Bosch CM10GD Review
Bosch 10" Sliding Compound Miter Sawiew | |
![]() | Bosch CM10GD Review Highlights
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For the Professional Contractor | 5 out of 5 |
For the Do-It-Yourselfer & Weekend Warrior | 4 out of 5 |
For the Hobbyist and Beginner Woodworker | 3 out of 5 |
For the Serious Woodworker | 5 out of 5 |
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The Bosch CM10GD 10″ Compound Gliding Miter Saw Summary
In today’s Bosch CM10GD review, we’ll cover how this is a 10″ blade compound miter saw that really speaks to the do-it-yourselfers and the woodworkers of the world.
It’s got a lot of cutting capacity with the 10″ blade (as opposed to 7.25″ blade miter saws), and it has a unique ‘Axial Glide’ mechanism that allows for the same type of cutting motion as a sliding compound miter saw, only this version works a bit different.
It’s got standard mounting feet with bolt holes so you can mount the saw to your workbench, and the miter adjustment comes with multiple detents up to 47 degrees left and right. It also has bevel positive stops, including common bevel angles of 0, 33.9, 45, and 47 degrees, making it very efficient, easy, and quick to set up.
The ‘Axial Glide’ system actually provides for a higher capacity for cross-cutting max-width than the alternative ‘sliding’ miter saws. This glide action not only adds capacity to the cross-cut width, but it offers a smoother, more precise cutting action.
Plus this type of gliding action (opposed to the sliding saws) takes up less space front to back, making it a more compact saw that can be used in a wider variety of shops and workspaces.
This gliding compound miter saw comes with a 60 tooth blade, vacuum adaptor, work clamp, blade-change wrench, and a dust bag.
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Bosch CM10GD Miter Saw – What’s To Like About It?
Space-saving Axial-Glide system for improved cross-cutting
Bosch’s patented “Axial-Glide System” is actually pretty dang impressive. The main thing for me that sticks out with this feature is that you can back this saw right up against the wall, and you still have the full range for gliding the entire width of the cross-cut. As a woodworker, I personally use a custom-built miter saw cabinet with a dust-collection chamber built out of plywood, around the back of the saw. With this ‘gliding’ system, I can actually build a smaller, more compact bench and dust chamber, which is a big seller for those who have limited shop space.
In addition to the space-saving design and operation, you also get a super-smooth and accurate gliding motion, relative to its ‘sliding’ miter saw competitors.
No reaching around the tool to make adjustments
With all compound miter saws, you have multiple adjustments to make depending on the type of cut your about to perform. This could be a standard bevel cut, where you want the blade leaning to the side. Or maybe you need to make a miter cut, where the blade stays upright but is turned in order to cut at an angle. And then there’s the compound miter cut. This is a combination bevel and miter cut that rotates the blade to the side, plus it has a leaning angle applied.
Most saws have the bevel adjustment at the back of the saw. This model, however, has a lever at the front of the saw that you can use to adjust the bevel. While this feature alone is not exactly groundbreaking, or somehow extraordinary in use, it still is very helpful for expediency and user-friendliness.
Quick and easy miter and bevel adjustments
When it comes to cutting crown molding and trim work, it’s a must to have quick and accurate methods of setting the appropriate angle, whether it be for bevel cuts or miter cuts. This compound miter saw offers detents for quickly locating the angle adjustment knob when doing miter cuts.
So for example, if you’ve got to cut a 45-degree angle, you can loosen the miter adjustment knob, pull the lever and rotate the platform until you reach 45 degrees.
Then when you release the handle, the catch will fit right into the 45-degree detent, making sure you line your cut up precisely, and consistently each time. Also with this miter saw you have bevel stops at common angles, so making crown molding cuts becomes very easy to set up, and accurate every time.
These features really make for a great contractor compound miter saw, or overall very handy for the do-it-yourselfer. I would even argue this is better for the ‘non-professional’ just because with lack of experience, these stops help you to figure out exactly where cuts should be made when finishing trim work.
Ambidextrous control for faster, easier variety cutting
If you’ve got any experience using a miter saw, you know that there are times that you have to switch arms. By that I mean you must hold the board with the right hand, and your left hand becomes the operator for the saw.
With many saws, this can be a bit awkward. It’s pretty standard nowadays to have a safety button integrated into the ‘Run’ trigger, and typically this is a button you would depress with the thumb on your right hand, as you pull the Run trigger with your right-hand index finger.
This saw is unique in that it has duel safety buttons, located on either side of the handle. And the Run trigger is actually the full width of the handle, so it’s very quick and easy to get this saw turning. This isn’t a huge differentiator in my opinion, but it is very handy and does make for an easy and practical operation no matter what kind of cut you have to make. And for many of us in the woodworking and finish working industries, time is money!
Opinions Based On Real User Experiences
Positive Reviews
- Very smooth operation and the angle-stops were adjusted perfectly right out of the box
- Perfect for trim work, all the features needed for home projects
- The compact design makes for a very versatile saw that fits better in certain spaces, however, it’s still an overall large and heavy saw, as it’s built for heavy usage
- Multiple 5-star reviews based on the fact it has really smooth and consistent range of motion
Negative Reviews
- Really wide boards may not cut as smoothly all the way across, compared to standard sized trim and boards
- The angle detent system is plastic, and for some, this creates a ‘less than stellar’ adjustment operation
Is This “Gliding” Compound Miter Saw Worthy?
Contractors will love this saw for the ambidextrous handle setup, and the ability to make wide cuts without taking up too much additional space.
For serious woodworkers who want to spend a little extra on a good miter saw, you too will be very pleased with this choice, thanks to the wide cutting capabilities, the smaller footprint, and the impressive dust collection setup.
I believe that if you’re a contractor who does a lot of finish work, you’ll get a lot of benefit out of the Bosch CM10GD miter saw. Their patented “Axial Glide” system is very handy when working in limited space. You can back this saw right up against a wall and still use it, where it’s competitors have rails that slide and require more space for larger cross-cutting applications.
If you are a home-based woodworker or do-it-yourselfer, I think you can definitely get a lot of great use out of this saw. However, it is still large and heavy and may be a bit oversized for basic home projects. But back to the previous point, the ‘Axial Glide’ system, many home-based woodworkers and project people will really appreciate this feature as you likely do not have a full-sized wood shop to work in, so space is limited.
I think it’s a quality saw, but the practicality of it, and the higher price tag, it likely appeals more to contractors and serious woodworkers than anyone else.
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