# Forum Home Renovation Tools & Products  Drop/Miter Saw Square

## Salem

Hi guys, my drop saw has been driving me insane for a while and hoping it may just be my inexperience. A few years ago I bought a drop saw and I thought this was the best tool I could own. As I've tried doing more and more detailed work I'm finding that I just can not rely on this to get a square cut. I've tried squaring the blade with a couple different squares but I could never quite get a true cut. For all intensive purposes the bevel and blade appeared to be at 90deg. Today I went out of my way to buy this neat little little device for measuring the angle of the blade accurate to 0.1deg. This was finally going to solve my problems. Surprisingly as I zeroed it on the base and put it on the blade it come up to 90.1. Pretty damn close. I've adjusted the screw to bring this to exactly 90degrees. 
I've cut my first bit of timber and again it just does not look square. I feel like the blade is completely square when its at its full height but must be coming out as I plunge it into the timber or at the bottom of the cut. What is going on?
is there another adjustment that I'm not aware of. Im really disappointed as I'd doubted the squares i had and figured it was a quality issue. Now its out of warranty I feel a bit stuck. I seem to be supplementing my saw(s) with my router in order to get a square cut.  
In this photo I've zeroed it against the base.   
I've now put it on the blade and it shows 90.1. Pretty good.   
As the blade comes down it starts moving out to 90.6 and beyond.   
The sample cut I made shows the offcut seems to butt up nicely.  
Now I flip the the offcut over vertically there's a very obvious gap between the timber.  
I'd love to hear some advice on this one or what might be going on and I'd be curious to know if buying a new one would remedy this problem or is this to be expected for a miter saw in this price range? 
thanks

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## METRIX

Sorry to say, but that Ryobi saw won't give you detailed cuts, it is an old DIY saw and probably never cut accurately, it's to be expected in the price range these saws are targeted at, it probably has inaccurate press fitting of the bearings, but saying that there should be a zero stop adjustment on the saw (bolt with a lock nut on it), this sets the zero point, and it might be slightly off zero, although if it's only off when you drop the blade, then it's probably a bearing or shaft problem, if it is it would not be worth fixing.  
My mate got a Bosch Green PCM1800 mire saw recently, its not a bad saw 10" blade, wide cut, and quiet, but it never cut at 0deg accurately, it was out by about 1.5 deg. 
He already took it back and exchanged for another one, then he asked me to look at it, I loosened the fence to adjust it, and to my surprise it was already at the limit of the adjustment holes.he didn't want to take it back, so i enlarged the adjustment holes by about 3mm longer (fence guide was aluminum so was easy to do), 
 I got the thing to cut perfectly at 0deg, but I was disappointment that Bosch built it with a lot of adjustment and it had no adjustment left to cut accurate, I was more disappointed that Bosch let it leave the factory like that. 
I think Bosch may need to look at their manufacturing tolerances on this saw. 
But it is a DIY product and sold at a low price, made in China, combination of these three things guarantee it to be inaccurate straight out of the box.

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## Salem

yeah cheers, I feared as much. Really annoying. Its definitely caused me to buy more putty than usual when replacing all my architraves and skirting and they never quite met up properly. This saw I probably bought 2-3 years ago and was in teh price range of $330. Any recommendations on something I can rely on? There's Makita in this same price range. I'm happy to spend $500 if I need to as I'd always prefer to buy the tool that lasts and delivers quality although I dont need it to be top end as the use is once a month and not trade use.

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## Micky013

Had the same issue with a ryobi scms. In the end i ditched it and got a 12 inch makita scms - perfect out the box

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## ringtail

My makita is a POS. Has never been right and never will be. The saw has rubbish build quality.

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## Micky013

Did you try taking it back?

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## METRIX

> My makita is a POS. Has never been right and never will be. The saw has rubbish build quality.

  Agree 100%, with that, profit over quality is what most new Makita is about nowadays. 
Wondering if anyone has bought either of these two saws, and what their thoughts are  https://sydneytools.com.au/dewalt-dw...oto-gp-edition  https://sydneytools.com.au/milwaukee...ound-mitre-saw

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## Salem

I haven't taken this back unfortunately. I had a look last night and its out of warranty. I actually saw the same saw on Sydney Tools last night and was wondering the same thing. There's no reference to it on the Dewalt website and when I google the model number I get one hit which is on Sydney tools. I was hoping for a bit more info on it. Its a good option for me. I can only hope it delivers if I do buy it.

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## sol381

which makita do you have.,,I've had one for about 20 years and it just finally gave up.. makita have  a model ls1018 which bunnings have for under $400..its a cheap model aimed at the home handyman..not nearly as good quality as the ls1016.. again you get what you pay for.. also a lot of  mitre saws are not set at 90 deg when you buy them.. its always wise to check and adjust before using..i think my next one will either be the 305mm milwaukee or the bosch glide saw..

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## ringtail

Mine is a LS1013. Was ordinary when new and has never cut square and none of them do. So many of these saws are kicking around out there and none of them are anything like accurate. They are were not cheap either. $800 from memory. Mainly us older tradies have them as the kids these days go for ultra cheap makita rubbish. I'll be back to bosch blue for the next one.

