I've had the no-light model for 2 years. The newer model has minor upgrades (i.e. front handel smaller). I bought this saw because its table rotates smoothly, and it still does! No stop or bevel problems ever! The motor has never appeared under powered but I use sharp quality blades. I did not give this 5 stars as I think the RH fence should be included. I added it but it's pricey. I agree that a quick release clamp would be nice too. My table saw now gets much less use, and I find little reason to own a RAS now. I too suspect something fishy about the bad review, could it be from a competitor's sale person. I question a review when someone implies they had problems from the get-go, and failed to return the product. Makita tuff, reliable tools for a quality minded professional! Just picked up their 7 1/4 Hypoid circular saw to replace my worm drive.

I purchased the LS1013F about a month ago and can proudly say that Makita have kicked a winner with this saw. This saw was highly reccommended to me by work colleges as the best miter saw going around and it is!pThe base plate is of good size with clear markings for all angles and a handy "click-in" to some more commonly used angles (0,45,22.5 degrees). The flip back guard helps with larger materials and the thin kerf blade cuts all timber like hot butter, the only thing to remember is to flip the guard to the left when cutting left hand bevels!pWith the 10" blade, it gives you a 90mm or 4", cut at 90 degrees which is as much as you need. With the "MakLite" fitted to this model, it makes it very easy to use the saw in dim light. It follows the sliding section and can be manuvered to shine in the correct position for your cut.pOverall it is a great saw for all tradesmen and i can reccommend it for buyers in the market.

Ive used many different Makita tools since the late 70's. Not all were gems, but the majority of their tools are usually among the best and most durable out there. The LS1013F sliding mitre is one of those tools after using it, you dont know how you did without it. Smooth, well designed and extremly accurate at every angle. Good Job!

I did quite abit of research of different model and makes of sliding compound duel bevel miter saws and finally picked the Makita LS1013. It was very accurate right out of the box. I checked all the settings and they were right on! I didn't go only by reviews or ads. I went and talk to people in shops that used these saws. I have as yet heard no bad comments on this model. In fact one cabinet shop owner inform me he was getting rid of all his old saws and replacing with the Makita LS1013. pGreat saw!!

I bought the LS1013 (no light attached) this past spring and I could not be happier. It has performed extremely well for me. I can crosscut a 4x6 like a stick of soft butter. The blade shipped with the saw has worked just fine, cuts nice and smooth. The saw is easy to set-up and square. The dust collection is probably as good as it gets. Let's face it, these things kick up a lot of dust. I don't think there's a saw out there that gets it all. Besides cost, another factor that made me choose this saw over the Dewalt 12", is the cost of the replacement blades. This saw is a GREAT value and a wonderful tool. It takes center stage in my shop.

I have been a trim carpenter for 4 years, and have used most miter saws out there, from the 8 1/2" Hitachi to the 12" DeWalt, and just about every make of non-sliding saw there is. One guy in my company has been using this saw for several years, and I have always eyed it lovingly. He recently went on vacation, and let me try it out while he was gone. After a couple of days, I had to buy one. I picked it up last night, and let me tell you, it is the smoothest, most accurate saw I have ever owned. Right out of the box, I checked the cut angles, and I have never seen one so true. Not even after screwing around with my old hitachi's fences for way too many hours did I ever get a cut this true. The detents and adjustment knobs are very user friendly, but I have been warned to treat the saw like a new baby. My stair guy has the 1013 and stripped the bevel and miter adjustment knobs. More power would be nice, but I likely will never bog this one down enough to need more. Nice Job, Makita. In the words of Jerry Maguire, "You complete me."

This is the best bloody csms on the market. I'm a pro and have beat the hell out of my saw for five years; ipe decks, oak floors, PT decks, you name it this saw does it, and it does't break your back from the truck to the site. Do not be fooled, this is THE saw. Sorry to get so dramatic but This is a great saw.

I looked at all the brands before replacing my Delta. The original sliding compound miter saws were orginally designed for semi-precision construction work and not as accurate for what I wanted in finish work. This Makita is very accurate. The nice thing about the Makita is that the slider is on the bottom, unlike the DeWalt, which means it is not as top heavy and you don't get that "bump" near as much when the saw is fully extended. I also liked the fact that you can "easily" lock the saw between degree marks to get that super accurate cut. I was ready to jump on the bandwagon and buy a Hitachi with a laser. I tried one with a laser and found I could get a more accurate cut, quicker without one. I mark my piece and slide the the blade next to mark and then make my cut. Lasers are over-hyped in my opinion. The top handle makes this unit easy to carry even though it is almost 50 lbs, it is well balanced.
br / Like most saws, you need to read the manual and all the warning about proper operation. The quality on this saw is first class and you won't go wrong buying it. The only problem I had was that when I received the unit, it looked like the box was dropped and hit by a truck. To my amazement the saw worked fine but was missing a locking knob that must have fell through one of the gapping holes that where in the box. I called Amazon and had to get the part number myself from Makita and then give this info to Amazon. I thought that Tool Crib should have been of better help. I am still waiting for the $2.00 knob. All that aside. Its an excellent saw.

