Hitachi C10FCG 15-Amp 10" Single Bevel Compound Miter Saw

I am just getting into woodworking, and am a raw beginner. A project I'm working on now required a miter saw, and since I am terrible with hand blades, I bought this. I wanted something very basic that would get the job done and not be too complicated to figure out. This was the best priced saw with good reviews I could find, so I took the plunge.The saw is fantastic. I'm left-handed and used to having to adjust a million different ways for a right-handed world, but this saw works just fine for me even though it was not designed for a left-hander (I don't have to switch hand placement to get the job done, which means I'm a lot safer when using this tool). It works like a dream and is easy to set up and maintain.That said, do NOT use the saw blade that comes with this. I bought a finer-toothed blade since I'm working with 1/2 inch thick, 1 1/2 inch wide pieces for my project, but I thought I'd try the blade that came with it first. It was fine the first time I used it, but the second time, the first cut I attempted shattered the piece of wood - and I mean SHATTERED it. The piece basically exploded, and though I was wearing safety gear I was extremely lucky it didn't send splinters right into my neck, chest, or lower jaw. One piece hit my left hand hard enough that I thought my index finger had been broken, and sliced my hand up pretty good. I had absolutely no warning that it was going to happen. The saw blade was properly attached, my workspace was set up correctly, and I had the piece of wood properly placed. I called a friend who does professional woodworking, and he took a look at the saw. Turns out the saw blade is poorly manufactured. He helped me replace it with the one I purchased separately, and now the saw works like a dream. Zero problems since. I threw the original blade straight in the trash.Is this saw worth it? Absolutely. I foresee years of service with this, and now I've replaced the blade, I am confident in how it works and my ability to use it. I will only replace this system if I end up needing something bigger or better, but I kind of doubt that's going to happen. The only caveat, and I mean this absolutely, is that you should replace the saw blade that comes with it before starting on ANY project. The standard blade simply isn't safe to use - an opinion backed up by my friend, who advised that he has always had problems with blades included in saw kits, so he never uses them. After nearly breaking my hand, I agree with him. Definitely buy this, but replace the included blade immediately.

I've never used a miter saw before. Saw this with excellent reviews and figured for the price I couldn't go wrong.The instructions were good and it was easy to set up. Well made. I don't know how they can sell a piece of equipment like this for that price and still make a profit. .....I bought it for cutting aluminum, not wood, so had to get a carbide blade.So, having used it now, here's my comments.1. Cuts so nicely through aluminum! Smooth, straight, fast. I think my hacksaw blade's gonna last for at least another 5 years.2. This thing's got an approx. 2 horsepower motor. It's a powerful and dangerous thing. READ THE INSTRUCTIONS.3. It's got a lot of kickback when you pull the switch. Hang on good.4. Remember, do NOT pull the saw back up without turning it off first. The blade will snag the work and risk sending someone to the hospital.5. Reviews say the vacuum is almost worthless for wood. Of course of no use for aluminum, but that's not half the story. The carbide blade chips away at the workpiece and the chips go flying at high speed in every direction. Wear full coverage goggles. Anyone else in the room, they also need full coverage goggles. Protect any electrical outlets from getting aluminum chips in them. Whatever else ya got that could be damaged by aluminum chips, protect it. And when the job is done, it's not done. You're going to spend some time with wisk broom and floor broom cleaning up the mess.[edit/update] Just calculated the speed of the periphery of the saw blade. It's about 60 mph (100 km/h). That's the speed at which the blade flings chips -- or the workpiece, if it snags. MAKE SURE THE WORK IS PROPERLY SECURED/FIXTURED and cannot shift or wiggle while being cut. Don't just hold it in place with your hand like you might working with wood on a table saw.

Does the job and does it well. Although only a 10in it is more than enough for the DIY handy person. Easy setup, nicely packaged and not to heavy to handle. Comes with a bag, a back support u-shape holder, a vise lock down piece, a hex wrench for changing the blade, and a quite involved set of instructions printed on a 8 1/2 x 11 1/2 booklet. A plus as more manufactures seem to be going for instructions printed on a large sheet of paper. The instructions outline quite a few things you can do with this handy saw from simple cuts to crown molding . The Blade however leaves much to be desired as it is only a 24t and good for rough cuts of wood. I changed it out for an Hitachi 60t which really worked out well for fine cut moldings. Blade swap is really easy just make sure you fully read the instructions. For the money a nice quality tool that won't break the bank.

This saw worked very well until I tried to cut an uneven piece of oak and then the wood flew up and the plastic guard is now non-functional. So if you use this, just saw regular wood or be careful of wood that is not clamped down. I tried to hold this one in place with a solid piece of wood but it still flew up and broke the guard which makes the machine sort of useless now. I think is it a very good saw for the money and am going to sell it to someone who can put a guard back on. I plan to buy the same one again. Just don't plan on heavy duty cutting with this.

I bought a higher priced Kobalt 10" miter saw which didn't perform as I had expected, the laser would not stay in position and the saw base was not level on the sides with the saw deck. I returned it and after reading the reviews on this saw I purchased it with reservations thinking I only had a few cuts to make. I was totally surprised with the acracy and quality of this saw. I highly recommend this saw for the DIY person that wants to make professional cuts on molding and trim. I am totally pleased with the performance and will be using this saw for other projects around the house.