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## mudbrick

Has anyone tried any of the Metabo saws in the $300 - $500 range?
no doubt these will be Chinese products too.
I'd like to get a drop saw for domestic duties including floating floors and light framing work.
Would prefer a slide saw for the ease of cutting wider pieces like shelving.
the fence doesn't look very wide, would this be a problem cutting long sticks?

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## Micky013

Ive got the LS1216 and at $1100 when it came out was one of the dearest. Cut square out the box and is highly adjustable if need be.  
Shame you cant square yours up ringtail. Mine went out slightly but it gets knocked around a bit - im sure that doesnt help the cause.

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## ringtail

I square mine monthly. The main issue is in the actual design of the saw. The pivot bushes at the back are just that, bushes. A quality saw has bearings with zero play. The offset handle doesn't help with these saws either. Just the action of dropping the saw into the timber is enough to move the saw head around. Granted, I have had a few log jambs which cause a bent blade but overall the saw gets treated with love - as I'm the only one using it. Some of the " site saws" I've seen and used are a disgrace and can't cut a decking board square  :Biggrin:

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## Micky013

Yea agreed. Def  lots of bin items out there. I like the dewalt scms - think that will be next when this one dies

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## dinosour

I have a Makita LS0714, cuts perfectly 90, 45 and any inbetween

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## Salem

Thanks everyone for the feedback. I've got an idea where this is all heading. Time to look at a new mitre saw. At least I'll be more confident with the my ability to measure the accuracy this time.

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## METRIX

> Has anyone tried any of the Metabo saws in the $300 - $500 range?
> no doubt these will be Chinese products too.
> I'd like to get a drop saw for domestic duties including floating floors and light framing work.
> Would prefer a slide saw for the ease of cutting wider pieces like shelving.
> the fence doesn't look very wide, would this be a problem cutting long sticks?

  
We use Makita LS0714 190mm SCMS "Japanese made" for Decking and any fit-out work, these are very accurate and don't go out of alignment. 
They have since shipped production of them to China, a guy I used to work for bought one and it had issues within a few months, our Japanese ones have been 100% reliable, and have been given a flogging over many years without a problem. 
If I had to buy another lightweight SCMS I don't know which one I would choose, the Chinese production of the 0714 would turn me away from it, but the only other two portable ones are the Dewalt and Milwalkee, nobody else has small SCMS which are very portable. 
I also have the predecessor to the 0714, the LS0711B, this is a 190mm SCMS, but only had a 180mm cutting width, 50mm depth, but it weighs around 9Kg, and is so tiny it can fit behind the seat on the floor in the extra cab. 
It's still going strong, cuts dead accurate and has never needed any adjustment, actually I will be taking this little fella to an interior fit out job tomorrow, fitted him to a Bosch compact workbench yesterday, the table attachments are almost as big as the saw, don't know what I will do if he ever dies  :No:   :Eek:

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## REBSS

I purchased a Bosch saw a couple of years ago thinking Bosch was good quality, it started to fall apart very quickly and has never given me a decent cut.

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## r3nov8or

I've been throwing my GMC around for years. Vertical cuts are good but needs checking every time I carry it somewhere (I too have a Bevel Box, such an essential tool for me.). But it fails on the pre-defined mitres, and I have a added tek screw in the base to stop it going past 90deg to the left. Sometimes it needs a tap or a quarter turn  :Smilie:  . I should upgrade but I read threads like this an wonder if I'd have any less hassle without going Festool / Protool.

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## fredgassit

But there is some good news on the horizon; the Japanese are deliberately devaluing their yen now and for the long term.  Which means power tools will resume production back in Japan with (I hope) a return to quality. 
See this for further info:Low cost Chinese manufacturing emmigrates - MacroBusiness

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## METRIX

> But there is some good news on the horizon; the Japanese are deliberately devaluing their yen now and for the long term.  Which means power tools will resume production back in Japan with (I hope) a return to quality. 
> See this for further info:Low cost Chinese manufacturing emmigrates - MacroBusiness

  Lets wait and see, I won't be holding my breath waiting for it, but hope to be proved wrong, the technology of power tools has advanced at a great rate, but the manufacturing quality from China has negated some of these advances due to poor manufacturing techniques. 
With Makita SCMS, it's very easy to pick the duds, just look for the ones with the Blue plastic blade guards instead of clear, when they started producing the blue models the quality dropped off dramatically.

