Hercules vs DeWALT Miter Saw Review (Harbor Freight Bringing the HEAT!)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 21 ส.ค. 2024
- Hercules vs DeWALT Miter Saw Review (Harbor Freight Bringing the HEAT!) - It's the MAIN EVENT! The Harbor Freight Hercules Sliding Miter Saw vs. DeWALT DWS780. Can a $299 saw dethrone the champion? You be the judge!
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Would you rather have a 3-year LIMITED warranty or a 1-year bumper to bumper?
Red Beard and The Den of Tools I’d definitely go for the Harbor Freight 1-Year. I’ve had nothing but great experiences with HF standing behind their warranties.
Well Red, I just did a quick service center search, and, the. only consumer product repair center is 75 miles away.
Would i roadtrip to get my tool fixed? I'm not sure. But it beats shipping.
And i drive by at least 3 H F stores to do it!
If they had the 1yr and the 299 coupon before i bought my DeWalt, i would've gone with the herc
You have now become the MORON I was bitching about in the video. AvE is fun to watch but real tool guys know that he misses the point on so much it's almost a joke at times. He straight up said that the batteries in the herc were generic and not Samsung when he didn't even remove them to check. Spoiler, they are Samsung. He said that MOSFETs were bad because the heatsink wasn't big enough but they are the new top of the line ultracool chips that don't need a big heatsink. How did he miss that?! He said the plastic wasn't glass filled when it clearly is! He said that it's bad that it only had two brushes rather than four but the brushes are bigger and they use higher grade magnets, which he also criticized. WTF? He said the batteries won't hold the charge they claim and yet in real-world test other TH-camrs have proven that they outclass the Dewalt two or even three to one. Do you have an answer for ANY of that?
Even if you take AvE as gospel rather than 50% entertainment, he's had a lot of nice things to say about recent purchases from HF, and things change. As I've said before on this channel, HF does sell some junk, but I've always been able to tell it was junk when I bought it, and it was all I could afford at the time. I have quite a few HF tools that I've used for years, and when I've had a problem (which is very rarely) I've ALWAYS found the store managers more than fair.
I'm a professional carpenter with 40 years experience. I have used everything from the original slide miter, the 8/14 hitachi, Makita, Bosch, Dewalt, etc. I know quality and take pride in my tools. 9 months ago I bought a Hercules along with the stand and work side by side with a Dewalt. In my opinion the Hercules is a great tool and the saw stand is much better than the Dewalt. Everyone who tries my Herc is impressed and I get to do my Eddie Murphy imitation, just love saying Hercules, Hercules, Hercules. Highly recommend it.
Couldn’t agree more
Hilarious, I too say the Herc all the time. Except it's "herca-leez, herca-leez, herca-leez" and you have to remember to clap with every other syllable!
I have the Hercules table saw, love it. Thankful for all the reviews and also comments like yours.
I picked mine up just recently. and I am so going to say this anytime anyone asks about it. "Hercules, Hercules, Hercules." 🤣🤣
Bear, in order to check square on the saw take it a step further. Take a square of the widest stock the saw will cut, square cut a side, rotate 90 degrees so the cut edge is against the fence. Repeat until you get to the last edge. For the last cut take off a half to 3/4 inch strip. Break the strip in half and compare the thickness of the 2 ends. Your saws off by 1/4 of the difference of the cutoff in its 12 inch stroke. We used to use this method on our 10 foot panel saws.
What did you mean by "your saw IS off"? Was that a limit or what?
@@garychandler4296 Meaning that the saw is out of square by 1/4 the difference between the thickness of the 2 ends of the cutoff. As an example, on my 12 inch slider, I make the last cutoff and snap it in half, one end is 1/16 thicker than the other. This means that my saws error factor is 1/16 / 4 = 1/64th out of square over 12 inches of travel.
Recently replace my miter saw. Ended up with the Hercules after researching the field. No regrets, awesome saw for the price, seems quieter and a very well built saw. Huge improvement over past miter saws I have owned. The factory settings were on except for the vertical cut on a 2x6 which needed adjustment. Also, the depth setting lock nut was loose and it needed adjusting up so the saw blade did not bottom out. I did not buy the extended warranty as I thought it was a bit pricey. Paid $310 after using a $10 off coupon. I could buy 2 of these saws for what a 780 Dewalt would of cost me. Only partial regret was I bought the mid grade Harbor Freight miter stand instead of the Hercules stand. It is okay and adequate for job but if I could do over, I would of got the Hercules stand or looked over the competition closer.
I love my 779 and it has served me well, but first thing I did was replace the blade with a Diablo.
North Georgia Handyman I was going to go with DeWalt until I watched this over a year then pulled trigger on it, love my Hercules been a beast square out of box and has gone through everything with ease, repeatability is excellent and got for $314. I wanted the shadow line so just couldn't see spending $200+ more than your 779 to upgrade to the 780 to get a comparable saw.
