Makita LS1214L 12-Inch Dual Slide Compound Miter Saw with Laser Guide

by Makita

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Step up in class to the Makita LS1214L 12-Inch Dual Slide Compound Miter Saw with Laser Guide, and enjoy the rewards: unparalleled power, superior cutting capacity, and a host of user-friendly features. Driven by a high-performance 15-amp, 3,200-rpm direct-drive (not belt drive) motor, this heavy-duty slide-compound saw is engineered to meet the unyielding demands of professional contractors. This reliable workhorse is versatile enough to handle everything from rough-cutting landscaping timbers and framing lumber, to fine furniture making and precise trim work.

Unlike some compound saws that only tilt in one direction, the LS1214L is a dual-bevel saw; it tilts 45 degrees to the left and to the right, which lets you execute bevel cuts without having to reposition the board to accommodate the blade angle. For making miter cuts, the machine’s large aluminum turntable rotates 45 degrees to the left and 52 degrees to the right. There are 10 positive stops that lock the blade at commonly used miter angles. There’s also a unique pivoting fence supports large, tall workpieces.

To help ensure safe, accurate cuts, the saw is equipped with a built-in laser that clearly indicates cut line. The laser can be activated without turning on the saw. (Note that the laser is tough to see in bright sunlight.) The saw carriage glides on two rock-solid steel rails, which are equipped with ball bearings. The motor has a soft-start feature that produces smooth, quiet start-ups that won’t jar the board out of position. Slow starts also reduce wear and tear on the motor. The 53-pound saw comes with a dust-collection bag, hold-down vise, two extension wings, 12-inch-diameter, 70-tooth carbide-tipped saw blade and blade wrench. -- Joseph Truini

From the Manufacturer

Built-In Laser Precision Clearly Indicates Line of Cut to the Left or Right Side of the Blade with Micro-Fine Adjustments. Independent switch allows laser to be seen with and without the blade rotating. Dual rails with linear ball bearings for accurate cutting. Electronic speed control maintains constant speed under load for smooth cutting. Soft-start Technology for smooth start-ups make for less wear-and-tear on the motor. Powerful 15 Amp motor with angular head design to allow bevel cutting 45degrees right. Great for woodworking, carpentry, cabinetry, deck building, framing, furniture making, and many other applications.

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 28 x 20 x 28 inches
• Shipping Weight: 75 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B000CFKL48
• Item model number: LS1214L
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #212,864 in Home Improvement (See Top 100 in Home Improvement)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

59 of 59 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Apples to apples, June 7, 2006

By 

MrBreakIt (Newburgh, NY United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Makita LS1214L 12-Inch Dual Slide Compound Miter Saw with Laser Guide (Tools & Home Improvement)

I researched 12" sliders for several weeks. I read the reviews from several web sites, borrowed a saw to test, went to the stores to see them in person, asked my friends who are brand loyal. Each saw had their strong points, but it comes down to this - What will you primarily us the saw for? I do mostly finish work, custom trim, occasionally larger construction. I need precision and portability.
For comparison, I have a Hitachi 10FCH, a straight forward compound miter saw with laser. The laser is mounted on the lower part of the saw arm, and works extremely well. The saw is light enough to carry up several flights of stairs without too much grief, and it has proven to be very accurate for trim and crown. I've used it outside in the Florida summer and New York winter, never skipped a beat, never bogged down. The dust bag catches about 85% of the saw dust.
I needed a saw to do bigger moldings, nested crown, finish cabinetry work, as well as rough construction tasks. I preferred the larger base of the Makita, versus the DeWalt's mini swivel. Delicate trim, wider nested crown - much easier to work with on a broader base. The slide out table extensions are a nice plus (they only adjust about 3"), extra handles for carrying as well. It's worth noting that the swivel action is the smoothest of them all. The slide action is ridiculously smooth as well, and rock steady.
I need to carry it in and out of customer's homes. Not going to happen with the Rigid or Hitachi (although they may make excellent jobsite saws - large base, front controls, and massive - like tying to carry a buffalo). The soft start feature is really nice, it doesn't jump the material off your mark. The direct drive motor is bull-strong, and very quiet compared to the screaming howl of the DeWalt. A customer friendly attribute.
It needs to work outside occasionally. The only non-mandatory thing on this saw is the laser. To be perfectly honest, I'm not that impressed with it. (My Hitachi is dead nuts on, no matter where the blade is). To set a standard measure point, the blade must be in the raised position - that puts the laser module more than 14" from the work surface, so as you bring the blade down 6-plus inches of travel- the laser line moves a touch to the left. A little frustrating when working with stupid expensive hardwood molding that I'm trying to trim a 16th off of. Sort of eliminates the point of having it in the first place. It does work, it just takes getting used to. It is well constructed, very durable all around. I feel comfortable that it will last out in the unexpected rain and around new construction sites. No bells and whistles or cheesy plastic knobs to break off. My dad has the 10" slider version, 5 years old and it's as accurate as the day he got it. Although I am a big fan and user of Bosch tools, on their 5412L it just seemed that I would break something.
The dust bag gets about 50% on a good day, depending on the blade type and material being cut. The blade that comes with the saw - a 70 tooth crosscut - is really nice. I use a 96 tooth Diablo blade for really fine miter cuts, and it basically makes powder, so only a vacuum can help there. The fence is tall and sturdy enough, although I do like the DeWalt sliding design better.
All in all, a great saw. Durable, very smooth, not extremely heavy, quieter than most saws, and capable of handling everything that I throw at it. I use it on a TracRac T3 stand, which I'm thrilled with as well. The laser just takes getting used to. It could use front controls for the bevel, but the current design works and has durability on its side. I had no quality control issues, it came shipped in an intact box. Being assembled in the USA is a nice plus.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Saw, March 28, 2007