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## PlatypusGardens

> Wondering if anyone has bought either of these two saws, and what their thoughts are

  
I haven't got that particular DeWalt, but the bigger one (well, the biggest) and it's been brilliant.
Had it for about 7 years now and have punished it severely.
Need to take it in to the shop and have the bearings done (it's a screamer) but other than that no worries. 
I do go over it and square it up from time to time.
(Also have the workstand for it which is essential for these saws IMO)   :Smilie:

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## Gaza

That little dewalt is the Elu saw from years back its a great saw for Alumium and commercial fit out guys, I have been thinking about getting one for a few years, I have been through two of the 216mm hitachis and now on to the 190mm makita like matrix has, 
That's a great little saw so much better than 12 inc dewalt to carry around   
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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## METRIX

> That little dewalt is the Elu saw from years back its a great saw for Alumium and commercial fit out guys, I have been thinking about getting one for a few years, I have been through two of the 216mm hitachis and now on to the 190mm makita like matrix has, 
> That's a great little saw so much better than 12 inc dewalt to carry around   
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  Geza, I think you should buy one, and let us know what you think, it's only $399

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## Gaza

> Geza, I think you should buy one, and let us know what you think, it's only $399

  I was going to buy one when they were 700 bucks. 
They used have soft start motor,  
Don't need a new saw ATM, we only have about 10.  
But for 400 bucks can't go wrong we also have a metabo Chineese 216mm slider that thing disappeared after 6 months to back of the factory some where no one likes that thing   
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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## Salem

I've been busy trying to review the Milwauke SCMS that Sydney tools has as well. I dont usually sit there reading the tool catalogues every week so I'm not sure if I'm being suckered in by the 50% off price tag of $399 for the Dewalt and Milwauke but its definitely got my interest and keen to get one before this sale disappers. I am hoping that this will be a good alternative and dont find out that I'm still stuck with innacurate cuts. 
Decisions, deccisions. The Milwaukee seems to have more to offer including a laser and light but I'm not sure if those gimmicks will throw me off the quality.  *MILWAUKEE MS216SB 1800W 216MM *   https://sydneytools.com.au/milwaukee...ound-mitre-saw FEATURES: 1800 Watt motor - With enough power for high performance cutting in hard timberDual vertical steel rails with two linear bearings deliver smooth sliding actionRail Lock - The saw head locks in the back position automaticallyAdjustable Laser - Allows the user to align the cutline and the bladeSteel detent plate with preset angles gives repeated accurate cutsLock Lever/handle over mold - Allows the user to make repeated
cuts comfortably and without fatigueMitre release system - For quick and smooth change of cutting orientationIntegral LED jobsite light - For better visibility of work piece and cutlineSpindle lock - For quick and easy blade changeCompact base48?/-2? bevel capacity  
VS  *DEWALT DW770GP-XE 1500W 216MM*   FEATURES: 1800 Watt motor - With enough power for high performance cutting in hard timberDual vertical steel rails with two linear bearings deliver smooth sliding actionRail Lock - The saw head locks in the back position automaticallyAdjustable Laser - Allows the user to align the cutline and the bladeSteel detent plate with preset angles gives repeated accurate cutsLock Lever/handle over mold - Allows the user to make repeated
cuts comfortably and without fatigueMitre release system - For quick and smooth change of cutting orientationIntegral LED jobsite light - For better visibility of work piece and cutlineSpindle lock - For quick and easy blade changeCompact base48?/-2? bevel capacity   
hmmm....

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## METRIX

I haven't looked at either saw, Milwalkee has LED worklight and Laser which can be handy, Dewalt comes with 3 year warranty and has closable fences to 4mm when doing fine work, both have powerful motors.
At the price both seem good value, would need to go along and see which one YOU like, check out the quality of unit, not which one they want to sell you. 
See which one is easier to use, I used my mates 12" Dewalt on the weekend and I hated the way all the adjustments were, they were too fiddly, had to push some dodgy thing with your thumb, then pull something else then push this. 
It reminds me of the Makita I used to have, you had to turn the handle half a turn and push at the same time to unlock, then push some dodgy thing, then had to turn the handle anti clockwise to lock at a point which was not one of the standard again too fiddly, over complicating something which is not required. 
His Dewalt, also didn't stop at 45, I thought it was at 45 but it was at 48, so I cut all this stuff at the wrong angle, I could not work out how to make it lock at 45, other saws will stop at 45, then you need to intervene to make it go past that.. 
With the Dewalt one and Sydney Tools, they have the Moto GP version (whatever that is), their website has it with a 1500W motor at $399, they also have the non Moto GP version which says it has 1800W motor $579, that would mean the Milwalkee at the same price has a more powerful motor Laser and work light. 
Don't worry about the 50% off crap they have on their website, a quick search will find the Milwalkee cheaper or same elsewhere.  Milwaukee MS216SB 216mm Slide Compound Mitre Saw | Get Tools Direct 
Although places like the below are a ripoff The best power tools provider online store in Australia

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## METRIX

> we also have a metabo Chineese 216mm slider that thing disappeared after 6 months to back of the factory some where no one likes that thing

  When I was looking at replacing my new unreliable Makita SCMS, I looked at the Metabo SCMS, and there was something about them I didn't like, even though I used to and still do have a lot of Metabo gear, I think what was the clincher, is it is a German powertool made in China, what a joke. 
Everyone talks about the Festool Kapex as though it's something from another planet, my mate has one and if failed just like any other brand, he eventually got rid of it and replaced with a 12" Milwaukee, said he is much happier with the Milwaukee.

