Customer Reviews

DELTA 36-255L 12-Inch TwinLaser Miter Saw

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I bought this saw to replace a starter model Craftsman 10" miter saw that I had for about five years, which was fine for simple cuts but which never could handle a compound cut, no matter how I tried to square it up.

I actually bought a DeWalt 705S before this Delta, but the DeWalt has a serious engineering flaw that revealed itself almost immediately once I started using the saw -- see the reviews on this site (including mine) that address the poorly engineered miter locking system on the DeWalt. After returning the DeWalt, I spent some more time shopping around and reading more extensive reviews. After checking out the saws, I chose this Delta.

The Delta has been a joy. Simply put, it is built like a tank. Still, with aluminum fabrication, it is not noticably heavier than comparable saws.

Mine required some minor adjustments to the positive stops on the 90 degree and 45 degree bevel, but everything else (lasers, blade to fences, etc.) was dead on from the factory.

The action is smooth and has a solid feel to it. Many of the tensions are user adjustable, so you can customize the action to your liking.

The saw has rubber feet that keep it stable even if it isn't bolted down. (Contrast that with the DeWalt 705S, which slides all over the place if you don't mount it.) Delta also has a clever system that allows this saw to be mounted on 2x4s for worksite use.

I replaced the 40T carbide blade that came with the saw with an 80T ATB Freud blade, which does wonderfully. Changing the blade on this saw is a fairly simple matter, requiring the same size wrench to loosen the blade guard and the arbor screw; an adequate wrench is included with the saw. (The DeWalt had Torx screws.) The 40T blade itself makes pretty clean cuts and would probably suffice for framing work, but it's a bit too drastic for trim work.

Changing the blade to one with a marginally thinner kerf required an adjustment to the left laser, which was easy to make. The lasers live up to their billing, painting lines across your stock that show exactly what the blade is going to remove. It makes it easy to line up your marks precisely without doing the old pull-the-blade-down-duck-and-check-the-mark routine.

The extension table and sliding fence were simple to install and are nicely machined. I agree with the reviewer who suggests the clamp for fine work, though; the surface is fairly slick and, as a result, the blade can make the wood slide to the side a bit if you're cutting a 45 degree miter.

The cookie cutter Porter Cables are also nice. But, as it's the same saw, why not take Delta's two-year warranty instead of PC's one-year warranty?

I would buy this saw again in a heartbeat.

And take note that the reviewer who claims below that the product number is misleading apparently does not understand that the 36-255, like the 36-255L, is not a dual bevel compound miter. The laser is the difference. I do note, however, that the "technical details" on this site at the time I'm writing this misstate the plug type. It is a two-pronged plug, not a three-pronged (grounded) plug. The motor also has externally accessible brushes, contrary to the technical details (see p.19 of the manual).

Santa left this under the tree. What a wonderful gift it is! This saw is solidly built, has tight and smooth movement, and the positive stops and miter lock are firm and right on the money. Those looking for that elusive "perfect" 45 degree miter might find it here, the stops on the left and right are equally acurate. The saw is quiet (for a miter saw) and the horizontal handle and trigger are comfortable to use. The blade that comes with the saw is adequate for rough work. I still stick with five stars, reasoning that Delta includes this blade to keep the price of the saw reasonable and to allow the user to choose the blade she or he really wants without feeling bad about putting aside a nicer blade. If you buy the saw for chopping 2X stock, the blade is fine; but, this saw is capable of so much more - including extraordinarily precise and clean finish work. After being outfitted with a Forrest Chopmaster blade (a blade that will transform even the most miserable saw) this Delta really came into its own. So far, it has done very well with padauk, mahogany, oak, maple, and walnut. It has also done an excellent job with one of the more splintery of materials - rift-sawn red oak plywood. All of these materials are cut with the accuracy and finish one gets from a well-tuned cabinet saw. The lasers are great. After adjusting them to "fit" the new blade, it is possible to routinely cut stock down the center of a .05 mm lead line - on the first try. I couldn't be happier.

I ordered the TwinLaser Miter Saw back in early October, when I first read about it. It took nearly two months, but it finally arrived. The package arrived in great shape, and the saw was nicely padded inside. Assembly of the fence was simple, in fact the saw was ready for use right out of the box since the fence extension is optional. But the true test was how the lasers performed. This saw has a toggle switch for the lasers near the main power switch. When you turn on the lasers, you see two 1/4" dashed red beams across your work. The dashed light is caused by the clear plastic blade guard having 1/4" cut-outs, apparently for the light to shine through. As you start to pull the blade down towards the work, and the blade guard starts to retract, then the beams shine solid unobstructed lines. This turns out to be really handy, since the red beams are very bright, and it can be difficult to line them up with any pencil marks. But the perforated laser beam lets you see both the laser line and your pencil line for easy alignment. After my first cut, I found the right-hand laser was off by about 1/16". Each laser has independent allen screws for adjustment. It took about 1 full turn of the screw to get the laser aligned for perfect cuts. Overall, I'm very pleased and think the lasers will eliminate a lot of trial and error practice cuts to get it just right.

