A new Bosch 8″ single bevel sliding compound miter saw (CM8S) is soon hitting the market. The new miter saw has a crosscut capacity of 12-3/4″, which is fairly impressive for a saw this size.
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Features and Specs
- 12-3/4″ crosscut capacity
- Easy-access bevel controls
- Integrated base extensions expand up to 29″ left to right for workpiece support
- Adjustable front stabilizing foot maintains stability when making sliding cuts
- 8-1/2″ blade diameter
- 5600 no-load RPM
- 12A motor
- 6′ cord length
- Miter detent override
- Ergonomic ambidextrous grip
- Clear lower guard
- Includes hold-down clamp and dust bag
- Weighs 37 lbs
- Miter angle range 52° left to 60° right
- Miter detents at: (left and right) 0°, 15°, 22.5°, 31.6°, 45°; (right) 60°
- Bevel angle range -2° to 47°
- Bevel stops at 0°, 22.5°, 33.9°, 45°
- Max cutting capacity: 2″ x 8″ at 90°, 2″ x 6″ at 45°
- Max crown molding angled against fence: 3-1/2″
- Max base molding against fence: 2-3/4″
Buy Now(via Amazon)
MSRP: $469
First Impression
This saw looks to be all about portability and convenience. Another thing I find appealing about this saw is how it’s small but not stripped-down in terms of features. Instead of a tough-to-reach bevel lock, there’s a large easy-toggle lever. Instead of a fixed carry handle – or no handle – the carry handle looks like it can pivot to allow for more comfortable one-handed carrying. Instead of no extensions or “optional” extensions, this saw features built-in extensions.
I have to say, the saw looks very thoughtfully designed, at least on paper. It’s hard to say sometimes just based on a list of features and a couple of product images. But with a $469 price tag (as per Amazon’s preorder product listing), the saw had better be a solid performer.
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Thus far I can only see one potential cause for hesitation: the availability of replacement blades (or lack thereof). With a 10″ miter saw, you can buy pretty much any brand or style blade you want. Every hardware store carries 10″ blades. With this 8-1/2″ saw, your options are going to be somewhat limited, but there are blades available by Freud Diablo, CMT, Forrest, Hitachi, and other makers.
This is not the first super-compact miter saw on the market, as there are 7-1/4″, 7-1/2″, and 8-1/2″ models by Makita, Hitachi, Craftsman, and other brands, but it looks to be a nice entry with premium features. It definitely offers impressive cutting capacity, although I wonder why Bosch designed this saw with linear rails instead of the axial glide mechanism which seems to work pretty darned well.
I would expect this new saw to appeal to users who would otherwise look at 10″ sliding and non-sliding miter saws. It’s smaller, lighter, and better equipped than a lot of 10″ models. Some might think the 12-amp motor is a limitation, but it is probably more than enough to cut through any construction lumber that can be handled by the saw’s 8-1/2″ blade.
This post was originally published on Aug 1st, 2013, and was republished with minor updates on Jan 24th, 2014. The new saw has recently begun shipping.
Jason
The glide system would me better because it allows you to put the saw up right against a wall or anything else. The only thing I could think of why they didn’t design it with that is weight or cost. I also like how the Festool Kapex and Hitachi miter saws put the rails in such a way the tool slides forward it just allows a better for more options on how you set up your saw.
Javier
I really like that bosch includes the extensions and the clamp. My dewalt miter didnt come with any. Not to mention both are very hard to find, even rare. I guess people have gotten accustomed or managed to not having any but in many cases especially when doing precise work these are essential.
Stuart
With Dewalt miter saws, they probably figure a lot of users will be using them with a miter saw stand or similar. Or maybe Dewalt doesn’t bundle extensions with their saws purely to keep costs and prices as low as possible.
Personally, I like the option of having built-in extensions, unless of course they’re poorly designed in an attempt to save costs.
