I finally bought one of these after lusting in my heart after one for about four years. A buddy of mine had two of them and they were great saws. The one I recieved in the mail has held up to all of my expectations so far. I have only done a few square and miter cuts in some trim, but it seems to be cutting accurately right out of the box. The positive stops actually work. The Included blade cuts smooth as butter, leaving little to no tearout. It is rather quieter running than most of the other chopsaws that I have ever used.

highly recommended.

I absolutely love this saw it is smooth and does everything a miter saw should well. The blade it comes with is a true finish grade blade( i would recommend buying a cheaper blade if you plan on using this to cut framing lumber with and using this blade exclusively for trim as thats what its made for and it does it very well and you quite frankly you would be wasting it on framing lumber.) The motor is silky smooth and quiet yet it has plenty of power. The slides are smooth, the table shifts places and detents effortlessly, and the dual bevel works flawlewssy. I use this saw strictly for trim which is what it does best because even though it has plenty of power this is definetly a finesse saw and I think if you can afford it youd be better served with another saw for rough work and keeping a good blade on this and using it for trim. Its so percise i wouldn't risk banging it up on a framing jobsite. All in all this is a true percision machine only two things stop me from giving it 5 stars. The fence could stand to be higher, wider and just plain beefier also bevel detents at 33.9 would be nice but hese are small complaints for such a precise machine.

I love this miter saw, my only problem with it is that I have to keep truing the fence, and it seems a little to fragile to take on the job site. I think one of my carpenters is forgetting about the soft start and plunging the blade into the wood before it comes up to speed. The price has dropped and I would definately recommend it.

This is a dead-on accurate piece of art right out of the box. I use it in shop for many fine furniture cuts that need to be tuxedo accurate instead of using my radial arm saw. In the rough construction field, it works all day long on a small honda (2000) generator with no complaints. If you knock it out of alignment from roughing it up too much in the field (all saws will suffer from this fate,) just take the time to square it up, and you're good to go again! I have found absolutely no issues with this product

I spent a considerable amount of time handling and researching the SCM saws currently available. Most were disappointing for various reasons. The Makita LS1013 is not perfect. However, it seems to be very well engineered, manufactured, and assembled. The table turns with little effort, there is minimal head deflection, and the the rail design produces smooth as silk operation. I have checked 45 (including compound cut) and 90 degree accuracy with a Woodpeckers Precision Aluminum Square (tool is guaranteed accurate to within .001 inch) and found the saw's settings to be correct right out of the box. The 13 amp motor is plenty powerful and provides an illustration of the ingenuity found in Makita's engineers. Look at the orientation of the motor. It is mounted on an angle to increase cutting capacity and allow direct drive. Some of the other manufacturers use belt drives which can slip and cause unwanted vibration. The LS1013's cutting capacity is nearly identical to most twelve inch SCM saws on the market. Whether cutting trim or wide boards this saw has tackled the job with aplomb, producing very accurate and easy cuts. The low right side fence is the primary reason I say the saw is not perfect. A taller right fence accessory can be purchased if necessary. The brackets for a DeWALT DW723 Miter Saw Stand will fit the Makita LS1013. Overall, I am very pleased with this saw.

Just got this saw and have only made a few cuts, but I love it already. The cuts are incredibly clean, even when using the blade that came with the saw. The action is very smooth. The big table is definitely a plus, The miter adjusts easily and smoothly. The bevel adjustment could be a little better, but it is not bad. A couple people said the saw does not do both right and left bevels, but that is not true. It was a little off right out of the box, but it was easy to get aligned. All in all, I think I made the right decision.

This is the best saw I have ever owned! I don't have alot of fancy talk, But I have this saw!
I am a finish carpenter from the jersey Shore. The builders and homeowners are very demanding about quality. There is no hurrying up here. The real carpenters take the time to make the extra cut to make the mitre perfect.
With this saw, the extra cut doesn't take that long. The first cut is so perfect. If it takes a second cut, it is usually because you put the header slightly off level.

Thi saw is quiet, smooth, accurate and in addition to that realy good looking.

