You’ll agree with us when we say that people when working on a wood project prefer different types of saws and blades.
In order to make things easier for you, we did tons of research and testing to find out the best products for your projects.
This article will provide you with detailed reviews, instructions, and guidelines that will surely help you decide.
Features | Dewalt 12-Inch Miter Saw | Skil 5280-01 Circular Saw |
|---|---|---|
| Price | High-priced | Light on the pocket |
| RPM provided by the motor | This saw provides a 4000 RPM | This provides a 5300 RPM |
| Blade Length | 12 inches | 7.25 inches |
Now that you have a basic idea of the differences between the two saws, let’s look into their individual features and benefits.
Dewalt 12-Inch Miter Saw Review - Accurate and Quick Crosscuts
The Dewalt Miter saw helps in making precise and fast rip cuts whether the saw is beveled or angled. This 12-inch saw comes with 14 positive stops. For support, a machine-based fence is also given.
Features of Dewalt 12-inch Miter Saw
- 4000 RPM motor
- Sliding fences for support
- 5.5 inches of crown molding and 5.5 inches of base molding
- Weighs 42.8 pounds
- Dimensions are 26.77 x 21.85 x 18.9 inches.
- Can be used for repeated straight cuts
- Easy to set up and use
- Miter detent plates ensure accuracy
- Power saw to cut straight
- Excellent cross-cut capacity
- Power saw with 15 amp motor
- Takes up space and needs a table or stand for support.
- Limited cuts possible
- Expensive
Benefits of Dewalt 12-inch Miter Saw
This miter saw from Dewalt comes with numerous benefits such as its cross-cut capability that provides a very good 2×8 cut at a 90-degree angle. In addition to this, it also provides a 2×6 cut at a 45-degree angle. The saw can make a bevel cut or even be used to cut straight.
How durable is it?
The miter saw is also considered a high-quality professional tool since it is made from the finest premium quality materials. These materials make this miter saw highly durable and less prone to damage ideal for projects.
Are there any noise problems?
The miter saw when turned on produces very little sound making it easy for you to use it indoors without any disturbance. Furthermore, you can add an LED light to this saw for a few dollars which will make it into a new model but for a way less price than the real one with the light.
Factors to Consider Before you Decide to Buy Dewalt 12-Inch Miter Saw
Right Detents and Capacity
There are variable maximum miters in a saw but it is certain for a saw to have a 45-degree angle. Some of the compound miter saws have even more angles to use.
Except for the odd angles, every saw must have at least these common angles that are 90 degrees, 45 degrees, and 22.5 degrees. All these angles are there on this miter saw.
Fence Support
The fence of a miter saw protects the wood during the cut. The material must be tightly pressed up against the fence or the table.
If this method is not done properly the blade of the miter saw can cause the wood to break into small sharp pieces. These small pieces of these wood go airborne and damage the wood as well as become a threat for the people nearby.
Dust Extraction
Rough cuts can be made by the saw-release sawdust. If the saw is to be used indoors, a dust extractor is highly recommended. This saw offers an already made dust extractor since the sawdust is very dangerous for anyone that breathes air with it inside.
The air is not only unpleasant but these pieces are also very dangerous for your lungs and damage them over time.
Safety
If you buy a miter saw you should make sure that it comes with an arm lock that immobilizes the up and down action of the blade of the saw.
Most saws come with a miter clamp but if yours does not have one you should be smart and get an after-market one. The Dewalt miter saw provides all these features.
Durability
This miter saw is made from the finest materials in the market due to which it is super strong and well built. This also helps to take the miter saw from one place to another without damaging it.
The blade of the saw is also very durable which helps to cut perfectly and neatly. The cuts are also quick, saving you a lot of time and effort.
Easy to use and functions
This saw provides the most functions at this price. You can easily add a laser or a LED light to this saw for around 70-80 dollars which would still cost you way less than a saw that already comes with an LED light.
The saw is also very easy to set up and use. The handles are perfectly placed helping you use this machine for hours without any fatigue.
What Do the Customers Think?
After testing this saw our team decided to surf the internet to look at different reviews provided by people that have used this saw in their everyday lives. By exploring these reviews given by people we can support our views even more.
Most of the customer reviews were positive and people were delighted to work with this miter saw. People loved its built quality and cutting ability. The people were also delighted by the fact that they got so many functions at this price. Lastly, the people also praised its fast delivery and packing.
