Makita LS1216L 12-Inch Dual Slide Compound Miter Saw

by Makita

• Four-steel rail sliding system and six linear ball bearings deliver adjustment-free dead-on cuts
• Exclusive 5-1/2-inch-tall dual sliding fence system features upper and lower fence adjustment
• Powerful 15-amp direct-drive motor requires less maintenance than belt-driven saws
• Independent micro fine laser with on/off switch indicates line of cut left or right of blade
• Cuts 8-inch crown molding (vertically nested), 6-1/2-inch baseboard (vertical), and 15-inch crosscuts at 90 degrees

Product Description

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The Makita LS1216L 12" dual slide miter saw delivers the largest crosscutting and crown cutting capacity in its class. It has a patented 4-Steel Rail Sliding System that further increases rigidity to produce superior cuts, and an exclusive 6 linear ball bearing design for smooth, adjustment-free, "dead-on" accurate cuts. The LS1216L is ideal for benchtop and jobsite use, as well as high-production/manufacturing settings.

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LS1216L Features CAPACITY - 8" crown molding (vertically nested), 6-1/2" baseboard (vertical), and 15" crosscut at 90° ACCURATE - Exclusive 6 linear ball bearings and 4-steel rail system deliver maintenance-free "dead-on" accurate cuts VERSATILITY - 5-1/2" tall fence system features upper and lower fence adjustments for more precise cuts DURABILITY - Powerful 15 AMP direct drive motor requires less maintenance than belt-driven saws INCLUDES - Blade, dust bag, vertical clamp, wrench, and triangle

Tool Specifications Blade diameter 12" Arbor 1" Crown molding (nested 8" Baseboard (vertical) 6-1/2" Max. cutting capacity (90°) 3-5/8" x 15" Max. cutting capacity (45° L/R ) 3-5/8" x 10-1/2" No-load speed 3,200 RPM AMPs 15.0 Dimensions (LxWxH) 31-3/4" x 25-1/4" x 28-3/8" Net weight 58.2 lbs.

Large Cutting Capacity, Increased Accuracy
The LS1216L will crosscut wide boards up to 15" wide at 90°, right out of the box with no special setup required. It has an innovative direct drive gearbox and patented retractable guard system engineered for increased vertical cutting capacity and the largest crown molding cutting capacity (8" vertically nested) in its class. The patented retractable rear guard also provides the LS1216L with 6-1/2" baseboard cutting capacity (vertical). In addition, the exclusive 6 linear ball bearings deliver smooth, solid and adjustment-free "dead-on" accurate cuts. The saw also has a patented 4-Steel Rail Sliding System that further increases rigidity to produce superior cuts, as the four steel rails provide less deflection. The result is a larger cutting capacity and more accuracy.

Precise Miter and Bevel Cuts
The LS1216L has an exclusive 5-1/2" tall sliding fence system, with four sliding fences featuring upper and lower fence adjustments for more precise miter and bevel cuts to accommodate a variety of cutting applications. The saw miters 0° to 52° left and 0° to 60° right, with positive stops at 0°, 15°, 22.5°, 31.6°, and 45° (left and right). The dual rear-handle bevel lock is easily accessible with adjustments 0° to 45° (left and right), with positive stops at 0°, 22.5°, 33.9°, and 45° (left and right). Precision adjustments are made easier with dual front bevel scales for improved visibility. The easy one-touch (push in and turn) miter lock system is designed for accurate adjustments and increased efficiency. For more precise cuts, a built-in laser indicates the line of cut, whether the blade is turning or not, and also includes an on/off switch and microadjustments for precise "left-of-blade" or "right-of-blade" cutting.

Ease-of-Use Features
In addition to the large cutting capacity, power, and accuracy, the LS1216L offers a range of conveniences and ease-of-use features. The LS1216L has a patented 4-Steel Rail Sliding System that requires less rear space than competitor dual sliding miter saws. The see-through blade guard system provides greater visibility of blade and line of cut, and has a one-step blade change process for increased efficiency. The ergonomic rubberized horizontal D-handle design has a better fit and added comfort, and the large trigger switch is designed for easier operation.

15 AMP Power for Smoother, Higher-Quality Cutting
The LS1216L has a 15 AMP direct gear box motor that never slips, bogs down, or requires maintenance like belt-driven saws. The soft start feature delivers smoother startups, and the Electronic Speed Control maintains constant speed under load for smoother, higher-quality cutting.

Best in Class for a Range of Applications
The LS1216L is engineered for precision tasks in woodworking shops, as well as for cutting large materials like 4" x 16" beams and wide boards up to 15". It is ideal for a broad range of tradespeople, including finish carpenters, professional woodworkers, case and base installers, cabinet installers, cabinet manufacturers, closet installers, decking and flooring professionals, siding installers, stair installers, and general contractors seeking a best-in-class 12" dual slide compound miter saw for the jobsite, benchtop, or high-production/manufacturing setting.

About Makita's Miter Saws with DXT
Makita's new miter saws with DXT (Deep and eXact Cutting Technology) are designed with an innovative direct drive gearbox and patented retractable guard system engineered for large vertical cutting. In addition, the exclusive 6 linear ball bearings deliver smooth, solid and adjustment-free "dead-on" accurate cuts. The saws also have a patented 4-Steel Rail Sliding System that further increases rigidity to produce superior cuts, as the four steel rails provide less deflection. The four steel rails also enable a more compact rear design than standard two-rail systems. Makita's new miter saws deliver a larger cutting capacity and more accuracy combined with a more compact rear design.