I am glad to have spent a most of a weeks pay to own this saw

I've owned this saw for three + years now. I thought it was great out of the box but it never was dead on accurate. I use to try and square the fence on a regular basis, but now I just live W/ it and mark my material. I've learned over time where the blade falls so I cut close & move the material for final cut. After 3 years of hard use it still holds up well except the flip of the double bevel is becoming very stiff when jumping from 45 left to 45 right or vise versa. I love the bigtable work area & I added a self adhesive tape measure to the fence so I can quick chop anything left or right up to 10" ( all chop and table saws should have this feature. ) I'm in the market for a new saw so I'm looking to either buy it again or try the bosch, but the reviews didn"t sound to good + I thought I read that it is being discontinued.
Good luck & keep those fingers clear.
Handymanrandy.com

A really good product, works well. Excellant low price on amazon for this saw. Good service from amazon, good feedback and item was shipped as promised.

All the benefit of a radial arm saw, with angle adjustments many times easier. Ease of safety trigger, view of cut, stability of table are excellent.

I have the larger 12" C/Miter saw. I needed something LIGHTER for job site, crown / base etc... I thought about the Hitachi but I want the ability to bevel both ways so this was my choice. First the soft start is AWESOME! My older 12" starts like your trying to hold a gyro, shut off is even worse. Not this one. My first thought was "Oh great something's wrong". The action fore and aft is smooooth, bevel detents that are strong enough that I don't bother to tighten the bevel clamp I can swing it over from 45R to 45L. The fence is pretty short but that's what you get with a compound miter. So far it has not been a problem. I did have some really small pieces of birch trim to miter I simply made a fence using 1/2 birch ply to keep the little pieces from flying.
As far as transporting someone did there homework. There is a handle on top that is very well balanced making it quite easy to pick up and travel. All in all I had to swallow at the price but after using it on site and in the shop, (I prefer it to the 12") I would buy it again.
BTW I have friends that use the Hitachi 8 and 10" they all agree the Makita is a bit better saw for our trade (Cabinetry).

Simple and easy with a very smooth operation. I very much like the way the blade guard covers entire blade.

I own many Makitta tools and have yet to be disappointed in a single one. I do not buy by brand but do research and try every major tool before I purchase it. I selected the Makitta 10' sliding compound from both reviews and use of the saw. It is by far the Mercedes of miters. Smooth operation and a start up that definately puts it in the Mercedes class. No better on the market. Mine was purchased to replace a radial arm saw. Would not like to have the old radial back, this new boy does it all!

I BOUGHT THE MAKITA LS1013 DUAL BEVEL SLIDE MITER SAW FROM AMAZON, AND I COULDN'T BE MORE PLEASED.I GOT AN EXCELLENT DEAL AND THE SAW ARRIVED EXACTLY WHEN THEY SAID IT WOULD. IT ARRIVED IN EXCELLENT SHAPE AND WORKED PERFECTLY. I HAVE USED THIS MODEL OF SAW BEFORE, AS WELL AS HITACHI, DELTA, SKIL, CRAFTSMAN, AND OTHERS. IN THE HITACHI I'VE USED THE 8 1/2" AND 10". HITACHI DEFINITELY WOULD BE MY NEXT CHOICE. HOWEVER, MAKITA IS MY FAVORITE! THANKS FOR A GREAT SAW!

i forgot toaddress one other thing you mention regarding magazines with head to head comparisons.i have so many problems with this.everyone is goingbto be 100 percent sure that their product is perfectly aligned and cutting well so often they dont pick up problems.also they could lose buisness writing bad reviews.bosch reps would not acknowledge many complaints on their miter saw even though reviewers have some significant negatives on it.a triton plunge drill i bought was such junk but no mention in review on that.i like you look a customers reviews and actually believe jay is not a rep because he has my experience of liking ridge,makita,hitachi and owns a rigid portable table saw which i love.

