BOSCH Glide Saw, Up For Review

The BOSCH GCM12SD dual bevel glide saw is a remarkable tool that takes accuracy and ease of use to a new level.  Now that I’ve completely let the cat out of the bag that I like this tool, lets see why.

The most obvious features are the upfront controls and the super smooooooth axial glide that BOSCH has engineered and patented.  These upfront controls not only allow for rotating the table, but also make it possible to tilt the blade left to right.  Yes, that means you no longer have to reach to the back of the saw for anything!  Now…these controls seem totally weird at first.  When I saw this for the first time, I was scratching my head and really didn’t know what to do, but it now makes so much sense!  The bevel lock lever on the left, along with a selector knob allows for the blade to be tilted.  The controls out in front allow for the table to rotate and either stop at common angles or for you to override those common angle detents.

Now on to that smooooth axial glide I mentioned.  Well, you’ve gotta feel it to really get what it’s all about, but in words it’s like going down a water slide of petroleum jelly!  I’m not sure if a video adds too much to the elaboration of the smoothness, but what the heck!  Check out how easily the saw moves during my test cuts.

A few other features that are rather common these days are:

Ambidextrous handle

and adjustable scales.

These are a few “standard features” where BOSCH decided to show off a bit.

Expandable table: This greatly increases the work surface and allows you to cut longer boards without the need for saw horses.  The table extension unlocks with an out of the way lever that flips open and allows the table extension to slide out.

Once the table is in place, just flip the red lever back to lock the position and get to work!

The depth of cut and head assembly lock are both shown here.  The depth of cut can be adjusted to allow for non-through cuts such as slotting or cutting dados.  The head assembly lock simply pulls out to unlock and pushes in to lock the head assembly.

The lock lever can be engaged in two different positions, either when the head assembly is in the fully back or fully extended positions.  In the fully back position, it will reduce any side play that may be present, which could be beneficial when making mitered cuts that require additional accuracy.

Glide saw in fully back position.

Glide saw in fully forward position.

The others things BOSCH did to make this a great saw is that they made the throat plate and table casting to be robust.  The throat plate is plastic, but it’s substantially thicker than what’s supplied with other brands, which is very important if you start cutting small pieces.  And holy cow, the table doesn’t ask questions.  I like that when I crank down on the work holding clamp that the table DOES NOT MOVE!!!  🙂  I was disappointed to see this happen with previous saws I’ve used.

The only negative in my experience with the saw was discovering a crack in one of the castings after completing my review.  I actually noticed it when I was moving the saw off of the Gravity Riser Miter Saw Stand to put it onto a dedicated chop saw workbench…  I’ve studied all the photos I took during the review and never got a shot that would show whether this crack was there all along or if it developed during testing.  BOSCH thinks the crack could have been caused during shipping as they’ve never seen this defect appear.  Either way, they have sent out a replacement unit free of charge or hassle and will be receiving this saw to evaluate.  This issue while inconvenient doesn’t sway my opinions about the saw.  There are bound to be issues at some point in manufacturing and the fact that BOSCH is interested in seeing the unit and not just having me do what I’d like with it tells me that they are serious about producing top notch equipment.

Despite my hiccup with the defect, I would absolutely recommend this tool without hesitation.  It has plenty of power to cut through rock hard lumber and its accuracy and smooth operation are second to none.  This unit will run you about $650 from online retailers but it is money well spent.

If you want one of these for your shop, get it here!

If you want the perfect stand to compliment this saw, check out my review on the BOSCH Gravity Rise Miter Saw Stand!

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Full Disclosure: This product was provided by BOSCH for my unbiased use and review.  If I wouldn’t buy or use this product, I’d tell you.  Rest assured, the BOSCH Glide Miter Saw GCM12SD is a great saw and you won’t regret purchasing it!