Customer Reviews

Delta 36-070 10-Inch Power Miter Saw

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Bought the Makita 10" saw and a Delta at the same time -- 7 years ago. The Delta felt cheap coming out of the box and I should have returned it then. Lots of plastic, motor that jammed on 1/2 inch plywood, it felt like I had bought something disposible. In contrast, the Makita was solid then and is in perfect condition today. Better motor, better design (safety guard didn't fall off after the first week) and the blade still cuts though 4x4 treated lumber like its a shim. I've tested a lot of Makita tools since and they along with Milwaukee and DeWalt seem a clear grade above the rest.

This is a great saw with respect to its quality and durability. The most significant drawback is its inability to perform compound cuts. For the rough carpenter, this is the tool. Its dentent stops are extemely accurate and the run out (wobbly spinning) is minimal. Perfect miters can be attained with little practice. For the price, it may be worth the extra money for the compound miter saw.

For 50 or so more dollars, you could not only buy yourself a compound mitre, that Bevels 45° left AND right, with the ability to bevel to 48°, allowing the user to flip the saw, not the work. It is a lot easier to swing the saw head in a different direction than it is an 18 foot piece of fragile molding!

A person would buy this saw only because it is cheap. There are better engineered saws (Hitachi), more accurate and bigger cut (DeWalt) and saws that are similar but not that much different in price from a bunch of vendors. This is a beat-it-til-it-dies contractor saw for meat and potatos cuts on crown and studs. Buy it if you like to beat your tools or if you want only very basic functions with 90 degree capabilities on 4x4.

I recently had my family room remodeled by a local contractor. When it came time to cut and fit moldings, door trim and the like, I noticed that the carpenter was using the Delta 36-070 for all miter cuts. I asked him what he thought of the saw and he answered, simply, that it performed well, is accurate, and is easy to lug from job to job at only 28 lbs. He admitted to having better miter saws, but when visiting 4 job sites in one day, this is the saw he uses.

When I happened across this saw at Home Depot for only $79.00 (US) I snatched it up. I agree with a previous reviewer...don't compare this saw with saws costing twice as much. It's not a valid comparison. I've used this saw considerably since I puchased it and have no complaints at all. As a home owner, I find this saw perfect for the weekend duties I ask of it and find it easy to move around and store away. Compound cuts? Of course not. Had I a need for that, I'd have bought a different saw. Then again, that would have cost me at least $160.00, be at least 45 lbs, and I might use the compound feature every few years or so....in which case my non-movable radial arm saw will fit the need.

Great saw for home owners at a great price. It has a good manual, comes with a carbide 40 tooth blade, and if you treat it well and keep it clean, you'll be giving it to one of your kids some day when 28 lbs feels like 56.

If you're looking for a miter saw and don't want to spend several hundred $$ on one, you won't likely regret going with this one. I'm not sure about some of the earlier reviewers who felt it was underpowered - I have put mine through the paces and it has come out shining. For instance, it will cut through treated 4x4 posts with no hesitation.
Basically, I wanted a miter saw that would provide good miter cuts on moldings and cut 4x4's, and this one does both. I almost spent over twice as much on a 12" compound and now I'm glad I didn't. This 10" cuts 2x6's and 4x4's like I wanted and, after a little research, I discovered that the compound feature is rarely useful, and is actually only one more thing to worry about being aligned.
All in all, this has turned out to be a terrific tool, inexpensive or not.

I'm not entirely sure how the lowest reviews are justified. I have noticied a pattern with many reviews regardless of product in that the lower priced models get, at times, much worse reviews than the more expensive ones. Some seem to forget the price of the tool. Yes, Delta could have made it better but what do you expect for [this price]? For basic mitering this saw works well. I use it generally to make 90 degree cuts in 2x4's and angle iron (yes, I said iron). It does a good job, a little slow maybe but to expect more power or to compare it to a Makita LS 1030N that costs ... more doesn't seem rationale. One should compare the Makita to the Delta saw at the SAME price, which would currently be the model 36-225. This Delta is a much better saw than the Makita. It's a COMPOUND SAW, with slide out ext.s and a horizontal handle, none of which the above Makita offers and the Delta has a 4.5 star rating from 7 reviews vs. the Makita's 5 star from only 2 reviews AND the Delta comes with a two year warranty vs. the Makita's one year. Don't get me wrong about Makita, they make terrific products, I know personally because I own one of their trim saws and it works like a dream, but remember, you generally get what you pay for. This saw does it's job well for it's minuscule price. Do you really think the other major brands would give you more for [this price]?

I love this saw. I have used it to make hundreds of cross cuts and done some molding miter cutting with it. I've put a lot of use on this tool for a do-it-yourselfer. I remodeled a 1947 house with this saw. I gutted several rooms and finished a basement. I put a deck on the back of the house and cut pile of pressure-treated lumber. I even used the saw to cut up the painted, near-pertified wood for scrap. After a lot of abuse the original blade is still sharp and the saw is working like it was new.

I sold that house and I'm onto a new house, but the Delta is coming with me. I'd really love a compound miter saw, I just can't justify replacing this one yet.

This saw has had plenty of power for doing crosscuts and doing some straight cuts on crown molding. The saw has a accurate stops and it is also portable when taking it to different jobs.

I bought this saw after using the 36-080 model for years (which was discontinued). I don't think that the saw has enough power. The main problem that I have is that the saw does not make a nice smooth cut through molding. It leaves blade marks on the edges - even with new blades. One nice thing is the light weight which makes the saw easy to carry around.