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## Salem

Its crazy how much I'm looking into these. Its like an assignment. Unfortunately its one of those situations where I keep stepping up in my price range hoping to find that happy medium and where accuracy is present. Its that thought where you think I can spend $400 on a new saw but if I spend another $200 I would have been better off. I've just got to find that sweet spot so I'm not applying putty to all my architraves next time and lessens my workload.

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## Gaza

> Everyone talks about the Festool Kapex as though it's something from another planet, my mate has one and if failed just like any other brand, he eventually got rid of it and replaced with a 12" Milwaukee, said he is much happier with the Milwaukee.

  I have looked at getting kapex few times but it looks top heavy and easy to damage getting in and out ute     
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

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## PlatypusGardens

> That's a great little saw so much better than 12 inc dewalt to carry around

  
Of course, yes.
Mine is mostly parked up at home in the shed. 
Having said that, even if I was using it frequently for work I'd probably still have got the big one.
Gotta love being able to cut a 4" post in one go. 
Or a stack of decking boards. 
Or 90mm stormwater pipe.   :Smilie:

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## PlatypusGardens

> Its that thought where you think I can spend $400 on a new saw but if I spend another $200 I would have been better off.

  
That's it right there mate. 
Wait a bit longer until you have the funds to get "the better one"
It's sooooooo worth it in the long run. 
I used to hack around with Ryobi and other cheap gear.
Over the years I've upgraded most of my gear to lower/mid professional grad and never looked back. 
And most of the stuff I do is shed/diy.
Even there it pays to have decent tools.   :Smilie:

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## METRIX

> I have looked at getting kapex few times but it looks top heavy and easy to damage getting in and out ute     
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

  I would not bother with a Kapex for a site saw, they get damaged and break just like any other saw, (they are not made from some super ironman material which doesn't damage) and the blades cost a fortune, as a workshop saw which does not transport anywhere I would consider it, but not one which goes in and out of the truck all the time.

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## PlatypusGardens

I think there should be a sticky in the tool section that says "Listen to Metrix" 
Wouldn't know him if I tripped over him, but my time on this forum tells me he definitely knows his stuff when it comes to tools, fasteners and woodworking!
Been there, done that, tried those and had a go at everything!   :Smilie:

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## Gaza

> I would not bother with a Kapex for a site saw, they get damaged and break just like any other saw, (they are not made from some super ironman material which doesn't damage) and the blades cost a fortune, as a workshop saw which does not transport anywhere I would consider it, but not one which goes in and out of the truck all the time.

  For a workshop saw they are limited,  
We have a 450mm elumetic 3 ph drop saw that has drop down air Rams to hold material, blade is continues run and doesn't shut off between cuts,  
Also have a 12 inch dewalt stright drop no slide and then we have the full size silding panel saw that can be used for cross cutting.    
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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## METRIX

> I think there should be a sticky in the tool section that says "Listen to Metrix" 
> Wouldn't know him if I tripped over him, but my time on this forum tells me he definitely knows his stuff when it comes to tools, fasteners and woodworking!
> Been there, done that, tried those and had a go at everything!

  HA HA HA, Some would call it "Know it all", HA HA HA,  
I have been into buying and using tools for a long time, I had the advantage of my Dad also being a carpenter / builder, so was always on sites and using tools from a very young age, and always remember him telling me if your going to buy tools buy the best you can, and look after them, in those days the "Normal" tools were made in West Germany, and England, they were built like brick sh1# houses and almost indestructible, you cannot compare the old hand tools to today's flimsy Chinese rubbish, the steel was "real", the design was well thought out, the quality was very high and they did the job they were designed to do without fuss or falling apart.  
My first cordless drill was a Metabo with 15 minute charger (cost a bomb) my Dad was very pleased with my purchase, it was made in West Germany, it would pale in comparison to today's high torque super fast cordless tools, but was top of the line for it's day. 
 I still have his Estwing Leather grip hammer, it was used for ever by him and is still in good condition, I have always used Estwing (have tried others but did not like them, most are not balanced well or designed by someone who has never used a hammer) my latest one is the 19 oz Ultra Series black - Awesome Hammer. 
Still made in USA still exceptional quality, lets hope they don't ship production to China like most others have (don't think they will as the US are very proud of making these locally), IMO Estwing are the best hammers out there. 
I have bought a lot of tools over the years, I have been disappointed by some along the way (some cheap some very expensive), overall I have been very pleased with most, some promise the world and deliver rubbish, the ones that performed like that, have usually been binned (due to breaking) or on-sold to get rid of them. 
I don't like to see people waste their money on rubbish, and I hate the use it once throw it away mentality, when for around $300 you can get professional quality Impact / cordless drill combo package which is bugger all considering what it can do, and the enjoyment you will get from using good quality tools, and for a DIY'R for $199 you can get the great compact AEG 12V combo package which is a fantastic set of drills. 
Put into perspective a pack of cigarettes cost you nearly $30, so a DIY pack a day smoker could buy the AEG cordless tool in 7 days, think about it, a pack a day cost nearly $8000 a year, imagine the tools you could buy with that, and at the end of the year you would have a garage load of stuff to show, but with the ciggies you have nothing to show, it's all literally gone up in smoke, HA HA HA HA

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## METRIX

> Of course, yes.
> Mine is mostly parked up at home in the shed. 
> Having said that, even if I was using it frequently for work I'd probably still have got the big one.
> Gotta love being able to cut a 4" post in one go. 
> Or a stack of decking boards. 
> Or 90mm stormwater pipe.

