Makita has always been a strong name in miter saws, and this year they are releasing two new competitors in the ring that will be sure to impress. We got our hands on the two new saws at the 2017 Makita New Products event and were able to get some live demos before they hit the shelves.
Makita will be releasing the all new 10” Dual Slide Compound Miter Saw LS1019L ($510) in July this year, as well as its cordless equivalent, the 18VX2 (36V) 10” Brushless Cordless Miter Saw XSL06 later in September. Both are built with a powerful new direct drive gearbox that is designed to give smooth power in high demand applications.
The 15 AMP motor is capable of 3,200 RPM, and the absence of any belt drives means that there is more power being given straight to the blade, and no belts will slip. The motor also has a new soft-start feature that allows for better ease of use and more controlled operation. The saw also includes an electric brake for instant blade stops as soon as the power is released.
The new miter saw has a unique slide rail that is positioned in the front of the saw, rather than behind it. This allows for operation in much smaller areas and even flush against a wall since the rail does not protrude out the back during operation. It also allows for less head movement room for more accurate cuts. It has a 6-5/8” capacity for vertically nested crown molding, 5-1/4 capacity for vertical baseboard, and can make 12” crosscuts at 90°.
The saw miters 0-60° left and right and can bevel 0-48°. It also features miter stops at 0°, 15°, 22.5°, 31.6°, 45°, and 60°. It has a 4-3/4” tall fence and built in laser for accurate cuts. The rubberized handle is designed for all day comfort and the see-through blade guard is designed for high visibility, for straighter and more accurate cuts every time.
We are excited to see how the new Makita saws stack up against the competition, as many popular brands are now introducing cordless alternatives to miter saws. Makita is unique in that it offers the same saw in either corded or cordless power options. We really like the forward rail system, as the only other saw we have seen to take on that type of design is the Festool Kapex Miter saw, which retails at a much higher price point.
The big sell for us here is the dual port dust extraction on these two new Makita saws, one near the rear of the saw and one just below the back of the blade. Between the Milwaukee M18 10” Compound Miter Saw and Dewalt 12” Flexvolt Compound Miter Saw, we have not been very impressed with the dust collection abilities. From what we saw at the Makita event, the new Miter Saw did an excellent job collecting dust when hooked up to an extractor.
Another new feature on the cordless model is Bluetooth capabilities for connection to a vacuum. The corded saws have the option to plug directly into a Makita vacuum, or any other vacuum that has auto-shut off features, allowing the vacuum to turn on and off when it senses power. The Bluetooth on the cordless options will allow for the same functionality, since there is no cord to plug in.
This is the first tool from Makita to offer this Bluetooth feature for dust extraction. Does this mean we will see this feature on other upcoming Makita cordless tools like grinders, rotary hammers, and other tools that require extraction? We hope so, as this could be a big step forward for Makita.
The Makita Corded 10” Compound Miter Saw LS1019L is available now at Ohio Power Tool, and the cordless 18VX2 (36V) 10” Compound Miter Saw XSL06Z will be available in September of 2017.
