Customer Reviews:
 alternative to dewalt January 1, 2006
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
ive had this saw for about 3 years now, ive owned a 12" dewalt, used ryobi and mikita 10", this one i like the most. The soft start is great, but whats even greater is that u dont have to tune anything, right out the box your gonna get straight cuts.
the only thing about this saw is the height clearance. 5 inch baseboards cant be cut standing up. dewalt 12" can. great saw overall.
great saw but where is the free blade December 17, 2005
6 out of 7 found this review helpful
This is a great machine you can split your pencil mark. It will cut through 2X4's on edge. mine came with the offer for a free 3/8's Hitachi drill. I got the drill but never got the free finish blade called and griped but still never got the blade. Bur if you have looked and compared with the free shipping it is about the best price out there for the best saw.
 Solid, Recommended December 6, 2005
31 out of 32 found this review helpful
I am a medium-level do-it-yourselfer, taking on more and more projects at a 200+ year old house that always needs attention. After replacing windows recently, I needed a saw to cut and complete the casing portion of the job. Rather than continue to beg and borrow from my neighbors, I opted to increase my tool collection. I pored over reviews here and elsewhere and finally decided to take the leap-- to a Bosch sliding compound saw here on Amazon. However, when I saw the hefty shipping/handling charges, and with a price increase moments before I clicked "Buy," I rethought the purchase and opted for the Hitachi from another online vendor with a much more reasonable shipping charge.
The saw came quickly and was in fine shape after travelling halfway across the country. I can see with less-than gentle handling the saw could punch a hole in the packaging, but mine survived the trip with no such effect. The saw is relatively compact, not too heavy, and the miters were right on right out of the box. The slide is smooth and the cuts are good. While some have raved about the OEM blade that ships with the saw, I am not 100% thrilled- some cuts have been so-so, making small chips in the pine I was cutting. I also cut some oak base molding, and the cuts were again good, but not perfect. At this point, I want to attribute that to my own learning curve, rather than to the saw or the blade. I want to swap the original blade with a finishing blade I have, to see if there is improvement in the smoothness of the cuts.
One gripe, and the reason for the 4 star rating, is with the safety button and handle. I do not have huge hands, and I find it somewhat awkward to depress the safety button and then grab the horizontal D-handle comfortably with the same hand to start the saw. Luckily for me, I am right-handed, as the handle controls are designed that way. Left handers had better be ambidextrous, or especially nimble with their pinky to be able to depress the safety button. Again, it could simply be getting accustomed to the saw. I did not experience this problem when using my friend's DeWalt sliding saw, however.
I purchased a Stablemate Plus 100 saw stand (built like a truck) from Amazon, and because the mounting holes on the Hitachi are in a triangular pattern, I had to mount the saw on plywood first in order to then mount it on the saw stand. Not a big deal, but worth noting.
Best saw on the market September 30, 2005
15 out of 15 found this review helpful
I've used several mitre boxes on the market and none are as detailed as the Hitachi slide. It's the only one I know with a dust shield to keep dust off the bevel guage. To me, the best feature is the soft start. My friend that I work with trimming out houses, has just purchased his third one and will not touch another one because of it's work horse features. This influenced me, then using it for a week sealed my decision. The slide motion is also so very soft, especially when you put a liquid silicone on the shaft, it glides with no effort! I'd recommend it to any serious woodworker needing a quality, dependable tool!
Great Saw - Terrible dust collection September 19, 2005
16 out of 18 found this review helpful
I really like the saw - it is quite and accurate. The only problem is the dust collection system. The dust bag collects only 2/3 of the dust. The port is exactly 2-inches so it is too small for my 2-inch hose and too large for my 1.5 inch hose. I need to find an adapter. I use the saw on woodworking projects using red cedar and cherry. The cuts are very good.
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