Customer Reviews

Makita LS1214 15 Amp 12-Inch Dual Bevel Sliding Compound Miter saw

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

 

 

I bought this saw for its ruggedness and ease of moving. All the other 12'' saws are very big and cumbersome to move around. I use chop saws everyday, I've got a dewalt a bosch and a makita on the job and the makita is the only that has not needed to go into the shop for repair. I found them to be very accurate and the Makita rep on the West coast is great. True it does not bevel to 60 degrees but that does'nt come up very often and there are ways to make that cut on the saw, just takes a little more time to make a jig.

I have been researching Sliding Miter saws for over a year now. They all have many good points, and each has at least some room for improvement. I ended up with this saw due to it's rugged design and it's accuracy. The fact that I caught it during Amazon special in which I received a Makita 4340FCT just made the deal all the sweeter since I had already decided upon the 1214. I am in engineering field but do woodworking and remodeling on the side with goal of building fine furnature in near future. Even though the saw does max out to 60 degrees, it is direct drive, no blade vibration or wobble and its accuracy is excellent. The Miter saw arrived within 3-4 days after purchase and this was using Super Saver Shipping just after the Holiday. Box was in perfect shape as was the saw. I am extremely pleased with both Amazon and Makita. Fit and Finish are perfect. The table turns soooo smoothly. Really no surprises since I had spent so much time researching but if your going to spend this much on a tool, you want to make sure it is the right choice off the bat. I love the tool and the cost was already a great deal before catching the Amazon Special. Overall, a home-run.

This saw only miters right to 52 degrees, not the 60 degress as stated in the Amazon description or like the LS1212. Only the LS1212 goes to 60 degrees

After waiting one month for this saw from Amazon it arrived with a fence that was not true. Because the fence wasn't flat it could not even be adjusted to produce a square cut. I contacted Makita and they told me they couldn't ship out a new fence and my only options were to pack it up and send it back to Amazon or take it to a service center 40 miles from my house- now that's great customer service. Buyer beware!!!!!

Just as a point of reference for my comments.....I'm a fairly serious DIY-er. I bought the LS1214 last Christmas, when Amazon was practically giving them away, plus Makita gave me a free 12 volt cordless drill and a very nice jig saw.
I found the LS1214 to be completely as advertised: high quality, easy to use, great soft start, powerful, super smooth slide mechanism, accurate, versatile. The saw arrived a few days after I ordered (with free shipping option). The box was in good shape and there was no damage. It's true that some other saws have a greater bevel and/or miter capacity than the LS1214. All that is in the specs. If you want a few more degrees bevel or miter you'll have to look elsewhere. Personaly, I haven't been limited by the LS1214. The included 70 tooth blade gave near glass smooth cuts with no splittering on bamboo flooring I installed. I recommend buying the saw with the factory laser, unless you can get a substantial price reduction for the non-laser version. There's only $20 difference as I write this. The only thing I don't understand about the saw is how the factory crown stops are supposed to work. Looks like they make you re-adjust after each cut. Maybe I just don't get it where the crown stops are concerned or maybe its something to look at if crown stops are important to you. Good luck!
Update....I learned to to cut crown molding "on the flat" vs "upside down and backwards". This gives better results and no need for crown stops.

Very accurate cuts, nice and sturdy (I use it with the Ridgid MSUV stand) I love this saw, it has never let me down. Way better than the Dewalt, Craftsman, Ryobi, or Ridgid saws I have owned or used. Highly recommend this miter, and the Bosch 10" table saw. Great combo!

Great Saw can use alittle more refinement, like a bevel lock in a more accessable location in front of saw like on the Bosch saw otherwise great deal! Bought it from Makita Cpo and payed less than advertised.

not being able to bevel past 45 degrees is a real drag! other than that , which is a BIG deal, the saw is fine. i'm in the market for a new saw.

The saw looks new, but the box arrived with broken seems and crushed corners. Also, there were no staples and just lots of tape holding it closed (i.e Like Chuck R's). The tape was over the shipping label so the damage looks like it occured during transit (UPS sucks!). I'm having a hard time squaring up the fence with the blade, so I might be returning this thing for another one.

Box had been opened and then taped closed you could tell because the large stapples were torn out. There was know packing list supplied so I couldn't be sure if everything was there.