Makita 2705 10" Table Saw

If you're looking for the best portable table saw, here it is. I've used my boss' Bosch portable saw for seven years or so, and I love it, but this one is even better. This saw is very similar to the Bosch portable as far as quality, engineering, and features. The Makita is just bigger and badder! It's heavier too, but you'll have to deal with it, because if you want precision, longevity, and efficiency, you're going to want this saw. I just looked at the DeWalt portable at the store too, and I can tell you that it has some nice features, but if you want something you'll have forever, the Makita 2705 is your saw (and you do want your saw forever!) I bought the Makita 2705 never having seen it before, because I can't find one locally. I trust Makita wholeheartedly, and I'm glad I did. Most of my stuff is Makita because they not only have a reputation for quality, but their tools are just damn fun to use, comfortable, and user friendly. My local tool shop owner stands by their stuff too, and he urged me to check it out. You can forget about the negative reviews on this saw, because Makita must have fixed the fence problem since then. I don't know what the old one was like, but this saw comes with the best rip fence I've seen in a tie with Bosch's. If you don't know already, the rip fence is an ESSENTIAL part of the saw. It's what makes the saw accurate. It's one major reason you need a table saw in the first place. The Makita fence (like Bosch's) is a strong, sturdy, single piece of aluminum tubing basically, which means it's stronger than most other fences like DeWalts', which is a flimsy "L" shaped aluminum piece with only two sides to get strength from. Makita's rip fence slides smoothly across the nice, flat table. The Makita has a great, precise magnifying lens to view your ripping measurements (like Bosch's.) This saw is a little larger and certainly more powerful than Bosch's, with a higher RPM. The Makita is the only 10 inch table saw I know that can rip all the way through 4x material in one pass. That is a huge feature in itself. The table extension extends very smoothly and squarely, just like you want it to. It has two locking levers that function solidly. The rip measurements are easy to read; made on nice metal plates, recessed in the metal slide so they won't wear off. The blade height adjustment wheel has a nice feel and sturdy sound to it when you raise and lower the blade. Nice feel and sound to the on/off switch as well; easy to use even with gloves on. The bevel adjustment lock is basically the same as Bosch's too, which is the best on the market. Although the Makita requires you to turn the bevel adjustment wheel to adjust bevel angle, instead of just pushing the bevel mechanism like Bosch's. Both brands features have their pros and cons in the bevel department. To use this saw on the job, I bought the Bosch gravity rise stand, because it's the best, fastest, strongest, and easiest to use of the ones I've seen. I tried the DeWalt one (which is light and portable, but flimsy), and I can tell you the Bosch is better hands down in quality, strength, and ergonomics.

