Makita 10″ miter saw includes four rails

Company says the product has the crown-cutting capacity of a 12" saw and provides accurate cuts for heavy use

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Makita U.S.A. Inc. has released its new 10" dual-slide compound miter saw, model LS1016L. The saw has a 6-5/8" crown-cutting capacity (vertically nested), similar to that of a 12" saw. The saw has the increased accuracy of a 10" blade without the potential runout of larger blades and features a compact design with a patented four-steel rail-sliding system and six linear ball bearings, according to the company.

"Most saws have just two rails," explains Joe Soto, Makita product manager. "We believe that by having four rails we could make them shorter than having two longer rails. With four shorter rails, you have less flexibility and therefore it improves the accuracy of the cut.

"We did a lot of research and one of the biggest things was capacity in general. We realized that a lot of these saws are being used for crown molding and most of the people out there are using 12" saws because of the capacity of cutting crown molding. A lot of them are using them on job sites, and 12" [saws] are fairly heavy and fairly bulky just because of the nature of the size. So we felt fairly strongly that if we could come out with a 10" with similar capacities for crown molding, we would have a lot of followers."

The dual-slide compound miter saw has a 15-amp direct-drive motor, as opposed to most saws that have a belt drive. With direct drive, there is no loss of power, no maintenance issues with belts or an issue with drop in power, Makita says. The saw operates at a no-load speed of 3,200 rpm.

Makita's research found that more than 50 percent of miter saws are used on the job site, so the 52-lb. saw was designed for a broad range of trades, including finish carpenters, professional woodworkers, case and base installers, cabinet manufacturers, closet installers, decking and flooring applications, siding installers, stair installers and general contractors.

"We understand that there are a lot of saws out there from as low as probably $100 to as high as $700," Soto says. "Because of the price point, we are targeting the heavy-end user, meaning somebody that does woodworking every day or cares about accuracy and capabilities of the blade, somebody who is looking for a high-end tool."

There is a butterfly knob on the back of the saw that controls bevel settings. If you loosen the knob, the saw tilts to the left with positive stops at 22.5, 33.9 and 45 degrees. If you press the knob in, the saw tilts to the right and has the same positive stops.

The Makita miter saw has a 4-3/4" tall sliding fence system that features upper and lower fence adjustments for more precise and versatile miter and bevel cuts. The fence system is particularly beneficial when working with small workpieces.

"Most woodworkers out there actually use a jig to have support on the back. By having four fences or two sub fences that slide in and out, we can get a lot closer to the throat plate and therefore you will have additional back support when cutting small pieces."

The saw comes with a dust bag, but that can be removed and a dust collection hose can be attached.

Soto says there may be similar miter saws on the way from Makita.

"This is one of hopefully a line of saws that we're hoping [to develop] and we feel confident with the attributes. We spent hours and hours on the job site researching what woodworkers wanted and we basically delivered to them what we were out to do."

The Makita 10" dual-slide compound miter saw is available in two models. With an optional laser feature, the saw is priced at $549. The saw without the laser sells for $499.

Contact: Makita USA. Tel: 800-462-5482. www.makitatools.com

This article originally appeared in the October 2009 issue.