which is more important

[bullson]

i have been working hard these last few weeks in order to save some moeny to buy a new tool.... i find this is the best motivation to get a job finished . i was woundering if you woodworker out there could help me with my inability to pick my next purchase ..... here goes

idea 1: buy a top end sliding mitre (a good one) stuff like 12" blade, powerful and accurate, to replace my not so old but worked to death simple compound mitre saw (not a top of the range saw).

simply because i have (or am getting to) the point where i have "grown out of it" as i improve as a woodworker. i am sure you will know what i mean when i say that.

idea 2: everyones favourite,,, festool domino . i have never seem this tool in real life, but i must say am very interested. i am fully aware of the pros and cons of this product and don't really want to cover them here.

so my question is which one do you consider to be the best option/tool to buy now, i may well get the other later on maybe late next year when xmas, easter etc... is over and done with.

p.s. i do a wide range of woodworking from goodish furniture to park benches and shed , just to give you a better understanding of my demands and needs

[bullson]

i should also just piont out that my current mitre saw works fine its just limited in capacity and accuracy (wear and tear etc)

[Rick LoDico]

I think you need a miter saw far more than a domino. For nearly as much money, you'll get a lot more use out of the CSMS. Of course, the best of both worlds would be the Festool CSMS.

[Vic]

I think you need a miter saw far more than a domino. For nearly as much money, you'll get a lot more use out of the CSMS. Of course, the best of both worlds would be the Festool CSMS.

I like that new Bosch. But, my Dewalt would have to almost blow up before I could justify replacing it.

[minorhero]

i should also just piont out that my current mitre saw works fine its just limited in capacity and accuracy (wear and tear etc)

Buy both! Or rather, buy a decent older model Radial Arm Saw in ok condition, fix whats needed. Should run around 200 dollars. Then save up a little more to replace the 200 and buy the domino.

Before there was a miter saw there was the RAS. The miter saw rose in popularity because folks didn't have room for a RAS and because craftsman took over the market and they make crappy radial arm saws. You need a good solid cast iron arm on a RAS. I suggest looking for an old Dewalt.

In case you don't want to fix up an old tool then go with the miter saw over the domino. You will get more out of the miter saw and as someone else suggested there are other ways of make loose tenons that provide greater flexibility then the domino.

[petersb]

Go for the miter saw. It will see a lot more use than a domino.

[PaulMarcel]

Virtually every project I make, the Domino does the bulk of the joinery. Few projects I make use the SCMS. I crosscut at the table saw and it has the same capacity as my SCMS. Only if the stock is long that needs a crosscut will I use the SCMS (honestly, I use the MFT+TS75, but without that it would be the SCMS).

Given the choice, I wouldn't even consider the SCMS even if the one you have isn't the best (I generally only use it for rough cuts anyway).

[knotscott]

Do you own a good table saw? The TS is #1 in my shop, and I use it for most straight line cutting operations.

[jon003]

I tend to use my reasonable dewalt scms just to break down long stock, not for precision stuff, so I don't really mind (or know) any inaccuracy.

I have a domino, and I like it, but this is kind of an apples and oranges comparison. I suppose it depends on what other stuff in your shop you have, and what kind of projects you have coming up.

[Jacob Mac]

If you work onsite a lot, I would vote for a Kapex and a good vacuum. Long term, that would really increase your efficiency as it decreases your clean up time a lot. Otherwise, I'd get a domino. You already have a miter saw, so the domino would improve your shop.

[bullson]

it seem that it is 50-50 so far, there are good agruement for both option. In terms of the mitre saw, i would have throught a good mitre saw would be far more accurate than a table saw, i have a pretty good table saw that is set up well, i just don't use it for cross cut that much.

i do almost all of my very fine and accurate cuts on the mitre saw, simply becuase i had a mitre saw long before i had a table saw so its force of habit. also i can have a 60t blade in the mitre saw for fine cut (cross cut) and a 40t blade for ripping in the table saw, it just saves blade changing time

plus i do small amounts of on site work where a table saw isn't an option, i always assumed that a mitre saw was one of the most important tools in the shop almost a "must have" tool

[iSawitFirst]

Virtually every project I make, the Domino does the bulk of the joinery. Few projects I make use the SCMS. I crosscut at the table saw and it has the same capacity as my SCMS. Only if the stock is long that needs a crosscut will I use the SCMS (honestly, I use the MFT+TS75, but without that it would be the SCMS).

Given the choice, I wouldn't even consider the SCMS even if the one you have isn't the best (I generally only use it for rough cuts anyway).

Absolutely DITTO!

I never use a miter saw and desperately wish I had a domino.