After shopping around a bit, I settled on this Makita 2705, and glad I did. I had an old 2703 model that was simply worn out from 2 decades of service (home hobbyist/DIY guy). I could not get the 2703 to move completely over to 45 degrees angle, and yes, I checked it thoroughly for obstructions. But it's table was small and the bothersome Miter gauge (channel) was only an 8th of an inch thick! My 2705 arrived from Amazon with the box in perfect condition...no holes or break-throughs. This saw is double boxed, and is completely assembled except for the blade. It is a bit heavy for just one person to lift out of the top of the box, so after a careful inspection of the underside of the saw (unfolding the bottom flaps), I was satisfied that I wasn't going to need the shipping boxes for a return. So I set the box on a folding table and simply cut away the cardboard sides. A couple of measurements that are NOT shown in the specifications is the width and depth of the base of the saw. This is kinda nice to know when planning on where you are going to mount it. (I have no plans on needing the rolling stand so I saved myself $225 bucks). I planned on adapting the stand from the 2703. Anyway, the measurements of the base of this saw is 28.5" (width) x 25.5" (depth). Furthermore, the measurements for the mounting holes (center to center) are: 20.75" (width) x 24.5" (depth). These holes are about 3/8" in diameter, so I used 5/16" bolts. (I used carriage bolts just to cover the top hole). There is a flat area at each hole in case you want to make a 1"x2" flat washer. But realistically, you don't want to tighten down on the plastic; just snug enough so the table doesn't move around. To adapt the old stand, I bolted down some planks of plywood to expand the base. I also attached 4 lockable rolling casters like these to the bottom of all four corners of the base: https://www.amazon.com/Heavy-Swivel-Caster-Wheels-Degree/dp/B01IGQ1M38/ref=pd_sim_60_3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=P0FCZVGJTFWKZP1623VX It was then just a matter of shifting the table saw over to the base and bolting it down. (see photos). I really haven't used the saw yet to give it a performance review, but I don't expect any problems. We have to realize that this is not a "full-size" table saw like a Powermatic (don't I wish), which are bigger, heavier, and much more expensive. But for the home DIY/hobby guy, it's perfect....and far more precise than the old 2703. I also appreciate the expanding right-side rail to hold charger sheets of wood. No, the fence does NOT fit onto the extension. I also appreciate that Makita offers extensions for the back and left side of this saw....I'll be ordering those next. I've never assembled the safety blade guard on my saws simply because they get in the way taking fence to blade measurements. I'm all for safety and will always use safety glasses and hearing protection. I might give this guard a try just to see how I like it and/or how easy it is to use. I also like that the dust port exit in the rear of the saw is exactly the right size for me to plug my ShopVac into without an adapter. I also like that there is a designated place under the saw table to store the rip fence. The only thing I wish Makita would do is to put a clip on the back of their power plugs so that you can clip it onto the cable after winding between the two spools. Anyway, that's it. So far, I really like this saw. Space in my small garage comes at a premium, so this will fit nicely. Thanks for reading.

Great cutting power. I really like that the saw blade stops itself when you turn it off. The fence moves when bumped hard by the pieces im cutting. Very disappointing. Otherwise it's a great saw.

This saw has plenty of power (over a 1,000 rpm higher than dewalt or bosch) and is the only job site saw that has the cutting capacity and power to cut 4x material in one pass. Table is nice size and extends easily when needing to cut wide material. The fence is good but not great as others have noted. The fence has several adjustments to square to the blade and increase clamping power. When ripping sheet goods or long 2x material it doesn't take much to bump out of alignment(but have experienced this with dewalt and bosch fences), but for cutting normal material it works great. I fixed the problem of cutting large material with a set of irwin quick-grip clamps that stay with the saw, that gives me the staying power for the fence when I need to cut large material. Almost everything on this saw is adjustable to true it besides lateral blade adjustment like on reviewer stated, but do any job site table saws have this feature? The riving knife is one of the best features of this saw and can be adjusted easily and to me a must have (no more lumber pinching and binding the blade). The blade guard with anti-kickback paws is nice but the riving knife and being very alert is enough for me. The materials and build quality are great and this saw feels solid compared to Dewalts which feels flimsy in comparison, but that's why Dewalt's saw is much lighter. I do say the Dewalt's fence is a better design but their isn't perfect either. This saw is hefty with the stand, but I can easily lift it into my truck though I am not a small guy. I chose this saw over others for several reasons; power, cutting capacity, nice table size, and easily adjustable riving knife. As for the no available zero clearance throat plate that one reviewer complained about try rockler woodworking make your own kit (works great). Con's are heavier than other models, fence design could be better, and better selection and availability of accessories from Makita. The stand is good, but Dewalt's stand is the best out of any in my opinion.

