Bosch Professional GCM 8 SJL Sliding mitre Saw (sawblade-Ø: 216 mm, incl. clamp, 1 x Circular Saw Blade, Optiline Wood)

Firstly let me say I've been a carpenter for over 30 years, so I have some experience with mitre saws. Ok I had three mitre saws that were all Dewalt. 1) a 305mm blade which tilts both ways which I use for larger roof framing projects etc. 2) The new cordless Dewalt which I use for smaller projects or if no plug in power is available. 3) A 216mm blade Dewalt which will handle most projects that I used daily, this saw eventually died after years of use so I needed a replacement. I don't like the design of the new 216mm mitre saws from Dewalt, they remind me of an Elu I had many years ago. So I did some research and opted for the Bosch GCM 8 SJL on Amazon at the very reasonable price of £259. I almost went for the Makita equivalent which also looks a good machine, I have other Makita tools which are first class. Out of the box I checked the saws cutting accuracy, the saw cut absolutely spot on square so no adjustment required. The only thing I had to adjust was the laser. I always download the Pdf manual of all my new power tools from their makers websites, but this saw also comes with a paper manual which explained how to adjust the laser. The sliding action is very smooth and the saw has an adjustable depth stop for doing trench cuts etc, a very useful addition which I've used for lap joints. The saw has table extensions both left and right which I really like for extending the support of material. This saw only tilts one way, but that's not an issue you just need to reverse your cuts. The mitre adjustment setup is different to what I'm used to on the Dewalt saws, but it works perfectly fine. The saw has plenty of power and comes with a very good quality blade, I've cut through 8" x 2" timber like a hot knife through butter. Another reviewer complained about the dust extraction? If you connect an dust extractor to the machine it works really well, if you don't you will get a buildup of sawdust but that happens with all machines. I'd always recommend connecting an extractor if you're working inside for health reasons, if you're working outside it's not an issue. Now this machine is a Bosch and it's a mitre saw, so I certainly expected to pay much more for it. The fist thing I did notice when I unboxed it was it's made in China, something a work colleague didn't like. However I've had it about a month now and I must say I'm impressed with it, this saw certainly has German engineering. So I'd say it's not the best mitre saw I've ever had, but for the money it's defenatly the best value and will do just about any carpentry project thrown at it. So far I've cut a small hipped roof on an extension with it, it's cut skirting, architraves, studwork, handrails, base rails and spindles etc all very accurately. If you're looking to buy a mitre saw think about what sort of work you're going to do with it and what size timbers you'll be cutting, then buy accordingly. I use this saw for every day general carpentry and so far I'm pleased with it. So for that reason and especially for the price I'd recommend it and I've given it five stars!

This Bosch mitre saw represents excellent value and with a little setting up can produce some very accurate cuts. When the saw cam from the factory the bevel and mitre angles were slightly off true. With a little bit of research it wasn't too difficult to work out how to calibrate this saw. The angle of the bevel can be adjusted so that the mark for 0 degrees is correct by adjusting a nut at the back. The mitre angle is adjusted by loosening the screws on the front gauge, lining the blade up to the fence using a roofing square or other decent sized 90 angle, then tightening the gauge back up again. Once this is complete all the angle are true. The saw is defiantly a work horse and has a decent cutting depth. With any mitre saw the dust collection is never going to be perfect, but at about 1/3 the price of a Festool Kapex it defiantly represents good value. The laser line works nicely, it doesn't have the laser on both sider of the kerf like some of the more high end saws do. The handle is comfortable to use and adjusting the rear fence is pretty easy. The adjustable supports that extent to the left and right of the saw to support the work piece work well. It does make a lot of noise so hearing protection is defiantly a requirement. Overall very happy with this product. There is nothin else in this price range that have the quality of this saw.

