# Ridgid bring back the 12" SCMS



## Jswills76 (Nov 12, 2012)

It is a lower line. That's why they have to throw a stand in to get you to buy it. The ridgid stands are kinda junkie anyway.


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## SamM (Dec 13, 2009)

I didn't do any trim this year, but I still went with the Makita. 

It's all personal preference of course. Buy whatever you like. 

The way I look at it, a Makita is more reliable. If I have a trim job and my saw conks out or is cutting wrong, I can easily lose the price difference between the two saws in a day. Especially if I have a helper or crew.


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## PrestigeR&D (Jan 6, 2010)

so,....


Let me get your personal opinion pertaining to the questions I have for you below..... 

In your opinion, do you think that I , (or anyone else that owns a Ridgid 12" SCMS ) would keep the saw If it did not perform as expected, if it did not make accurate cuts ....or kept coming out of alignment, or was difficult to get certain angles.....or was to heavy to lug around, or was to cheaply made , or was always breaking down, or was just a saw that was a regret.........:blink:






B


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## insane (May 27, 2009)

Just returned the 12" and free sluv i got the other day. I could not get that saw to make a good cut. I tried 2 different blades, spent about 5 hours trying to dial it in and finally gave up.
Got the Dewalt 780 and stand.Tthe difference was night and day. 

Tim


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## PrestigeR&D (Jan 6, 2010)

Sorry to hear that,...I would do the same if I had that problem,,,

Don't know what to say,......:blink:

I am going on 10 years with mine....

Well,

Enjoy your Dewalt , it's a nice saw, .....:thumbsup:



B,


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## mgb (Oct 31, 2008)

Not that I'd ever buy a rigid mitre saw but...

IMO, the ridgid is among the worst in terms of bulk factor. The massive table/bed on that thing is atrocious. 

I'd say the milwaukee/bosch axial is next in line, both seem like decent quality saws. But I'm not cutting 4x12"s on a daily basis.


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## Bearded Wonder (Jan 21, 2011)

Everyone I've ever seen with that stand has told me they hate it.


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## CrpntrFrk (Oct 25, 2008)

ClaytonR said:


> Everyone I've ever seen with that stand has told me they hate it.


I don't hate it at all. Just heavy. But being I never have to pick the whole thing up at the same time, it is not a problem.


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## Deckhead (Dec 9, 2010)

I stand by what I posted before. I wont really use the saw for some of the intricate designs I do with exotics, but for cutting base, crown, chair, casing, especially paint grade, its more than adequate. I've had the dewalt, used often the Makita, and Hitachi which all 4 were roughly the same quality, the Makita was somewhat better than all the rest but at that price point, the ridgid can't be beat.

If you want a really nice saw, like everything else, you're going to be doubling the cost, took me a long time to realize that. All the box store brands are relatively close in quality. From really good chisels to really good sanders to really good saws... They ain't found where homeowners usually shop.


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## PrestigeR&D (Jan 6, 2010)

I think everyone has their own likes and dislikes about what ever brand it is they like,...and some guys aren't brand loyal, (such as me) .....some tools I like are from Milwaukee, some are from Bosch, some by Dewalt , some by Ridgid ,and some by Festool..
.. It's actually all over the place.......

Granted the 12" Ridged is a little heavy , but when you put it on the SLUV. Stand it's not that bad, not bad at all......


JMPOV,


B,


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## CrpntrFrk (Oct 25, 2008)

I really like the stand. Might have said that already. Rolls nice, folds up nice. Rolls to the tail gate, lean it, pick up the ass end, then it slides right in. ( sounds dirty) Same with their table saw. Some say it's too big and awkward but I feel it folds up nice and loads nice. 

Guess as mentioned, to each their own...


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## SamM (Dec 13, 2009)

PrestigeR&D said:


> so,.... Let me get your personal opinion pertaining to the questions I have for you below..... In your opinion, do you think that I , (or anyone else that owns a Ridgid 12" SCMS ) would keep the saw If it did not perform as expected, if it did not make accurate cuts ....or kept coming out of alignment, or was difficult to get certain angles.....or was to heavy to lug around, or was to cheaply made , or was always breaking down, or was just a saw that was a regret.........:blink: B


Nope, not suggesting that. I would think an older rigid would be a better saw than a new one. 

It's my personal opinion that a newer rigid saw would be a poor investment. It might work great for years, or crap out in a matter of days. I've seen rigid tools that did both. 

Not trying to step on toes. If you kept the saw ten years then I assumed that it was a good one.


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## asgoodasdead (Aug 30, 2013)

people complaining about how heavy it is, it's a stationary saw. and I've worked with guys who complained skil wormdrivers are too heavy, so yeah.


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## mgb (Oct 31, 2008)

It doesn't seem as stationary when I load/unload it a couple hundred times a year. The difference translates into moving an extra ton of weight per year.

Anyway that's just my preference.