If you want to add the shadow line to your 779 get the MMTOOLPARTS Kit for like 80 bucks. My brother in law bought the 779 and the kit a year later once the warranty was up on his saw. It works and looks exactly like my 780
I didnt see the pauls on the back side
Jumped on an open box deal for this Hercules saw over the weekend. It was priced at $239. Talked the manager down to $175!! The LED light with the blade shadow feature is awesome!! It has a good blade with it.
The difference with the blades is deWalt ships with a framing blade, and the Herc had a finish blade. Noticed it seems like the deWalt cut a bit faster, but left a tougher finish.
I'm a huge makita and dewalt fan but when it's almost half the cost, Hercules takes the cake. Just make sure you adjust the bevel and miter to get it accurate because mine wasn't quite there for baseboards. Really didn't take that long to true up and it wasn't that far off. Harbor Freights battery line of tools leaves a lot to be desired but their 120acv tools do very well.
I've used other (10" saws) previously and was pretty surprised with the speed and cutting ability of this Dewalt saw.I have bolted mine to a table to minimize movement which I highly recommend.This is a Great saw th-cam.com/users/postUgkxPeGkHOMe05FySypTOvYumxMn-xi39oRe with a light to see your cutting line (not a laser line).I'd recommend this saw fro anyone looking to upgrade from a 10" miter saw.
Should you have used the same blade for a comp ?
I agree
If your comparing what you get out of the box then the blade shouldn't be changed
@@samt.2081 that is not the blade that come with the Dewalt.
I just bought the 779 at lowes, came with a better blade, and it also had far better packaging than he is explaining. Zero scratches or chips, and for some reason it's cutting better than his in the video (most likely the blade)
Oscar Santoyo yes it is
My understanding is the ringing sound is caused by the blade being out of alignment. It's either heeling or toeing and the ring is the sound of the blade straightening itself back out.
I have used this tool for about 18 months. Purchased the same for making large (2 x 12x 12) redwood planter boxes. Although I use De Walt for my hand power tool needs, I felt the blade was better on the Herc, interesting you came to the same conclusion. Performing well holding tolerance, thanks for the feedback.
Don
Very nice review--- you review helped seal the deal--- I just bought this saw and, although I have note had a chance to put it through its paces, am extremely pleased. Out of the box it was spot on accurate and the LED blade alignment shadow is a tremendous help. Thanks, Larry
Get scammed😂
@@Adam-zw1ck ?????????????????????
Just bought the 780, it came with a fine cut blade, not the one in this video. Maybe they realized their mistake?
I saw that
Looks like the guy tried to cut a little bit faster with the dewalt than the hercules, lol. Was that intentional?
I bought the Hercules and have used it several Times, I was skeptical but I must say it’s a very nice saw and well built. I’d say side by side it is right there with the dewalt.
I saw your review, looked at others, found a coupon for $299. I bought my Hercules Miter saw @ the Harbor Freight in Gallup, NM and I love it! I can't wait to buy the 2 year extended warranty for $79.99. I'm also looking forward to buying the Hercules stand. Thank you very much!
I am a finish carpenter in Austin TX and have been using the Herc for one year now. Ive had so many other carpenters come up and ask about it and tell me that they like it. There you GO FOLKS..This is a VERY GREAT SAW for the price and I recommend it to anyone and everyone -Professionals and DIYers alike.
I bought a Hercules saw for my home shop. I expected it to be a little better than good enough. I'm thrilled with it. This Dewalt comparison really surprised me. I always considered Dewalt to be the best of the bunch by a longshot. I'm glad that I chose Hercules. After seeing this review, I'll probably get another one if I ever have to purchase a new Miter Saw.
Hi, I just bought the Hercules Miter Saw this morning and the cashier tried to sell me an extended warranty past 90 days, as it popped up on his screen. I showed him on their website, it says 1 yr warranty and he checks with the manager and tells me the 1 year warranty is the manufacturers, not through them. Only 90 days through HF. Maybe the warranty needs to be researched further?
I got the extended warranty I’ve been working the hell out of it for a year and a half no problem
There are some important factors to consider here. For one, the blade kerf plays a critical role. The thinner the better. Although a thinner blade kerf creates a smoother, more efficient cut, blade deflection could cause issues getting those tight miters. The thicker blade kerf creates more waste or saw dust, and the saw motor needs to work harder to get through material. For battery operated tools, the thinner the blade, the better for the battery life throughout the day.
And number two, don't hang yourself on that handle when you go to make your cut. Try to come down straight on your piece and your cuts should come out smooth. The bear is right, the blade does not do justice to the DeWalt saw. The first thing I did when I got my DeWalt DWS780 was change the blade. Got a Freud/Bosch wood expert 60T blade on there now. The saw is a beast.
Thanks for the honest review Red Beard! I might go to HF and pick one up, I've been in the market for a sliding miter saw.
One thing I always check is side to side wiggle especially when its pulled out (keep it clean guy's! ) can make a big difference when doing finish work
I'd love to see Harbor Freight come out with a tool like the Rockwell JawHorse
I was just thinking the exact same thing!
