Hitachi C10FCH 15 Amp 10-Inch Compound Miter Saw with Laser
Posted on | October 28, 2009 | 3 Comments
From the second you wrap your hand around the Elastomer grip and beam the laser light onto your cutting surface, you’ll be hooked. The 15-amp motor powers you through 8/4 oak like butter. Cutting crown molding vertically is no chore here, with a large extended fence that goes up to 4 inches. Even the table surface is bigger on this saw. It’s not a perfect world, especially at the corners, but your miters can be perfect with 0 to 52-degree range both left and right to compensate. The detents at all the common angles are easy to manipulate, too. The gauges for both the miter and bevel cuts are clear and easy to read, something you don’t find on every saw. The swivel is smooth and the blade travel is beautiful. Yet this Hitachi s (more…)
Comments
3 Responses to “Hitachi C10FCH 15 Amp 10-Inch Compound Miter Saw with Laser”
Leave a Reply
-
Top 10 Compound Miter Saw
Top 10 Compound Miter Saw
October 29th, 2009 @ 1:35 am
Although reviews can provide you with a good overview of what’s out there, I still like to actually see (and touch) the tools before buying them. So I went down to the local store and checked out their offerings. I was attracted to the Hitachi C10FCH miter saw because of the quality of construction, the ergonomics, the physical size and the price (ordered according to importance).
Quality of construction: nicely machined table, substantial hinge, smooth movement of miter and bevel adjustments.
Ergonomics: horizontal handle with conveniently located on/off switch (pistol grip only makes sense on sliding miter saws). A laser helps with aim.
Physical size: feels light and compact compared to other models in the same class.
Price: is reasonable since the saw comes with an integrated laser.
Performance: Excellent cuts (with the right blade)! With the help of the laser, I routinely cut base board within 1mm (=0.04 inch). Tool feels precise, solid and is easy to use.
Drawbacks that pursuaded me to give only four stars:
Although the price is reasonable, Hitachi was skimping on features: Table extensions are optional and the included blade is very coarse (good enough for 2x4s but you need to invest another $50 for a good blade that does moldings, base board, etc.), no dual compound capability.
Although the laser is extremely (!) useful, ideally one would like to have a dual laser calibrated to either edge of the cut. I find myself recalibrating the laser from one edge to the other edge a lot.
One last thing, the saw dust bag setup is not very efficient. It catches maybe 50%, probably less.
October 29th, 2009 @ 5:53 am
I ordered this saw from Amazon and got a SWEET deal! Yes, the 24 tooth blade that comes with the saw isn’t great, [...]
Right out of the box the saw needed no adjustment and was cutting dead on. It has a smooth action, and is very comfortable to use with the “D” handle.
ATTENTION!!!!! REVISED REVIEW after less than a year:
After owning this saw for 11 months, the little design flaws are rearing their little heads. From the little use this saw has had, the wiring for the laser has failed due to continued flexing near the rear of the saw. The design allows the wires to be constantly flexed to the breaking point because there is no strain relief on these very thin wires. If you have purchased this miter saw, take the cover off the back and check your wiring before it breaks! Also, several times I have noticed that the blade brake doesn’t work as quickly as it should, and now the table grinds when turning it to make a miter cut. I have contacted Hitachi twice, and have heard NOTHING from them in THREE weeks! When I purchased this miter saw from Amazon, it came with a 5 YEAR warranty. That’s a joke, when I cannot even get a response from their warranty department in less than ONE year! This will be my last Hitachi purchase!!!!! Amazon won’t allow me to change my star rating from the original five star to a one, but BUYER BEWARE!
October 29th, 2009 @ 1:41 pm
I bought this saw in May from the Blue store. Within a few days, the laser began working intermittently. Apparently the wire leads were loose. Took it to the service center nearby, was fixed in about 10 days. But the laser was then off by a few degrees. They apparently left out one of the two springs on the laser unit. Then, one day I went to use it and found a small metal bracket laying on it. I couldn’t figure out where it came from, so I set it aside. When I made the first cut, I realized it is a hold-down clip for the little plastic piece on the table behind the blade. The plastic piece (parts diagram calls it a dust divertor or something similar) was destroyed by the blade.
The saw has now been in the shop for 6 weeks waiting on the three parts they ordered. I really think the second problem was caused by the service shop, but six weeks (and counting) for replacement parts is unacceptable. The shop said this is not unusual for Hitachi. This makes me less inclined to purchase Hitachi tool in the future.