my name is robert.i donoit know if jay is a makita rep or not nut i agree with his comments on the forest blade vs ridge and also regarding the makita saw.my personal experience with forest vs ridge is ridge is significantl better.regarding miter saws i have a hitachi and makita.both are nice but i like several makita features especially the large flat turntable.i own bosch products but the bosch miter saw with all its plastic and little gimmicks feels cheaper compared to the metal on the makita.does anyone really need several different angles for their handle and bevel adjustments upfront.for years i am comfortable with a vertical handle and adjusting angle in back.also who really needs a laser.it doesnt really improve accuracy.i do not have a single contactor friend who has a laser.they all have makita or hitachi although i know of some who i think have dewalt.one thing that sounds nice on the bosch is the microadjust angle feature for when you want tocreep up a portion of a degree.so personally i would recommend the makita or hitachi.the dewalts may be good but on a personal basis they just dont feel as quality but i have noexperience really using it to base it on.i buy almost everything on amaszon cause you cant beat the price and service.but tools are diffent than clothes.even great companies can send defective tools.the bosch plunge router i bought sevral years ago on amazon just felt jerky plunging. got a new one right away from amazon witout that problem.so check your machgine out right away for accuracy,fence and blade alignment and smoothness.also remember even if you have to tune it doesnt mean it is defective.in fact you should learn how to because it will need tuning some time.good luck on your purchase.

Please disregard the 1 Star rating. I don't even own this saw. It's just that I'm sick and tired of reading manufacturers advertisements and rebuttals to their competitors "reviews" in these forums. Jay Concepcion, please clarify for me: You reviewed both the 1013 and 1013L less than a month apart. First you say you have no use for a laser as part of your 1013 review, then less than a month later you're writing a review for the 1013L (same as 1013 but with a laser). By the way, when you write your review for the next Makita saw you might as well just include a link to the Makita website. Let's see now....how many Makita saws do you own now? 42? I'm sick of all of these manufacturer's reps. convoluting "consumer" review forums everywhere. I need to buy a sliding dual bevel miter saw right away. I don't have time to weed through all of the bogus "reviews" to find actual end-user reviews. I don't know that I can trust any review, any where, any more. How can anyone rely on any of the reviews on this website or any other for honest, unbiased and objective information from actual end users? I'm curious, why are these reps. so quick to discount all of the professional review sources that use actual craftsmen to test their saws in head-to-head comparisons? What better way is there to separate performance and quality of fit and finish issues than a hands-on comparison? If tools are tested against one another and rated based upon the results, then the only thing left to determine is their actual durability in the field over time.

A true "end-user" of a tool should give me real, useable feedback that would be useful in making a purchasing decision. I don't need a manufacturer's rep. to cut and paste from their brochures and try to pass it off as a review. This is a note to all of you reps.! Please let the real consumers use forums like this to exchange true information regarding our actual experiences with the tools in question and let the best tools win.

After getting fed up with all of the gimmicks and hype of most of the current mitresaws, I finally decided it was time to get a saw that could do the job consistently and accurately. I purchased the Makita ls1013 and won't go back to any other brand period.

Let me start off by telling you why this saw is the one of the best selling saws of all time (with good reason)! This is the only saw on the market with three bearings that support the slide rail system. Everyone else uses one linear ball-bearing and one bushing, while Makita uses all linear ball bearings plus one more than the competition! So with (all bearing construction, no bushings) nothing to wear out and adjust, its no wonder why this saw continues to be regarded with the best "slide action" available today! They are also self-cleaning rails as well. The turn-table is big, larger than about 90% of the saws available! The only saws with big tables are Porter-Cable, Ridgid, and Delta, etc. DeWalt, Hitachi, Bosch, etc. all have small turn-tables. The advantage of this is to help support larger stock. It has the deepest saw extensions available (distance from fence forward, not the length of extension). Most saws have saw supports that attach to the side(s) of the saw (made of usually steel rod). This is good, as it adds more support to a work piece. Unfortunately, most are only 3 to 4 inches deep, while Makita's are 7 to 8 inches deep. So the saw can support wider boards easier than most others. For example if you look at the Bosch 4410L extensions vs. Makita's you'll see the difference! By the way, the Makita extensions are standard, most everyone else is like a $40.00 add-on. The turn-table turns really nice and smooth; it allows easy positioning of mitre angles. A lot of other saws tend to bind and screech after prolonged use (smoothness is appreciated).