@@denoftools Let me know what their thoughts on this is should you bring it to their attention. I own the real deal, but having a 2nd JawHorse would be great for some projects and I would certainly try a HF model.
If you take requests, I'd like to see some bench vice videos.
Thanks for your tool reviews and comparisons Bear. I've been a long time lurker, but decided to finally subscribe today. Your material is well worth the time to view for anyone with an interest in tools. I'm a mechanic and electrical kind of guy, but taking in a miter saw review just adds to my knowledge. Who knows, I might buy one sometime.
Was looking online at HF hoping to find that as well. Would be a homerun!
www.harborfreight.com/portable-clamping-work-station-64827.html?cid=paid_google|*PLA+-+All+Products|All+Products|64827&mkwid=sKE0GgBvZ|pcrid|327822404853|pkw||pmt||pdv|c|slid||product|64827|&pgrid=71439424048&ptaid=pla-296227499965&pcid=1688396772&intent=&gclid=CjwKCAjw4ZTqBRBZEiwAHHxpfmdQDECmgwha0YL3zJDKxFo-2vyKUfL1If6kcXW5piK1UQhY8TTg0RoChakQAvD_BwE
they have, it came out a month ago or so. Den did a video on it compared to a Rockwell
My wife works for a construction company who buys a lot of HF tools on a monthly basis. I asked why don't they just buy higher quality once (like dewalt) and not have to buy again. Workers told her the HF tools work just as good and they are disposable to a large company. They'd rather buy 3 HF cordless drills for a job and have no down time working rather than risk 1 Dewalt going bad or being stolen. No time to deal with warranties...just go to HF and buy now
I'm a 64 year old trim carpenter and stair builder. Currently retired. I've made my living with DeWalt 12" saws including the slide and I've had no problems. I recently bought a new one at Lowes just a week ago. I paid a total with tax of $384.00 and that included the Dewalt stand as well. Package deal. That's with my Veteran discount. Anyway, for making the house payment and supporting my family I'll go with the Dewalt. Never a problem.
Good honest review bear, looking forward to the long term review
HF is pretty good on returns I have a Pittsburgh torque wrench I had for 5 years and I broke it in walk in and no fuss they gave me a new one
I've rebuilt a dws780 after it caught on fire. 100 dollars in parts, an couple hours replacing the parts and polishing the metal. Thing was as good as new.
LOL, this was obviously an ad and not a true comparison. Imagine Bearcules choosing the Hercules, I was shocked. A good friend of mine has the Hercules and it's a really good saw, I have the DWS 779. Mine is much nicer to use, The stock Dewalt blade isn't great, I'll agree with that. But we both have Diablo blades and the Dewalt is absolutely a better saw, it slides much nicer and you can feel the extra torque when you pull the trigger. We were using both to cut pressure treated pine and the Hercules struggled, especially on the 45 degree cuts. The Dewalt had no problems, again we were using the same blades. Diablo 60 tooth. After using both saws, we both preferred the Dewalt. One thing I like about the Hercules over the Dewalt, the shadow line, that's a really cool feature. But I can and I will add the light and switch to create the cut line for $80. We each paid $350 for the saws. This is really a no-brainer, I'll chose Dewalt over a Chinese knock-off every day of the week.
I think this was a very fair review. And I have to agree about the Hercules not having the long track record like the trusty Dewalt. The warranty is a huge thing for me, but call me cheap, I don't want to pay for an extended warranty. I want what I'm going to buy to have enough confidence in their product to offer it as part of the initial purchase. That's what made Craftsman such a success early on and there was something honest about that IMO that made me want to buy all their products.
You trusted Craftsman because you could walk in to any Sears, show them the broken whatever Craftsman tool and they would replace it on the spot.
My experiences have been that the big stores still do lifetime warranties like that for all hand tools. The caveat is that they must have your phone number in their system. So it's a non-transferable warranty now.
I had a bad bandsaw from HF lost the receipt ,no box, no packing nothing. I just blew it clean with my compressor and dropped it in the store. The cashier yells out bring me another drill press. I said that it was a bandsaw. New in box bandsaw was in my truck in 1minute,and 55 seconds. Love HH. Enjoyed video. WWG1WGA!
17
WWG1WGA! Q - I love it!
WWG1WGA indeed!
@ Walmart does the same.
WWG1WGA
In all honesty, I've never owned or used a miter saw. That said, I've found you and your reviews fair, honest and sincere. My DIY choices are largely based on budget. After my dad passed away, I inherited all his Ryobi tools. (Love their non-changing battery system.) That said, I've come to HEAVILY rely on YOUR VIDEOS to get an idea as to what is on the market and what works for me. Simply being honest, neither of these two saws willsuit my needs. (Building my own tool shed from scratch.) I'm HEAVILY LEANING, based on other videos, (Including yours), to purchase the Harbor Freight Admiral 12in Miter Saw; since I won't likely use it very often. While HERCULES appears to suit the day to day job site professional; The ADMIRAL Miter Saw appears to suit the Prosumer -DIY Guy best. Even over the Ryobi #TSS121, 12in Miter Saw. Hoping to see a DIY-Guy, Geared, "Versus Video" of Admiral & Ryobi hopefully by Fathers Day. Dollar for Dollar, the "Specs", seem to be on par with one another. (At least on paper).