  Yes and No, I agree with Gaza, it's nice to have a compact capable droppie to take on site, the bulky / heavy 10" and 12" ones get tiresome dragging them in and out of the Ute on a daily or 2nd daily basis and take up a lot of room in the ute. 
I have a nice Japanese 12" belt drive Hitachi, it hasn't had much use lately , although it's a nice saw, it's just too bulky, and you can easily cut through a 125mm post with the circular using two cuts, but I agree you can't beat being able to cut 100mm in one go, we just don't have the requirement for such large cuts every day, if we were doing landscaping probably a different story. 
I have switched down to a 10" Bosch Blue (still bulky and weighs 28kg), it's a nice saw and will cut 305 x 85 which will suffice 99% of what we use, anything larger and a double cut with the circular saw is all that's needed. 
The Bosch also cuts 90mm storm-water pipe, not that we use this, our plumbers only use 100mm for everything.

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## METRIX

> I've been busy trying to review the Milwauke SCMS that Sydney tools has as well. I dont usually sit there reading the tool catalogues every week so I'm not sure if I'm being suckered in by the 50% off price tag of $399 for the Dewalt and Milwauke but its definitely got my interest and keen to get one before this sale disappers. I am hoping that this will be a good alternative and dont find out that I'm still stuck with innacurate cuts. 
> Decisions, deccisions. The Milwaukee seems to have more to offer including a laser and light but I'm not sure if those gimmicks will throw me off the quality.
>  .

  I have become interested in these two saws, I assume they are both made in China, although the Dewalt may be Mexican, the specs are almost identical. 
Milwalkee comes with LED work light and Laser, Dewalt does not, guess it comes down to how the useability is, both have 3 year warranty, Dewalt spins slightly quicker, and can mitre up to 50, Milwalkee only 45, I would sway towards the Dewalt.,

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## phild01

> Put into perspective a pack of cigarettes cost you nearly $30, so a DIY pack a day smoker could buy the AEG cordless tool in 7 days, think about it, a pack a day cost nearly $8000 a year, imagine the tools you could buy with that, and at the end of the year you would have a garage load of stuff to show, but with the ciggies you have nothing to show, it's all literally gone up in smoke, HA HA HA HA

  I tend to justify expensive purchases against my non-existent cigarette purchases :Biggrin:

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## PlatypusGardens

> HA HA HA, Some would call it "Know it all", HA HA HA,

  
Nah there's a difference between that and having genuine knowledge and experience with things. 
You (and indeed a number of other people here) often post a lot of pro/con information about things and compare lots of different brands in a very clear and informative way.   :Smilie:

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## r3nov8or

> Nah there's a difference between that and having genuine knowledge and experience with things. 
> You (and indeed a number of other people here) often post a lot of pro/con information about things and compare lots of different brands in a very clear and informative way.

  ...and is willing to share it in great detail. A rare thing.

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## Marc

Besides the many good points made in this thread, and the most obvious being, cheap saw, bad cut, I wonder how many drop saw cut crooked simply because the blade is either damaged by a nail, blunt or too light. 
Only a very heavy and sturdy saw will cut a 90 angle with a blunt blade, since the frame must withstand lateral forces created by the blade going sideways rather than down. Also a thinner blade even if sharp, unless you lower the saw very gently will go sideways as soon as it find the slightest harder bit in the wood.

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## PlatypusGardens

> thinner blade even if sharp, unless you lower the saw very gently will go sideways as soon as it find the slightest harder bit in the wood.

  
Gaaah, the amount of time I've seen people fire up a dropsaw (timber or steel) and just SLAM the blade down, almost before the saw has reached max RPM.    :Gaah:

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## PlatypusGardens

> Yes and No, I agree with Gaza, it's nice to have a compact capable droppie to take on site, the bulky / heavy 10" and 12" ones get tiresome dragging them in and out of the Ute on a daily or 2nd daily basis and take up a lot of room in the ute.

  
Different needs.
Almost all of my work is residental backyard stuff so I can leave my gear on site for as long as the job takes. 
I can understand not wanting to lug a big monster around daily, for sure.    :Smilie:

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## Micky013

Just an fyi.  
Thought id take a look and see where my saw was made.....surprise surprise. No wonder it works so well  
Has a blue guard too so not sure which saws your talking about that are made in China...

