Ozito SCMS review

Don't laugh...:oo:

I have just started building a cubby for my kids and had moved onto cutting the frame timber with regular circular saw. I very quickly worked out this was going to take a lot more time than I had available.:( Looks like a mitre saw would make life a lot easier. So, a quick word with the project manager inside who pointed that this was a home made project designed to save money - any tool purchases need to be less than retail price of cubby. "And don't you already have a couple of saws?..."

With the word "cheap" firmly embedded in my brain, I headed down to my closest tool supplier - Bunnies (I know, I know...) Usual thing - the big green shed range goes from very cheap to high mid-range. Quickly working out that I didn't want just a mitre saw, I moved onto the Sliding Compound Mitre Saw models and started to ponder such inputs as planned use of tool, no. of intended vs. **actual** projects, amount of room in shed, no. of days until next paycheck...

Long story short - I came home with an Ozito CMG-404 SCMS http://www.ozito.com.au/prodtype.asp...prodtypeid=200 and MSS-002 Stand http://www.ozito.com.au/prodtype.asp...prodtypeid=410 This is a 1600w 210mm (8 1/4") number with 205mm (w) x 55 (d) cutting capacity. The pair cost a touch under $300.



This is my first experience of buying an entry level power tool so I started unpacking the boxes at home with a sense of trepidation:

• Instructions - check
• Three year replacement warranty card - check
• Mounting hardware - check
• Dustbag (decoration only) - check
• Blade - hmm. Well, it has the correct number of teeth but the brazing quality of the carbide tips is a little - shall we say - variable...

Never mind, time to set up the stand & get started. It can support up to 3m + length of 4x2" with only a little help from a roller stand. Certainly seems strong enough, rated to 200 kgs. First cut - 90 deg, then check with square - OK. Next I'll try 30 deg angle cut for the rafters - seems good. Sliding mechanism - OK, just a touch of deflection when fully extended. Electronic blade brake when powering down - nice touch.

All in all this saw does what it says on the box. Understanding the whole "built to a price" ethos a lot of these entry tools are manufactured under, this unit can do repeatable straight and angle cuts, isn't too noisy and is helping finish my first major project in a lot less time than would have otherwise happened. I realise I will probably have to do a test cut after each adjustment for accurate work, the stops & lock mecanism are somewhat approximate compared to (say) a Festo Kapex...

However, I have just restarted my journey to gain woodworking skills after a long break, so will be learning as I go. The Ozito should last long enough for me to justify a replacing with better model as I move onto the next phase. After all, I have to make sure I follow the warning label on the power lead... :D

Cheers,
Gooz