The bevel action and stops are second to none. Out of the box the accuracy of the bevels and mitres are right on the money. I have used all other slider brands and have found Makita's consistency impeccable! The fence, and no one has this feature, allows the vertical clamp (comes standard) to be positioned in 5 places. This is great for when having to make a variety of cuts. It actually makes cutting safer. I bought another vertical clamp so both sides have one. The right-sided mitre scale is a little weird, and takes time to get used to. But since the degree markings are big, it allows for easy adjustment. I have found that the saw does not slip into the detents when wanting to make 1/2 degree cuts off detent mitres (e.g. 90.5 degrees)! This is great for finish work. The left-sided flip fence is good for doing 4 inch crown moulding; and flips out of the way when not needed!

The handle position is nice for right and left-handed operation! Power-head deflection (side-to-side) movement is non-existent. This is great because having a saw that makes wavy cuts due to head-slop is not a good thing. Adjustments: bevel, fence, blade changes, can be made quickly and efficiently using the handy (provided) 13 mm wrench; I can change the blade in under a minute flat-all with one tool, not two or three. The front knob is great for stopping the slide action if need be. I can turn the slider into a chopsaw at the turn of a knob. It is the only saw to come with a small plastic triangular set-square to help calibrate the saw when needed. Use this square to setup the bevel (90 degree) and 45 degree left / right bevel; with this square and the 13 mm wrench it takes only minutes to calibrate, not hours like MOST other saws. If you have ever noticed how some saws tip when you use them; the large footprint of the Makita prevents such issues.

There are a couple of downers with this machine though. The right fence is only 1 1/8 inch tall, so for large work you may need to add a piece of RUSSIAN BALTIC BIRCH as a fence, or buy the Makita sub-fence if you want to. Also, the saw does not go up to 60 degrees! But other than that, the saw is as close to perfect as one can get! There is the version with the laser, LS1013L (15 amp motor not 13 amp), this the same saw but with the laser, you cannot go wrong with either. I personally found no use for the laser so that is why I bought the jus the LS1013; I admit though that it is a nice feature!

I put a Ridge Carbide RS-1000, 80 tooth, slider blade on and the cuts could NOT be better! Even better than a Forrest Chopmaster and Miter Master! I own all three blades! I have cut everything under the sun: 5/4 walnut, 19 mm Baltic birch, 2 x 12's, 4 x 4's, and even teak, with absolutely no bogging down or struggling-this saw has the muscle and endurance to go the distance! I have owned belt driven sliders (dewalt and bosch)before and from my own personal experience, they do NOT have the power of direct-drive saws. Where Makita's hypoid (45 degree angle, direct-drive motor) provides ample power for even the most demanding jobs. And at 13 AMP it won't trip your breakers either. It is also quieter than most sliders too! Do yourself a favour and buy the right machine for your needs; getting the MAKITA LS1013 will actually enhance your woodworking experience!

** I am NOT a makita rep. I just give honest opinions of what I think about the saw's characteristics. I do apologize if I am too pro Makita, but as compared to what is currently available, I personally feel it is the best saw (for the reasons that I have stated). Also, the technical information I give is not in any other on amazon.com!

After a couple of years of researching sliding miter saws, I settled on the LS1013. Using this saw has definitely been a pleasure. After receiving the saw, I checked all the factory settings and they were right on. The blade cuts the smoothist crosscut I've ever seen. It can handle 4x4 stock with little problem. Dust collection is adequate. I hooked mine to a vacuum and seems to collect the majority of the dust, more than other miter saws I've used.
If I had a complaint, the right hand fence is pretty short(about 1 inch in height) and getting used to the right sided miter gauge. If you are undecided about a miter saw, you will not be disappointed with this one. I could not find any drawbacks other reviewers have noted.

