Ryobi ZRTS1344L View Amazon.com's Price | Our Rating: 9/10 Type: Compound Miter Saw Blade: 10" RPM: 5500 Compare Specs. With Other Miter Saws |
The Basics
The RYOBI ZRTS1344L (Amazon.com Link), or TS1344L as you’ll usually find it listed, can only be found used or, more preferably, factory reconditioned. Mine came ready to go straight from the factory and has served me well. It is quite portable at 31 lbs but has a 14 amp motor that cranks out 5500 RPM with no load. All that power at such a bargain is really nice but your cuts will be a lot better with something better than the stock 24 tooth blade. It is somewhat a pain to change the blade but this isn’t the type of miter saw that you will change blades often on anyway. Definitely better suited for grunt work than the fine details, this is not a slider. 4x4s and 2x6s are about the biggest pieces of lumber you’re going to be able to cut without flipping it. The electric blade brake does make the saw safer by halting all spin within just a few moments.
Miter Sliding & Angling:
As mentioned above, this one doesn’t slide. But it can miter to 45° both left and right. It has a screw-in knob to hold it and the scale isn’t all that large, so don’t expect pinpoint accuracy or consistency. I can’t imagine it producing high quality cuts with regular use after a year or two except perhaps where the positive miter stops are, which they have the requisite 4 on each side and one at zero. Even these though, are a little shaky. The detents work off of a ball in the hole system and the knob lock tends to offset the angle you are trying to achieve when you lock it into place.
Bevel Adjustment:
This is a left bevel only saw but RYOBI did a good job placing angle indicators on both sides allowing you more freedom of movement when adjusting your angle. It can bevel cut a 2×6 and it can go as far as 45°. Basic accuracy reflects basic design; this is a saw for basic projects. The bevel adjustment uses the same sorry system as the miter, minus the stops so you can anticipate similar issues if you are considering purchasing this saw.
Features
Exactline Laser Alignment System
These things are always gimmicks to the pros. Some rookies may find them useful though, as long as they remember to adjust it straight out of the box and pay close attention to it getting skewed and re-calibrating when necessary. For whatever reason though, RYOBI left theirs one right out in front and ready to get covered by sawdust in just a few cuts. Find by me, I didn’t plan on using it anyway.
Exhaust Collection
This is not the type of feature you would expect to work well on such a bargain miter saw and it sure didn’t surprise me. You can tell the bag isn’t meant to collect much because it is so small in the first place. And with all that power in the engine, expect your workspace to be dusty as any saw without one might leave it.
Built-in Clamp
The clamp is simple but effective enough. Here is another screw-in part so expect the appropriate material movement once it finally winds into place. It is only on the left and pretty close to the point of cut so you will definitely need a table or some homemade rigging to support your pieces. It also prevents you from making cuts on boards that are too wide for it unless you’re only shortening or angling the end. It is only on the left side and holds the material to the fence as opposed to the table.
Practical Uses
The TS1344L would be a great value as a gift for a new home improvement hobbyist who is building working experience with tools and projects. I don’t see a refurbished miter saw of this size lasting with or satisfying a contractor crew for anything more than a back up just in case your workhorse saws go out. It could work well though, for a one man contractor who does mostly small jobs outside. Make sure to check out Amazon.com’s price on this Ryobi miter saw.