Javier
I was thinking about like you said dewalt might expect users to use miter stands as a reason for not including the extensions but they should atleast throw in the clamp. Even with extensions or supports from a miter stand, boards do move slightly while being cut if not clamped down and instead held down with a hand.
Jerry
I wish my miter saw had a carry handle. Having one on a saw this size just adds to its portability.
AndrewC
A few things I like to know about a miter saw before I buy them are:
1. Whats the quality of the blade? Some come with really crappy blades that need to be replaced if you want clean cuts. But nice blades can be expensive, so its nice to know if you are going to have to shell out an extra $50.
2. Ability to calibrate. If a miter saw cannot cut square its worthless. Adjusting the guides to the left and right of the saw blade is easy enough, but you also have to make sure that the blade is perpendicular to the base/table. I’ve owned some miter saws that didn’t have the ability to adjust this, or none that I could find in the manual.
3. Extensions and clamps. Like Javier said, this is nice to get. Lots of products sell the clamps as an accessory for extra $$
Stuart
Many if not most miter saws are bundled with starter blades that are meant for rough framing cuts. For cleaner cuts an upgrade is almost always recommended.
I am sure the squareness of the Bosch saw can be adjusted if it goes out of whack. What I like to see in a miter saw is perfect calibration out of the box.
fred
When we purchased our first Bosch GCM12SD – I was a bit concerned about this issue – because of some of the negative comments I read on Amazon about lack of fence adjustability and problems with it being out of square to the table and out of alignment side to side. We bought our first saw at our local distributor – for just this reason and brought a couple of Starrett squares with us when we went to pick it up. The one we go was right on the money as far as a couple of educated eyes could tell. The table was flat (maybe not as flat as a granite surface plate) enough for good trim carpentry, the blade detents were good at 90 and 45L & R , the blade was square to the base at 0 degrees bevel and both side fences were in alignment. The blade (not surprisingly – as you point out Stu) was a 60T Bosch (1 609 B00 209) which was better than what we use to cut pressure treated lumber – but we replaced it with a Forrest Chopmaster 80T – which had been our go-to blade at that time. Since that time we’ve bought more GCM12SD’s – the latest one came from CPO when they had a 15% off sale. I think that the first one we bought was made in Taiwan – and the last one (bought this year) came from China. This saw arrived on our loading dock in good shape (some Amazon comments talk about shipping issues) – and needed only minor tweaking to adjust the bevel settings.
On the topic of blades:
I’ve found that none last forever.
Forrest (and possibly others) offer a re-sharpening (and truing) service that we’ve found worthwhile
Cutting Ipe decking and some other materials dull blades quickly – so have extra fresh blades on hand for big jobs.
Chop cuts on a miter saw can benefit from making a zero-clearance table insert and rear fence (Bosch instruction manuals provide some plans/options for fences – but not zero clearance inserts)
With a well adjusted saw, a superior blade and zero-clearance set-up – a chop saw can do nearly perfect miters.
Don’t expect your wood-cutting blade to perform well after cutting lots of aluminum or plastic – better to switch out to a dedicated blade
The same is true for cutting lots of wet pressure treated lumber – and then turning around to do case work.
Blades I’ve tried and can recommend for fine-cutting are:
Forrest Chopmaster 80T
Forrest Mitermaster 100T (need to order 1 inch bore)
Freud LU91R012
Freud LU79R012 – for melamine
Chris
My DWS 780 was dead on in all areas out of the box
It also included the clamp as well but no extensions but I bought it to use on a miter saw stand so it didn’t bother me
Garrick
Second that on the 12 inch DW780
Everything was set up true.
If I add the 8 1/2 Bosch, I can skip the 10 inch mitre saw.
Coo
Taiwan or China made ?
Binkie
Of course it is, and which one doesn’t matter.
Shawn Dehner
Do you know when this saw will be available for purchase? Thank you.