I did a lot of homework before settling on this saw. Actually, I settled on the saw before even begining my research. I had used the Makita 10" saw at a couple of different jobs, and knew I wanted one. I just had to check out the field before dropping $400.00.
I have many friends in the construction business, guys that use and abuse tools for a living. Every one of them reaffirmed what I already knew: Makita tools in general, and Makita miter saws in particular stand out above all others. The old guys at every hardware store (always talk to the older guys) I visited recommended the LS1013, or the LS1212 above the other brands, and usually the 10" Makita over the 12". I have a friend that uses a Hitachi miter saw, but even he prefers my Makita.
I own an entire fleet of makita tools, and have never had a single problem with any of them. Everything Makita makes kicks butt. I will give the jigsaw category to Bosch, though, and the nod in the worm drive saw category must surely go to the venerable Skil Mag 77. All my air nailers are Porter-Cable, and they also make some very good drills and sanders (but I like the Mak sanders better). Milkwaukee makes a great impact wrench and of course the ubiquitous Sawzall. Other companies make some good stuff, but Makita is always at the top in every category. If all you buy is blue, you'll probably be OK.
Operation of the LS1013 is incredibly smooth and very precise. All the parts are well made, solid, durable, and function well. It's like a sports car for woodworking. Nothing on it feels flimsy at all. The Bosch saws that I looked at in the store all had broken plastic pieces from just being handled on the display table! This saw has no laser guide, but I think most woodworkers consider a laser guide on a saw to be unnecessary at best, and at worst a silly gimmick or even a liability. I for one don't trust lasers more than my eyes and my square. It is so ridiculously easy to line up a cut with this saw, that laser could not help at all, and would simply be a potential weak point in the system. I read a review from a fellow who seems to think the Makita saw is responsible for injuring his hand. This guy could maybe benefit from a laser. If the little red line is on your hand- don't cut! Actually, this guy should probably stick to prefab, snap-together Walmart projects and leave the sharp tools alone.
My LS1013 was dead-on accurate right out of the box. Cuts are right on target, adjustments are easy and intuitive. Markings are clear and the action is flawless and glass smooth. I didn't even bother to try the dust bag, instead I simply inserted the hose from my smaller ShopVac into the dust collector outlet on the saw. Very little dust escapes this system. The stock blade cuts very nicely, and does not need to be immediately upgraded, as on many other models. That'll save you another hundred bucks right there. Still, as easy as the machine is to use- read the manual, so you will not accidentally bugger up your machine or yourself being stupid. The guys that complain about the adjustments or locks going out have obviously done something wrong and misused the saw. There is simply no way that the adjustments can fail under proper use. Even years of heavy use. It is high performance tool, let it do the work. You don't have to wrench down on the locks or throw the table through adjustments and into detents. You don't have to baby it, either-just treat it right and it will do the same for you.
Bottom line: Save yourself some time and maybe money by buying this saw. You don't need to read the reviews- go handle the saws at the store. The Makita will simply feel like a rock solid, precision instrument, because that is what it is. The competition really only are in competition with each other, not the Makita saws. You really can't go wrong with this saw. Best $400.00 I ever spent. You know you want it....

My saw arrived 7 days after date of order, in good order and needing only minimal set up. From the first it has performed well above my expectations. The slide is smooth as silk, the cuts with the included blade are so smooth that sandpaper would damage them. Of great use is the depth stop, which has allowed the cutting of half lap joints in long stock with ease. I am very pleased.

I have owned this tool for 3 years. I finally give up. After having to re-adjust the tool to square almost daily, after using an angle, I can't justify the wasted time and screwed up project pieces any longer. I ordered a Hitachi.

This has been, plainly put, the least reliable power tool I've owned. It was okay for the first year or so when I used it to install crown molding and cabinet trim during a kitchen remodel. However, one day it started running intermittently, cutting out and then powering up again, and then it just quit. I went to the local authorized Makita repair shop, bought a switch, and installed it myself (not a tough job). That switch worked for awhile, then it quit as well. I let the saw sit while I bought a third switch, but before installing that switch, I tried the second switch again. It worked. It continued to work for a couple of months, then the saw quit altogether, this time during a fencing job. I ended up doing all cuts freehand with a Skilsaw Mag 77 (now there's a good tool!).

I installed the third switch in the Makita, and it didn't work at all. I'm about to give up.

I asked the guy at the shop if this type of problem is common. He retorted with, "Why do you think I have so many switches in stock?" Really, the saw is accurate and ergonomic. It's also frustratingly temperamental, and no one has time for this kind of problem. Time to get rid of it and get a DeWalt or a Ridgid.

The first saw I recieved was damaged somehow. Most likely in shipping. I recieved another unit and noticed one thing. It looks maybe like all the models after 01/05 are painted/powdercoated aluminum. The replacement saw I got had a build date of 09/04 and was just bare alum. No big deal. Worked great out of the box. The Makita smooth cut blade it comes with is nice. Very very smooth cuts. I was cutting some chair rail and one small piece did get cought and kicked back. It kinda split the kerf board on the right side. It happed again and broke even more. Good lesson, used the supplied work clamp. The clamp works well, but as you tighten the knob on your work, it wants to pull the whole clamp assembly out of the base. This is because it is held in by a thumb screw on the base. I would hate to tighten the thumb screw to much and break it.
Over all, very nice saw. Well worth the money.