The fit and finish of this product are outstanding, and the accuracy is everything that you could want. Other reviewers have addressed the many outstanding qualities of this miter saw, but there are a couple of things I'd like to add.

Not only are the twin lasers a joy to use, they are exceptionally easy to adjust if/when you change blades. You just clamp a hunk of scrap to the table, and cut a shallow kerf (which is to say, don't cut all the way through the board). Then you simply turn on the lasers - which don't require the saw itself to be running - and use an Allen wrench to adjust each laser to match its side of the cut. If only all the tools in my shop were this easy to adjust!

Speaking of clamping to the table, if you place an order with Amazon for this unit, you'll want to think about possibly adding a pair of Delta 36-221 Work Clamps. These fit into holes in the front of the 255L's base and hold your work against the back fence. Don't be thrown off by the fact that the Amazon picture shows them vertically; they actually run horizontal to the table and press the work against the back fence. If you want a vertical clamp to hold your work down against the table, you'll need the Delta 36-218 Miter Saw Clamp (Amazon carries it, too).

One of the other things no one has mentioned is how quiet this saw is. I'm sure the blade is a significant factor, but using both the factory supplied blade, and the Freud 80-Tooth Thin Kerf blade I replaced it with, I noticed that this saw is much quieter than my table saw, radial arm saw, or Skil saw (and yes, Honey, if you're reading this, I do always try to remember to wear my hearing protection like you asked me to).

Excellent Saw.

Plenty of power and a good blade. Note this saw does have an electric brake. The technical data section of Amazon says it does not for some reason.

Easy to put together.

The twin laser is awesome. You know exactly where the cut is going to be.

The Delta stand works well with this saw.

You need to purchase the clamps for the saw. They are about $15 a piece.

I purchased this saw as a clearance item at my local Lowe's. I didn't really "need it" but at the price couldn't pass it up. I rationalized having a twin laser saw might be useful (ok, the little kid in me thought it looked awfully neat!). I had my doubts though it would equal a well-made jig for my tablesaw in repeatable accuracy, but I was about to find out and with that another hopefully useful review.

Lasers for miter saws have been out for about a decade but past designs have never been impressing. This one intrigued me. American Woodworker gave it their hearty endorsement as best compound miter (with or without) laser guidance. This and the Porter Cable 3802L (same saw) was deemed "Editor's Choice". (Reference: A.W. Edition #105, January 2004, pg. 58-69). Hmmm...we may have something here.

If you happen upon this issue, page 66 gives an excellent description of the different types of lasers. They come adjustable/non-adjustable, arbor mounted or alternate method (i.e. arm mounted, back of housing or inside guard housing--Delta/P.C.) single beam and now double with these models. The worst combination is a single, arbor mounted, non-adjustable beam. The problem with arbor mounting is they are often off 1/32 to 1/8". Some have a tendency to "walk" or move across the board as the blade moves up/down and as far as I know only turn on with blade spin at 500+ RPM. Maybe there are exceptions?? Battery powered, they are not as bright. Better solution is a single, non-arbor mounted, adjustable laser powered via saw with separate switch, (just remember which side of laser the kerf appears!) The best is a dual version of this. The great part of twin adjustable beams is you can adjust them exactly on either side of the kerf to your liking. You then essentially "scoop out" the material precisely between the beams. Terrific! Why did this take so long? (Maybe R&D people aren't paid well?)

At 63lbs (net wt.) these two were the heaviest by far of the 30+ 10" and 12" models tested. It is 20lbs heavier than some 12" saws and twice the weight of 10" contenders. To put it in perspective, the Bosch 3912 was listed at 43lbs and the Makita LS1221 a svelte 36lbs, both 12" saws. Laser weight is negligible. I feel for the contractor who has to lug this beast to job sites. It has a top carry handle. My "Big Blue" squats happily in its 12' long workbench.

