Cutting compound miters are demanding. You must feed lumber with accuracy, align mitered angle precisely, and avoid any binding or tearing of wood by blade. One mistake will cost you money and time.
To do all this well you require a saw that deliver power but also precision and control. This is why the saw you choose matter, and why the Hart HTMS Compound Miter Saw fills a particuler niche. At no point does it feel like heavy duty job site saw, nor is it some boutique import piece of equipment from overseas.
It’s a saw for a contractor on a tight budget (or a serious DIYer) where cut quality are important, but you don’t have to pay too much for those features. Knowing what the saw is good at and what its weak points are will help you determine whether this is a saw you’d like on your workbench.
Hart HTMS Compound Miter Saw Performance Review
Dual Bevel Capabilities
First, consider the balance of the saw.
The HTMS is dual bevel capable saw. What that means is that the saw arm swings from right to left, not the table itself which rotate. That is important when cutting crown molding for example.
Set your bevel angle, make your cut, turn over your piece, set the opposite bevel and go again. You won’t have to move your table out of square. The mechanism will save you time and reduce the chance of making mistakes in your alignment.
I found the mechanism solid and it has clicks at common angles such as forty-five and fifteen degrees. In the sliding models, its all about precision… Slide system and fence.
Fence Precision and Alignment
The HTMS have a beefy aluminum fence running parallel to blade. That matters. Miter saws has to be accurate, and if fence isn’t parallel then none of your cuts will be either.
But Hart did a good job. The fence is straight and the blade tracks true. Still, it’s important when you get it to double-check the parallel with a square as shipping vibrations can knock things out of whack.
The adjustment points are accessible though so you’ll be able to fix any issues easy. It is a small step for maintenance and one that pay huge dividends.
LED Lighting and Safety Features
Visibility and lighting are frequently neglected with budget saws.
The HTMS include an LED light in the design. As blade comes down it lights up the cut line so you know exactly where the blade is cutting relative to your mark. It also helps prevent costly errors in poor lighting.
The blade guard is spring loaded, retracting smooth on its own. When blade is resting, it protects your fingers without getting in the way. Safety shouldn’t be an afterthought.
Motor Power and Cutting Capacity
For most home uses it’s plenty of power. Brush motor has plenty of torque to cut pine boards and even two by tens with no problems. It is not intended to cut hardwoods or heavy dimension lumber on a regular basis.
Cutting four by fours for deck framing will be a challenge for the saw. It will slow down and overheat if pushed past its limit. But for cutting headers for framing, trim work and baseboards the motor are more than up for the job.
Knowing what your tools can do makes them cut clean and run longer.
Portability and Stability
The HTMS was built for portability, though that’s relative since it’s light enough to move around shop or a client site. The wheels work well but they’re small so you won’t be rolling this thing across a gravel driveway.
Concrete floor, no issues. And the base is large enough to sit solidly on the floor. The vibration is minimal so there is very little tearing out of wood from shaking saw.
A well-balanced arm and a rigid pivot point minimize that.
Value and Target Audience
Most people want something that will do 90% as well than an expensive tool for only 30% of the price. For many folks that is what they get with the Hart HTMS.
You get that price point but lose out on longer term support and accessories. Certain parts may not be as easy to find as those for DeWalt or Milwaukee tools. So it is take your chances now or pay later on availability.
Most of us would of take the pay now approach. So, the bottom line is this: Do you need to make huge quantities of hardwood? Nope, not for you buddy.
Are you trying to finish off a house remodel project, trim out some windows or build a cabinet? Then take a long hard look at the Hart HTMS. For the money it’s reliable, accurate and won’t blow your wallet.
It makes a difficult job doable. That is what realy matters in the shop.