Much excitement at The Building Experience HQ this week as our latest tool arrived on site. We have treated ourselves to the Makita LS0714 sliding compund mitre saw, costing us £320. Before anyone suggests that we cannot be proper builders if we have only just got a mitre saw, rest assured that this an additional saw to go alongside the Makita LS1013 we have had for many years.

For any builder or carpenter starting out on their own the first serious power tool to purchase is a mitre saw and they do not come much better than the Makitas. It is a fantastically useful tool, which can be used for eveything from first fix carpentry to the finest joinery.

What to look for when buying a saw

The rule is always buy the best tool you can afford, and i realise this alters with your budget but as we like to say at TBE, "Buy cheap, buy twice." There are two key features to look at when comparing saws. Firstly, there are two main types of saw, those that are 'sliding' and those that are not. The price difference can be significant  but please go with the former. The sliding element of the saw greatly increses the reach of the saw meaning it can cut much wider timber. The non-sliding Makita LS1040 has a big 260 mm blade but at 90 degrees can only cut 130mm wide. The sliding LS0714 with its 190 mm blade can cut up to 300mm wide. Even 6" skirting boards are too much for a mitre saw without the sliding facility.

The second consideration is the depth of the cut the saw can manage. Our LS0714 is only able to handle 50mm deep timber. Fortunately for most jobs this is adequate. It can cut the ubiquitous 4x2, and can easily handle skirting boards and floors. Larger posts our beyond its range but Makita do offer the monster LS1214, capable of 115 x 308 at 90 degrees. To emphasise again, the choice of which model you go for depends on the types of job you do.

We chose to get a second saw because the bigger LS1013 is a heavy (21kg) and bulky piece of kit. For one day jobs, floors architraves or skirting boards the difficulty in handling was the cause of much cursing at TBE. The smaller saw weighs only 12.6kg forming a much more compact model, albeit with similar performance at the lower end of the scale. 

Why we like our Makita

Anyone who has read our handsaw road test will know that we do a lot of sawing. The idea that a machine can do it for you is rather appealing! For first fix, studs and noggins can be cut much quicker than by hand and they can be trimmed by the millimetre if they are slightly too big, very tricky to do with a handsaw. Roof angles can be cut repeatedly with confidence that the saw will cut the perfectly each time.

For joinery, select a finer blade and you can cut as accurately as your eyes will allow you. Much like computers, this saw will do exactly as you tell it to do and if something is not right you need to question yourself before you blame the machine. We have laid solid oak floors, built wardrobes and staircases with these saws and they are totally reliable. Unlike some of their smaller cordless tools that might be getting a little over elaborate (the 18v MXT Combi Drill 3 speed springs to mind) the bigger kit is still classic Makita. Solid, purposeful, minimal and accurate.

House construction  in the UK is a very conservative environment, the builders fearful to look forward and much keener to 'stick with what you know' So two hundred years after the industrial revolution introduced machines that were denounced for deskilling the workforce while the mill owners became millionairses, UK builders are starting to catch on. With a Makita LS0714 any novice can build a stud wall or fix skirting boards to a high standard without having to go to college, serve an apprenticeship and spend ten years passing tools to the master carpenter before finally learning how to use a handsaw just before he retires. Some people preferred it that way but for everyone else I suggest you buy the Makita LS0714 or one of its bigger brothers. It will earn its money back for you. Your work will improve in quality. And then you can pay a boy to do it for you while you drink tea.