Ideal for powering through general woodworking cuts and bevels, the Bosch CM10GD 10-Inch Compact Miter Saw is a powerful and stable tool that combines great cutting capacities, durability, and easy-to-use features. If you are looking for a solid miter saw, this model is a good choice for you.
To give you some better insight into the tool and to help you with your purchase decision, I will review the Bosch CM10GD so you will understand all of its features, specifications, pros, and cons.
Bosch CM10GD 10-Inch Compact Miter Saw
As a dual-bevel sliding glide miter saw, this unit focuses on usability while minimizing footprint thanks to its unique axial glide system. This lets you make cross cuts and crown molding with very little hassle.
Specifications
With a 15-amp motor, this 10-inch miter saw with a 5/8-inch arbor size packs a 4,800 RPM no-load speed. Its 10-inch blade has 60 carbide-tipped teeth that will easily cut through most wood materials. The weight of the tool is 60 pounds while its power cord spans 6 feet.
When it comes to cutting capacities, it can cut 6 inches for crown molding, 5-1/2 inches for vertical cutting, and 12 inches horizontally. It also has a max base molding of 3-14 inches (5-1/2 inches for 0 to 47 degrees left).
You can set its miter for up to 60 degrees (right) and 52 degrees (left) with detents at 0, 15, 31.6, 22.5, 45, and 60 degrees. On the bevel side, it has a 47-degree capacity, with detents at 0, 33.9, and 45 degrees (L/R). As for the dust extraction, you can attach any 1-1/4 or 35-mm sized hose.
Quality
The tool is backed by a 1-year warranty from the manufacturer. Additionally, its dust extraction feature helps to preserve the motor and avoid ruining the inner components. I also like that it has an electric motor brake, which is not only useful for making repetitive cuts but also prolongs the lifespan of the mechanical parts due to minimal excessive spinning.
Usability
Among its convenient features is the lock/chop feature, which keeps the head locked, which is especially useful when you are working on crown molding. Furthermore, it has 4-1/2-inch sliding fences so when you are working on crown molding or beveling, there will be greater precision due to the support.
However, the feature we like the most is the axial glide system – a more advanced sliding rail system – which minimizes footprint while smoothening the gliding action. This will help you perform your cutting task with fewer delays.
Now let’s talk about the dust extraction – its vacuum hose attachment is tight and secure due to its unique “click and clean” mechanism, which improves the overall dust extraction by up to 90%. It comes with its vacuum adapter and dust chute as well.
Moreover, the ambidextrous trigger handle is a much loved feature. We all know how difficult it is to hold a power tool for hours without feeling fatigued. Having a large handle that’s easy to customize for both left-handed and right-handed positions, you will feel at ease regardless of your dominant hand. In this way, you can stay focused on the task at hand without being bothered by fatigued arms and hands.
Should You Buy the Bosch CM10GD?
The Bosch CM10GD is great for those doing general woodworking tasks, such as crown molding and making bevels. With its 10-inch blade, it caters to most cutting jobs that don’t require a bigger blade (such as 12-inch ones). It also has a variety of accessibility features which will be helpful on the job site to increase productivity.
If you are still unsure about the decision, go through the below list of the pros and cons of the tool.
Pros of the Bosch CM10GD
Let’s start with the pros.
The axial glide system saves space and time.
This unique axial glide system is commonly seen in Bosch miter saws. It allows you to save up to 10 inches of area in your workspace while enabling a smooth glide while you work on your material. This would be beneficial if you have limited space in your work area.
Because of the smooth mechanism of the axial glide system, you will save time and effort as compared to weaker systems where the sliding mechanism is not that smooth.
Setting the bevel and miter is easy.
Due to the bevel lock lever and range selector, there’s no need to go behind the saw to set up the miter saw’s bevel value. Furthermore, it has markings that are easy to read so if you adjust the miter detents, it will be more accurate.
Another plus point I like about this dual-bevel miter saw is the push-button miter detent override. It has a thumb-actuated control so adjusting the miter angle is also convenient since it is positioned upfront. Added to that, it has roof pitch angles so setting up the perfect cut will be a breeze.
The dust extraction system is excellent.
With up to 90% dust collection, this compact miter saw has a vacuum adapter and a dust chute that uses the “click and clean” platform. This keeps the vacuum hose in place so that there will be little to no dust flying around when you are cutting the material.
Having a good dust extraction system in a miter saw is crucial because woodworking is a dirty and dusty activity. Dust can also get in the way of your material and result in less accurate cuts due to poor visibility. Therefore, to save you time and improve your cutting accuracy, it’s best to go for a miter saw with superior dust extraction.
It has an ambidextrous trigger handle.
Having a comfortable handle on a miter saw is always a plus point. Whether you’re left-handed or right-handed, the ability to switch sides on holding the tool will help to decrease fatigue when you’re working on an all-day or week-long project.
Oh, and did I mention it has a soft grip as well? That’s going to help tremendously to reduce vibrations and keep your grip comfortable. The trigger handle is also quite large so it will be easy to grab.
Cons of the Bosch CM10GD
Even though the Bosch CM10GD is a great tool, there are a few cons worth noting as well.
It doesn’t come with a laser guide.
If you came here looking for a miter saw that has a laser guide, you might be disappointed. Although laser guides aren’t required in such tools, they are certainly helpful when it comes to maintaining accuracy.
The miter saw is on the heavy side.
At 60 pounds, it is a miter saw that’s more for stability rather than portability. So, if you’re looking for a miter saw to take with you between rooms on a remodeling project, you’re may break a sweat doing that.
What Are the Alternatives to the Bosch CM10GD?
If the Bosch CM10GD isn’t your cup of tea, I have other alternative suggestions similar to this miter saw:
From the same manufacturer, the Bosch GCM12SD (read my comparison), which has a 15 amp motor. It’s a 12-inch unit that’s a bit similar to the Bosch CM10GD due to the axial glide system, dust extraction features, ambidextrous trigger handle, and bevel capacity. This axial glide system is a space-saving feature that’s not seen on most common miter saws. However, if you simply prefer a 12-inch version of the Bosch CM10GD, I think that the Bosch GCM12SD is for you.
If you are looking for a similar 10-inch blade, the Metabo HPT C10FCGS is a good alternative. The only difference is that it is not a dual-bevel. Nonetheless, it has similar thumb-activated positive stops, so setting the miter detents is also simple with this one. It has a 15-amp motor and a 45-degree bevel range (52 degrees for miter).
Another 10-inch miter saw I’d like to suggest is the Makita LS1019L (read my review), which has a dual-bevel sliding compound. If you’re looking to improve your accuracy with a laser guide, then this is the alternative tool to get. It has a 6-5/8 crown molding capacity which is similar to that of a 12-inch miter saw and it is also lighter in weight at only 57.9 pounds.
Summary
All in all, the Bosch CM10GD is a solid miter saw for most woodworking tasks. It has convenient features such as the axial glide system that saves space and effort, and the dust extraction is pretty good as well.
Although it lacks a laser guide, the 10-inch blade will work well for most cross-cutting, beveling, and crown molding jobs.