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## Jdub2083 (Dec 18, 2011)

I've had that setup for 3+ years now and haven't had any trouble with the saw or stand. Would i rate it with a kapex, of course not. It's a solid setup and a great price. I don't care about the 150 lbs, that's really not that heavy. I mean it's on wheels. If the worst part of my day is lifting 150 lbs into or out of my trailer or truck then it was a damn good day.


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## Mrmac204 (Dec 27, 2006)

I've had the 12" bosch (pre-axial) and it was heavy, but solid. The motor would slow down on cuts though, and it had one heck of a kick at start up. large scale, but not really suited to finishing.

Next was the 12" Milwaukee, that had the 1/10th degree digital readout. That was a really great feature. Saw was 73 lbs, and being a 12" saw the blade deflected- a lot. I had it mounted on the SLUV, and man that combo was one heavy sucker. the MSUV (??) was clunky, I was constantly fixing it. The slide out arms would sag no matter how much I adjusted them. it was a pig! and going up stairs? even though it had wheels it was a huge effort.

The brains eventually went out on the Milwaukee, the digital scale would read 60 degrees on any miter setting over 45, so it became a large anchor. (sold it on CL)

I tried one of the new generation Makita's, it was "ok" I guess, smooth kinda like a sewing machine. Lots and lots of gadget like controls, not intuitive though. Awkward sight lines IE: tough to see where your cut mark was.

Also tried a Dewalt, seemed ok, but the head had some serious wobble on the rails back and forth. Excellent sight lines, good scale.

Finally got a kapex. Light weight, tight on the rails, no deflection in the blade. The miter lock sucks big time, easily the worst of the saws that I tried. No easy way to creep up on an angle, and the detent lock-out just plain doesn't work worth a damn.

It desperately needs a way better scale, the left side basically disappears when you have a cut to the left, the bed of the saw blocks you view.

You are forced to use their miter-finder as the printed/imprinted scale is quite small. I've suggested to the dealer that a vernier scale with a small magnifier would be da-bomb but I got a glazed eye look on that one.

It folds up really small, motor starts and has no kick, accurate as all get out, vacuum/sawdust feature works really well, the motor rides on two rails that extend out front so you can get close to a wall.

It's a teriffic saw but it has a way to go yet.

Someone locally is selling a miter finder which is a knock off of the kapex miter finder. They've improved it with some features.

I'm old school though, I like to go around a room and measure all the (outside) corners and mark them down on a map. Saves time! I can do better pre-planning and be more efficient with my time rather than using the kapex miter finder which basically forces me to do one corner at a time. 

That's why I want 1/10th degree vernier scale on the kapex. Fast, accurate, no pissing around with gadgets.


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## TBFGhost (Oct 9, 2008)

If you have blade deflection on a 12 inch, your using blades that are cheap or too thin.


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## PrestigeR&D (Jan 6, 2010)

I have heard several people talking about "blade deflection" with different SCMS's , brands,makes and models.....

More than likely It has nothing to do with the saw and everything to do with the blade. Thin kerf blades are prone to this- even with stabilizers built into them. 

I have read about this problem in online forums with every miter saw that has been built and it was not the saw that caused the deflection in the end. When you switch over to a thicker kerf and blade design the problem goes away, especially on any 12" model.


I had it with a 12" Diablo on my axial glide.....went to a thicker kerf, the difference was like night and day. A good blade makes a huge difference on the results.



JMO,


B,


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## basswood (Oct 31, 2008)

asgoodasdead said:


> I'm not dumb enough to think a makita made now and made 20 years ago are made from the same parts and materials or with the same craftsmanship/attention to detail. everything nowadays is made like crap


The Makita SCMS is the only miter saw still made in the USA. The new saws are every bit as good as the old ones.


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## pinwheel (Dec 7, 2009)

I had a 12" rigid for a while. Sold it when I bought my bosch. Just had rigid tablesaw lay down on my Friday & left me in a lurch. I'm pretty sure I've bought my last rigid tool. I've bought quite a few rigid tools & everyone, except my router have let me down at one point or another.


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## PrestigeR&D (Jan 6, 2010)

I have tried all most every miter saw out there ,as most of you have as well.....they all have things about them we like (each one of them) and some things we don't like......

I have issues with my Bosch and my Ridged...but I (in General liked certain things about them). I really liked the Makita SCMS but didn't end up buying it .....why..:blink: I can't say.....I really don't know why I didn't. 
I think I was hung up on the huge field table with the Ridged and it moved very smooth, the slider , the bevel and the miter movement....

The Bosch was the feel of the action and space saving...making a sharp bevel/miter combo on the right side is not the ideal setup- having to remove the fence just to do this is a very poor design IMO. I can live with it but I don't like it. I love the feel of the Bosch axial and the upfront controls and the space it saves in my shop. It cuts accurate , detents are accurate, but other than that - it's a pain in the ass at times.....and why is there no laser...:blink:


What always makes me wonder is why none of the manufacturers have come up with a design where the motor runs parallel with the blade- mounted on top. It wouldn't get in the way when doing sharp angle bevel/miter combos and would just seem like a clean setup- evenly balanced. It is definitely doable , it might bump the price up considerably but I would bite the bullet just to get away from the "barely clears the fence" or "I have to remove something to get this angle" my dream engineered SCMS.....




