Customer Reviews

Bosch 4212L 12-Inch Dual Bevel Compound Miter saw with Laser Tracking

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I agree with most of the comments about how this saw is very good. The upfront bevel control, the miter detent release, sliding outfeed extentions are all great. Very solid, very low flex and very smooth operating. The cons that I have seen are: Very heavy,(probably weighs more than the old style Dewalt slide). The slide knob does not lock the saw from moving very well during transport. The saw was not adjusted out of the box, I had to adjust all settings, and the miter angle adjustment is clunky, you have to move the back fence; when you tighten it down it tends to move, so you have to allow for this, it takes a couple of attempts. The blade was not very good, another carpenter on the job was also amazed that this was a new blade, it cut like one of my older used blades. It could have a little better cutting range, the Dewalt beats it but is not nearly as well put together,(too much flex and poorly designed controls) The laser is difficult or impossible to see if you are outside, even with clouds, indoors it works great, (I am sure this is true for all lasers).
And did I mention that it's heavy?
That said, I still think that this is the best saw out there, regardless of price, (and this price is a bargain!) Nothing that I have seen compares with it: Dewalt, Ryobi, Craftsman, Makita, Ridgid, Milwaulkee, Hitachi, checked 'em all, bought the Bosch.
I am a contractor with over 24 years in framing and finish work, residential and light commercial work. I have had at least 4 compoud miter saws, (down to 2 right now), Hope this helps

The saw is great. It was bought to supplement an older Craftsman 12" slider but the speed of set-up and accuracy has made it my number one miter saw. I did replace the factory blade with a Forrest 80 tooth Chopmaster without even trying the blade in the box. My cuts are smooth and chip free. HOWEVER... the laser is on its second set of batteries with no discernible improvement. The laser light is VERY dim and nearly impossible to see in a dark garage on light colored wood. On some black gesso covered picture frame stock, the laser was all but invisible. If I can get the laser light sorted out the saw would rate 5 stars but as it is...

Update: Bosch replaced the laser without even asking for proof of purchase which indicates to me a problem for them. The laser does activate and is bright but a real problem with parallax between the blade and beam. The need to spin the blade to activate is also an annoyance. All-in-all, the laser is of little real value compared to the accurate and easy to use lasers offered on other miter saws. If you are considering this saw because of the laser, don't. The saw itself is the easiest to set-up and use of the miter saws I have used over the years.

this is by far the most inovative and amazing miter saw i've ever had the peasure of working with. i'll start by praising the basics - miter and bevel detents are accurate and fast, blade included is top quality, onboard storage for wrench /w screwdriver tip. then you get included extensions, work clamp, length stops, crown stops, laser guide and the best part is even if you add these to another brand saw the don't store onboard and aren't nearly as easily adjusted and accessible. the only this is the saw is pretty heavy, but worth the extra features and accessories. you won't be disappointed.

Normally, I love Bosch products but had a couple of problems with this product that had me very close to sending it back within the first week. It arrived slightly out of alignment and without the alignment hex key (should have been included). I did alignments and began using it the next day. On the fifth day of moderate use, I heard something drop to the ground and noticed a small piece of metal beneath the saw. Thereafter, the lock knob could not be tightened to hold an accurate miter. After only FOUR DAYS!!! Discovered that there is a very thin and flimsy piece of metal called a "plate" (item #314 in Bosch's IPB), attached to the detent over-ride assy with 2 screws, that is spaced between the miter lock knob and table to prevent the lock knob directly contacting the table. Turning the lock knob without this flimsy metal piece in place, will cause the saw to slide counter-clockwise out of alignment (approx 1-4 degrees). Further, repairing this piece was a nightmare not only for me, but also for the folks at the Bosch Service Center. The detent overide assy was designed without any regard for serviceability. Tho' it was easy to replace the flimsy plate reassembling the detent overide assembly required threading a "hinge bolt" through the assy and spring while under tension. It took two Bosch techs approx 1/2 hour to re-assemble a very simple asembly because of this extremely poor design. Bosch really needs to look at this design and all piece parts used in the assembelies with an objective and critical eye for user functionability, reliability, manufacturability, and serviceability. Better yet, maybe they should scrap this lock knob approach ("screw" the lock knob)and go with a cam. 90% of the time, a user is going to have to loosen and then tighten the lock knob when making a miter cut. Shouldn't this be one of the strongest and most reliable, ergonomic adjustments on a miter saw?