So I bought this from reviews and research that it was one of the most accurate job site tables out there. Since it was going to be permanently mounted to a table, it was big and sturdy. Also, it was supposed to be the most accurate. So let me start by stating the issues I've had over the past month. had issues with the fence adjustment. I was able to align it with the blade but was having problems with it being perpendicular with the table. With calling technical support (by the way very helpful) found out I will need a replacement fence as mine is warped/bent. Second, the blade is not parallel with the miter slides so having a good cross cut sled is out of the question. I now have to take it to a service center and drop it off for a repair since i'm beyond my 30 day return window. Supposedly only they can make this adjustment. Third, the measuring tape put on the fence rails is about 1/8" off and useless due to that. lastly the riving knife was not set in alignment with the blade so that has to be adjusted as well. Overall I like the saw, just wish it was accurate out of the box like its supposed to be. and the Miter slide is junk and really loose in the table slides. If you want one you will have to make a sled or buy a good one with the adjustments for the table slides. BTW the customer service said that they would send me a new fence and tape but to get the blade aligned I will have to take it for service and at that point they can do all 3 things that I need. update: so i took it to the service center to get it aligned and figure out what's going on. the returned it and said it was good to go. i got it home and the blade was still not aligned with the miter slot and the fence is not 90deg with the table. i ended up taking it apart and sloting some holes and aligning it myself. so disappointed. the felt so bad when i called them back saying it was still wrong that they drove over an hour to my house to drop off a new fence and to see what i was talking about. anyways, the fence still sucks so i bolted a extruded aluminum piece to it and shimmed until i got it 90 degrees. great saw once its tuned but i would still like a better fence in the future. guess i will have to upgrade to a contractor grade or cabinet saw for that. Lastly i found that the table had a hump in it near the blade insert. had to use a hammer and board to knock it down some then use sand paper on a straight edge to fine tune it level. For all this i knocked it down to 2 stars.

The skinny: * The safety features are good, and one of my primary reasons for getting this saw. The riving knife, kickback pawls, the blade cover, and most importantly, THE ELECTRIC BRAKE. Seriously I love having that brake since it brings the blade to a stop in seconds (instead of minutes) and greatly reduces the amount of time I have to do something stupid and painful. It comes with a push-stick (and a place to store it) as well. * The switch is large enough and positioned such that you can easily hit it with your knee and turn it off (though I am kind of tall at 6'1). So, as soon as you're done with the cut, the blade can come to a stop (once again, less spin time = less time to do something stupid). * The motor is powerful enough that it doesn't get bogged down during heavy cuts. That also reduces the chance of kickbacks, so long as your blade is sharp. It's also direct drive motor, for those who care. * There's a bit of play in the miter gauge channel, but that's typical. The storage on the left hand side is very convenient. I intend to replace it with an Incra anyway (as everybody should, for any saw you buy). * The power cable is two-prong polarized - no ground. I guess it doesn't need one, but I would have liked it for the sole reason that it helps keep the plug in an extension cord (since those receptacles get worn and loose pretty quickly). There also isn't one of those "cord clips" on the plug, so sometimes the cord comes loose after wrapping it. I just might replace the plug one of these days, but it would have been so much easier for them to do it at the factory. * The tilt and height are easy to adjust, accurate, and don't lose positioning while cutting. * The fence is good as well, and it's easy to screw facing boards to it if you either need a precision flat surface or are doing rips close to the fence. * Haven't used the vacuum tube in the back. I just let the saw dust go everywhere, then at the end of the day, I use my blower/vac to clean off the saw (blower) and clean up the dust (vac). * The stand is great. It lifts up and down very easily with the hydraulics and is pretty stable. It's even tall enough that I can wheel it up to the gate on my truck (mid-sized 2001 Dodge Dakota) put the top end of the stand on the edge of the gate, then lift from the bottom and slide it up and in. I don't ever actually have to pick the thing up entirely off the ground. With a bigger truck, you might not be able to do that, and you might need two people to lift it, depending on how strong you are. You bolt the saw to the stand (for stability), so you probably won't ever be separating the two after that. * On that note, it will slide around in the (plastic-lined) truck bed if you don't strap it down. It'd be nice if there was something anti-skid on the bottom of the stand. * This will fit through interior doors, but tightly. If you're good at maneuvering it, you can even make some tight turns. Just remember that you're going to have to remove the rip fence from the storage position before going through any doors. The saw itself clears with about an inch, but the rip fence sticks out beyond that (either in storage or on the table). * The throat plate is annoying. It requires a #1 Phillips screwdriver to remove and the gap between the blade and the workpiece is too large. I haven't found any commercial alternatives, and while I know I can make my own, that's just additional work I shouldn't have to do. * I wish the frame for it (where it's green) was steel. It's a cast aluminum top with green plastic sides. It's durable plastic, but still plastic. Manufacturers might give you something about how it's a weight saving measure, but if that's the case, you use aluminum or magnesium, not plastic. Plastic is a cost saving measure. * I called Amazon about this saw, the Ridgid 4510 and Bosch 4100 to get info on the country of origin. They said this one had parts from Australia, but assembled in America. The other two were Chinese. Now, I will never spend any more than a hundred bucks on a Chinese tool, and preferably no more than ten. They're just not worth it - there's no quality control in the stuff they sell, even if it comes from a reputable name. So, while this is a good deal more expensive than either of those two, I'd say its worth it for that reason alone. The stand for this is Chinese though, but it's also better than anything portable you could fabricate at home, and it doesn't have any technology or precision parts that can break. * On the matter of price, I bought this around Christmas at seven and a half, but about two weeks later it dropped by a full C-note. I was able to get the difference back through price protection on my credit card, but Amazon didn't offer any (I asked), so watch out for that. I think they jacked it up for the holidays to catch last minute gift shoppers. But I was buying it for myself!!