About Makita
Makita is a worldwide manufacturer of industrial-quality power tools, and it offers a wide range of industrial accessories. Makita applies leading-edge innovation to engineer power tools that are more compact and energy efficient, yet deliver industrial-strength power and results. Makita U.S.A., Inc. is located in La Mirada, California, and operates an extensive distribution network located throughout the U.S. For more information, please call 800-4-MAKITA (800-462-5482) or visit makitatools.com. Makita is Best in Class Engineering.

What's in the Box
Makita LS1216L 12-inch Dual Slide Compound Miter Saw, 60T TCT Saw Blade, Vertical Vise, Dust Bag, Triangular Rule and Wrench.

Product Description

2584-7021 Features: -Miter saw.-Large cutting capacity up to 8'' crown molding nested, 6-1/2'' baseboard vertical, and 15'' crosscut at 90.-Compact design with a patented 4 steel rail sliding system further increases rigidity to produce superior cuts.-Exclusive 6 linear ball bearings deliver smooth, solid and adjustment free dead on accurate cuts.-Exclusive 5-1/2'' tall dual sliding fence system features versatile upper and lower fence adjustments for more precise miter and bevel cuts.-Patented retractable rear guard and triple gear system for increased vertical cutting capacity.-Independent laser indicates line of cut whether blade is turning or not, with on and off switch and micro adjustments for precise left of blade or right of blade cutting.-Electronic speed control maintains constant speed under load for smoother higher quality cutting. Specifications: -Powerful 15 amp direct drive motor requires less maintenance and delivers 3,200 RPMs with soft start for smoother power ups.-Miters 0 to 50 left and 0 to 60 right with positive stops at 0 , 15 , 22.5 , 31.6 and 45 left and right.

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

55 of 56 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Professional wood shop comments October 25, 2010

By Jerome P. Quigley

We run a small custom wood shop. I really did a lot of research on saws and spent countless hours driving long distances to see them in person. It was a tough decision but I settled on The Makita 12" sliding compound miter saw. I had to weigh lots of arguments from so called experts on such things as belt driven vs. non belt driven and how some feared that the Makita being direct drive might be inferior. I found such arguments to be false arguments.
I've used my Makita now for 3 months and really love it. The single best feature that distinguishes it from the others is the laser, which unlike other brands is built in and works really well, and can be switched on and off and operates throughout the cut (unlike others). I only wish it had duel lasers so that you don't have to switch the laser back and forth. I only use the laser on certain cuts and to line up very long cuts quickly.
The only problem that I have had is that to tilt the saw on a steep miter cut I really have to secure the lever very hard or the miter angle will slip. Also when doing a steep miter angle I have to do dry runs in order to compensate for the slight tilt that the saw will make when being pulled down. But I find that is easy to live with. There are no saws out there that do not bend or deform when cutting steep miter cuts. I think the Makita is by far the best saw overall.
I'm really happy with this saw.

UPDATE June 2012: The saw is still going strong, no problems at all. My initial review was in 2010. I just wanted to follow up and to let everyone know that my initial judgement still holds true. This is a great saw!! I'm very glad I made the purchase.

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Makita LS1216L October 28, 2010

By Dr. P...

Amazon Verified Purchase

My Sears radial arm saw was losing motor bearings after 42 years of hard labor. No parts available and what is out there (Delta and Sears) were too expensive or too cheap. Went looking for alternative.

I have a one year old Hitachi double bevel 12"chop saw and give it 5 stars. I used the radial for cross cutting only. Looked at several dual bevel slider saws and found they might come close to 15" 90 degree distance I have enjoyed with old RAS. Came very close to getting DeWalt at about 14" cut. When I saw the "dust collector" that came with it, I wondered what else was cheap inside the saw. I also wanted a laser guide (standard on Hitachi), but optional on DeWalt. Found reviews on Makita. Stated 15" cut and most excellent 4 tube slider system and the laser for a lot less money. Bought it about a month ago via Amazon.com and received it in about a week.

My Hitachi had arrived with "out of the box" perfect alignment. The Makita was found unlocked from the top slider (trying to open the top of the box) and none of the sliders were locked in place either. When I finally got it out and on the bench, I was impressed with the over all quality of the tool.

I discovered the alignment was off in bevel and miter. This took an hour to reset, following the micro-sized manual. (Finally went on line and downloaded manual so my ancient eyes could see the technical drawings more clearly.)
After adjustments, every thing seemed cool and the 60T blade that came with the saw cut through some 5/4 pressure treated lumber like butter with a really nice smooth end grain cut.

I just finished building an access door for our fireplace wood storage and spent the extra efort to miter all the joints and make the door a good tight fit. The Makita delivered.

I give this saw a 4 1/2 star rating only because of the packing issues (as mentioned in other reviews) and the poor alignment.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Three is a Charm November 4, 2010

By L. Markert

I have been a Carpenter for several years and while looking for an additional 12" Slide Miter Saw I decided to try the new Makita model. The first one came in looking great but could not adjust the fence to the blade. I think the holes in the fence where too small for adjustment. After walking through the problem with the Makita Technician he told me to return it. I received the second and the box was in good condition but the laser housing and guard were broken. I returned this one as well and received the third one. It came in excellent condition and was able to align the fence to the blade. Additionally the vertical setting was off but was able to adjust with no problem. I have been using it now for a about 2-months and seems to be a very good saw. There is some minor deflection though when you try and crosscut a wide piece at an angle. Overall it seems to meet my expectation.