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Category: Tools & Home Improvement
Brand: Bosch
Model: GCM12SD
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Bosch GCM12SD Customer reviews
Bosch GCM12SD Review by Robert Chapman
I've been using this saw for about 3 weeks now and I love it. There have been many reviews in the literature and websites so I'll just highligh the kind of unusual features that I have found. I went from a Bosch 4410 dual bevel sliding miter to this saw so I am comparing it to the 4410.
First the hinged [Glide] mechanism is as smooth as silk and very rigid. There is zero side play in normal use. Miters are perfect. I have not increased the friction in the mechanism as it seems just right without added friction. I think that the glide mechanism on this saw is as significant a woodworking machine breakthrough as the blade brake on the SawStop table saw.
Dust collection when attached to a shop vac is excellent. There is very little dust that escapes the saw.
Other features not found on the Bosch 4410 include - machined swirls in the fence and base that prevents stock from slipping and eliminates the need for gluing sandpaper on the fence - the piece that has the detents for common miter settings is not cast into the base but is a seperate piece which can be adjusted to square up the saw if needed [mine was right on out of the box], much simpler than adjustment on the 4410.
This is a large saw and might be a little heavy if you are taking it to job sites - I'm not.
So far I have no complaints or suggestions to improve this tool. Bosch seems to have thoroughly done their research and engineering.
I absolutely recommend this saw.
Bosch GCM12SD Review by Geoffrey de Runtz "goingenoan" (Genoa, Nevada United States)
I left a comment on E.G.'s review because I had most of the same experiences as he did. I wanted to add that I discovered that my GCM12SD rear fences were not coplaner and thus I could get the same perfect cut on both sides of the saw blade (that is to say that when I adjusted the miter table for a perfect 90* cut for one side of the blade then I could not get a perfect 90* cut on the other side of the blade because the two fences were not machined in the same plane). I discovered after some head scratching that if I inserted a very thin piece of paper (a small square of check duplicate paper) under one of the bolts holding one of the rear fences to the saw base I was able to get the two fences to align perfectly and thus adjust the miter setting to work perfectly for cuts on both sides of the saw blade. I hope this will be helpful to someone else whose has experienced the same problem and is too lazy like me to return their saw. I have also discovered the some problem with the accessories as E.G. I really need the crown stops that Bosch says they have for this saw, but after almost 1 month my local tool store says they are still on back order and they can't get any more info from their Bosch rep. So I guess time will tell.
Bosch GCM12SD Review by Diane Feeley "JollyRoger" (Overland Park, KS)
I have a 12" Dewalt DW703 that has served me well. I put a furniture grade blade on it and when it's sharp, I don't have to sand the cuts much at all. I wanted something that would cut wider pieces of material and I also wanted something for dados. I really hate my table saw dado insert. I never made a zero clearance insert for dados and that big hole just scares me. My lovely bride of almost 35 years bought me this saw for my birthday. I am one lucky guy.
The saw seems rock solid. The things I noticed that are different from the Dewalt.
1. As just about everyone notices, the glide is very loose. Bosch put an adjustment to add some resistance but I haven't done it yet.
2. It's not a soft start motor so there is a kick that I didn't get with the non-sliding Dewalt. It's just a thing.
3. One thing I didn't expect but should have is that the blade doesn't bury itself as deeply. The Dewalt, to get maximum cut width, went way down. The bed on this saw is about a half inch lower than the Dewalt. Again, just a thing but I was cutting some Baltic Birch plywood and I had some tearout on top. I don't think I would have had that with the Dewalt.
4. The handle seems higher than the Dewalt. I wound up rebuilding my stand and shortening it by 2" so it wouldn't be awkward. Part of the awkwardness comes from the safety (see item 1 below)
A couple of negatives (maybe)
1. There is a thumb safety release that I didn't have with the Dewalt. It's pretty stiff and I haven't quite got the hang of it.
2. The saw is very awkward to carry. The way the weight is distributed on the saw and where you are supposed to grab it make for a difficult lift. On the positive side of that, Bosch put in some locking pins that are easy to find and engage.
3. I am used to a zero-clearance insert on the Dewalt. It was a solid piece of plastic that I installed and then cut. Bosch has two pieces of plastic that can adjust inwards but they don't make for true zero clearance. I haven't figured out whether I care about that or not given item 3 above. It may be that I need zero clearance along the back more than the bottom. It could be that I never needed it at all.
I should mention that I am a hobby woodworker and that this saw won't travel.
Now I have to figure out what to do with the Dewalt.
Update:
1. The saw may be soft start. I was using it this morning and that's how it's behaving now. I did change blades but I can't imagine that having anything to do with a change in behavior. I started a support case with Bosch.
