Craftsman 10 Inch Miter Saw Review
Craftsman 10″ Compact Sliding Compound Miter Saw – SM2509RC
Craftsman 10" Compact Sliding Miter Saw
Manufacturer: Craftsman
Model number: SM2509RC
Price: $299.99
Power source: 120V
Motor size: 15.0 Amp
Weight: 43.0 lbsFeatures and Specifications
- Includes: compact sliding miter saw, hold-down clamp, blade, blade wrench, dust bag, extension tables, operator’s manual.
- The Craftsman 10” Compact Sliding Compound Miter Saw’s 15.0 Amp motor delivers high torque and speed, perfect for hard and soft woods
- Wall-hugging design can be used against a wall, requiring 39% less operating space than other standard sliding miter saws
- Cross-cut boards up to 12 1/2-in wide at 90◦
- Built-in retractable, telescoping aluminum extension wings with an adjustable stop plate for rapid repetitive cuts and support for long work pieces
- Laser Trac™ provides an accurate pre-cut alignment of workpiece
- The 0-50 degree miter adjustment includes common positive stops for accurate cuts and tight bevels on the fly
- 60 tooth carbide tipped saw blade with standard 5/8″ arbor
- Tall, rapid-release left side sliding fence for extra support
- Aluminum construction makes the Craftsman 10 Inch Compact Sliding Miter Saw portable, durable and easy to move from home to jobsite
- One Year Limited Warranty
Craftsman SM2509RC Compact Sliding Compound Miter Saw
Powerful Yet Compact
I get to test drive quite a few new miter saws every year so it’s nice to see something a bit different on the market especially in the DIY category. The Craftsman SM2509RC offers a compact design that uses forward mounted support rails to drastically reduce the footprint of the saw behind the fence, which ultimately means your support bench can be quite a bit narrower than more traditional sliding miter saws. The design looks very similar to the one that Festool uses on the Kapex. Craftsman claims this design results in a footprint that’s 39% smaller than more traditional designs, and that is a big deal for people with small shops!
Evaluating power cutting an LVL (The dust bag wasn’t attached due to moving the saw around to several stages of a much larger saw evaluation project).
Even though the SM2509RC is a compact miter saw it offers excellent power. I tested this saw for power by cross cutting large pieces of LVL engineered lumber. The 15 amp motor easily cut through this material with the factory supplied blade. The power of this saw really impressed me as I wasn’t expecting it to compete with other larger commercial style saws but the SM2509RC performed very well.
Adjustability and Ergonomics
The Craftsman SM2509RC has a comfortable grip mounted on the right side of the saw. It’s a horizontal positioned grip that works great for a right handed user but may be somewhat awkward for lefties (I think vertical positioned grips are better for lefties, then again I’m a righties so what do I know!).
The saw offers miter detents at 0, 15, 22-1/2, 31.6 and 45 deg. left/right. The miter is easily adjusted with a lock and release on the front grip. Bevel detents are 0,33.9,45 deg. left and the lock and release are on the rear of the saw.
The saw has a clear plastic blade guard that offers good visibility and operates smoothly. The right fence is fixed while the left fence does expand for larger capacity and also to allow for left bevel cuts (this saw only bevels left).
Overall I found this saw comfortable to use and also easy to adjust. One thing to note, because of the small footprint this saw can tip easily when making extreme bevel cuts. The best solution is bolting it to the bench which eliminates this concern.
Overall Impression – Craftsman SM2509RC
The Craftsman Sm2509RC impressed me because it offers some nice features, it’s very compact and yet powerful. I think this is a great saw for homeowners and DIY’ers for a price of just under $300.
About the author
Todd Fratzel
Todd Fratzel is the Editor-in-Chief and Founder of Tool Box Buzz, and the President of Front Steps Media, LLC, a web based media company focused on the Home Improvement and Construction Industry.He is also the Principal Engineer for United Construction Corp., located in Newport, NH. In his capacity at United he oversees the Residential and Commercial Building Division along with all Design-Build projects.He is also the editor of Home Construction & Improvement.
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Nice review. I have a retirement home in south America, and am taking tools there now days when I can. Can you tell me if this tool is rated at 50-60 cycles of electric current? Most of the rest of our world uses 50 cycle. Thank you very much.
Not sure I understand the question. These tools are set up for 120 VAC. Not sure on the “frequency” if that’s what you’re asking.
He’s referring to frequency at which the AC current switches back and forth. The US operates at 60hz and most other countries are 50hz. This saw is rated for 60hz.
I bought this saw about a month ago. I’m a construction worker for a general contractor and dabble in all phases of construction from the ground up. I really liked the price tag and portability of this saw, and just thought it LOOKED nicer than the other sliding miter saws in the $200-$300 range (just my personal opinion). Well after having put it through several days of work i can say i’m really happy with it. I go on amazon and it has a 2 star rating which is absurd to me. I would say if you are looking cor an affordable miter saw. Give this one a shot. I have no complaints sbouf if whatsoever.
Old article but I was wondering if anyone can tell me the difference between the two Craftsman saws:
21237 vs sm2509rc
Thanks
Not sure…probably an older model. They have newer models coming out now as well since the sale to Stanley Black & Decker