I was not fortunate to unpack an accurate out-of-the-box one. I had to adjust the right fence, 0 and 45 bevel stops, and right laser. Bevel adjustments caused the most trouble. Tip: Don't use the included "toy wrench" on the hex nuts, use a 7/16 socket or risk partially rounding the nut like I did just trying to get them loose! Apparently Delta has hired gorillas to assemble their saws. All adjustments were straightforward with good photos/instructions. My only true complaints are the 45 degree miter detents. Mine are off 1 to 1-1/2 degrees (L and R) and unadjustable as far as I know (where's my Dremel?). To give credit, the miter "scale" is absolutely dead-on, easy to read and I can bypass the detents using it and the lock handle. The lasers are slightly non-parallel with each other, we're talking slightly here, but laser angle changes are not user serviceable per manual. For 8" wide miters I had to center the beam/cut line at 4" to compromise. For my typical stock less than 4", the amount off might be around 1/32" without compensation, not a big deal for framers/builders but for fine woodworking could be problematic. Square picture frames for instance require incredibly accurate miters, unless you like cracks at your corners. It's quite a feeling to have your miters turn out perfect. Difficult to describe, just a feeling of serene satisfaction and accomplishment. After 1hr+ checking all angles and making necessary adjustments, I'm able to repeatedly split a 0.5" pencil line with either L or R laser (insert big toothy grin here). The question is: "How long will the adjustments and lasers last?" (Think-loose carbide particles striking laser lenses).

The saw starts with a satisfying crisp pull on the D-handle switch, runs smoothly and relatively quiet , stopping in 1-2 seconds. Lasers have a separate switch on top handle, turning on/off independent of motor. Solid build, no slop in the head, smooth turning table, super bright lasers and weight of a tank. Ready to run, plug it in and go with its 2-prong, (not 3-prong) cord. It has table/fence extensions you assemble. Wrenches x3 included and with saw/accessories come thoughtfully wrapped in eight bags (even power cord had its own bag!). Sturdy packing/box could hold up a house and built to protect saw from nuclear blast.

Just a small personal note, I like the Delta's red and blue coloring (versus P.C.), in the right light the table/fence appears white (I think you know where I'm going with this). Unfortunate the country of manufacture is elsewhere, but sighhh...if it wasn't, it would probably cost twice as much. I rate it 4.5 and thus gets five stars. It's the best of the laser miter saws and deserves the five stars in my book but mine has it's shortcomings. No tool is perfect.

The Pros:

***Dual, adjustable, independent (to motor) laser beams

***Top rated saw with or without laser accessory

***Solid build, easy to change most adjustments, clear accurate miter scale

***Excellent accuracy (adjusted correctly)

***Well packaged

***Terrific value (my purchase)

The Cons:

***Miter detents at 45 degrees off (mine) and non-adjustable

***Laser parallelism non-adjustable

***"Gorilla tight" screws/bolts set from factory

***Considerable weight compared to most others (20+lbs difference)

Summary: Solid build, smooth operation with adjustable dual lasers. The difference can be clearly seen why it is superior to others...twice.

I looked at the comparably priced Dewalt, Makita, Rigid and Bosch and read what reviews I could find on Amazon. I eliminated the Dewalt primarily for the consistent complaints about the rotating table shifting. Although the Rigid looked OK at first glance, I previously had a bad experience with Rigid metal parts breaking on another tool. Also, the demo Rigid miter saw at my local Home Depot had a broken lever, so I gave Rigid a miss. Two salesmen at my local high-end contractor's supply (who usually offer trustworthy advice) swore by the Makita ... but then admitted they were old-school contractors and in the old days Makita was THE saw to get and that preference stuck with them.

I performed a simple test on each saw. I held down the base and tugged hard to one side on the handle and looked to see how much the blade moved. The Rigid wasn't. The Dewalt and Bosch were about the same and better than the Rigid. The Makita, for all the praise of accuracy heaped on it by the salesmen, was better than the Rigid but not so good as the Dewalt or Bosch. They didn't have this exact Delta model at any of my local stores, but the one they had was by far the most solid.

The Delta was the best of the five in my little test and received the best reviews on Amazon, so I bought the Delta 36-255L through Amazon. It arrived undamaged with all parts.

The saw was very easy to set up. I lost track of time having fun with my new toy, but it took maybe 15 minutes. All the adjustments arrived as accurate as I could measure them out of the box. As others have said it's as solid as a tank. The actions and levers are smooth and comfortable to use. I don't mind the one-sided bevel at all.

Several people suggested to me that the lasers are a waste. I almost didn't get a laser model but I am very glad I did. It's a joy. This saw has two thin beams showing the outermost boundary of remaining wood on each side of the cut. It cuts exactly where the beams indicate over the whole range of bevels. If you're going to bother getting a good saw for accuracy, this is a useful feature to put the blade right where you want it.

There were two minor oddities with my saw that were not bad enough to reduce my recommendation. One is that the side-support plate on the left slopes ever so slightly downhill from the base plate. The problem is that the mounting point is not perfectly orthogonal. The second is that the blade just barely touches the plastic blade-guard. This has the effect of having the blade cut into the guard until it stops touching. The guard arrived pre-chewed from the factory test run of the saw.