Dewalt Miter Saw Review – Final Verdict
After carefully researching the miter saw, we’ve come to the conclusion that if you are looking for a miter saw that is safe to use and gives you neat cuts this is the best option available.
In addition to this, if you are new to saw cutting this model of saw would be the ideal and easiest to learn on.
Skil 5280-01 Circular Saw Review - Highly Powered and Affordable
The Skil 5280-01 circular saw comes with a powerful 15 Amp motor that further delivers a 5300 RPM for faster speed and cutting ability. The circular saw also has a built-in single beam laser guide that makes it easy for you to work and make accurate straight cuts.
Features of Skil 5280-01 Circular SawSaw
- A strong motor that delivers a 5300 RPM
- A variety of cuts are available
- The circular saw is only 6.95 pounds in weight
- A single beam laser guide is available
- An indicator light is also available on this circular saw
- Laser guide ensures straight cuts
- Dust blower protects you from sawdust
- A guarded trigger minimizes accidental start-up
- Powerful motor in the circular saw
- A variety of cut options are available
- Lightweight
- No table or board is required
- Battery-powered circular saw
- The circular saw is not very durable
- Difficult to make angled cuts
Benefits of Skil 5280-01 Circular Saw
This circular saw from Skil is very light in weight making it extremely portable. The circular saw also needs no special stands, board, or table to work on, you can easily use it wherever you need to cut wood.
Does it have a dust collector?
The dust blower attached with this circular saw keeps the line of cut sawdust free which if not present can interrupt you while you are working and sometimes even cause you to make untidy cuts.
Another benefit of this blower is that it keeps the air around you sawdust free which if inhaled can damage your lungs.
Are there any indicator lights?
The indicator light present on the circular saw lets you know if the saw is turned on or off making it safe for you. The 51-degree bevel with positive stops at 45 degrees also gives you numerous different cut options to work with.
Factors to Consider Before you Decide to Buy Skil 5280-01 Circular Saw
Laser Guide
This circular saw comes with a single beam laser guide that helps you a lot in making accurate and precise cuts. This is a very premium feature that is not offered in all the circular saws available in the market.
Are laser guide saws 100% accurate?
This does not necessarily mean that your cuts would be 100% accurate as the laser is not tied to the blade on the circular saw, only a little right to it.
A lot also depends on the color of the laser, red lasers are difficult to see in bright daylight so as a replacement green lasers are used instead.
Price
The Skil 5280-01 is available at a very affordable price which makes it perfect for short-term projects and fewer workloads. In addition to this, the Skil circular saw features all the basic needs of a high-quality saw.
What to keep in mind when buying a saw?
People tend to buy expensive circular saws but do not get the maximum worth from them since they use them only on small-scale cutting.
So for this, we advise you that first do proper research about your work then go and buy a circular saw according to it. This will keep you within your budget and get you the maximum outcome. In a circular saw vs miter saw battle the circular saw is almost always more affordable.
Lightweight
This circular saw is portable as it only weighs 6.95 pounds. This has a lot of benefits as it allows you to take this circular saw from one place to another with ease. You can easily pick up this circular saw with your hands and feel no fatigue or pain whatsoever.
This also gives you more benefits than even very large circular saws do not provide you such as the ability to take this saw in confined small spaces. It also assists you in tasks that require very quick speedy work.
Easy to use
This circular saw is also very easy to use as it offers a very easy and simple push start mechanism. The circular saw needs no constant repairs and refueling after every few hours.
The dust blower available in this circular saw also removes all the sawdust in the line of cuts making it easier for you to work without any distraction or disturbance.
Safe to Use
The Skil saw comes with all the precautionary measures to keep you and others around you safe when working with it.
Firstly, the chain has an indicator light on it that tells you if it’s turned on or off so you do not unknowingly hurt yourself with it. Secondly, it also has a guarded trigger on itself that minimizes the chance of an accident or an accidental startup.
The dust blower keeps all the dust and sawdust away which if you breathe in the air can irritate the throat and cause violent coughing. This sawdust also has long-term health effects as it can damage your lungs.
What Do the Customers Think?
We thoroughly tested the circular saw on various types of woods and saw some outstanding results. After this, we decided to go and surf the internet for online reviews of this product to get an even better understanding.
The people were delighted that they got such an amazing product for a very reasonable price. They also loved how smooth the cuts were and the machine showed no bumps or hindrance of any kind.
However, some of the customers were not happy with the built quality of the saw.