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## JamesKeen

I needed a SCMS in December and I ended up getting a Bosch GCM800S. Its pretty tricky getting a decent saw these days and its funny how so few people own the ones you look at! 
My opinion (layman newbie at that) is here:  http://www.renovateforum.com/f216/sc...64/#post955647

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## OBBob

> I have become interested in these two saws, I assume they are both made in China, although the Dewalt may be Mexican, the specs are almost identical. 
> Milwalkee comes with LED work light and Laser, Dewalt does not, guess it comes down to how the useability is, both have 3 year warranty, Dewalt spins slightly quicker, and can mitre up to 50, Milwalkee only 45, I would sway towards the Dewalt.,

    
Bump and old thread. I was interested in these at the time and should've bought one! The Milwaukee seems to have evaporated from all existence except for in 18V battery form and the Dewalt is up at $570 now. The reason they appeal to me so much is they are essentially a zero clearance unit with the tracks running inside the saw motor assembly ... so it can sit right back against the workshop wall. Also, pretty good cutting capacity for their size. 
Did you hear anything more about these Metrix?

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## METRIX

> Bump and old thread. I was interested in these at the time and should've bought one! The Milwaukee seems to have evaporated from all existence except for in 18V battery form and the Dewalt is up at $570 now. The reason they appeal to me so much is they are essentially a zero clearance unit with the tracks running inside the saw motor assembly ... so it can sit right back against the workshop wall. Also, pretty good cutting capacity for their size. 
> Did you hear anything more about these Metrix?

  I bought the Milwalkee version, it's a nice saw, very clean cutting, it has vanished as they are pushing the 18V version, I still prefer the 240V one, as you don't tie yourself to batteries that die in the future.

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## justonething

> Bump and old thread. I was interested in these at the time and should've bought one! The Milwaukee seems to have evaporated from all existence except for in 18V battery form and the Dewalt is up at $570 now. The reason they appeal to me so much is they are essentially a zero clearance unit with the tracks running inside the saw motor assembly ... so it can sit right back against the workshop wall. Also, pretty good cutting capacity for their size. 
> Did you hear anything more about these Metrix?

  OBBob, if low clearance distance at the back of the saw is an important requirement, you may want to consider SCMS from _http://www.renovateforum.com/f216/sw...05/#post975410_. You can get them through their ebay store. I am quite happy, it is accurate enough. I'm able to cut 250 x 45 Oregon beam double up dead straight. Bevel cuts were also good. The stand on the other hand isn't something to write home about.

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## OBBob

Thanks. I remember those being mentioned but had forgotten about them. The specs do read pretty well for the price ... and they haven't gone bust from returns yet, haha. 
The cutting capacity is very tempting but even with the smart configuration it looks rather large compared to the Dewalt (you're not helping my downsizing efforts)! Any idea what the overall depth from the front handle tip to the back of the unit is at 45 degrees? I.e. how shallow can it be for storage? 
The background is that I do have a larger unit ... but it tends to stay hanging on the wall because it's too large to stay set up all the time.   
Cheers.

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## PlatypusGardens

> I have a larger unit

  That's what they all say   :Rolleyes:

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## METRIX

> That's what they all say

  I also have a 12 inch, just sits there not getting used as it's too big (the saw that is),  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):  
I prefer my 10 inch, and even thats overkill for most work as one of the 7 1/4 will cut to 300mm wide, they are fantastic, light, compact, cut perfect, cuts quick, they just work, no adjustments needed doing to them yet, which is amazing as they are about 5 years old (good old Japanese quality) 
I bought the Milwalkee to take the pressure off my little Makita's for when I was lugging the saw to many different jobs, as I was starting to use them for everything from framing to finishing. 
I would prefer to keep the Makita's for finishing, and the Milkalkee gives slightly extra depth over the little Makita's, it also cuts dead accurate, but strangely has no handle to pick it up ??

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## PlatypusGardens

> Milkalkee

  
....the kid from Home Alone?

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## OBBob

Yep,  no single handle on the Dewalt either. They have grips on each side of the base.

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## PlatypusGardens

> Yep,  no single handle on the Dewalt either. They have grips on each side of the base.

    :Unsure:  
mine (The BIIIIIG one) has a carry handle on top

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## justonething

Removing the dust bag, it is about 480 to 500. Once it's put back to 90 deg, it is about 600 from the link to my previous post. By the way, downsizing is a war that I've never won myself. But my biggest victory today is giving away tools that are surplus to my needs. I once had 3 mitre saws, I gave one to my mate plus a few other power tools that I don't need. When I go to NZ, he let me borrow his tools from his farm over there. It's a win win for both of us. 
To save space, have you considered a sliding or flipping mitre saw stand? The Swarts saw will stick out even less than in the video during use.

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## PlatypusGardens

> To save space, have you considered a sliding or flipping mitre saw stand? The Swarts saw will stick out even less than in the video during use.

  
Pfft that guy is a wuss. 
"Small shop" my foot.
I'd like to see him work in my shed.  
All he had to do was make a few mods to his wheely stand, turn the saw to 55 degrees and push it against the wall.  :Rolleyes:

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## OBBob

Thank you for the useful info (you too PG ☺). I have looked at a fold down bench... also saw a really cool one that folded inside his workbench.  
Food for thought...

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## PlatypusGardens

> Thank you for the useful info (you too PG ☺). I have looked at a fold down bench... also saw a really cool one that folded inside his workbench.  
> Food for thought...

