Timber Framers Guild Forums Tools Tool Forum Timber Saws

Could anybody give me good feeling about purchasing a new saw I've looked at both mafel and protool
Makita is out of the guestion
I have a 16" and find it best for panel work
It is to difficult to keep adjusted and is terrible on angles.

Before you give up on your Makita, you might want to consider a Great Northern base from Phil Bjork (check my spelling) I am able to cut perfectly square cuts at full depth and angles as low as 20 degrees with confidence and accuracy. For the $250 price tag it's a worthwhile consideration.

Bob

Bob's right, Sam. I know several professional framers, including myself, who rely on the Makita. All tricked out with the new base and a carbide tipped blade, it'll run around $1000, but it's an accurate tool. I seem to recall that Makita changed their design recently, so you may want to check with Phil to see if the design for his after-market base still works. CB.

Thanks for the info I have sent a e-mail to Phil
to get the info. Sounds like a good solution.

Professional timber framers do not only need to be accurate , we need to be efficient too.

We can not only cut one rafter at a time , we need to be able to cut a roof system components at once with out handling each rafter one by one.

If we'd do that our labor proportion on our bidding would get out of hand.

And this is where the 16-1/2" Makita meets its limits. It is not accurate enouch to provide you with the efficiency as a $3000 (or more) saw does.

Compared to its costs, so, it very well is the best of its price range ( with the japanese table and a different blade).

Consequently it is to decide if you make enough money in efficiency to accept the (quite high) price difference.