection and potential precision issues you showed are enough to spend on something else.
Thanks for watching! I truly appreciate the support!
I had this in my cart at home Depot, after messing with the display for an hour I concluded that the side to side wiggle was to much and I put it back. I use a Dewalt 716XPS everyday for work so I want a slider, and I really love the smoothness of rigid, as soon as they fix the side to side play I'll be a customer.
The side to side wiggle is awful, isn’t it? 🤣
Mayonnaise - great review! Touched on all the points I had questions on about this particular saw. I’m curious if you have any thoughts about this compared to the Bosch Glide Miter?
Thanks, Andy! I’ve never used a Bosch miter saw before
Thanks for the review. I'm look for saw like that with out taking up all the room. I guess I'm taking up room.
Mayonnaise- super glad I watched this bc I am a furniture builder looking for a better miter saw. I don’t have the funds for a kapex, so I was looking into a Bosch or delta cruzer when I saw yours. Glad to know it’s the same as the delta bc I need that style for my workspace. Any suggestions to look into for the shorter style depth compared to the long bar style?
Definitely DO NOT buy this one! I’ve never used them, but I’ve heard good things about the Bosch, Makita, and high end dewalt
Mayonnaise: Thanks for the great videos and review. Can you make a recommendation of a chop saw that has less movement, that you could use for trim work? Thanks
Thanks for checking out the video, Glen! I haven’t used enough different miter saws to be comfortable making a recommendation. A lot of folks in the comments enjoy the dewalt though
I have a delta Cruzer which is the same saw and I love it.
Mayonnaise! Looking at this as for DIY projects and home improvement stuff. Will be doing some wainscoting and crown, shelving and such. Would you recommend the DeWalt 780 over this? I like the articulating arm. Other options are the Harbor Freight ones?
Excellent review.
Mayonnaise, great review dude, really appreciate it. Question- if you snug down the adjustment screws for the resistance on the slide joints-does that reduce the size play? At the expense of some easy motion and smoothness. Thank you
Unfortunately not, I tried everything possible and there’s just too much slop.
Mayonnaise. Thanks for the review. I just ran across this miter saw yesterday. I appreciate the pros and cons in your review. This looks like it would work for the jobs that I will be doing. What blade do you recommend replacing it with?
Thanks for watching! I’d use a Forrest blade on it
Thank you. What do you advice for the most accurate miter saw at the bevel?
I’d just use a table saw
Mayonnaise. Awesome review! Please review the Makita 12" slider. I think the two most important features of this saw were overlooked. 1) It has MUCH greater capacity - even more than DeWalt's 2x16 ability with the "backfence" gimmick. I think the extreme capacity is also a lot of the reason for the side-to-side movement) 2) The space saving design over the typical bars that don't stick out behind it. I have a 500 square foot shop and I can't put my Dewalt anywhere that doesn't waste a ton of space behind the saw. Also, I'd love to see some more cuts with actual measurements of the cut boards with a square and tape measure. My Dewalt DHS790 has the same deflection as the Bosch glide 12" and I have tested two Kapexes that have only slightly less deflection. Don't forget the Kapex is WAY smaller. If Festool made a 12", I would have bought one years ago. I am still searching for the ultimate 12" sliding miter saw.
Thanks for watching!
Thank you for the honest review. I was ready to buy when you brought up the short comings of the saw. John Kulluk
I’m glad I could help, John! What are you thinking of buying?
I work in a wood shop. Have tried almost every brand of mitre. The ones that slide on bars have slightly less play. Not much. They all will do this.
DeWalt seems to have the least amount of play. If that's what your looking for.
That’s such a bummer!
Mayonnaise added Wow! Ok I was looking forward to this... Actually the Delta Razer but they are the same thing I just happen to like the blue! So my question is: what saw do you recommend for finish carpentry that can also do the same functions as this saw?
Mayonnaise, thanks for the video. Any thoughts on the Bosch version of this saw?
Thanks for checking it out! I haven’t tested the bosch miter saw so I can’t comment on that
I recently bought this saw and I am impressed obviously it is not as nice as my kapex and bosch but for the price its a pretty good deal.
Glad to hear you’re enjoying it
Nice review! What would you think about the Bosh 12 saw that's a lot like this saw
It’s a little better than this one but I still haven’t found a miter saw that I really like yet
Mayonnaise I have that exact saw and I agree the dust collection sucks. I just deal with it. I vacuum at the end of the day. The place of the miter saw for me is breaking down long pieces and doing crown, baseboard and other trim molding. Plenty of accuracy for that. I agree that it won't compete with the Festool, but many amateur woodworkers can't justify that kind of money for the amount of work done. I often wonder what the craftsman 100 years ago would think of our power tools. I bet they would be thrilled to have access to most of them.
I have the 12” Delta Cruzer version, and I think the biggest advantage for me is having the zero clearance in the back-I’m working in a tight space. I have not tested the deflection yet, but I think it won’t be a big issue if you work carefully. But it is a drawback of the way the slide is designed.