August 12, 2008

Craftsman 7-1/4" Miter Saw

We were talking to one of our carpenter pals the other day and he mentioned how much he liked Craftsman's little 7-1/4" Miter Saw. He said it's extremely light and perfect for small stuff. It's also got to be nice to have an alternative to the bulky 10 or 12 inch miter saw.

The saw runs on a 9 amp motor and comes with a little laser light to assist with cutting. But without question, the highlight of the item is its weight of 16 pounds. This is more than half of what most 10" saws cost. Sure, you'll be losing some functionality and won't be able to cut all those big boards, but for portability, this guy can't be beat.

The saw is about $80 which we think is a really good price for the potential uses of this tool. There is also a similar tool available that is a sliding compound miter (that one sells for $160). There is also the savings on blades. Ever price a 12" blade? It's ugly. But this saw uses the same blades that your circular saw uses and that you can pick up for $10-$15.

7-1/4" Miter Saw at Sears
7-1/4" Sliding Compound Miter Saw at Sears