I'll be honest , what I find a much more enjoyable read is when we talk about them with an open mind without chastising someone for what they use. I could care less personally, the big end is what your producing- THAT is what is important IMO. 
I really can't stand the arguments I see on here about whats the best miter saw,the derogatory comments to those that don't buy a certain brand ....it is not very constructive . What I like is when someone is honest and will point out areas of the saw/equipment they own that they like and some that they don't like ,instead of the conversation being civil it ends up being a defensive process on why and what they purchased......


To me,
It's much more enjoyable having an honest conversation, a civil conversation ....I think that benefits everyone involved with the conversation in so many ways....


JMPOV,



B,


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## PrestigeR&D (Jan 6, 2010)

Hey Pin,
I agree, some of their line of tools I will not buy- I had a bad experience with their cordless line.....I think every manufacturer has some lemons in their field. I am not defending Ridged, I am just saying I think all of them have some issues in one way or the other....


Sorry to hear that your saw let you down.....might want to go to a different brand....what brand.....:blink: anything produced now of days is meant to be recycled in a short time span......the days of a "lifer" are gone IMO....




B,


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## Deckhead (Dec 9, 2010)

I've always wondered about their (rigid) jobsite tablesaw. I love the cart and the fact the blade will raise to 3-1/2". However I wondered how many times could you rip a 4x4 and not burn up the motor or keep it reasonably straight? Personally jobsite tablesaws are really frustrating in general.

Not a genuine fan of rigid mostly because of the cordless, I lost mine right in the middle of a job 1-1/2 hrs away from any store to pick up another and soured on them. More my fault than there's for not having a backup with me. Don't have anything of theirs other than the miter saw because rigid stuff seems to emphasize heavy on ALL the stuff, which is okay for a shop. I would highly recommend their scms for framing, we set it up with monster wings and a tarp and left it chained, worked great for the green kids so I didn't have to constantly double check for square when it was just me and the new kid.


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## pinwheel (Dec 7, 2009)

PrestigeR&D said:


> Hey Pin,
> I agree, some of their line of tools I will not buy- I had a bad experience with their cordless line.....I think every manufacturer has some lemons in their field. I am not defending Ridged, I am just saying I think all of them have some issues in one way or the other....
> 
> 
> ...


Sad part, I really like the rigid tablesaw. I was on a job 1 1/2 hours from home & was only halfway through the day when it laid down. Can't afford to have my tools do that to me.

It's only 2 years old & if we can find the receipt, it's under warranty. So far we've had no luck finding the receipt. Fortunately, there's an authorized rigid dealer in the town we were working in & he's got a replacement motor in stock. So even if I don't find the receipt, its still gonna be cheaper than a new saw.

Their cordless tools, I'll never, ever buy another. They're junk. 

The SCMS was alright, but I like my dewalt & bosch a lot better. I know there's a lot of dewalt haters on this site, but truth be known, inye 15 years, none of my dewalt stuff have let me down & I own a lot of yellow tools.


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## Deckhead (Dec 9, 2010)

pinwheel said:


> Sad part, I really like the rigid tablesaw. I was on a job 1 1/2 hours from home & was only halfway through the day when it laid down. Can't afford to have my tools do that to me.
> 
> It's only 2 years old & if we can find the receipt, it's under warranty. So far we've had no luck finding the receipt. Fortunately, there's an authorized rigid dealer in the town we were working in & he's got a replacement motor in stock. So even if I don't find the receipt, its still gonna be cheaper than a new saw.
> 
> ...


Dewalt is a funny animal to me. Its almost as if its the standard barer for good not great. I don't think I've had a single yellow thing that I've said "this is it, this is the best" but on the contrary never said "piece of junk, never again" Dewalt is a safe buy.

Rigid, some people swear its great but those damn 18v drills were stupid heavy when I had one about 7-8 years ago, so is their circular saws...


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## Millworker (Jan 17, 2013)

The best mitre saw within the limits of quality mainstream tools is Bosch. All others pale in comparison.


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## loneframer (Feb 13, 2009)

I own 2 DW 705s, a 780 and just picked up the 715. No complaints about any of them.

I had the privelege of using the Kapex for several months and personally didn't ever get comfortable with it.

Instead, I chose to buy the 780 with a rolling stand, the 715 and the 745 table saw....and had $300 left over for some decent blades.


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## MF Custom (May 3, 2009)

Word on the street is a new 12" miter saw will be out soon from Ridgid.


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## m1911 (Feb 24, 2009)

MF Custom said:


> Word on the street is a new 12" miter saw will be out soon from Ridgid.


Sorry to hear that...:laughing:


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## MF Custom (May 3, 2009)

Just sayin...


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