I read a lot of reviews but don't normally write them so something has to be good for me to do so. I have had numerous mitre saws including Einhell and Evolution but this one is in a different league. It is very easy to set up to get accurate cuts and ensure the laser is aligned perfectly. The motor is strong and the blade very good producing very clean cuts. The reach and dust extraction are where it comes into it's own. The reach is over 30 cm allowing you to cut a wide range of timbers without the need to turn it round and suffer alignment problems. The dust extraction is fantastic. Despite me using a cyclone dust extraction system on my previous saws, I still had to clean up a fair amount of sawdust whenever I used them. This leaves very little sawdust and you can see the sawdust being extracted as you cut, the best I have seen by far and saves so much time after use. I spend a long time reading everything before I buy a new saw to ensure it serves my needs as a keen woodworker hobbyist. To save you that time and effort, if you want a great accurate saw with a fantastic extraction system then buy this, you'll be more than please with your purchase.

Great mitre saw.... but. The 90 degree cut is spot on, but move it to cut across the plain at 45 degrees, instead of straight down, and it was about 3 degrees out. The laser was out, but simple to move, unfortunately it stopped working after a few afternoons of work (switched off and on, not left on). The extraction is really good, but not so good if you've changed the horizontal angle, to 45 degrees. I think there is a 110 V alternative which is useful. But could do with an inverter (??) to get a speed control in, as i would like to use the accuracy of the saw for cutting metal, and metal blades suggest max speeds of at least half of the mitre saw's rpm. The plus side, is this is so easy to use and adjust, i absolutely love it.

excellent product and responsible seller

Bought this to replace a previous professional sliding mitre saw I got 2nd hand a few years ago at the end of its professional working life. Although a DIYer I wanted a professional quality tool for the greater accuracy of cut - and it was a birthday indulgence! Things I particularly like: • ability to easily adjust all cut settings for accuracy; • laser guide (though it gets blocked with sawdust and has to be cleaned out quite regularly), • good cutting performance; • easy depth cut adjustment; • ability to reconfigure the cut quickly using preset positions for horizontal and vertical bevels; • vacuum hose in fixed position at end of rails - acts to return cutting head to home position and makes it easier to keep hose attachment in place. Minor niggles: • Hose attachment is designed for a Bosch connector – an expensive accessory. Fortunately I had an adaptor nozzle for my vacuum cleaner which is a reasonable push fit (helped by my last point above). • Can’t get the full range of horizontal bevel cut as bolts from fixings to the Bosch saw stand (GTA2600 Pro) get in the way - a problem with the stand fixings not the saw itself, hopefully readily addressable. Overall I’m very happy with it and think it’s excellent value as a pro tool for top end DIY use.

I've been using a budget brand mitre saw since I got into woodworking a few years ago. It was OK (for the price) & did a lot of work for me but as I improved as a carpenter, I started to notice issues with accuracy & it began to vibrate, which seemed concerning. Plus no laser. I finally decided to splash out on a quality saw. After a lot of research the Bosch fitted the bill, in terms of features to cost (much like the table saw I purchased around a year ago). I was not disappointed. Easy to use (except for the slightly awkward safety catch button for the trigger) & accurate. With a little adjustment of the screw, the laser can be aligned to suit & it really is a feature I was missing on the old saw. No more having to wait for the blade to stop spinning to line up the next cut. Dust collection is decent with no modifications (though I may improve it). The cuts are very smooth. Nice length of cut & all the angled cuts seem spot on out of the box. I've seen how to adjust square if needed & that seems simple enough. Neat quick trench cut feature. Sturdy overall. Really pleased with this purchase, which will be a workhorse of my workshop for years to come.

Fantastic mitre saw. Light enough to move with one hand unlike it's bigger Bosch brothers with the well placed grab handle. Accurate straight out the box but did tweak the laser with a simple screw twist on the side. Very stable to use on the floor or mounted, extension tables are smooth to adjust and lock with a single hand adjustment. The trenching tool works well as does the single bevel and mitre cut. The extract connector has changed from older models and now has a new nozzle for connecting the Bosch extractor. That said, I was able to slide a Dyson vac tube into it even with its press button for attachments. I added a bit of duct tape around it to to make sure it sealed fully, but worked well enough for indoor use. Great mitre saw for the price with as many features you will need for most projects.