As a woodworker myself, I highly recommend a miter saw. I believe that every workshop should have a miter saw in it because they can be used for so many different projects.
The best type would be the bevel compound miter saw. These type of saws not only miter to the right and left, they can swivel in both directions.
With this type of saw, you won’t have to hold your material in a certain way; instead, you can tilt the head of the saw at the most suitable angle and get the job done.
When it comes to buying saws, regardless of how experienced you are, it is important that you take a step back and analyze the saw before you buy it, maybe even compare with other saws.
If you just go out there and buy the first one you come across, without reading about it, you could end up making a mistake. So, I’m going to make it easier on you and tell you about a saw that I believe might just be suitable for you – the Metabo HPT C10FCGS.
Hitachi Renames their Brand in North America
Before I go any further, I want to tell you about the name change that took place. Back in 2018, Hitachi Power Tools made the announcement that they would be changing their name from Hitachi Power tools to Metabo HPT for their full line of fasteners, power tools, and accessories for North America.
They also noted that nothing would be changing about their brand, besides the name, so customers can still count on the same high quality products they have been known for producing.
The products still retain the same model numbers, same color, same battery interchangeability, same warranties, and so on. They will be made in the same factories, by the same people, with the same focus and specifications.
Many of us are still getting used to Hitachi changing to Metabo HPT, and you will find many, including myself, referring to a Metabo HPT product as a Hitachi product because it is just a habit.
Who is this Saw for?
This is a basic saw that was designed for carpenters, woodworkers, and framers alike. It is obvious that Hitachi was focused on precision and reliability when they created this saw. This saw will allow you to make crosscuts, miter cuts, and compound cuts without any hesitation.
The saw weighs 24.2 pounds, making it so that you won’t feel exhausted when you use it. In fact, this is one of the lights compound miter saws with a 10 inch blade. This saw is great for those that are looking for a miter saw that is reliable and super light in weight.
- 10 Compound Miter Saw
- This is the Same Miter Saw just under a New name. Hitachi power tools has rebranded to Metabo HPT
- 15 Amp motor – this motor delivers some amazing power that can be used even for the toughest cuts.
- Light in weight – this saw is only 24.2 lbs, making it super portable.
- Bevel Range – 0 degrees -45 degrees, to the left and has bevel stops.
- Miter angle range – 0 degrees -52 degrees, to the left and right.
- Large table – the large table is great because it gives better material support. There’s even a vice clamping system so that you can easily secure your work piece.
Blade Size
The blade size isn’t all that bad – it uses a 10-inch blade that has 24-teeth on it. Mind you, most saws of this type come with saws that are between 7-1/4 and 12-inches. I like the 10-inch blades due to the fact that they are easy to find in most hardware stores in my area and they are quick when using them.
So, when it comes time to replace your blade, you shouldn’t have a problem finding a new one, and if you do, you can easily buy them online.
Of course, there’s a downfall to the 10-inch saws, and that’s the fact that when you use them, you are going to have limited cutting capacities. However, I know many hobbyists, and come to think of it, even some professional woodworkers, that stick with the 10-inch saw blades and use it for a wide array of projects.
Maximum Speed
Miter saws are all about speed – this is what helps them produce those nice and clean cuts when you use it. The Metabo HPT C10FCGS is powered by a 15.0-amp motor that is capable of producing 5,000 RPM no-load. This is a budget-friendly miter saw, so I feel this is pretty surprising. This speed, combined with the size of a blade means you’re going to have a quick spin.
The Cutting Capacity
As I stated earlier, when it comes to saws like the Hitachi C10FCGS with the 10-inch blade, even though I prefer them, the cutting capacities are a bit on the limited side. Let me put this into perspective for you …when you have the head positioned upright, it will be able to cut up to 2-5/16 x 21/32 inches.
When you have the head beveled at 45 degrees, the cutting capacity can go up to 1-5/8×4 inches. When you have it mitered at 52 degree angle regardless of the direction, it can cut up to 2-5/16 x 3-1/2 inches. You can overcome this obstacle by flipping the material over and completing the cut on the other side, so really, it’s not that big of a deal.
Mitering and Beveling Capacities
Beveling is the term that is used to refer how the head of the saw tilts – mitering is the term that is used to describe how the saw has the ability to swing its head in both directions. How far a saw miters and bevels is what determines the angles the blade is capable of cutting through the materials.