Skil 5280-01 Circular Saw Review – Final Verdict
If you are looking for a circular saw that is highly affordable and does not negotiate with the quality of the cuts this circular saw from Skil is the ideal option for you. It is quite easy to use and can be taken from one place to another with ease.
Miter Saw Vs Circular Saw - Buyers’ Guide
What is the difference between a Miter saw and a Circular saw?
In the compound miter saw vs circular saw battle this is the most frequently asked question.
If you are using the miter saw the cutting blade is dropped from above the workpiece to cut the wood, while on the other hand if you are using a circular saw the blade of the saw is fed against the wood in a proper straight path.
Another main difference is that the circular saw can be used to make numerous different types of rip cuts while on the other hand, a miter saw is a special tool used to make angled cuts only.
They are different in terms of storage and portability as well since a circular saw is very portable and lightweight and can be taken easily from one place to another while a miter saw requires a proper table or stand. It also weighs more than the circular saw.
What are the three main types of miter saws?
The three main types of miter saws include the standard miter saws, the compound miter saws, and the sliding miter saws.
The standard miter saws allow you to rotate it to the sides, this causes you to cut a board of wood from the top to an angle. This also assists you to create corner pieces that are used in a variety of different projects.
Whereas, the compound miter saws also tilt which allows you to cut pieces of wood both vertically and horizontally at a variety of angles. These saws are specially designed to make picture frames or any other similar products that require angled cross cuts in two different planes.
Lastly, we have the double bevel sliding miter saws. The sliding miter saw has an additional benefit that allows you to slide them forward so they can cut wider pieces than the saw would originally allow. This sliding miter saw has rails that allow you to slide them forward and backward when you are cutting wood.
How dangerous is a Miter saw and what safety precautions should you take when working with one?
A miter saw can be hazardous if proper safety precautions are not taken care of. Hazardous incidents include fire, an electric shock, or even a personal injury when using miter saws and circular saws.
A person using a miter saw should wear eye protection all the time since little pieces of wood can fly off and permanently damage the eyes. When you turn off the saw blade of miter saws you should first wait for the blade to stop moving before you change any settings or change your workspace.
The saw should not be used if flammable liquids or gases are nearby. The electrical operation of the saw could cause an explosion or fire when such flammable materials are nearby. You should make sure that the blade has no contact with the base in the lowest position.
What else can you do?
You should hold the handle very firmly since the saw moves a little up and down when starting or stopping the saws. Little chips and small pieces on the table should also be removed before you start working on your project.
Lastly, you should keep in mind that the saw should not be worked with if the guards are not in place. You should check the blade guard if it is in the proper place before closing.
Also, never operate the saw if the blade guard does not move freely or closes instantly. Do not tie the blade guard in the open position of the saw.
Can you cut an exact 45-degree angle with a circular saw?
Although for such precise and accurate cuts a miter saw is preferred more, however with enough practice a circular saw can be used to make a 45-degree angle. The best way to do this is to use a guide for it.
Once you have lined up the blade and the circular saw you should hold it very firmly to prevent it from slipping away.
If you have trouble keeping it steady you can clamp your piece of wood so it does not slip. Another common mistake that people make while doing this is that they lift their hands or twist the saw at the end of the cut. These mistakes cause wavy and untidy cuts which are a waste of time and effort.
Can a 10-inch miter saw cut a 4×4?
A ten-inch miter saw is ideal for cutting a 4×4 piece and will cut it perfectly. However, the only hurdle you face in doing this is that you can not do this in a single go. Once you are done cutting the first side you have to stop and turn over the material to cut the other side of it.
Which is better for a beginner? A Miter saw or a Circular saw?
In the circular saw vs miter saw it is preferable that if you are new to crosscuts and rip cuts you should start with a miter saw since it is a great and easy woodworking tool for beginners.
You can make a lot of new things when you are learning the miter saw plus it gives you very clean and accurate cuts. You also have the option of angled cuts between 90 and 45 degrees.
What do you place a miter saw on?
For a miter saw it is best to put it on a stand or place it against a wall so that cutoffs can occur on both sides of the blades. It should also be placed in an area that provides clearance for longer boards.
Final Verdict
After carefully looking through both the saws in detail we have concluded that there is no clear winner in the miter saw vs circular saw battle. Both these saws serve a different purpose and are required for different kinds of cutting and projects.
If you are looking for a short-term cutting tool or daily use then the circular saw is the go-to option.
On the other hand, if it is not for daily use and a professional work cutting job then it is preferred to go to the miter saw as it provides more perfection.