Fine Homebuilding: Evolution Power Tools’ R255SMS+ 10-in. single-bevel sliding compound miter saw took what I call a “pinball path” to my shop, where it’s here to stay. Part of the allure is that it is “multi-material,” meaning it can cut steel, soft metals, wood, and plastic. The Evolution slider comes in four pieces, assembly is easy, and the result is a surprisingly accurate setup.
3 comments:
Most of my experience with powertools has been using them for wood, and at the level I was it there was no discussion of variation in blade or in the actual saw itself when it came to material, only which saw to use for best positioning. When I learned that there were saws for steel or for wood or that ones for wood could probably cut aluminum as well my question becomes what makes the difference? Can I cut most of those lower difficulty materials on higher strength saws for example or do they simply operate in a way that makes it dangerous for the user? Is creating more general use saws that can cut those larger varieties of materials simply due to cost? I would guess also demand is not very high because of the nature of the materials used by most theatre companies and when they are used its likely for small portions of specific tasks rather than say the entire set.
I'm very curious how mixing materials will affect blade life and performance of the saw over time. The idea of having a more flexible tool is appealing to me but I'm very much the sort of person that wants my wood shop in a separate place from my metal shop. So I don't really consider it a selling point unless you're a scene shop operating on a budget.
I will say that I wish more tools came with a laser, it is probably the only thing I like about our festool miter saw here at CMU but it really is a luxury to work with (but seriously it is about the only thing I like about that thing please somebody help me understand the festool hype without pointing at their track saw, that on is a gimme).
I could see this saw in question working well for the novice or casual fabricator, but I think for me I would personally pass on it.
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