This replaced my DeWalt 705 which was a great tool however the twin laser aspect of the Delta speeds up my production work imensely. One flaw with the DW was dust pickup, Delta appears to have made a break through in this area. Dust pickup dramatically improved over the DW not perfect but very good with a shop vac attached. Out of the box the tool was dead on, no adjusting or fiddleing needed. Getting used to where the blade cuts in relationship to the laser takes a fairly decent learning curve but once understood makes perfect cuts. Great when doing crowns. In short, a wondreful tools, well worth the investment.

First, I have to say that I'm just SO impressed with this saw! I've used many different brands of saw before, but never a Delta, so I didn't know what to expect. So let's start from the beginning:

Arrival -
Saw came in a VERY sturdy box. We're talking like 1/2" thick cardboard here - well packed and secured. Box acted as temporary stand for about 3 weeks... Everything was in the box and everything was labeled. Nice...! Word of caution - be careful getting the saw out of the box - it weighs almost 70 pounds! The box and the packing were good indications of the quality of the saw...

Setup -
The saw is technically ready to go out of the box, but the left table and fence extensions needed to be attached. If you don't want to use those, then you really are ready to go. But guess what? They actually provide little hand tools for this. Very nice touch.

Alignment -
After attaching the extensions I followed the instructions for aligning the saw. The manual very nicely described every detail of this process. To my surprise, the fence was 90-to-the-table and the blade was both 90 and 45 to-the table OUT OF THE BOX! Factory aligned - very impressive. The lasers were also perfectly aligned to the factory installed blade. So, I technically did NO alignment whatsoever.

Impressions after use -
Blown Away. I bought this saw for the dual purpose of both chopping large stock and trim work. First I chopped some 2x4s. Factory blade is perfect for this. It did a great job -what else can I say? I know cutting 2x4's is exciting...but... I then threw a Freud 96-tooth blade on this, re-aligned the lasers and did 3 rooms of crown flawlessly. The blade change on this is the easiest of any saw I've used. The miter lockdown mechanism is awesome - you'll have to use to understand, too hard to explain, but you'll know what I mean when you do. The twin lasers are SO SWEET. First saw I've used with lasers and man, what a feature. That blade goes right between the lasers, dead on, no guesswork - loved em! Manual was good - clear and well written, though the black-and-white pictures were a little tough to see. They also provided a handy crown angle chart. Finally - the thing is solid. I'm old-school where weight = quality and this thing is just SOLID. Flimsy it is NOT. 70 pounds of American made steel - It's a beautiful thing!

Complaints -
To be fair, I'll try and give a balanced review, though it's hard to find things to gripe about with this saw. First thing, it seems that after about the second room of crown the lasers slowly went out of alignment. This was literally a 10 second adjustment and to be honest I was impressed they stayed aligned that long after the CONSTANT miter and bevel adjustments and the beating I gave the thing.
Second, don't like the positive crown stops. Not really a complaint, but maybe a suggestion - for the serious woodworker these stops get in the way since a corner is RARELY square. If it was close to 90 and I was trying to tap the miter close to the positive stops the saw would fall into them and I would have to start over. Minor, very minor, but I would just remove those positive stops for crown in the next version of the saw cause they're kinda useless.
Third, the saw guard got in the way when I tried to cut 4" Base Molding standing against the fence. The cut went through, but not all the way - it left like 1/8". It went all the way through when I gave it a little jam...but...not something you want to do all the time.
Finally, the lasers have a separate on/off switch. This is nice if you don't want to use the lasers, but it's an extra thing you have to remember to turn off. Maybe the next version can have a timer on it to turn em off after like an hour... yeah, I forgot mine on over night once...I should unplug my power tools you say? BAH!

Conclusion -
This saw ROX. Period. I'm very impressed with every single feature on it. It weighs a ton and cuts like a dream. Everything about it screams ease-of-use and accuracy. I think this saw has single-handedly sold me on the Delta brand. I will be buying more of their products in the future.

This saw is worth the money! I was weary about purchasing it since there are so many mixed reviews about saws and this one seemed to have people saying it was too heavy. Lemme just say that's not the case. It's no feather, but I have no problems walking up and down stairs and to/from the truck and I doubt it would be a problem for anyone that would be buying a 12" miter saw! It was dead accurate out of the box, which it was packed in beautifully. The twin lasers make cutting so easy, I almost feel guilty when I'm using it. You won't believe how fast you'll install trim with this saw! There is no table flex like the DeWalt, and no "kick" when the motor starts. Just an excellent saw, makes crown molding a breeze. I can't think of any negatives.