By 

James Krebs "mind meld" (Gautier, MS) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Makita LS1214L 12-Inch Dual Slide Compound Miter Saw with Laser Guide (Tools & Home Improvement)

I ordered the LS1214L from Grizzly to replace a DeWalt DW716 that I returned and it is super nice. I was hesitant about mail-ordering it b/c of a few reviews about damage during shipping so I checked everything out before signing for the delivery and I'm glad I did. Although there was no damage, Makita does not take any extra care when boxing the unit. In fairness, I don't recall that DeWalt did either (though I purchased it from Home Depot), but I think it's something they both should reconsider now that a lot of their saws are being delivered to their final destination via UPS ground. Something I ran into when putting the saw on it's stand was that it was not locked in the 0 degree bevel position (... or any position) and as I was trying to seat it, the saw collapsed. Except for a couple of unecessary nicks on the blade table insert, no harm was done but I could have easily dropped the saw. Okay, enough about poor packaging.

As for the saw, everything seemed to be in order. Bevel and miter pointers were on the money with no adjustments needed. The laser is set to .04 mm to the right of the blade kerf, square to the fence and dead on accurate. Depending on the cut, the laser shoots on either side of the blade. The slide action is awesome ... smooth as silk. The saw is pretty heavy, so you may want to spend the extra money for a good stand. I have a Hitachi UU610cz that works pretty well for a portable stand. It's rock solid stable but the TracRac design places the aluminum mounts on an aluminum track which does flex at the end of a slide cut. So far it has not affected the accuracy of the cuts but I do find myself gently finishing off each cut.

One of my complaints about the DeWalt double bevel compound miter was that on a 45/45 right bevel/miter, the arbor housing hit the fence. There are no problems hitting anything on this saw. The bevel scale is much easier to read and the overall craftsmanship of the LS1214L is much more refined than the DeWalt DW715, DW716 and DW718. I've test cut just a few bevel/miter cuts and the saw performs very well with the laser making it super easy to cut your mark. I have been using the saw indoors and of course outdoor use will affect the visibility of the laser ... just something to keep in mind but I think the extra cost for the laser is well worth it. The saw came with a 70 tooth MAKblade that is quiet and cuts good. The soft start is smooth and the brake is more gradual than some of the other saws that I've used. The bottom line is that I'm extremely pleased with the LS1214L and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a quality built high performance sliding compound miter saw.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great addition to my shop, February 22, 2007

By 

A. Hann - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Makita LS1214L 12-Inch Dual Slide Compound Miter Saw with Laser Guide (Tools & Home Improvement)

This is an awsome saw. it seems to handle what ever I can throw at it.Only thing not to thrilled about is it is little heavy. Happy I don't have to lug around too much. I foung the laser easy to adjust