12"" Metal Cutting Saw

I’ll make this short, this is a great machine for the money, is heavy, precise and reliable.If you are looking to tackle DIY projects and home improvements this is more than enough, on the other hand if you a professional doing heavy duty industrial work or production for a living then look somewhere else on the $3,000 - 10,000 price range unit, that’ll be more productive and capable.Bottom line is this little machine is a beast, the motor is very powerful, the quality is top notch and the reviews speak for itself.The only drawback that I can mention (if is one) Is the metal chip collector, is not good at all.once you start cutting the metal chips are gonna be everywhere, but Again this is not a $3000 machine, so before you decide to buy it check reviews and do the homework and if the chip collector is something that is very important for you (either because you are planning to work in the kitchen while cooking or in the closet ) then move on and spend real money for something more fancy.Otherwise this is a perfect machine to make things happen and to get it done.The blade is expensive ? yes it is... but it will give you a very very clean and precise cuts regardless of the thickness.This machine worth every penny no questions ask...

As a metal fabricator/ mechanic you count on good tools to make fast work of tasks at hand. After buying and recieving this saw just a few hours ago, and using it to cut a few items. Me and My son both looked at each other and said WOW! We should have gotten this saw years ago. I have been in the past cutting metal with a torch, plasma cutting, and cut-off wheels on grinders. Making perfect cuts depends on a guide bar for the torch or plasma, but then you need to grind slag off the edges. Cut-off wheels are good on thin or small items and you have to change them because they wear to a small diameter. This saw is almost like cutting wooden 2x4s on a miter saw just at a slow speed. For example a 2x2 box tubing that is 1/4" wall thickness takes about a minute to cut through. And the cut is clean, burr free and straight. There are always things to pick on and wish it was made differently. Like most other reveiwers the chain to secure the saw in a down position is old fashion but minor. I wish the vise was more beefy, but it works good for the job and it is easy to adjust for miter cuts. A few reveiwers mentioned that the stock that was being clamped while doing a miter 45 degree cut would move a little as the vise was tighten. Most saws do that and I have found that if you put some adhesive sand paper on the back support of the vise. It will hold the stock you are cutting from slipping while you are tightening the vise. I will be using this saw alot in the future building metal gates and frames. That's why I decided to buy a cold cut metal saw. I just wished I did it a long time ago. It would have made many jobs in the past years a lot easier and quicker. The Amazon price, fast shipping, and great service makes it a really pleasure shopping for good tools.

I got this today so I have not used it much other than to test it out. For years I've been using an inexpensive cutoff saw that uses an abrasive disk rather than a carbide blade. It got the job done, but it was hard to get square cuts, plus there was a fair amount of work to clean up the edges. First things I noticed about this saw are how fast it cuts, how clean the cut edge is, and they are square. As expected, there are few sparks (a real plus here in the dry Northwest) and the dust factor, as compared to an abrasive disk, is non existent. I also like the fact that the base is cast and more substantial than the less expensive saws. It should provide a good stable platform. I also like the side lever for loosening the nut for the fence, much more user friendly as apposed to rounding up wrenches. It is heavier than my last (and now dead) saw so I'll probably put it on a rolling stand to make it easier to move and access. While the cost is considerably more than what I paid for my old saw, I feel that it's a very good value when you factor in the benefits I've already noted. Makita has a good reputation for reliability so I expect to get many years of use out of this saw.

Looked at a number of reviews, videos, compared all the features. The Makita was the quietest of the bunch, it is very well made with a solid cast aluminum base, cast iron rear vise jaw, well machined quick adjust screw, very well made metal blade guard that pivots out of the way but stays attached when you need to change the blade. There is a spring loaded blade damper that rides on the side of the blade that I didn't see on other saws. It has the power to do the job. Every aspect is robust Using a non ferrous blade, it chopped through 3"x4" 7075 solid aluminum bar with ease. It beats my band saw by a mile in cutting speed. I've seen folks nit pick the chain used to keep it in a stowed position. What they don't realize is that the chain allows you partially hold the saw in the down position so that you can use a combination square to square up the rear vise jaw with the side of the blade. The metal chip catcher box is adequate but fills quickly if you're cutting thick material. I have no issue with the handle design, it's as ergonomic as any other . I was a bit worried that it may not have enough capacity being a 12" verses a 14" saw but it's not an issue, I'm very pleased with my purchase. Be sure to order some stick lube and if you plan to cut something other than steel, a non ferrous blade.