18V miter saw: A truly mobile jobsite solution, this saw weighs less than a pound but has the power to do a lot of work.
This machine has a lot of power. It can cut 3/8 in. nested crowns, and it can cut 47° left to 47° right against the fence, and it can cut 10-5/8 in. crosscuts.
It’s easy to move around because it only weighs 31.5 Lbs (tool only, not including battery.
Accurate laser guide system – aligns the cut line to the blade in a way that is very accurate.
This BOSCH miter saw combines professional cutting capacity with outstanding portability to deliver a truly mobile, cordless solution to the jobsite. The GCM18V-08N Surgeon bare tool set comes with an 8-1/2 In. single-bevel, sliding compound miter saw that can cut a 3-5/8 In. nested crown. It can cut from 47° left to 47° right against the fence, which is a great range for a cordless 8-1/2 In. miter saw. At 31. 5 Lbs. (tool only, not including battery), this saw is easy to move around and still has a 10-5/8 In. crosscut capacity. It features BOSCH’s MEGAWATT Technology, a BOSCH-exclusive brushless high-performance motor and drive-train system engineered to take full advantage of the additional power generated by 8. 0 Ah and 12. 0 Ah CORE18V batteries (sold separately). In testing, the saw delivers 377 cuts per charge with a CORE18V 8. 0 Ah Performance Battery. With a laser guide system that is very accurate, the saw is made with sliding bars that are very close together. This makes it very easy to slide the saw. It has a dust chute and a bag for collecting dust efficiently.
I just bought this saw to replace or add to a Makita 10″ chop saw that I’ve had for 15 years. For a long time, I’ve used Bosch 18-volt tools. I’ve accumulated a lot of them, and none of them have failed me. New: This is a battery-powered compound miter saw. It is one of the first of its kind. I have a workshop in back that’s far from the house and runs via an off-grid solar array. Lights and smaller tools can get power from this, but it doesn’t have enough power or battery power to run 15A tools. This gives me a lot of options. During work, I also don’t like pulling cords for power (1st world problem, I know).
I have a chop saw that is heavier than this one, but this one does a little more because it’s moving (my existing was just a compound miter chop saw). Some of the specs say that it weighs about 30 pounds. That seems about right. When you hold it, the handle on top helps keep the weight down, but it’s not very easy to carry for a long time. Balanced, but it’s big, so you have to move your body a little to carry this 100-yard walk to my workshop. The handle is in the middle of the unit, so you have to move your body a little. For short trips, it’s fine. I had to change sides after about 30 yards.
As for setting up and calibrating, it’s very simple and quick. Angles were never 100% correct on my Makita because the miter stops had a little bit of wiggle room in them. Setting the gauge helped a little, but it would be a little loose and I would have to do some test cuts and tweaks before cutting anything very precise. This Bosch was 100% correct right out of the box (they do calibrate it at the factory but recommend checking it when you get it). I made a lot of 45-degree angle cuts, and the miter stops stayed in place with no play at all. Setting the laser’s accuracy was also easy and it didn’t need to be set again for several days of use. There is no need to line up the blade before each cut because the laser does it for you (yes, this is my first laser-assisted saw).
I like how the slide moves. When it’s turned 90 degrees, it can cut up to about 10 1/2 inches across. This is a lot of reach for an 8 1/2-inch saw. There’s a lock on the back of the slide that keeps it in place when it’s just being used as a chop saw or when it’s being moved.
There is a 24-tooth blade that came with it that is good for most things. Mostly, I used it to cut pressure-treated 2x4s. It was very quick and had a small kerf. It spewed out about as much dust as my current saw, which I use to cut wood (it has a bag, but some escapes). Test it again to see if hooking it up with a vacuum cleaner helps it work better again (I have the 18v battery Bosch shop vac). When I made about 10 or so cuts, the laser kind of went away. I had to blow out the housing because dust would get inside and cover the laser. No big deal as I keep the 18v Bosch blower handy to clear off work easily.
As for strength, wow. I have a lot of batteries that are 18 volts, 8.0 AH Core. I did about 100 cuts with it and the battery was only down 1 bar. The saw starts up and runs quickly – faster than my Makita 120v that does the same job. It never stops and keeps going through every cut I made. The brake also stops it quickly. It’s also much quieter than my Makita, both when it’s running and cutting.
I’m am 100% pleased with this saw and if you are looking for a battery powered miter saw, definitely consider this one. The freedom of cords is awesome and this saw makes a great addition to my arsenal.