In Bosch's Power Tools

I bought this saw with the intention of trimming out my entire house and have not been disappointed thus far. I've done casing, chair rail, wainscot, baseboard and crown and it's on the money. The tuning instructions were easy to follow and by running through each one and correcting where necessary, the saw is perfectly tuned. To the reviewer who has detected a flex in the blade, I had the same problem using a Freud Diablo 80 tooth blade - the problem was the blade, not the saw. I have since replaced it with an 80 tooth Dewalt woodworking blade and cuts are straight and super accurate. Definitely my favorite tool purchase of the last year.

I was replacing a Porter Cable (Delta) 12" saw and wanted the added feature of the laser and the double bevel. The additional miter setting beyond 50 deg. each way was also a plus. However, the cons outweighed the pros for me and I actually returned it.

Pros: The features on this saw are terrific - it is very functional compared to other saws. It is also very well put together with good materials and finishes. There are some nice add-ons with the crown molding stops and the bevel adjustment on the front. It is a little quirky, but does work well. The sliding ends on the saw actually work very well and adjust quickly. I was very pleased with the craftsmanship and quality of this saw.

I had two problems with the basic design of the saw, and I just could not adapt to these characteristics, so I chose to return it.

Cons:
Laser. I agree with a couple of the reviewers about the laser on this saw. It projects the line only when the blade is spinning, meaning that you can't position your work piece until you squeeze the trigger. Not the most secure way to do this. Also, the laser is not built into the system, it is a washer applied to the left side of the blade like many aftermarket models. It is offset from the blade, so it does not shine parallel to the blade. As you bring the spinning blade down, it appears to move right to left on the workpiece until the blade makes contact. I actually got used to this characteristic for the few times I used it, but it did take a little getting used to. I caught myself moving the workpiece and the blade at the same time. Don't think any picture frame makers would like that too much.

Blade guard: The guard has good motion and provides plenty of protection as the blade is moved downward. However, the linkage which moves the guard out of the way does not have a smooth cam motion that is found on many other saws. This causes the blade guard to catch and jiggle if the blade is brought down too quickly. Again, not a real show stopper, but I'm looking for very smooth action from all parts on the miter saw to maintain accuracy.

Additional problem, although typical for many miter saws in this price range.
Blade: Like most miter saws in the $250-$400 range, many manufacturers (including Bosch)continue to specify blades with 40-60 teeth and a significant rake, which doesn't make much sense for a miter saw. I'd recommend an upgrade - shell out the $60-$100 for a better blade with at least 80 teeth and less than 5 deg of rake on the teeth.

This is a very well designed saw. I didn't notice the arbor runout but I'm not sure the stock blade is of top quality so I bought the Freud 96 tooth ultimate cutoff right away. I noticed right away that if I sawed quickly with the stock blade, the cut didn't appear straight and there were saw marks. If I cut slow, it cut perfectly straight. I've noticed this on other stock blades and replaced them before to remove the "wobble". The up-front adjustments are incredible and I had this thing tuned to perfection within minutes. I still can't get over how cool the upfront bevel control is. The detents will be handy and I will actually be able to trust them for a change (at least the 90 degree detent). The saw is very quiet too and it is very smooth to operate. The laser is a big + and even came with extra batteries. Onboard tool storage, easy to use and strong workpiece clamp and even handy length stops that double as crown stops. I would buy this saw again!

Bosch did a good job in engineering a compound miter saw that makes easy work out of most projects. The up front controls make settings a breeze. Though some may find its girth a bit to hulk around, it made for a very stable platform. The torque on the motor is awsome. I found the miter angles to be accurate and easy to set even at non-detent marked measurements. Out of the box, however, the bevel angles on the blade were not correct. The battery powered arbor mounted laser is under powered in direct sunlight. Would I buy this saw again? Yes.

Good accurate cuts right out of the box. Excellent control layout. Easy adjustments. If you think you have arbor runout, make sure the blade is seated properly on the rear blade washer boss. A bit heavy , but the hand holds are in good positions so carrying it isn't a problem. I'm happy.

After only one week of light use (crown moldings), the small metal plate attached to the detent over-ride assembly fell out, just like the other two reviewers. I am dreading having to take the time to load the saw. take it to a service center, and wait for it to get fixed...with no guarantee it won't happen again. This is clearly a design issue that should be addressed.

Other than the plate falling out, I have been quite happy with the feel (ergonomics), power, and precision of the saw, so far.

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As a follow up to my review, I just got back from the service center. The technician stated that this was the first time he had to repair the indent plate, and that he had never heard of it needing repair before. He also said that the failure of the plate looked like it was the result of over-torquing. He told me that the knob did not have to be tightened very much to lock the miter in place. The plate that had fallen out had been flattened and twisted from me cranking on the lock knob...looks like it may have been my bad!

I'll let you know if it happens again!