Customer Reviews

Makita LS1214FL 15 Amp 12-Inch Dual Bevel Compound Sliding Miter Saw with Laser and Fluorescent Light

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

As a trim carpenter in the market for a new slide saw I did a lot of homework and asked alot of others in the business. My old axe was a 10" bosch which was nice but not nearly accurate enough and it was a single compound. So after much deliberation it came down to the hitachi or the makita as these are both the highest recommended in the trade for accuracy, dependability, and solid reputations.

First off... 10" or 12". I do a lot of 6" baseboard and mostly stain grade. Given the poor quality of wall straightness today i'm constantly shaving off small bevels and it's quite the pain laying flat compared to upright. Even the double compound isn't going to be as easy as keeping the board straight. But there isn't a lot in the 12" market for accuracy which i really wanted. So... of the two 10" saws... the hitachi and makita came out about the same.
Hitachi was lighter, belt driven, but no easily adjustable depth stop and the laser was blocked by the rubber dust collector.
Makita was perfect except for that most absurd of designs: the up-against-the-fence side miter scale... GRRRR. Both saws have the most ridiculously small fences.

If i would have stuck with the 10" it would have been the hitachi....
But their 12" saw is a MONSTER of plastic gimicks with no relation to the 10". It's a fantasically overpriced framing saw at best.

So that left the Makita 12. [...]... it's only gonna cost a little over half.... PLUS it comes with the right side subfence. So... how could i say no? lol

It arrived complete, undamaged, and right on schedule.

Setup took 5 minutes. Adjusting the laser was a little more difficult. It was dead nuts on... but on the right side of the blade??? For some reason it disappears moving it left and then comes back. Finally able to get it correct. I can't see moving it back and forth. Would have been nice to make a little lever that moves it back and forth a set distance. Ahh well. Table is flat and fence was aligned properly. The pointers on the bevel scale had to be moved a little.

First off, this blade cuts amazingly for a stock blade. I'll put it up against my frued's any day. Very smooth and no wobble. Saw has soft start which is weird when you're not used to it. This is a VERY precise machine. All my worries about a 12" are gone. If i let the saw do the work it's amazingly accurate. Laser works well but i'm not quite used to it and am a little nervous about how accurate it's going to be. The florescent light will work. Some say it's junk but i've been in plenty of jobs with little lighting and/or late day (night) work and i can see it coming in handy for sure. As for the stupid miter scale. We'll i'll just have to get used to it. The dust chute actually works pretty well but i could really care less. That's what laborers are for! haha

I'd actually only give this 4.5 stars because makita should redesign the miter scale and 2. Throw in a couple of plastic kerf blocks. All in all i'm ready for the next trim job!
UPDATE: after 2 weeks of daily use i have a beef on this saw and that's the stupid blade guard. I've already hacked thru it on bevel cuts... it's just too flimsy. It bends into the blade. So now it's wired up like all my others. Other than that... it's awesome.

I've been doing the finish on my high end projects for close to 30 years. During that time I've had the opportunity to use most of the saws on the Market.

When you're picky about results and spend much of your time cutting trim, the Makita Dual Bevel Compound Sliding miter saws are as good as it gets. I've had and used the 10" version for a decade, and it'll do 99.99% of trim jobs without challenging one's creativity. I bought the 12" this time as I've recently been encountering projects where the larger blade helps.

If you're a fan of, and are satisfied with your Hitachi or Dewalt saw, stop reading now. Don't spend time on the Makita and you'll remain perfectly happy. Good results may be obtained with any of these saws. To me, the Hitachi always felt clunky, and the handle design causes my wrist to ache after a few hours of continued use. The Dewalt is a monster... a strong saw I've spent many hours using recently and trying to love, but it too lacks the finesse of the Makita, and the handle hurts my wrist in another location. Watch out for the torque upon braking... keep your work-piece AND FINGERS well away from the blade before releasing the trigger.

The Makita saws shine. The table is BY FAR the most stable. The fence adjusts easily to just how you need it and the clamp adjusts quickly to help secure the work-piece when wanted. Unlike on the other saws, the guard is brilliant... the most cleverly engineered guard ever... it almost reads your mind by almost never getting in your way regardless of the miter you're cutting, and in those rare times where the fence would interfere, it's easy to slap a piece of tape on to keep it up and away during that cut. That's a big deal to do on the other saws. The extension wings are useful and also handy for carrying the saw from setup to setup. The saw glides smoothly on the slides when cutting, and I've never given a thought to the handle... no pain, no strain... it's just naturally in the right place. I like these saws.