3 years since ur comment but curious which miter you got? ... I bought my Admiral 5+ years ago , great quality tool.
@@justinsmith1073 I actually went and got the Hercules for only $279.00. Great buy, Great Tool, Great Value, Great Price. Actually using it to build a Granny-flat in my backyard.
I have been impressed with the changes / improvements that HF has been making recently. I have been eye ballin the this saw in the store and it looks every bit as good / well built as my Bosch. I am looking forward to seeing the table saw, I hope it comes out soon.
Nicely done I agree HF Managers are the best they will do everything in their power to help you. I presently have the Chicago electric sliding compound and have been happy with it for my purpose, and have been waiting for a upgrade and now I’ve found it, can’t beat the price/quality personally. Thank you again for a honest review.
It is not just the managers it seems that all of the people working there are not only helpful they are also friendly that is why I spend so much time (and money there).
I played around with this saw in the store. It was as stiff when fully extended as the DeWalt. To me that is the measure. Even the makitas are flimsy. Everything but these two in the video were flimsy. But what if a belt wears out in a few years? How could you replace it? Would a DeWalt belt fit? This is the one unanswered question I keep seeing over and over again.
I have Dewlat tools, I like my tools, but I'll never shy away from Harbor Freight. I have a friend and he has asked about tools in the past, for home reno stuff. I've always pointed him to Harbor Freight over Home Depot or Lowes. Just mainly he can buy a quality tool for a decent price for as often as he will use it.
Great video. My 15ish year old dual bevel, slide compound Bosch miter saw recently made it's final cut. After watching a few vids including this one it was an easy choice to pull the trigger on the Hercules saw. It was also an easy choice to cough up a few extra bucks for Harbor Freight's extended warranty. You're absolutely correct that dealing with a warranty at HF is a very easy process. For me personally I give them the phone # associated with my account and I get new thing.
Love the review. HFT is really stepping up. Wish they would make a Hercules circular saw!
J. A. Nothing can be a Makita saw in my eyes.
What do you think about a Makita
@@shannonstephens4550 check out Metabo HTP beats Makita hands down. Of course, Hitachi was the original creators, and hitachi makes hardcore, reliable, and practically bomb proof products.
@@deanwinchester6666 I'd have to disagree with Hitachi. Have a table saw from Hitachi that I used twice and now it won't turn on. Something to do with the switch and gotta have it fixed. haven't used their other products, but so far disappointed with just one. never had a cheap ryobi tool or old school craftsman table saw die like that.
@@jeffrywalsh5581 Could have been just the one you got that had a bad switch from bad handling or a defect. Shouldn't make you hate an entire line. S@*& happens. I had a ryobi drill/driver that wouldn't go in reverse, and the packaging looked really rough. Only one they had and that I could afford at the time, had to bring it back. Bought the same one from another location, and it was fine. Dont blame the company for others handling.
@@jeffrywalsh5581 RYOBI??? CURSES I say, CURSES!
I'm a big dewalt owner because before I got sick was an electrician and the boss would take our stuff to the service center if we owned dewalt. Now in his defense there was a service center in our town so it wasn't like we had to mail crap off. Because of that we all ran the yellow but I agree 100% with your rant. Dewalt has gotten too big for their britches. They have heavily cheapened up the build quality of the tools but the prices have only gotten higher. Now that I'm on disability I doubt I'll even replace my old nicad dewalt stuff with new dewalt. I own about 14 battery tools, everything from the hammer drill, radio, 2 gallon vac, to even the spiral sheet rock saw. Bunch of it I don't need anymore but I have gotten spoiled having it.
neo 71665 hell I was with Dewalt and had all the tools in 18v . But the warranty and repair time was bad . And the new stuff not any better and the batteries are just junk . So I switched to ridgid I go to my home depot and they just had me a new one . But to this Hercules is no sniping the at the big boys and nice to go to HF and get a new one .
I was in at HF today and noticed the Hercules 12" miter saw and I was impressed. Two things jumped out at me right away. The positive stops at the 90 and 45 etc, locked in tight when the handle was released. And when I side loaded the saw left and right as I pushed it back and forth, there was no perceptible deflection. The other HF miter saw (Admiral) was entirely lacking in these areas.
Considering the price point, this otherwise loyal Dewalt buyer, may purchase a Hercules miter saw.
I got the RIGID 12" sliding saw with a 70 degree capisity. It was on sale for $399 and it has a lifetime warranty. (updated no blade wobble)
What’s the model number?
Heard those have major blade wobble. I'm a RIGID guy and I would rather go Hercules.
