Milwaukee 6497-6 Magnum 15 Amp 10-Inch Sliding Compound Miter saw

Milwaukee 6497-6 Magnum 15 Amp 10-Inch Sliding Compound Miter saw Features

Additional Milwaukee 6497-6 Magnum 15 Amp 10-Inch Sliding Compound Miter saw Information

Choosing a Miter Saw
Miter saws are versatile tools that have become a mainstay of workshops everywhere. These powerful saws make angled cuts by pulling a circular blade down onto a workpiece with a short, controlled plunge. It might appear that miter saws are infinitely complex and varied, but there are only three general types. The type you choose will depend on your woodworking needs.

Basic Miter Saws
Basic miter saws are the least versatile off the three major variations, but they’re a great starting point for novice do-it-yourselfers. These models typically adjust for miter cuts only, so consider upgrading if you need to do more than that.

Compound Miter Saw
Compound miter saws are easier to use than basic miter saws because you can place your stock flat for cutting, and they adjust simultaneously for miter and bevel cuts. A compound miter saw is great for jobs that feature stock that's not very tall or wide, such as door and window trim or picture frames.

Sliding Compound Miter Saws
Sliding compound miter saws are the most versatile of the available models. They have a motor and blade assembly that's mounted on a moveable arm to accommodate longer, wider workpieces. For smaller pieces, the saw performs like an ordinary fixed-head model. On some models, the blade can only pivot in one direction, but on a dual sliding compound miter saw, the blade can tilt to the right or left.

Important Features at a Glance
Though models will vary by manufacturer and design, these are a few of the more commonly found features that you might want to keep in mind.

Electric brake: Reverses the flow of electricity when the saw's trigger is released. This is an important safety feature that slows the blade quickly in case of emergency. Blade guard: Most miter saws have self-retracting guards that withdraw when the saw is lowered for use, and reappear when it is raised. Laser guide: Gives a precise visual line where the cut will occur on your workpiece. Dust bag: Helps collect sawdust for a clearer, more tidy cutting area. Shaft lock: Immobilizes the shaft and blade for quicker, easier blade changes. Table extensions: Mount on either side of the saw to help balance longer workpieces.

Miter Saw Blades
Miter saw blades come in a variety of different sizes, grades, and materials, but there are three main types: steel, high-speed steel, and carbide-tipped blades.

Steel: Inexpensive and good for cutting soft woods or plywoods. Sharpness diminishes quickly in tougher materials. High-Speed Steel: More rugged than steel blades, and great for cutting harder woods. Carbide-Tipped: More expensive than other blades but much more durable. Maintain sharpness over a longer period.

What Customers Say About Milwaukee 6497-6 Magnum 15 Amp 10-Inch Sliding Compound Miter saw:

I have no complaint at all of this tool. Also, the motor has a lock for ease of blade changing.

There is only a small plate to loosen to expose the blade nut. The wrench for the blade nut has a handy slot built in.

In keeping with usual excellence attributed with Milwaukee Tools, this saw is the best addition to my tool set in ages. The slide is locking for straight compound cuts.

Since it is a Milwaukee I expect to own this saw for years (decades). It has a 15 amp motor and a 55+ deg cut allowing me to make my own stair stringers.

The slides are set in a diagonal for greater stability and are machined from 1/4 inch thick stock.

This alleged "Milwaukee" doesn't offer dual-bevel, a laser guide, and appears relatively flimsy compared to the products of other manufacturers. While Bosch, Craftsman, a handful of DeWalt miter saws are also made in Taiwan, they offer better value and more features for the money, particularly the Bosch products. The Milwaukee has also showed poorly in woodworking reviews of compound sliding miter saws.I would characterize this saw as of marginal quality, or in other words: "Anything But Heavy Duty." Give Milwaukee a call at 1-800-SawDust and let them know they can do far better. I have to say that this is one Milwaukee product that truly disappoints. Rather than being built in-house in Wisconsin or at one of Milwaukee/Atlas Copco's global facilities in Germany or Sweden, this saw is contract-built for Milwaukee by a Taiwanese manufacturer, presumably Rexon.

I ordered a 6497-6 10 inch from an on line dealer (no one in town had one in stock) after quite a bit of compairison shopping. Okay. So when I needed a miter saw for a job I naturally went straight to Milwaukee. The lock pin slid right down and engaged, locking the saw in the down position and causing it to jam. I'm wondering if anyone else has had problems with defective saws.I've been a Milwaukee fan and user most of my life.

I honestly don't know if I really want a Milwaukee or not at this point. I understand production and know that sometimes things just happen, but what are the odds that I would get two saws in a row that had a completely different defect on exactly the same part. At that point it kicked so hard that it actually cracked the housing around the pin. I found it lying in the bottom of the box. I set it up in my garage to test run it before taking it to the job site. ( no need to unpack it if this one is defective too )I never did find out if it worked because the pin on this one was actually completely broken off. Well the saw was delivered last Thursday 7-6-06. Well the replacement came today 7-12-06 and I never even got this one out of the box.While unpacking it I wanted to check the lock pin and make sure it worked.

I'm 52. Not that big a deal but now I couldn't take it to work and had to make about 25 phone calls to the supplier and Milwaukee to get a new saw sent out. I don't want to turn anyone off on Milwaukee here but I can't help wondering if quality control is really up to snuff in Taiwan and how many other things might be gettting missed. I actually almost bought a DeWalt because everyone in town had them in stock. During the test I set it on a 45 degree bevel and started to make a cut.

Not certain why it slammed upon returning to the upright position. First, this saw is NOT made in Germany, as stated in Amazon's Technical Details. Two days after notifying Amazon of the error, it is still there. I generaly respect Milwaukee tools, however, this one is not satisfactory.

How can you expect to obtain repeatable and accurate results. If you intend to use your saw for cabinetry, etcetera, look elsewhere. The scale assembly then moves so much you can watch the pointer shift as much as two degrees. A vertical threaded knob applies downward pressure to the scale in order to lock in your angle.

The lower blade guard was annoying at best. The bevel set-up is ridiculous. It is made in Taiwan. A small amount of lateral pressure produces noticeable deflection, though it does decrease as the arm reaches a horizontal position.

The assembly allowed several inches of motor travel before the guard engaged. I received the saw, removed it from the box for inspection, then promptly returned it. It both engaged and disengaged with a slamming action.

It's a solid saw. But, if I did buy instead, I'd buy another of these. I don't know what's going on with the saws people are writing all the negative stuff about, but I've owned one of these for years, and it's been a rock solid performer. A "job site injury" finally cracked the case, causing it to fail to hold alignment, and I'm paying to have it repaired rather than buy another.