Bosch GCM 8 SJL
Pros
- Great value professional level saw
- High build quality
- Accurate cuts
- Good cutting capacity
- Great customer reviews
Cons
- Dust management could be better
- Heavy
The Bosch GCM 8 SJL Review
Stepping into the mid price range the Bosch GCM 8 SJL sliding mitre saw offers precision, high build quality and power. Perfectly priced, it will suit the DIY enthusiast that is looking for that extra but of quality, yet robust enough for any tradesman.
Sitting in our top ten for very good reason, Bosch have bridged the gap nicely between trade and domestic use. You will be able to produce professional cuts all day long on some of the toughest timbers. If you like to buy quality that lasts then click the blue button to have a look.
Even though it’s a power tool for home use, it’s man enough for most trade jobs and has the ability to work with large materials. It all comes in at a very reasonable price for a saw that can be worked hard all day long for those big weekend projects. If you’re not looking for something quite as impressive just yet, or want to spend a little less, we highly recommend the Lumberjack SCMS210SB as a great value entry level saw. For everyone else, though, this Bosch will make a brilliant buy.
Main Features
Let’s take a look at the main features of the GCM8SJL and how it can help you in your day to day work or project. There are a lot of features to take on board but all worth taking the time to learn about to help your decision to buy.
The Cut
This mitre saw offers a very powerful cut, giving very clean and accurate angles. The 1600 watt motor allows this saw to glide smoothly through large pieces of timber with absolute accuracy all day long. The included 216mm blade gives a large cutting size with a depth of 7cm and cutting width of 31.2 cm which will allow you to cut some large 4 by 2 inch timbers, large planks as well as the finishing touches around the house.
The mitre angles that can be set on this saw are a step up from the PCM 8 S, allowing a 52 degree angle on the left setting and a whopping 60 degree angle on the right setting. This will allow some very tight angles to be cut. The motor will also give your saw plenty of reserve power for stubborn materials that might leave a less powerful motor struggling.
The integral laser beam sight allows the angles to be set with absolute precision and once the angle is set it can be locked into place with an easy to use locking operation to guarantee that the saw will not move in the slightest to keep the angle exactly as you require. Not only can the GCM 8 SJL cut though large pieces of wood, it also has the ability to cut very accurate grooves in materials with a depth lock on the blade, very handy for really precise cuts. The blade that comes with the saw is a 48 tooth Bosch blade that gives a precision finish to all manner of cuts.
Safety
As the ability of the saw to work in commercial settings goes up so do the safety features. While we’re reviewing this for a domestic setting, it’s a model that is very popular with professionals too. A saw that is in constant use needs to be robust for the user and needs to assist with keeping the working environment a safe place.
The GCM8SJL has an improved dust management system that helps keep the area dust free and a nicer place to work with a two point dust extraction system. One of the dust collection points follows the blade, ensuring that dust is collected even on the widest of cuts. When a saw like this is working constantly there will be a lot of dust generated which needs to be managed and not end up being a hazard.
The blade comes with a strong cover to protect users when it is running and with the controls all placed in easy to use and clearly visible areas around the saw, so that the working position is safe and easy for frequent use. One other feature when it comes to safety is the weight of the saw, as we move more towards the commercial mitre saw end of the market, they will need to be carried around more and this one weighs in at a light 17kg for easy transportation.
The Rest Of The Features
This is a quality mitre saw and has a lot more features on offer than the already impressive list above. Transportation of the commercial grade saws is a big issue for tradesmen as we mentioned this is a light 17 kg and also has an easy to carry handle on the body. To keep the saw working quickly the blade has a quick and easy to use spindle lock for fast blade changes. The more the saw is worked the more blades will be required and time saved is money made for the professionals. The key to change the blade is stored on the body of the saw so that it doesn’t get lost, a nice touch!
A big selling point for Bosch saws is the readily available spare parts and the large dealer network for any problems or maintenance issues. As this is one of the biggest brands of high quality power mitre saws in the world you will have no problems getting advice and the parts to keep your saw running smoothly.
The most important aspect of any mitre saw is the body and this has a strong aluminium body with no room for movement. The action on one of these saws needs to be clean and smooth with no room for the angle to be compromised, so as the body on the GCM 8 SJL is very rigid, you’ll get total accuracy on the selected angle.
What Jobs Is It Suited To?
Well there isn’t much that this saw can’t cope with apart from the chunkiest lengths of timber. Working on a construction site cutting timbers all day is no issue for this saw, it has plenty of power to keep going at a rate of knots. The easy dust management and fast change of blade will mean it really is up to any work load that is thrown at it.
This is also a great saw for finishing touches for the DIY expert working on bigger jobs at home or the professional tradesman. Whether you are working inside or outside it is portable and versatile.
The GCM 8 In Action
There are many different uses for the saw, here are a couple of common jobs that it may be used for to give you an idea of the work it can take on.
Putting up fencing can be a slow and painful process. Not with this saw, it has a big enough cutting capacity to cut the fence posts with a nice finish and will also cut all of the pieces to make a really nice looking set of panels. The cost saving is massive if you make your own panels so this saw can make the job quick and save you money at the same time!
Many houses are now finished with wood laminate flooring which is wide so need a saw with a wide cut to cope with it and at the same time provide high quality and accuracy and will not leave any gaps. This saw will deal with this easily and quickly, leaving a fantastic finish even with the most awkward of wall angles. What sets off a laminate or wooden floor is the quality of the finish not necessarily the material used, investing in a this mitre saw could make your flooring look really nice.
Summing It All Up
This 240V sliding mitre saw is powerful and versatile and will work hard for a reasonable budget. Great for the tradesman who wants a portable machine that will give a good finish and also great for the expert DIY enthusiast who is willing to invest a little more to get a great finish. All in all the saw gets great reviews and comes highly recommended.
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