I used to have a Bosch, the Bosch positive stops were 1/16" out of square on 12". Also, the switch gave out, and the motor got weaker with 1 year of use. I decided to sell it b4 it conked out, and replace it with this one. After owning this one for 6 months of every day use (in a professional cabinet shop) here is my take.

Pros:
Quiet smooth operation
Very accurate
Soft start a must for detail work
Motor angled, allows easy viewing of work

Cons:
Wimpy miter lock knob/slide lock knob
Inadequate fence system, I've wished many times over it has a flip-down fence system at least 2-1/4" high on both sides of the blade. Flip down fence stop on right side broke when saw blade jammed on a small piece of wood. Would not have happened if it wasn't aluminum.

I'm not sure yet if there is any sliding miter saw that has it all, I've used Dewalts from other contractors on installations and they aren't really "my cup of tea." I don't have extensive experience with the Hitachi, my uncle-in-law has one and he seems to like it.

Great saw so far (owned it for 48 hours). I agree with the reviewers who mention this comes with a much better blade than most saws. Set-up was dead on out of the box with no tinkering neeeded. I bought the saw factory reconditioned through Amazon which saves about $80 and still has full manufacturer warranty. No wear & tear or other issues noted; it looked brand new.

There are a couple of reviews that just do not fit! This saw is built and it functions as advertised. As smooth as you could ever imagine.... the slide -the table -the bevel adjustments. It is precise, durable, fast and it even looks good!

It Is a high quality well constructed tool. You will appreciate everything about this saw.

I have had the saw for about 3 months now. I have found it to be very capable in all applications. I am still not sure that i like the angle guage on the side, all of my other saws have had the scale on the front and I think that I may like that a little better. There is plenty of power, the table rotates easily and tilts just as well. The blade is as good as the other reviews have indicated. But as I see time and again in these reviews there was some minor shipping damage to the table and miter scale. They were obviously caused by the way the saw was packed by Makita, not amazon's fault, I just decided to live with it, no big deal.

Basically for the price it is the best sliding saw out there, the rebate offer is an added incentive which just sweetens the deal.

I purchased this saw about 6 months ago after hemming and hawing about the price and whether to buy new, used, or another brand.

finally I bit the bullet, getting the $25 standard Amazon discount and selling the included drill to a friend for close to $100, it turned out to be a lot cheaper than used and reconditioned saws were selling on ebay.

Boy am I glad I did. This tool is effortless to use and makes very clean, precise cuts. My only complaint if any is that it would be nice if they offered an adaptor to connect the device to your shop vac or dust collector as cutting a lot of wood you can create a lot of dust. Instead I'll have to figure out how to rig one up.

Overall I can say this is the best tool in my shop.

Didn't want to review until I used both this and the Hitachi laser dual slider (Hitachi C10FSH 10" Dual Bevel Slide Compound with Laser) for at least a few months. Both saws are great. However, I give Hitachi the extra endorsement because:
1. Hitachi can bevel to the right and left (dual bevel). The Makita can't. If you do trim often, you will appreciate this feature.
2. No laser on the Makita. The laser on the Hitachi is dead on. No need to lift, check and recheck. This is a time saver and it is very accurate.
3. Slide action on the Hitachi is smoother than the Makita.
4. Hitachi has a softer start and is quieter.

This is a good saw, but the Hitachi a better saw for an extra $30 which gets you a better saw plus dual bevel and laser.

I have been cutting laminate flooring, trim and cabinet faceframes with both for a few months. All my contractors prefer the Hitachi.

Good luck shopping!

I received my new saw a couple months ago and am extremely happy with it. I read through all the reviews of issues some people have had and ran into a few of them myself. They are good issues to have as it is important to recheck the mechanics and accuracy of the equipment before doing any detailed jobs. My saw kept losing it's positive stops angles when I was testing it out.