There are a lot of haters here on the Makita reviews. But ask yourself, everytime you see a one-star review for a Makita product, any Makita product, why does it not say verified purchase and the troll who's writing the review starts singing the praises of some other company, I'm not going to say what company lets just say followers of red and yellow are the main culprits. But unlike those other brands the majority of Makita products are assembled in their factory here in the USA. (This saw is assembled in USA) Yes some of the components come from China and some come from Japan and some come from Australia but they're not solely a China made product like the red company. Now that I have vented on the trolls that I wish Amazon would stop allowing their posts to go up and only allow those with verified purchases through Amazon to go up. This also goes for Milwaukee and DeWalt and Bosch for that matter, only allow your verified purchases to be reviewed. Anyway, Popular Mechanics reviewed this along with other contractors saws and this one was the winner. This is an amazing table saw out of the box everything was adjusted correctly. The shipping was a bit of a nightmare however once I got the saw it was all worth it. In the interest of full disclosure my woodworking shop is almost exclusively Makita products. Yes DeWalt and Milwaukee make great tools, I will not bash them, however I have never had any bad luck with Makita and that's why I stick with this brand. I will not be a troll and say bad things about the other brands. With that said there is some issues with this saw. If you need this as a contractor saw to be highly mobile you will be disappointed. It weighs close to a hundred and fifty pounds... it is a solid beast, almost 4 feet across when extended. Even the abs plastic housing is thicker than most other brands (feels like steel compared to my old Craftsman portable table saw, which weighs in at fifty-seven pounds). This saw is almost pushing the realm of a hybrid table saw. If you are buying this saw to occasionally move around in your truck and have assistance loading it then it's fine. However this saw is better suited for a workshop environment where you would like it to be mobile to go from one end to the other of the shop or out of the way when not in use. As another reviewer discussed, you can by a left side extension and outfeed extention through Ace Tools online. Mine are on their way. So if you are working for a large contractor saw that rotates at 4800rpms, 1200 more than all the competitors, this is definitely the saw you want to buy. It is extremely stable and has passed the nickel test on a wood frame floor. If you need a more compact contractor saw then, I can't believe I am saying this, this is not the saw for you and you should look elsewhere I know DeWalt and Bosch make a more compact model. Otherwise buy it, you won't second guess yourself when it arrives...

Crap. Garbage. QC has gone down hill with Makita. Purchased this saw and found that motor is not aligned with fence. Tried to adjust with no luck. Fence is sloppy. I've owned numerous Makita tools and they have been well worth owning. Not this saw tho. Returned this saw and purchased a DeWalt table saw. Wow! Night and day difference between Makita and DeWalt. The engineering and innovation with the DeWalt table saw blows Makita away.