Tips for peak performance on any of the sliding saws... Use a very sharp "regular" thickness blade on miter saws when working hardwoods. The additional thickness and strength reduces "walking" in the center of the compound miter cut. Save the thin-kerf blades for your table saw. Periodically clean the dust and dirt from the swiveling surfaces between the table and body, and lubricate with a DRY lubricant... I use the spray on Bostik Top Cote. Great stuff. You'll be amazed at how easily the table will turn when adjusting angles. Use the Top Cote on the table top and guard also... Just spray it on, wait a few minutes, then wipe off the dried residue with a rag or paper towel. The greatly reduced friction will then allow your work-piece to glide smoothly and quickly into position for cutting, and save having to "jiggle" the piece up to the blade. Think about it... Top Cote will not affect finishing. The painters will love you. Even the fussy waterborne lacquer finishes I often use are unaffected. WD40 and the like attract dust and dirt, can cause problems with finishing, and should never be used on tool tables.... if you care.

If you're considering buying the Makita saws, I hope this helps with your decision. Should you already have one, enjoy, and know you're working with the best.

I recently bought this saw from Amazon. It's a great saw. As I was shopping for the saw, I read a lot of reviews to try to figure out which one to buy - perhaps like you're doing. One reviewer would love a saw and another would think it was junk. I read one or two in which the reviewer complained that this saw or that one wouldn't cut a straight line. Don't listen to that stuff. Makita, Bosch, Dewalt, and perhaps a few others are great saws. I'll bet I can cut a straight line with any of them. And I'll bet I can warp the cut with any of them. Sliding compound miter saws aren't hard to use, but there is a little basic technique to use. Your manual will tell you about it. You may or may not like one feature or another, but used properly, they all do a great job. The Makita certainly does. If you know how to use one of these things, they'll work for you. I recommend the Makita. Everything works - even the laser. I took the time to set it up and it saves a lot of time for me. You have to use it a while to understand how to use it accurately. A guy I was working with the other day was using a different brand - I can't remember which. He was doing good work and he was faster than I was.
If you buy a saw - you'll need a stand. Here again, a number of them are good, but I'll talk about two. I bought a PortaMate PM7000. Once set up on the job, I love it's utility and versatility. For my work I thought that would be more important than mobility. But I have to admit - done over again, I'd get the Rigid stand (AC9940) that folds up and has the wheels. Other folks I have worked with have that one and I've decideded that mobility trumps utility. But that will depend on how much you expect to have to move your saw. If my PortaMate had better mobility, it would be everything I could want - and it would have cost another $100. I'm not going to send it back to Amazon. If I ever get too tired of lugging my current rig around, I'll buy a Rigid too. Here again, you'll find folks that will trash any of them in a review - and folks that will love them. And there's four or five really good ones out there.
So read the reviews. They can be helpful, but don't take everything they say too seriously - You'll be able to do good work with whatever you buy. With the general quality of the equipment being sold today - it will mostly depend on you.

I am very pleased with this saw. It goes through wood like butter. At work I use a brand new Bosch 12" and I don't like it. It does this torque thing where it wants to pull or move itself when I press the button. The Makita does NOT do this at all. It starts smoothly. I would recommend it.

I have used it quite a bit since receiving it this June. It is easy to use - and accurate - even for a novice or non-pro!

In my use - the laser came in much more handy than I anticipated and is dammed accurate. Measuring to keep the right side of the cut - it's Dead-On! What is red - will remain - and cut will be precisely to left of red.

Be aware that laser will be hard to see in direct sunlight - but that can't be helped.

I have used the fluorescent light more than I ever anticipated to.

Be prepared to get some sort of cart or stand - or - plan on leaving it clamped down in one place. This thing is too big to be moving around much - and much movement by hand will require more "re-setting" the miter and bevel.

I got the Rigid "MSUV" (Miter Saw Utility Vehicle) from Home Depot and am very pleased. It is well thought out and very handy. It has big wheels for easier moving. Ends (with adjustable rollers) - that extend out from the platform on either side about 5 to six feet and sets up easily. Your miter essentially mounts permantly on the MSUV.

Its amazing this saw made it to me in one piece. This has to be absolutely the worst packed and boxed item I have ever recieved from a manufacturer. The box is flimsy. The interior packing is light cardboard as well. The removable r sub fence piece was loose in the box when it arrived, leading me to believe the saw was damaged...not so.
Set up was fairly simple. The bevel pointer was off slightly, but the rest of the saw ran flat and squared nicely.
The instruction book leaves a bit to be desired, but I am used to looking at an illustrated parts breakdown, so maybe I am being too harsh.
I have not used the saw yet for work. But will in a day or so and will update this post. The blade guard feels very flimsey and will probably be the first thing to "adjust".
I have used Dewalt,Makita,Hilti,Milwalkee, Etc. tools in the past. Makita tools generally have had a weak feel to them and bad ergonomics for me. This one seems an exception so far. The Dewalt compound miter I have used at work has a tank like feel that this saw doesn't have. This saw also doesn't crack my thumb when I lower the blade.
I was recommended this saw or the bosch 5412. I chose this one b/c the bosch reviews didn't have consistency, which led me to question their quality control. Written reviews pegged this saw as the best cutter...so....
As I use the saw..I'll update the post