This particular saw is capable of mitering up to 52 degrees to the right and left and beveling up to 45 degrees to the left. There are also positive stops that are placed at 0 degrees, 15 degrees, 22.5 degrees, 31.6 degrees, and 45 degrees.
Simple Thumb-Adjustment Lever
I definitely have to discuss the simple thumb-adjustment lever. With this lever, you can easily set the miter angle to the desired location – from 0 to 52 degrees.
Portable
If you’re a contract worker, then chances are, you need a miter saw that is easily portable. With the C10FCG, you can easily carry it to different job sites without exhausting yourself. This saw will be easy to load and unload from your truck.
The saw has a sturdy build and not a whole lot of moving parts – combine these aspects with the fact that it is light in weight makes it easy for contractors to move around. You can easily pick this saw up and carry it from room to room, or even from job site to job site.
Designed to Cut through Different Types of Wood
With the Metabo saw, you will be able to crosscut anything from hardwoods for flooring projects and flooring to dimensional lumbar. You can cut wood for cabinets, baseboard, finishers, trim molding, and so much more.
The AC Adapter
The AC adapter that comes with this saw is a big highlight. The AC adapter is capable of working with any Metabo HPT MultiVolt tool.
The Dust Collection System
The manufactures of this saw obviously had your health and air quality in mind when they created this product. In the back of the blade, there is a port that you can hook a shop vac to – the shop vac will collect the dust and debris that fly off the saw blade. Mind you, it doesn’t catch everything, but it will definitely help reduce the amount of dust and debris being put in the air.
Pros
Lightweight – this saw is very light in weight, making it easy to carry around from job site to job site.
Low Cost – this is a budget friendly saw and trust me, the price is worth it. It is half the price of saws in this class, but the quality doesn’t lack.
Cons
No Laser Guides – Laser guides do a good job at helping you make sure proper cuts are being made with every cut. Unfortunately, this one doesn’t have a laser guide on it. However, you can learn to make those straight cuts with trial and error.
Dust Collection – I have witnessed people complaining about the dust collection bag that comes with this saw. There is a dust port behind the machine where the bag attaches. This is supposed to help eliminate the dust and chips from going into the air.
The bag collects 50 percent of the chips that the blade produces. This can be fixed by connecting a shop vac! The best way to collect the chips and dust would be to connect a shop vac to the dust port. Take note that the adapter to connect as hop vac is sold separately.
Is This Saw Worth it?
If a friend came up to me today and asked me to point them towards a good miter saw, would I recommend this saw? I sure would, in a heartbeat. This saw is great for hobbyists and DIYers. It’s not complicated at all, so I would even recommend it to beginners.
Since it doesn’t have a whole lot of moving parts, it’s easy to setup and there’s not a whole lot of precision adjustments that need to be made. It’s great to use for those simple home projects, installing hardwood flooring, doing some type of trim work and even for cross-cutting 2x6s, 2x4s and decking boards when making a deck.
It’s great for beginner woodworkers t hat are searching for a starter saw that doesn’t have a big price tag stamped on it and is able to handle hardwoods with accuracy.
So yes, I would definitely suggest the Metabo HPT C10FCGS compound miter saw to anyone that is in need of a quick, basic, and easy-to-use miter saw.
Conclusion
The Metabo HPT/Hitachi C10FCH 10” compound miter saw is easy to transport due to the fact that it is light in weight. The 15 amp motor combined with the 10” blade makes it super fast – it can deliver up to 5,000 RPM, making ti easy to make miter cuts and crosscuts. The bevel range on this saw is 0-45 degrees to the left and it is capable of making accurate and clean cuts.
It is designed for woodworks that demand reliability, precision and versatility in the woodshop. Sure, the dust collection bag for the saw may be a little off, but this can easily be fixed by hooking a shop vac up to it – personally, I prefer hooking a shop vac up when possible because it’s better than a bag
. It doesn’t have a laser for helping with cuts, but this isn’t a problem – you will learn to make straight cuts in no time at all, so it’s really not that big of a deal. The price, the fact that it can cut through a variety of different woods, cutting capacity, blade speed, and everything we just discussed in the review is what makes this saw well worth it.