Cold Saw Reviews: The Makita LC1230

Of all the options that you have for cutting metal the best by far is a cold saw. If your only experience with metal cutoff saws is the abrasive type that you sprays sparks everywhere you will be shocked the first time that you use a cold saw. Not only are there no sparks but the material you are working with does not even get hot. You can also make precise cuts like with a wood saw saving you the trouble of having to grind the piece after you finish cutting.

The one downside to a cold saw is that they are very expensive compared to abrasive saws. if you will be using your saw enough it should not be hard to justify the price. You will however want to make sure that you invest the time to do the necessary research to get a good cold saw. In order to help with that I have reviewed the Makita LC1230 one of the best on the market.

There is a lot to like about the Makita LC1230 chop saw, the best thing is probably the power that it has. Of all of cut off saws that I have tried this one probably has the most power which you will really appreciate if you have to do a lot of cutting.This saw just breezes through even the toughest of materials.

One of the reasons that the LC1230 cuts so well is that in addition to having all kinds of power it comes with a really good blade. One of the issues that I have with a lot of cold saws is that the blades that come with them are very low quality. This means that you have to invest in a new blade almost right away. given that a good cold saw blade will cost you more than a hundred dollars this is a not insignificant expense to add to the cost of the saw. It is an expense you don't have to deal with when you buy the LC1230 because Makita have included a blade that you should get years of use out of.

The saw is sturdy and well built so it should last for years. The base is made of aluminum which not only keeps the weight down but also protects the blade from damage if there is any deflection when cutting.

The vice that comes with the LC1230 is another really nice feature, it is easy to use and unlike most metal saws it is machined flat so that you can put your work piece exactly where you want it.

While I quite like the Makita LC1230 there are some things that I would like to see improved. The first is that it would be nice if there was a tool less blade change. One of my biggest headaches with this saw, and indeed with most cutoff saws is having to change the blade. Given how often you have to change blades on these saws you would think that the manufacturers would have included a quick release for the blade. There is also the issue that there is a pretty good chance that you are going to lose the tool at some point which will create all kinds of problems.

The other thing that I don’t like is the handle, a D-grip handle would be a much better option as it would allow you to get more leverage when you are making your cuts.

I really like the LC1230, in fact I would say that it is my favorite metal cutting saw, although the MK Morse CSM14MB is a close second.

This saw is probably the ideal choice for people who have been using an abrasive saw but are now ready to make the switch to a cold saw. While it does cost quite a bit more than an abrasive saw it is still at a price that won't come as a huge shock while still giving a very high level of performance. Down the road you may want to consider switching to a higher end model but for most users this should not be necessary.