Okay..cuts well..the stock blade isnt as clean as I'd like..but I expected that. I made a load of practice cuts and checked the angles that it made. The angles were all good. Whether cut by miter or bevel the pieces fit together flush.
It was quiet. The brake was decent. And the blade guard which I thought I would be removing, will be staying on.
I outdoor lighting the laser was not visible..but I didn't expect it to be. Indoors it was fine.
Although I know the flourescent light is a bit of fluff, as Ive grown older, I've attached additional goosenecked lighting to nearly every bench tool I own or work with. I like having the extra bit of light that isnt being blocked by me being on the workpiece.
I'm very happy with the purchase. I would recommend this saw to anyone.

Received the saw with the stapled box opened at the top and bottom. Parts were loose in the box.
Found saw tooth marks in the base below the blade. Appeared that the guide rail assembly was damaged because the saw would bind when operated near the front of the unit. The table sloped .008" from both sides toward the blade as measured with B & S precision straightedge and feeler stock.
Made it difficult to square the blade to the table while offsetting for slope! Fence wasn't milled flat either. Factory said my measurements were in tolerance. Maybe good enough for decking, but not for picture frames etc.
Decided to return the saw.
Completed the quick return process on line and had a new saw in perfect condition in two days!
Many Thanks to Amazon - I am extremely impressed.
Back to the saw - everything found as it should be. Table slopes barely .002" on one side, fence is flat.
Made the alignment adjustments using a small 45,90,45 degree(+-10 minute) angle plate available from MSC Industrial, in about 15 minutes. Angle Plate is the perfect setup tool for the miter saw. Angle presets (45 & 90 checked) are accurate and the adjustments repeat very well. Now I'm happy.
You will have to adjust the laser, which is difficult unless the blade guard is temporarily removed.
Included 70T blade makes almost smooth, clean cuts in yellow pine and hardwood.
The "bonus" Makita LIon drill hasn't arrived yet.
Watch for Amazon free shipping and Mfr's Promotions with this unit.

This is an excellent saw. My one and only issue with it is the miter scale being on the side. Just not used to that. But I gotta tell ya, how this thing arrived undamaged is beyond me. It has to be, without a doubt, one of the poorest packaged items I've ever received. Especially considering the nature and weight. I feel very fortunate that it arrived safely, for I guarantee there were many which didn't.

I'm an amateur woodworker, but I'm also undertaking a huge addition to our house this year (tripling our square footage). So I was looking for a saw that could hold up to being a framing chop saw for a ton of cuts, but could also have a long life as a useful woodshop tool, do crown molding, etc. After reading a lot of reviews both from buyers and from woodworking magazines, I settled on the Makita.

I originally was going to buy the 10" model, but a sale at the time I went to buy talked me into the 12". Frankly it's probably a little more saw than I need... a lot of the other reviews I read on this saw are carpenters who do this stuff every day... but nonetheless I'm very happy with it.

The saw works as advertised, and is rock-solid on the dual rails, resulting in a very accurate cut when when sliding (where many other saws fall short). The stock blade is superb; I run Freud in my table saw, circular saw, etc, but see no reason to replace the stock blade here. The light is a nice bonus, and the laser was a slight pain to realign to the left side of the blade (why is the stock setting on the right?), but once I got it dialed in, it's useful and I make consistent, accurate cuts (although for anyone making many repetitive cuts like me, build/buy a stand with adjustable stopblocks so the laser is only needed when setting up the first cut!). The saw has plenty of power, and the soft start was a surprise at first, but is nice.

So overall, there's very little to complain about here. Dust collection is mediocre, but I don't worry much about that.

Other reviewers have commented about the blade guard getting chewed up on compound cuts. Hasn't happened to me yet, although admittedly I haven't made a huge number of such cuts so far. Even if this is a problem though, it's a small point on an otherwise great saw.

I have a 5 year old 12" compound makita miter box now that we use every day. We have been looking to upgrade to a new unit and were going to get a bosch machine. It wasn't too bad but it had a million parts on it and it was a little cumberson to handle. So we bought the makita with lazer and light on it. The first cut I made thru a 4x4 pt was absolutely exciting! The motor has a soft start and the blade cut the wood smoothly and the break took the blade to a nice stop without jerking the machine. I have owned many miter boxes and everyone I had was better than the previous. The LS1214fl is by far the the best unit so far. It's going to be a great trick to better this one!