My advice is when you get the saw - turn it over and tighten every screw and nut you find underneath. Then go through the maintenance steps in the manual and realign the blade tilt and fence - whether it needs it or not. Now you will have a great saw that is dead on accurate and confidence to maintain it's accuracy when ever needed.

Enjoy!!!

If you do quite a bit of wood working/cutting, having ANY sliding compound miter saw is a 'must have' tool. I've found this Makita saw to be a joy. It's extremely sturdy when making the cuts, the cuts are clean, and, overall, the tool is built with quality parts...nothing seems to be 'cheesy' or 'cheap'. I've had a chance to use a couple other miter saws and noticed the difference in feel; the cuts were good but they didn't feel as sound and sturdy. Although it's priced on the high side for 10" [sliding] compound miter saws, if you can spare the extra money for it you won't be sorry...it's a great tool, a great investment.

I have a small shop where I make furniture and childrens toys. I shopped around for a while in search of a good compound miter saw. I was looking for a saw with the least lateral deflection, and that could accurately crosscut wide boards. After visiting my local home center stores, I wasn't very impressed by the quality of the Rigid, Hitachi or the Dewalt. They seemed to have a lot of deflection, and the Hitachi handle had a plastic creak that I didn't care for. They were also 12" blade models, which is overkill for my small shop, and the price soars around $600.
After ordering my saw from amazon, I recieved it within a few days using the free shipping. I unpacked it, and tried it out. The 90 degree cut was off a degree or two. I found the screws that hold the positive stop, and set it perfectly.
Now I have completed three medium sized projects, and I am very happy with the performance and value of this saw. I am able to cross-cut one inch planks that are over 12 inches wide. The table and the fence are ample, the slides work well, and the angle settings are easy to read and adjust. The cut quality even with the factory blade is superb with hard and soft woods. The saw is very quiet, easy to use, and even has a small lamp to help see your cut lines (No laser though).
I love this saw, and it has become part of the family of tools in my shop. I would recommend it to anyone.

I just got the Hitachi C10FSH a week ago, everything is good ecept the noise. I don't know what went wrong in design process,
this saw is only 12amp but the noise is much louder than the DeWALT 708 and MAKITA LS1212 they are both 15amp. My ex boss have 2 MAKITAS they works really good. I stopped at the local store to take a close look at the MAKITA LS1013, it is a good saw,it has everything the Hitachi does, it is Made in America.You'll get a 14.4-volt cordless drill/driver kit free after mail-in rebate when you purchase this miter saw. The reason I didn't give it a 5 star rate because it isn't belt drive which the other reviewer said that the motor touch the work piece when you make right bevel, I don't know it is true or not, you'd better take a look yourself. If I had a second chance , this saw would be my choice.

I'm a contractor who demands a lot from my tools. I've owned the Makita LS1013 for 3+ years and am in the market for a new saw. I really liked the saw's features when I first purchased it, but I had to bring it in to a Makita repair shop within the first year. Ever since it has been on the road to ruin. I've had it worked on five times having had the miter locking mechanism replaced twice, the safety switch replaced twice (it falls out and gets lost - I now have a screw in its place), the fence replaced once (now needing its second replacement), switch replaced; miter bearing track under the table replaced twice (again the aluminum against steel thing); etc....

Positives of the saw: Tilted Motor (convenient & powerful), self cleaning sliders, wide base.

Negatives: Miter locking mechanism is a threaded steel rod going into aluminum housing which quickly strips (I'm on #3); aluminum fence warps (I'm on #2 and now need #3 - I think this is due to seasonal temperature changes it experiences in the back of my pick-up truck); rear bevel lock requires clearance deeper than the table; slop in the miter angle detents (they wear out).

I would recommend this saw to cabinetmakers, picture framers and those who have a shop set-up. For people like me who need a saw to hold up from job-site to job-site, this isn't your saw. Beware of too many features and too much aluminum, it just means there is more to go wrong. I'd gladly trade in the weight of a cast iron base and fence saw like they used to make because they hold up. For now, I'm going back to the Hitachi (not the version with the laser).

Keep in mind, power tools made today are priced low because they are considered disposable. I suppose 3 years of everyday use might be considered a decent life span against the money it has allowed me to make. Still, I'd prefer fewer features for longevity and toughness.