I have a Dewalt model 705 miter saw that i've been using for the past 3 years and I finally decide to get a dual sliding miter saw.I been using other makita tools before but i havent tried yet their miter saw so I got one from Amazon and to my surprise it took a bit quicker to arrive than the expected delivery, The package looks alright and square and seems to be no damage as what have had other experienced. So I was pretty much okay w/ that. Now for the performance, I mounted a New Freud 40T Gen.Purpose blade as Idont want the crap blade that came w/ it. A Made in China thin Can!! The cuts from an any angle is superb w/o even undergoing minor calibration under a new saw blade.The saw performed excellent cross cuts along w/ Freud matching saw blades. The review also help me a lot in choosing this saw and I know makita Tools are one of the best. I also personally recommend that you use a matching Freud Crosscut saw blade to achieved ultimate performance.

I recently purchased a LS1013F compound miter saw. As night fell in Oregon I scrambled for more lighting on my job site. I never thought I would use the built in light on my saw very often, I use it every night. For the do-it-yourselfer working from 5:00 pm to 9:30 pm almost every night the light is essential. That was the only surprise. I knew when I ordered my saw I would get the best. In ordering this saw I got perfect calibration and operator ease. All with durabuility unmatched by anything in my shop. In fact my children will thank me for buing this saw when they inherit it from me years down the road. It will outlast and outperform anything in my shop anyday.
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br /Finishing my projects with Makita perfection and ease.
br /Gabriel

I have used this saw professionally for several jobs over the past few months. It is very accurate right out of the box; in fact, I have never made any adjustments to it at all. The light that comes on the saw is more handy than just handy; it really helps, even when it seems light enough on the job-site. It takes away shadows so you can see exactly what you are cutting. It also makes cutting outside at night no different than day-time cutting. The only problem with this saw is the fence on the right side is too short. It's almost non-existent. If you are going to be doing any type/size of crown, get the 12inch. From what I can tell, they put a tall enough fence on both sides of the 12inch saw, and for some reason not on the 10inch. I have had some trouble trying to get crown put up because of this. I have used to solutions: 1) I use the "tilt" feature for left outside corners, etc. 2) I attached a piece of plywood to the saw to extend the height on both sides. Both solutions worked fine, and I was able to get the jobs done, but it took a little longer, and made me swear a little more than usual.

I've been looking to buy a sliding dual bevel compound miter saw for over a year. I've talked to contractor friends of mine that have used Makita, Dewalt, Bosch, and Porter Cable. All of them said the Makita was the best. I recently bought the LS1013F as an early X-mas gift. I have already used this saw to cut crown and chair rail molding. It is dead nuts accurate for bevel and miter right out of the box. They must have changed their packing because the saw in perfect condition and was well insulated from damage. It should be noted that there was some dings on the outside of the box from UPS. I also have to compliment Amazon. I've looked all over the internet and locally at these machines. The price was excellent, plus free shipping, plus the 14.4 drill/light combo. What a deal. Also the saw and drill/light combo arrived in 4 days. I'm not used to that fast of service from the supersaver shipping but I'll take it.

I recently purchased this saw (the model w/o the light). Excellent quality and cut precision. Easy to use and powerful. No complaints! My first miter saw, and I'm so glad I purchased this one. The sliding feature is so handy, can cut boards up to 12" long!

I bought this saw about a year ago, I planned on using it for trim work on customer jobs, however the saw is not durable enough to be lugged around in the back of the pickup and really used hard at the jobsite. The saw cuts great, slide works well, angles are easy to adjust, but I could see how all of these would be thrown out of alignment or damaged by constant use. Now the saw stays in the workshop mounted in a fixed location. I would recommend buying a dewalt 12 inch double bevel saw (non-sliding) for jobsite work. The 12 inch saw cuts just about any size trim I'm installing. It is constructed much more solid than makita and does great as an everyday jobsite saw. The makita cross cuts all of my lumber for furniture now, it's safer than cross cutting on the tablesaw and I can cut angles just as accurately as any miter gauge.

