When it comes to precision cutting on the jobsite a miter saw is an essential tool but the trade-off is it is often one of the most bulky tools to lug around. Of course you want the saw as close to the work as possible but for a remodeler, dragging a large collapsible saw cart up narrow staircases or through finished areas might not be possible. The new Bosch Miter Saw CM8S ($469) may be an ideal option for professional quality cutting with lightweight portability.
For many folks a longer travel (12+” on CM8S) of a slide is all that is needed vs the deep cut capacity of a fixed miter like Bosch 12” saw CM12 ($329), another nice lightweight saw. Where we see one of the biggest differences in application is with trim and crown molding, some folks will cut vertical and other want it to lay flat. Whichever way is correct is moot, we’ve seen folks do it both ways with artistry precision so who are we to tell them they are wrong.
The other consideration is the options for saw blades themselves and their availability. The CM8S has an 8.5” capacity which of course can also handle most 8” or 8-1/4” blades (5/8” arbor) as well. While most professional tool supply houses will offer a couple 8.5” blade options in-stock you’ll never get the kind of material/kirf/finishing options you get with the 10” platform. The smaller blades on the upside are typically going to be less expensive and by nature smaller diameter blades are going to have less flex in hard material.
The CM8S saw does carry with it all the quality you’d expect from Bosch including the expandable work surface, solid constructions and intuitive user-friendly controls. The motor is a smaller 12 amp unit but seemed to perform very well in everything we could throw at it. Not exactly sure the physics involved here but certainly it takes less amp power to turn a blade 2/3rds the size with the same force.
The top carry handle had nice balance while carrying the saw however when you put the handle down it pushed against the dust collection bag which seemed to go right where you would want the dust to flow. Didn’t seem to block it in our testing but seems like there would have been a better solution to limit potential issues down the road. With a dust collection vacuum hose attached the handle stays more upright against the hose so again not in the way but does seem awkward if we are being critical. (*** UPDATE Bosch Product Managers inform us this ships with the handle down but there is a thread, you can see in the picture, where a provided screw is inserted to fix the handle upright permanently. This is also why you should always read the directions.)
Overall we very much like the lightweight portability of this saw and with the right blade (does comes with a pretty nice 48T), for many applications we’d put the cut quality up against any other saw on the market. At the current price point however it goes right up against other quality 10” slide miter saws which of course offer larger overall capacity. You will have to weight your needs and priorities to see if this is the right saw for you.
As always if you have any questions feel free to give the guys at Ohio Power Tool a call 800-242-4424 and they will be happy to help you find the right tool for the job.