  
If you can't go down, go up.  
Marc might have some ideas regarding hoisting things.
Possibly involving A-frames and chains.   :Smilie:

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## OBBob

> If you can't go down, go up.  
> Marc might have some ideas regarding hoisting things.
> Possibly involving A-frames and chains.

  Hmm... so would I lower the saw down to use it or hoist myself up? Too many options!

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## PlatypusGardens

> Hmm... so would I lower the saw down to use it or hoist myself up? Too many options!

  You'll work it out.

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## METRIX

h RIDGID saw is HUGE

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## PlatypusGardens

> h RIDGID saw is HUGE

  Meh       
Bigger.  
And mobile      :Biggrin:

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## Marc

I still like this one, but have yet to find an excuse to buy it.
No need for hoists or A frames with that foldable stand   :Rofl5:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pnxb1DHzC5Q

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## OBBob

> I still like this one, but have yet to find an excuse to buy it.
> No need for hoists or A frames with that foldable stand   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pnxb1DHzC5Q

  Yes,  so do I... but different price range alltogether.

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## PlatypusGardens

> I still like this one, but have yet to find an excuse to buy it.
> No need for hoists or A frames with that foldable stand   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pnxb1DHzC5Q

  
Mmmm yes....I'm somewhat aroused after watching that.
Very cool.    
Still.....that's A LOT of linkages that have to stay taut and snug over the years.  
And.....why is it specifically good for Finnish carpenters?
What about the rest of the world?  :Unsure:

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## Marc

Mm Finnish ... dunnow. I like it yet I'm not Finnish. I knew a Finnish carpenter though. Was a bit of a prick always sucking up to the boss ... thought the sun shined out of his lower orifice ...  :Smilie:

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## METRIX

> Meh       
> Bigger.  
> And mobile

  Oh No here we go.

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## justonething

> Yes,  so do I... but different price range alltogether.

   Nah, It's only 990 bucks and you get bonus saw blades and the stand from just tools : _Bosch Glide Compound Mitre Saw 305mm + BONUS Saw Stand + Extra Blade. #GCM12GDL | Just Tools Australia | Tool Specialist in Power & Cordless Tools, Hand & Air Tools_. The stands looks like mine, good enough on site but not really as sturdy as a saw station. I was thinking about getting it too but I'd have to get rid one of the mitre saws. There is no room in the shed.

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## METRIX

Meet Terry, I think the only comment explains it all.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8IJFn9JCbM

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## justonething

Check out this mitre saw station.

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## phild01

> Check out this mitre saw station.

  Wish I had the space for that one :2thumbsup:

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## justonething

> Wish I had the space for that one

  I know what you mean, sometimes I think I should have this kind of mitre station outdoors, under cover of course. The hours of use will be restricted somewhat.

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## PlatypusGardens

What's that thing on the left?

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## justonething

> What's that thing on the left?

  It is a Worksharp sharpening station : http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00..._8&s=hi&sr=1-8

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## Marc

> Nah, It's only 990 bucks and you get bonus saw blades and the stand from just tools : _Bosch Glide Compound Mitre Saw 305mm + BONUS Saw Stand + Extra Blade. #GCM12GDL | Just Tools Australia | Tool Specialist in Power & Cordless Tools, Hand & Air Tools_. The stands looks like mine, good enough on site but not really as sturdy as a saw station. I was thinking about getting it too but I'd have to get rid one of the mitre saws. There is no room in the shed.

  Bonus stand is not a stand ... 
This is a stand   https://youtu.be/_Bj0ZccBC58?t=275

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## METRIX

> Wish I had the space for that one

  Good idea, but I think the saw sits a bit low for comfortable use

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## phild01

> Good idea, but I think the saw sits a bit low for comfortable use

  I thought that too, but easily raised.  A higher bench could still work well enough.

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## OBBob

They are quite large in reality and it's pretty amazing the accuracy they get with all those joints in the system.

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## r3nov8or

Hey Salem (the OP) have you tried to set the blade at 90deg when it is fully lowered?

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## justonething

> Bonus stand is not a stand ... 
> This is a stand

   My ironing board can also fold up like that.

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## OBBob

> I bought the Milwalkee version, it's a nice saw, very clean cutting, it has vanished as they are pushing the 18V version, I still prefer the 240V one, as you don't tie yourself to batteries that die in the future.

  Well here's me waiting for the price on the Dewalt version to drop again ... and it's gone up further! Now $630 ... you could probably sell your Milwalkee for a profit.  :Smilie:

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## sol381

> I still like this one, but have yet to find an excuse to buy it.
> No need for hoists or A frames with that foldable stand   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pnxb1DHzC5Q

  I actually have one of these.. i bought it at cash converters.. i didnt want to pay $1,000 for one but only piad $290 at CC.. was like new.. either it was fresh off someones ute or someone didnt know the true value..brilliant saw...

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## METRIX

> I actually have one of these.. i bought it at cash converters.. i didnt want to pay $1,000 for one but only piad $290 at CC.. was like new.. either it was fresh off someones ute or someone didnt know the true value..brilliant saw...