I used this saw right out of the box with little or no adjustment. It operates smooth and cuts like a dream. Finished off my basement trim like a Pro. For the money it's outstanding.

I definitely like this saw. I just got done using it for for building a patio bar with metal studs it was a lifesaver for all the angles we did.

After much research, reading reviews, etc., I decided to buy the Makita LS1013F saw. Amazon had it on sale for $351 plus (are you ready for this) $4.99 shipping. Yep, only $356 shipped to my door. Arrived in perfect condition, blade is true and square, miter pre-sets are dead on. I've only run a few test cuts on it but it cuts clean and smooth. Again, the best deal for the price that there is (or was since the price is back up again).

i am very pleased with the peformance and accuracy of this saw. adjustments are fast and extremely accurate, making it a pleasure to operate. the miters are perfect every time, and the blade cuts so smooth you never have to do any sanding.

I bought a LS1013 about five years ago. It was great when I first used it, but after awhile it wouldn't lock on any angle, or bevel, and the arm flexes way to much.

I just bought this item a few weeks ago and right out of the box I plugged it up and tried it out and the very first thing was the light flickered for 1 split second and never again came on. I just finished contacting Makita about this and they want me to return the entire saw for something that could be as easy as replacing the bulb. I will have to see about getting a replacement bulb but they refused to send me a new one to have the entire saw replaced.
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br /However, the saw did work well after a full weekend of being broken in with installing new hardwood floors. But save your money on the light and buy one without.

I previously reviewd this saw and gave it a high rating. After using it and usingit hard for the last four or five years I have to down grade my rating significantly. There are two serious short falls this saw suffers from. First is the sloppy detents. They are good initially but soon and I do mean soon wear and become sloppy with no way of correcting the problem. Second draw back is the fence. I cannot believe they could not come up with a better design. The fence is very thin cast aluminum and it does not take much to ben it out of shape making it preety well useless. I have replaced the fence at least three times at $75.00 a crack. Also the auxillary fence that has to flipped out of the way when bevel cutting is a DANGEROUS hazard. If you are concentrating on the compound miter cut and forget to flip it out of the way the blade will cut into it ruining the blade and the fence and causing personal injury. I think the whole fence set up was a mistake in design.
br /I have always liked Makita saws and have used them for years but believe me there are much better slide miter saws available at a comparable price.

I picked one of these up about 6 months ago from Amazon. I have been very pleased with it so far, I'm not a contractor, so I use it for general projects around the house, shelves and such. Its built well, plentry of power, smooth, no complaints, intending on using it for a long time.

i've using this saw for 2 years + and i love how comfotabble it is use and the slide is without a doubt the best out there . the problems start when u try cut 1/2 a degree or even 1 degree off the positive mitre stops . i usually fit 1 staircase every 10 days or so which angle is usually between 40 and 42 degrees
br /I CAN NO LONGER LOCK THE SAW CLOSE TO THOSE ANGLES.
br /also the positive stops wear out over a short period of time so there is always 1/2 depree or more of play at o,221/2,45etc
br /i'm going to try the bosch next (without the laser)

I love this saw! It cuts perfectly square, straight, and true right out of the box. It is smooth and quiet. Who could ask for more out of a 10" saw? Besides, do you really need a laser beam to make accurate cuts? (I don't)
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Absolutely perfect for miter and bevel cuts. The only problems I've faced have stemmed from attempts to use it as a miniature radial arm saw, and it didn't take much thinking to fix those problems.

I can't say enough bad things about this saw.It is a huge piece of cockie! Stay away from this.Nothing is well designed or well thought out.

As a builder I'm very disappointed with Makita's LS1013.This saw is a good saw straight out of the box but it starts developing its design problems quickly. First, the miter table grinds against the base when turned- My LS1013 grinds so badly it leaves metal shavings on my cut table!! The same applies when using the bevel, minus the metal shavings. Three friends of mine with the same saw have the same design complaints with the LS1013. You can't cut a 2x10 or a 2x12 all the way through on a right-sided 45 degree bevel because the saw's motor hits the wood, preventing the blade to cut all the way down. This saw also struggles through 45 degree bevel cuts on 2x material.You will notice the "positive stops" quit working fairly soon as well. The under-powered motor makes this a good saw for trim work only! This is not a rugged saw! I do like the smooth running motor! I recommend calling Makita and asking them if they have fixed the table-grinding problem, they know this is a problem.