I'm not a carpenter. So both saws would be able to do everything and more than I need. So what it comes down to is money out of my pocket. Hercules wins in my book.
lucky13driver I just bought one last night. And it works great very accurate
With the super coupon for 299 you can't go wrong I got one
Picked up a Hercules yesterday, I must say I had my eye on the Grizzley 12" miter and almost bought it till I saw a sign on the Hercules in store for 299.00. Compared to the Grizzly at 444 from Home Depot it was a no brainer and I love it so far. Will pick up the stand when it goes on sale. Thanks for the review.
, I bought the soft for 299 I bought the stand for 99 I bought the 80 tooth blade for $50 I got the extended warranty 2 years all for the price of just a DeWalt 780 at Home Depot for $600
Can the Hercules stand up to an 8-12 hr day of cuts is my question. I’ve noticed with the other few HF power tools I have that they run quite a bit hotter than their brand name counter parts. I’d love to get my hands on it during my outfeed table build I’m going to be doing soon for my table Saw. Definitely will be a full day of work and built completely from pallet Oak. The other reasons it doesn’t sell is like you said, it’s not proven yet and also when people what into Harbor Freight they typically are not looking to have to spend $300+ on a Saw. Great comparison though. I think u hit on a lot of valid points. Oh and hey HF..... call me 😉😘
@Brads Workbench - is HF really marketing to professional builders that would be using the Hercules to that extent? I kind of doubt it. They are going after the DIY’er who’s seeking a competent piece of equipment at a lower price than Dewalt, Bosch, Rigid, etc. From the looks of it, this saw will service someone like me at $150 to $200 cheaper than the equivalent big-box store brands. Unless the saw is making my living, no need to drop $500 to $600 on a bigger brand name saw when this one would do the job just as well.
Actually this saw is marketed for professional use lol just saying but I agree 100%
@NVG - I’d be nervous purchasing any power tool without a proven track record if I counted on that tool for my livelihood. I’d be perfectly comfortable dropping $300 on the Hercules as a DIY’er. Unless I just got an absolute dud, this saw would serve my needs.
I was able o find the Dewalt DS779 sliding compound miter saw on sale at Lowe’s for $329. By the time I got my additional 10% military discount, I walked out the door at $309 and some change. That became a no brainer!
My life long idea of harbor freight making bad tools always makes me sceptical. Keep us updated if the saw holds up.
Just remember that DeWalt was a zombie brand owned by Black & Decker and Ann ever made anything other than radial arm saws. Everyone thought the same thing went DeWalt launch and look at them now
Ditto,I have not been impressed with HF tools, Bought a drill week later threw it in the garbage.
Lloyd Green HF tools are not all the same. There are different levels.
the hercules is my first table so i can’t compare. however im very satisfied how easy it is to use instead of using my circular saw. i also bought the hercules table saw . 😊
I bought the Hercules mitre saw. That saw is incredible naturally the 20% coupon doesn’t work on it. But was on sale for 324 dollars. With the warranty it’s a no brainer. Plus true out of the box
You hit the nail on the head! Dewalt is thriving on name alone now but not on quality. Harbor freight has stepped up its game immensely. I love the beauty of their hassle free returns. On that basis alone, it wins in my book. Great video!
You're 100% right on the warranties Bear. HF actually does have the very best warranty available. In my opinion they are trying to become what Sears Craftsman was at one time. Everyone's first stop when tool shopping. High quality and no questions/ no hassle warranty. AND shipping a tool is a huge hassle man!
Got the Hercules for $350 for a small job at my house. A great value.
- You make a great point. NOBODY stops doing what they are doing, stores the boxes and ships, not even a DIYer.
- The knobs, while you can tighten them for the stops, are really there for the odd angles where there is no stop.
why cut off 4-6" at a time when 1/2" would have sufficed and you could have made more cuts? and maybe measured heat? Sorry my OCD was full on with that.
Thank you for the review. I just bought Hercules Saw. Quick question and comments 1). The paperwork with the saw shoes 90 Days vs the new 1 year Warranty. 2). In the manual it states to install feet into the saw base, I believe they come installed and no feet were in the box. 3). Does the saw come with replacement motor brushes like the Chicago Electric and Admiral Saws? I did not see any in the box. It would be good to know if they are supposed to come with the saw.
I have the Hercules contractor table saw and it's awesome! 2 years old and still no vibration.
I've been looking at these sliding 12" mitre saws for a couple years and I finally bought the Hercules and only after that was the time that I saw your video. And really glad I watched the video because it was a big purchase and I still had not taken it out of the Box. It's just nice to know that I probably got every bit of what I was paying for. I only likely to use this thing 10 or 15 times a year on random projects around the house so I know contractor and I don't have large volumes of work but I do want a nice Saw and I don't want to have to replace it every few years. Thanks for the video!
Getting one for christmas. I love bears! Love the channel and your honesty
I bought my Hercules miter saw about 6 months ago and have used the heck out if it. I did all the checks when I unboxed this beast and it was dead on. I love this saw.
How accurate are the angled cuts? I have had problems with deflection as the blade moves down the track on my current miter saw and I’m looking for one that is the same degree at the beginning of the track as it is at the end of the slide track. Thanks!
@@mrcolesenglish1401 I haven't seen any deflection in the blade so far.