  The only downside for this saw, is the dust extraction is very poor, other than that the saw is fantastic.

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## sol381

indeed. i did buy a vacuum for the saw which has power take off which helps a lot but without it, its pretty average. the best dust extraction by far is the  kapex from festool.. not worth $1,700 tho..

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## METRIX

> Well here's me waiting for the price on the Dewalt version to drop again ... and it's gone up further! Now $630 ... you could probably sell your Milwalkee for a profit.

  Nup, wouldn't sell it, this has become my go to saw for smaller jobs, very accurate and clean cutting, the only thing I would like is a handle on the top, instead of two on the sides. 
They only have the 18V version now, I would prefer the 240V version as I have no Milwalkee battery tools, it would be nice if you could have the 18V with a plugpack, plug it in when you have power, run off battery when you need to work away from power, now that would be a good saw, would be easy to modify the 18V one to do that, although the battery one is only 2700 rpm, the 240V is a fast 6000rpm

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## METRIX

> indeed. i did buy a vacuum for the saw which has power take off which helps a lot but without it, its pretty average. the best dust extraction by far is the  kapex from festool.. not worth $1,700 tho..

  Yeah, I found the silly flap at the back doesn't seem to direct the dust into the sucker, in the workshop the wall behind the saw is covered in dust all the time.Yes agree the Kapex is overpriced.

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## sol381

yeah for a saw that is very well designed and so smooth they could have put a little thought into dust extraction..still im happy with it..

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## METRIX

Deffinetly a good saw, but there's always something every manufacturer misses out on every tool, but for $290 you got a bargain, I will give you $291 for it  :Biggrin:

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## sol381

thought you had one..$291.50.. i also liked the look of the milwaukee .. would have bought that had i not found this bargain..

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## Marc

Cash convertors can be a Pandora box sometimes. I have bought so many power tools and machines from them ... even a vertical piano ha ha

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## sol381

id say half my tools are from them..cash converters goodna are a gold mine for tools..

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## METRIX

> thought you had one..$291.50.. i also liked the look of the milwaukee .. would have bought that had i not found this bargain..

  Sold, I assume that includes delivery ?, Yes have one in the workshop, but can always have another one.

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## sol381

$600 delivery to sydney...personal delivery of course..

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## OBBob

Well I bit the bullet and got a Dewalt 777. Wow it is nice compared to the old clunker. It's solid yet it can be carried with one hand. Nice preset locking at various angles. Fits easily one a narrow bench. It's also quieter, which maybe a function of the belt drive system? Very happy so far.

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## Godzilla73

Looks similar to the old Elu saws from the 80's, geez they were a bugger to change the brushes in.

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## OBBob

> Looks similar to the old Elu saws from the 80's, geez they were a bugger to change the brushes in.

  Yes, I believe it's an updated version of that same design. The general idea seems to be a popular configuration for the battery versions now too. Obviously a large blade would have advantages but for such a compact saw this is really functional.

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## OBBob

What a joy. I know it's just a saw but it can take us weekend warriors quite some time to justify a tool like this.  
Compound cut at 26 degree mitre with a 45 degree bevel, easy to set and oh so repeatable.

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## METRIX

Welcome to the world of precision tools, once you've had stuff that works well, you will just laugh at the cheap rubbish out there. 
I have the Milwalkee version, same design, takes some getting used to the spring loaded slide but it is a dream to use. 
Looks like you've scratched yours already, OH NO

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## OBBob

I learnt a long time ago how much better the quality can be. It just takes time and new projects to gradually upgrade them.   :Biggrin:

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## METRIX

> What's that thing on the left?

  I have one of those, it sharpens my chisels and planer blades to razor finish, especially good it you have chipped one, gets it back to sharp quick smart. 
Has a glass rotating disk, so deadly accurate, picked it up at the timber show one year, as I got tired of my Tormek, after the faulty designed main nickel plated part rusted up, so they would sell you a Stainless Steel version at a great price, even though the original part was a design fault, put a Nickel Plated sliding bar in contact with water, it's only a matter of time before it goes wrong. 
This thing has been great, found the replacement papers are expensive, ended up finding a supplier in England which makes the paper, shipped me a hundred sheets for less than $60 AU (press sensitive glue type system)

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## METRIX

> I learnt a long time ago how much better the quality can be. It just takes time and new projects to gradually upgrade them.

  The only think the Milwalkee won't do is trenching (not sure if Dewalt is the same) there is no locking height adjuster for the blade. 
At least you understand to not buy the cheapest thing out there with the thinking I'm only going to use it once, so accuracy and quality doesn't matter.

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## OBBob

> The only think the Milwalkee won't do is trenching (not sure if Dewalt is the same) there is no locking height adjuster for the blade. 
> At least you understand to not buy the cheapest thing out there with the thinking I'm only going to use it once, so accuracy and quality doesn't matter.

  No I don't think it does. I need to have a closer look. I can trench with a router anyway.

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## ringtail

How much for the work sharp Metrix ?

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## METRIX

RRP is around $450 show special was around $300. 
I will put up some pics of the job it does, pretty impressive

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## ringtail

Cool.

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