ToolBoxHero

Sears continues to add new innovative tools and yesterday I had a chance to play with the new Craftsman 7 1/4 sliding compound miter saw.

 Some of the features I like in this saw.

  - Nice solid saw.  The slides are oversize for the saw and there is no side-to side play.

  - It will cut 8 inches at 90 degrees and 6 inches at a compound 45 degrees.

  - Takes up the same space as a regular 10 inch miter saw.

  - Has a laser for accurate cuts.

  - The blades are much cheaper than 10 inch blades.  It comes with a 40 tooth carbon tipped blade and you can buy a high quality  Freud 7 1/4 inch blade for less than $15.  A high quality 10 inch blade will cost you $70 or more.

This is a nice homeowner saw.  I would highly recommend it for anyone who is remodeling their house using normal trim, Arts & Crafts Style trim, and Craftsman trim.  It will also be perfect for installing hardwood floors and wainscoting.  It has enough capacity to work well if you are building a deck.  It will easily cut 2×6 lumber and deck boards.  ( I normally use a hand saw to cut the 4×4 posts)

The hobbyist will really like this saw for picture frames, doll houses, bird houses and other small detail work.

With this addition Sears now has a homeowner version of a  7 1/4 sliding coumpound miter saw, a 10 inch sliding miter saw and a 12 inch sliding miter saw for half the price of any commercial grade sliding compound miter saw. 

As with ALL sliding miter saws please anchor this saw.  Use a miter saw stand or bolt it to a workbench.  I’ve seen too many people drop their miter saw off a table and break it in half because they didn’t bolt it down.

Using a sliding compound saw is a little different than a regular miter saw. 

The proper way to use a sliding miter saw:

Clamp your board into the saw.  Put your hand on the handle and start the saw.  With the saw raised pull the saw all the way to the end of the slide stop.  Lower the blade and the push the saw through the board.  Raise the saw and release the power switch.

In summary, I like this saw and it is a good value at $169.00.  I expect it to be on sale in the $150 range.  You can buy the saw by clicking here and pick it up at your local Sears store.  You can also have it shipped directly to your house.

If you are looking for other new and used Craftsman Tools don’t forget to visit www.toolboxhero.com for the best selection of Craftsman tools on the web.