Harbor Freight Miter Saw Review [Chicago Electric Saw]

More than a handful of specialists have listed Harbor Freight as one of the most popular and reliable manufacturers of Chicago electric miter saws. This, of course, is no coincidence. The company has earned a reputation for high-performance and superior tools such as its new and revitalized 12 Inch double-bevel sliding compound miter saw with Laser Guide and 15Amp motor.

The miter saw is so far beyond incredible, and its construction and innovation are in a way woodworkers want. Truly, the saw deserves a hats-off moment of silence. In fact, it highly deserves a national holiday, an avenue with its name, or definitely, a well-crafted recommendation for an electric miter saw.

Top Features of Chicago Electric Miter Saw

Cutting Capacity

The 12 Inch Double-Bevel sliding compound miter saw has a blade that can cut up to 12 inches wide. The miter saw can make smooth, quick, and extensive cuts with its compact slide system. Besides guaranteeing comfort during use, it as well increases precision. And despite its compact dimension, the device impresses with an incredible cutting capacity, making it ideal for more carpentry projects.

Suppose your primary purpose is to create 45 ° cross-cuts and you are probably searching for an incredible miter saw. In that case, you have to be aware that this Chicago electric miter saw offers an excellent cutting depth and may handle a piece measuring up to 3- ¼ inches x 9-1/2 inches.

Miter and Bevel Capacity

Like most of the Harbor Freight miter saw, this sliding compound miter has also a miter range leading up to 0 to 45 degrees. Moreover, the machine can also tilt up to a range of 45 degrees, either to the left or the right. What in turn tends to astonish scores of people all over it’s the stops or breaks this miter saw makes during operation. These stops allow quick changes to the most common angles. For instance; the miter breaks at the most recognized angles of 0 °, 15 °, 22.5 °, 33 °, and 45 ° to the right or left.

Blade

Like other miter saws available in the market, this 12 Inch double bevel sliding compound miter saw is equipped with a solid blade. Its large number of teeth creates thick and better cuts in a lot of materials like metal. It can as well cut other materials like hardwood, laminate, plywood, etc.

Speed and Performance

Another remarkable feature was found in this miter saw. The double bevel sliding compound machine has a 15 Amp motor, which is reliable and can handle the most demanding and challenging work. And due to this fantastic 15 Amp motor, the miter saw can rotate with a maximum speed of 3800 revolutions per minute without a load, a higher speed than the Makita LS1016L, which has a speed of 3200rpm.

With this high speed, the blade can cut quickly and effectively through a lot of materials. Better and more accurate cuts can also be achieved thanks to the laser guide available. This trigger-activated laser guide directs some right to the object, enabling a person to follow the light as he/she makes precision and faster cuts.

This feature is vital to the miter saw, unlike other miter saws like the Bosch 15 Amp 12 inch corded dual-bevel sliding glide miter saw, which lacks the laser guide.

In terms of performance, you are guaranteed that this miter saw will not frustrate you. It’s designed from high-quality materials and it’s compatible with a variety of blades. It makes accurate and more nuanced cuts in metal, plastic, wood, etc.

Assemble and Design

The 12-inch double sliding compound miter saw from Chicago Electric has a smart structure and many features. For instance, its dual linear slide rail enhances stability and encourages smooth, accurate cuts. Furthermore, this dual-liner rail prevents the need for rear clearance. The ball-bearing rails as well as ensure soft sliding activity, which decreases customer fatigue.

Meanwhile, craftsmen, DIYers, and framers can buy this machine since it handles numerous cutting tasks, and it was manufactured to do crosscuts in a lot of metals and pieces of wood. Besides, its compound structure enables the machine to do miter and bevel cuts in either the left or right direction and work on various pieces of different materials.

This 12-inch blade miter saw is extra-large and comes in Grey color. It’s perfect for people who cut metals since it’s 120 volts machine. The product weighs 52 pounds, hence making it more to be portable and easy to transport. More portable than the Dewalt 12-inch sliding compound miter saw.

The base of this machine is sturdy and it’s designed from metal. This helps to ensure maximum stability and an incredible balance during use. The table clamp equipped in the device also guarantees exceptional balance and decreases dangers to a minimum.

When you talk about comfort, you will be pleased to see that Chicago Electric anticipated this device for convenience. They use aluminum to make their fences, which is to prolong the machine’s life and increases its durability.

Additional Highlights

What are the Positive Things about Chicago Miter Saw

• This miter seen by Chicago Electric highlights numerous advantages. And one of the top benefits is its convenience. The saw is simple to use and comes with specific features and controls and is ideal for beginners.
• Customers also like its low price. When compared with other miter saws in the market, this tool is affordable and accessible. Similarly, it has a higher level of execution or is similar to different types of models.
• The abundant cutting limit, the remarkable speed, and the probability of miter cuts in the two headers are other highlights.
• A lot of users like the other quality accessories the machines arrive with. The tool is strong enough to handle and cut metals and wood materials.

What are the Negative Things of Chicago Miter Saw

• Its low price May sometimes prompt a customer not to get all the accessories.
• It comes with a hard-to-read manual.
• Another small inconvenience is the blade guard that does not work correctly. Many people choose to get rid of it in general, but this brings back safety.

Accessories

In addition to the above features, the device comes with other vital accessories like:

• A reliable dust bag
• An extension bar to increase trim capacity.
• A cord storage hook.

Final Verdict

The 12 Inch Double-Bevel sliding compound miter saw is an incredible machine for the money. It’s more affordable than the Hitachi C10FSHC 10 inch sliding compound dual bevel miter saw with a laser; well, it also delivers great results.

Though it may not provide the most accurate cuts, to some extent, you may use it for hard carpentry projects like building bats, cutting metals, etc. I Hope this Chicago electric miter saw review has helped you select the best miter saw available in the market.