2. The table on my saw is not flat. The center is low by .029" which seems excessive to me. I have started a support case with Bosch.
Update:
Bosch told me to take the saw in for repair. They said that the saw isn't repairable but I could save shipping that way. The repair people tell me that the process will take about 3 weeks. I am waffling about what to do. The box is long gone so shipping back to Amazon would be a hassle.
Update:
Sadly, this saw is going back to Amazon. Customer service was great to deal with. I told them that the saw is defective according to Bosch tech support. The representitive I had was unfamiliar with woodworking tools so I dictated the reason for her as she typed and she was very appreciative that she didn't have to do that herself. I was informed that a shipper would come to my house to pick up the saw. I told them that the original shipping container is long gone and they said that wasn't a problem. Too bad about the saw but Amazon customer service gets 5 stars.
I will still buy the saw but I will be going to my local Woodcraft where I can see and touch the thing. I would have gone for a replacement with Amazon but I didn't want to get another bad saw and go through the whole process again. I thought it best to go brick and morter for this item.
Update:
I'm happy to report that everyone involved couldn't have been better.
Amazon offered to replace the saw or give me a refund. They offered to pay for return shipping even though I didn't have the original packaging. Because the saw is heavy, they scheduled a pickup with a trucking company. Amazon said I didn't even have to box the saw. The trucking company wanted me to box it in something...anything.
My experience with Bosch was better yet. I approached it from two directions: a support phone call and an email. The phone support guy told me that the saw was out of spec and was not repairable. He said I could return it to Amazon for refund or take it in to a local repair place where they would determine what was wrong (everything) and take care of me. They also said I could ship the saw back to them at my expense. That's about the best I could expect from a frontline support guy.
Meanwhile, the email folks were evaluating my case.
I consulted with my local retailer and they gave me the name of the Bosch Rep for Kansas/Missouri. I called him. I was trying to decide whether to go for a replacement or refund and then buy the saw locally. We have a couple of woodworking shows soon and I thought I might show up with my straightedge and get the pick of the litter. He expressed a lot of interest in my saw and talked with his techs who were more interested yet. They offered to order in several saws, pick the best and ship that one to me. Then I would use the box and ship mine to the techs for analysis. They would pay shipping. That sounded good to me so I accepted their offer. After all, I do like the saw, I just want one that's right.
Meanwhile, the email support folks got back to me. They wanted to ship me a new saw and have me ship mine back at their expense. It seems that their techs wanted to see my saw. That would make two genuine expressions of interest in what happened to my saw.
I have to say that one offer from Bosch might just be anomalous curiosity by a single person. Two such offers suggest a corporate culture.
I will update again in a week or so when I have more to report.
Update:
Bosch sent another saw in a prototype improved package. Basically, there was a box around the box with foam inserts between. The gaps in saw #2 were just about identical to saw#1. I contacted Bosch. It just so happened that the Woodworking Show was in town last weekend and my Bosch guy was working the show. Last Friday morning before the show opened he and another Bosch tech came by and did their own measurements. They got roughly the same results I did. It was nice to have a pro verify my measurements. I wasn't at all indignant. They offered to try again and had even brought another base with them. I said I was going to give up and send the saw back. Bosch offered to buy the saw and pay shipping. So the saw is gone and I have been promised a check in a couple of weeks.
[start opinion]
I am still convinced that this saw is top quality. Assuming I get the check, I have no complaints about how Bosch handled the situation. I have no complaints about Amazon.
Based on my experience with these two saws, I am still convinced that this is fine saw. If it were shipped upright on a pallet with other saws and handled correctly in shipment, I think it would be very accurate. However, I don't think the packaging is adequate for single shipping to my house. This is an 88 lb saw and most of the weight is not in the base. When that saw is dropped, all of that force comes down on the four feet and exerts a bending moment that would take a lot of aluminum to overcome.
If you are interested in the saw, buy it locally or go get it. Don't have it shipped to you.
[end opinion]
More Reviews...
Bosch GCM12SD 120-Volt 12-Inch DB Glide Miter Saw:: Features
- Large form-fitting ambidextrous ergonomic trigger handle provides comfort for all-day use
- Large easy-to-read uniform bevel and stainless steel miter scales with marked detents and roof pitch angles
- High-precision Squarelock fence aligns fence 90 degrees to table and requires no adjustment; one-touch lock/unlock to slide fence for added support
- Expanded cutting capacity: 14-Inch horizontal capacity, 6-1/2-inch vertical capacity, 6-1/2-inch crown capacity (45-degree spring)
- Patented axial-glide system for durable precision and compact workspace
- Item Dimensions: 0 x 0 x 0 inches; 0 pounds
- Brand: Bosch
- Model: GCM12SD
- Product Type: Tools & Home Improvement
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