# Miter saw failure



## Ranger1227 (Mar 15, 2011)

I have a new Makita LS1040 miter saw. I am using it to install composite railing on my deck. I have made fewer than 200 cuts with the saw. Before doing the deck, I cut some 2 x2's to mock up the stair rails. Since then, I have used it only to cut Timbertech composite railing. I called TT for a blade recommendation and they advised a finish blade. I bought a Diablo 80 tooth carbite tipped blade. It worked great, but then a tooth broke off. I returned it to HD and a tooth broke off the second one. I returned it and got a CMT Orange Tools blade. It seems to be working fine.

When I went to change the blade, though, after I put it back together, the blade guard was not working properly. After examining the saw, it appears that the support arm and housing at the opening is bent. This would explain why the balde guard is not working properly. I am just wondering why this would happen after relatively light use and cutting only basic wood and composite.

Until this happened, I was getting great smooth cuts. I plan on taking it back to the store where I bought and hope they will exchange it. However, I am curious if anyone has any ideas on this problem?


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## havalife (Mar 23, 2011)

Sounds like you did a narrow cut and it spun up into the gaurd.


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

Sometimes early failures occur. Havalife may have nailed it---


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## Ranger1227 (Mar 15, 2011)

WOuld thin cuts be strong enough to bend the outside metal housing as well? Also, there is nothing in the manual that says to avoid cuts less than a certain width. I am cutting composite deck railing and need to make some fine cuts to adjust the fit. I did not think there was anything wrong with that. I just wonder if there was some defect to start that actually caused the blade teeth to break on two different blades. Just wondering?


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## del schisler (Aug 22, 2010)

Ranger1227 said:


> WOuld thin cuts be strong enough to bend the outside metal housing as well? Also, there is nothing in the manual that says to avoid cuts less than a certain width. I am cutting composite deck railing and need to make some fine cuts to adjust the fit. I did not think there was anything wrong with that. I just wonder if there was some defect to start that actually caused the blade teeth to break on two different blades. Just wondering?


I have the same saw now for probly 15 yrs or more. I got it when they first come out. The only 2 things that went wrong was the beiring behind the blade that made the cut's not stay on we will say 45 degree's they werent right on. fixt that with a new beiring and new greese. Not the plastic piece that move over the blade when you move saw to cut it rub's on the bed. What i done was cut off the curved piece. I couldn't see why it was to long? Any way that is all that i found other than the brush's go bad if you cut a lot. Just turning then around doesn't work. Just get new one's and the saw will stop. And also if you let your finger slip off the switch at the end of the cut it will help the saw stop. Nice saw


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## Ranger1227 (Mar 15, 2011)

I took the saw back to the store today and the service dept was not terribly friendly. When I told them that 2 Freud Diablo blades broke with relatively little use, they said it was the blade's fault. I showed them the composite rail I was cutting and they said the there are bits of things that get thrown off. However, on deeper inspection of the saw, the part of the housing that I thought was bent is actually designed that way. We looked at one on the floor. They replaced the blade guard for me at no charge, made sure the blade was true and I was out of there at no charge.

The only part that annoyed me was that they were practically accusing me of abusing the saw and that there was no way there could be a failure. That was the first in a series of bad customer service episodes today. Hopefully, no other saw issues


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