I’m in the process of purchasing a 12” compound miter saw. Your vid was well made and will help in my purchasing decision. Thank you.
Yea my dcf850 drill had a speed selector issue and I was gonna try to get it replaced through the warranty but it’s way to inconvenient to have to take it to a tool shop for repair and then send it off and not have it for a few weeks. So I won’t be purchasing extended warranty on dewalt tools anymore. I’ll just buy a brand new tool. Luckily my speed selector switch wound up sorting itself out and I haven’t had anymore issues and the impact driver works fine now lol. I do however purchase extended warranty at harbor freight because you can just bring a broken tool back to the store and they just swap it out. Easy easy. I have invested in herculese and dewalt tools. But harbor freight is way easier to replace broken tools. I’ve abused my Herculese impact driver and that thing just keeps going. Herculese are very very durable tools and I’d recommend anyone starting out buying tools, to start with Herculese. Even Bauer makes really good quality stuff. I would not recommend the the orange and black brand that harbor freight has to offer. Nothing but issues with the cheap orange and black brand.
if the dewalt and the hercules was the same price would you still recommend the hercules?
Hell no!
Totally agree. And I hate DeWALT because I see too many out there. I'm not thrilled with Festool either. Nobody cares what I think but I thought I'd throw that in there.
I bought my DWS780 a couple years ago and it came with a much better blade than what you got.
But you are right. Companies do what's called VA (value anaylisis) assessments on their products. And if they can cheapen something up they will. They are always looking for more profit.
DeWalt is no different than anyone else and I'm sure some bean counter looked at the cost of the blades, like the one that came on mine, aaaaaand crapped his pants.
Bean counters are not wood workers, electricians, mechanics, builders, human or really useful in any way, shape or form. All they know is crunching numbers.
You go "Bear"!!! I dig Harbor Freight!! Love your reviews!!
Just bought this Animal and love it!
The true comparison is how they stand up over time on the job site.
Update on the warranty status from my previous comment. 90 day harborfreight warranty followed by 1 year manufacturer warranty. the warranty the bear was talking about no longer is offered! you only have 90 days to return. in light of this, the dewalt honestly just seems like a better deal.
Harbor freight's customer service number at 1-800-444-3353, if anyone wants to call to know about the new warranty policy.
My brother-in-law has a DeWalt but he's got Diablo blade on it
I think Diablo makes the best blades out there!
Nice review, tho I would like to see a stress test between the two and see how they operate under extended use and heat.
I've been throwing mine around without a stand for a couple years now, haven't babied it a bit... more or less have been beating it up and still solid.
Very true regarding the warranty. To be honest, anyone who use miter saw can fix power tool themselves with replacement parts bought online. Whether it is worth the time or not that is another story.
I've wanted a sliding miter saw for years. Too expensive for my needs ... until now. Just bought the Hercules 12" Double Bevel Sliding Miter Saw yesterday. My neighbor who has a Dewalt came over and checked it out. He loved it, too.
I'd love to see that Hercules miter in a 10" version, hopefully we'll see that later on this year??
I read last month H F is dropping Hercules, T or F ??? Same day I was heading to get one???
I appreciate your opinion, but anything that I have purchased from Harbor Freight, except for drill bits and or drill driver accessories, have never lasted more than a month, so you can complain about the DeWalt all you want all I can tell you is that in 15 years, just like my DeWalt dw705, it's still kicking and all I've had to do is replace the brushes, where's the Harbor Freight, you'll be lucky if it's still working in 6 months
I agree with you that is definately how it once was but HF has been stepping there game up big time lately. I dont think there totally there yet but they are on there way. I dread going into HD or Lowes anymore because there customer service is non existent. Everytime I go to harbor freight the staff is always super friendly and helpful.
Oh I agree, I used to work at Home Depot, and the management treats their Associates like cattle, it's horrible how I lasted as long as I did is crazy
I have nearly every brand of tool and have had just as good service from HF as anything else.
I bought a floor standing drain cleaner from HF. Manual feed, and it cost $300. Good price. Bought it just for my home, because the basement drain clogs every year, or so, and I got tired paying almost $150 per clean. It worked well two times. The third, sort of worked, but broke. I mean - broke. I saved the motor, and threw the rest away. Like most people, I’m not near their stores, so I have to order stuff from them. Doesn’t pay to fix something like this, just chuck it.
So everything you said makes sense. I would like to know your thoughts on two things that you didn't talk about:
1. What was the comparative horizontal cut capacity? I know you used two of the same width boards, but specs on the dewalt say that it has a larger cut capacity (I apologize for not going back and reviewing exactly what it was). Could you chime in on what that is worth to you (or if it IS any different)
2. How consistently does either saw do trench (dado) cuts?
Love to know your thoughts!
I never do dado cuts with a saw like this so I can't say but I may give it a try in the future. As to the cut capacity.... that's a bit of a fib on the DW side. You have to remove the fence to do that. It's a royal PITA and then you have to put the fence back on and make it square. Literally, no one would do this. Easier to just grab a circ saw. I talked about that issue in the video but it got cut due to time. The stair tread cust was to demonstrate what would normally be considered the widest job site cut you would ever really need to make.
almost 3 years later i have YET to see one of these pieces of sit in the field. I have NEVER seen a contractor use one. dont waste your money.