P.S. This article is my first introduction to the Bosch CM8S and I’m looking to replace an old Makita LS0714.
fred
A few other personal thoughts about miter saws:
• Bigger is not always better. Sure you can do more or different tasks with a 12 inch saw – but a 10 or 8 inch saw is lighter and smaller – therefore easier to carry. If our primary work is flooring and its trim then a smaller saw may be just the ticket. In the early 1990’s I bought a Delta Sidekick 6-1/2 inch sliding compound miter saw just for laminate flooring work – and liked it well enough for that purpose
• The idea that tool makers leave off certain accessories to reduce price is probably correct. They might say that it lets you pick and choose your options – and save money if you don’t want the add-ons.
• The same is true for the blade. They might argue that miter saws are not meant to be precision tools – and if you are just using it to cut framing – then the cheap blade may be good enough – so why include something like a Forrest Mitermaster (the MM121006 costs about $250)
• A miter saw’s table insert is naturally wide to allow bevel cutting – both right and left – but some make it easier to increase precision by adding a zero-clearance insert for 90 degree cutting. The Bosch GCM12SD’s table insert is a 2-piece affair that allows some adjustment in-and-out of center – but nothing approaching a zero-clearance. Some other saws have one piece inserts that make it easier to use the insert as a template for creating a zero clearance insert
• Where the blade meets the fence is another spot for tear out and adding a sacrificial backer board can help this. Some fences make this easier to accomplish than others. Split fences with independent adjustment – sometimes make this a bit tricky – and I’ve noticed that some can get out of alignment left and right
• I like the Bosch articulated arm on the GCM12SD – and I believe it’s the same one on and newer GCM10 saw. While it may not be everyone’s cup of tea – I find it smooth operating with no slop – and it allows the saw to fit closer to walls in a shop. This later feature is not of any value if you primarily set up on a lawn or driveway – where a convention slider will do fine. The mechanism probably also adds weight and cost.
• While the Bosch saw comes with side extensions – we’d set most of ours on Bosch’s gravity rise stand – which provides its own extensions. As others point out – many folks use Dewalt’s or other vendors (ridged, Rousseau etc.) miter saw stands
Stuart
Thanks for sharing all that!
I would be curious to see how many people use miter saws on stands vs. how many just put them on the floor. Obviously saws that lack extendable rails are more difficult to use on the floor, but I’m sure it’s done.
Bosch’s 10″ axial glide saw (CM10GD) does have a similar mechanism as the 12″, and is almost as heavy. I pulled a muscle carrying the 80-pound box up the stairs.
Jerry
I’m not a professional carpenter, but have done my share of home improvement and maintanence. Most of the time, my miter saw sits on the floor, bacause I work on things an afternoon here, or a few hours there, and I can just unplug it and set it in a corner when not in use. Fortunately, mine has very nice extensions that open up on both sides, so I can do that. We’re I a pro, I am sure I would have it on a stand, but my DIY budget would have only allowed for a cheapo saw, with a cheapo stand. I felt I was better off, with a good saw on the floor for now, as I could always get a stand later if I had some big projects to do.
RKA
For me, even if I was doing baseboard or flooring, I’d still want the saw on a stand with proper material support. It allows better visibility and I can operate the tool in a relaxed and comfortable position, all of which are important if I want to keep my digits and don’t want a piece of wood or aluminum getting thrown into my face. Kneeling on the floor and crouching down to see my cut line is something I may have done a long time ago to save a buck, but these days I see it differently.
Tommy
Got this one. launched in Europe summer 13. I can’t say anything else than that it is really god. My dislikes, if I had to find some are that it is a little deep(i knew this before bying though). And that the laser lens cover becomes dusty real fast and needs to be cleened (one screw really no hassle). It is adjustable witch is good as it did not cut straigth out of the box! The extensions are great and the depth and length og cut is brilliant.
mnoswad1
jut add twin batteries…………DeWalt are you listening, just add 2 inches to that blade.
Jason
I was just wondering if anyone has used this saw regularly. I’m in the market for an 8 1/2″ slider and am considering this one to the new one from Makita.