Craftsman MiterMate 10” Compound Miter Saw
Craftsman MiterMate 10” Compound Miter Saw Review
Finish carpenters do not have problems cutting and fitting crown molding but Do-It-Yourselfer’s do!
Craftsman has a new 10″ compound miter saw called the Miter Mate that is designed to take the guess work out of crown molding corners and angle cuts. They recently sent me a Miter Mate to test out.
FIRST IMPRESSION:
Out of the box, the saw fence was square to the blade and needed no adjustments, the bevels did not need to be adjusted either.The saw seems solidly constructed, it ran well, cut well and all adjustment movements were smooth.
The adjustable V-fence is easy to use and adjust as was the adjustable angle finder. See photos below.
FEATURES:
- Moving fence with sliding faces
- Retractable extension supports with a built in stop.
- Laser Trac cutting guide
- One hold down clamp dust bag
- 10″ 40-tooth carbide saw
- 15 Amp motor, 4800 RPM
- Adjustable bevel of 0 to 45°
USING THE MITER MATE
The Miter Mate is not your ordinary miter saw. It has an innovative design that pivots the saw fence, as opposed to the saw blade pivoting. There are two easy to use levers in the fence base that adjust and lock the fence into position.
OVERALL OPINION:
The Craftsman Miter Mate is a nice saw for cutting crown molding, baseboard and other trim. First-time miter-saw users and homeowners looking to tackle trim installation and basic home improvement projects should consider the Miter Mate.
I can see this saw being problematic in tight job site locations. When working with long lengths of molding, the Miter Mater requires you to maneuver the molding according to the angled fence. Job site conditions may not accommodate this. One option for Craftsman is to make a swivel accessory for the saw to turn instead of swinging long molding around?
The saw only cutsto a depth of 3 5/8 inches, this could become a problem with larger trim.
Overall I was impressed with the innovation of this the Miter Mate. It takes complex angles and provides it’s user with a simple to use and setup solution.
If cutting angles make you nervous or your apprehensive tackling home trim jobs then the Miter Mate is the saw you need. It duplicates the exact angle, eliminates miss-cuts, and saves you time.
I don not seeing this saw making a bit hit on a professional job site but I do recommend it to Do-It-Yourselfer’s and other home improvement enthusiasts looking for a solid miter saw.
The Craftsman Miter Mate sells for $ 200.00.