The base on this saw is a pre-release Hercules. Expect it in stores mid to late February 2019
I bought a Hercules yesterday
You got a prototype? Unofficial/official endorsement?
Store has had them for months
I definitely want this miter saw, as I have the 10" chicago electric version with stand. I am guessing the hercules saw will NOT fit on the previous heavy duty miter saw stand? Can anyone confirm?
@@whoknows111 Yes it does fit nicely on what is now the mid range stand.
I could actually hear the De Walt motor drag down during the cuts
Recently bought the Hercules 12" sliding miter saw after comparing the two saws. For the money, I like the Hercules.
Just got done with my first project using this saw. 38 cuts using 15 2”x4”x8’ and it’s been great. My 4th time making this workbench I really like. Compared to my 7 year old Ryobi it is light years ahead. I checked the cuts with a square and they were all perfect. I did adjust the saw after several cuts because I felt it was just a tiny, tiny bit off from 0 degrees. I also partly just wanted to test adjusting it. But even before I adjusted, it the cuts were still perfect. Feels very robust and well made.
So how has this saw stood up to the test of time, use, and abuse?
Same question I have: I've used the Dewalts a ton, in the field, and they work very well.
I wound up snagging a DWS480 from Lowe's. They price matched the then-current price on Amazon for around $450.
Good review - I’m getting the Hercules if it will fit in my Wife’s car! Lol
put it in the back of the truck. Shes gonna find out when you set it up in her parking spot in the garage.
Dude why 🤦🏻♂️. You can get a Dewalt 779 forn$350 bucks. And if you compare and look at them. This Hercules looks like a Chinese clone of the Dewalt 779 or 780 Harbor fright is known for selling Chinese clone stuff. Look at there lawn mower motors. There cloned Honda engines but built with way cheaper parts that will break that’s why there so cheap. So if your comparing this saw to a DEwalt 780 because that’s what there doing the 780 is $600 bucks. But get a 779 and a $50 like kit and you have the 789. That’s the only difference in them is the shadow light kit
@@craigcanterbury264 the Hercules is just as good as dewalt. Used the high end one and the Hercules is better for a jobsite saw
@@InNerdimensional I used both to and wouldn’t never switch my Dewalt to a Hercules. Not happing only say I’d switch my Dewalt from is a Festool Kapex KS 120. All saws with a decent blade can make good cuts wants you adjust it. But the life span of the tool. Dewalt saws run forever
@@craigcanterbury264 the Hercules is easier to use and cheaper on sale. If you don't use a saw day in, day out.... why spend 599+ on a saw? Btw, dewalt blades of every kind are absolute junk. Diablo circ blades and Lennox recip. You can get way more expensive stuff, but y? If you're spending almost twice as much for almost the same tool, the real tool is you
Just bought a Dewalt DWS779 12” sliding Miter saw and Slapped a Freud Diablo 60T blade in there and it works like a champ, so glad I got it!
Marshall Caden RC DWS 780 design is good but it is not quality at all. The blade is misalignment, it will hit the kerf in 45 degree left. I gave it 2* and had to returned it. After that, went 40 miles and saw an used saw dws780 for sale $300 but it got the same problem. Big disappointment to Dewalt 780
Sonny Nguyen that’s why I don’t go with Dewalt blades, they are trash. Diablo is easily the best blade for your money.
OBS Caden, you can upgrade your saw with the shadow light kit for about $80. I did and love it.
@@rchavez5056 yeah there’s ways to upgrade that but I just use it without a light and still get very accurate cuts, I don’t use it as much now that I have a nice table saw and use a crosscut sled but it helps when I want to cut down longer lumber
I took advantage of a 20% discount to buy the Hercules for less than $300. However, I then bought the two year service which brought the final price up to more than the regular price. Still, on something this expensive, I wanted the extended warranty.
I'm glad that you mentioned the almost non-existent dust collection on the mitre saws. I have the Ryobi 10" slider and it has a cheap dust collector tube on it. I have my 16 gallon Ridgid shop vac hose hooked directly to the tube and it might...might...suck up 1/2 of the chips. I thought that it might just be that Ryobi was cheap with its dust collector system, but evidently not. I don't feel so bad about it now...I just accept that I have to vacuum up behind my mitre saw occasionally...no big deal...it's a wood working shop...not a surgical operating room..LOL..!! And once again, I have to agree with you about Dewalt. They have some serious competition now and if they aren't careful, they could find themselves where Craftsman is today...outsourced and not near the quality it once had many years ago. Thanks for the comparison and your thoughts on it all, my opinion of HF quality is growing and encouraged by your reviews and insights. OH...yea, those cheap blades...they ring like crazy...I hate them.! I have finally realized that a good quality blade is most certainly worth paying $50-$60 ( and can pay much more, but I'm talking about us average wood working folks with not big bank accounts...LOL..!! ) ) , and just as important...using the proper blade design/number of teeth/teeth rake/angle, etc...is actually very important for a great cutting table saw or mitre saw. I have about 6 cheap blades hanging on my shop wall and a few more out in my pole barn.....just getting rusty. It took me a few years to finally learn about blades, but I sure am happy that I did. Keep up the great videos, Red Beard...much appreciated..!!
Great video, as we expect from the bear , I have a way of getting a really extended warranty but if I told you it would let the cat out or the bag and me in deep trouble..So I will shut to heck up now...
About warranties - all of my credit cards have warranty extensions of up to a year - I always keep the credit card statement (receipt) showing the tool purchase with the tool info/warranty paperwork. Extended warranty for free.
I couldn't agree more with HF customer service, best in the business. And I've been so happy with all the pro-sumer brands, they're phasing out all the junk haha. And put the herc to work and maybe a 90 day update would be cool
Honestly for the price I will go with the Hercules thanks bear, I’m a weekend DIY’er not even that maybe a project every other month, so I’m not about to drop 500$ on the Dewalt maybe if I was a professional carpenter or in the industry where I needed a saw like that but for me this will be more than adequate
All things being equal, you should have put the Hercules blade on the DeWalt. Because, if the Hercules blade is any good, it'll be a legitimate blade option to anyone with any brand saw.
I know I'm guilty of buying Diablo blades, 8pm on a Sunday at Home Depot, just to get the job done. But if I can save a few bucks and get just as good results, I'd gladly go next door to Harbor Freight. Let's face, most of the time we don't need a Forrest blade permanently mounted in our saws... they are just too darn expensive for most of the random cuts we make everyday in our shops.
This was a "head to head" test. That means using what they give you. Follow up vids will have stuff like blade swaps.
One of the things I see as a weakness in all the sliding miter saws is the rigidity of the saw head when pulled out full extension.. I would like to see both of these, power off, pull the saw out and down in cutting position.. then wiggle it.. see the wobble? or no wobble?
Unfortunately that's due to a cost savings measure that has become standard in the industry lately. Almost all but the most costly professional tools used in production plants have that problem from what I've seen.
I really appreciate the Hercules did NOT put a useless safety on the trigger. For 30 years I've been using miters saws and never have I accidently turned on the saw. That is because you have to grab the handle and apply 2-3lbs of pressure. Some of those useless safety triggers are so annoying like Kobalt.
Hi red!
For about 10 seconds into the video I knew you were going to go with Harbor Freight and it was a very unfair battle between the two. You dogged the DeWalt while cutting through the oak and took your good old time with the Hercules
Nice video. However I think we would all love the see a video where you dissect the heart of these saws, (The MOTOR). I hope you do a video on that. Compare the specs and internals, get a caliper and give us the specs of the rotor, bearings, and diameter of the copper winding's.
I just ordered the Hercules miter saw stand from Harbor Freight. I had a fuel filter clog up on my 1964 Ford Pickup and it stranded me in town while I was heading to Harbor Freight. Hopefully they will allow me to pick it up in the store.
This is why HF is starting to dominate.
Bear I honestly thought the De Walt was gonna be a superior saw. I'm pleasantly surprised by this. Though I'd like to know the temps that each motor gets to after an hour of use. Cause heat is the death of electric motors.
The Devil somebody’s bitter. Sounds like your trying to justify that overpriced yellow dumpster you blew your money on.
"you're just a cheapskate who can't afford good tools." Really? And I suppose you only use Festool right? Hell, you just admitted in another comment that you didn't even know that Fued made Diablo blades! Comparing older HF products to the new stuff is like saying DeWALT is crap because B&D tools are cheap.
The devil is starting so many arguments he’s lost track of all the contradicting points he is trying to make.
@@basanistes359 I bet you will start seeing these on jobsites. Especially with smaller companies. With the warranty you can't go wrong with it. It makes more sense to get the Hercules over the Da Walt. Why would you stop working on a jobsite for weeks waiting for your saw to come back?
@Defdakilla41 and he keeps bringing up AvE like he's some sort of expert in the field of woodworking.
"They throw them away"
LOVE IT!!!!!!
I made the mistake of buying a Ridgid bandsaw from Home Depot. The thing was cast out of pot metal. One of the mounting holes was broken out of the box, but I kept it anyways. Then the tensioning adjust broke, so I called for service, and their lifetime warranty required me to bring it in for service, which was hours away or involved shipping a 14” bandsaw, not easy to do and costs more than that saw was worth. HD took it back, and I got another one - but that one lasted months before it broke too. I fixed it a few times, put some money into aftermarket accessories (fence, bearings, belts, blades) - but it broke again and again. Just threw it in the back of my truck in pieces and took it to the dump. Not worth it. Really good point on shipping these things to get warranty coverage vs the exchange at the store for a new one. HD was good on service mostly, but then deleted my review online of the saw. The warranties on “assembled in USA” products are pretty worthless. Good for HF for upping their game.