She did herself proud.........

My $159 HF 12" compound miter saw.

On my deck project, it did exactly what I wanted, from mitering 18' and 10' 2x8s to cutting 4x4 support legs, to mitering the ends of spindle. I'm sure it would have cost me at least that much to have rented a comparable saw for the project.

I've never been much on renting tools. I figure if I buy the tool for a specific job, I still own the tool after the job is done. Kind of like a local fellow, some years ago, who did crop spraying. He wanted a concrete runway for his facility so he set up his own redi-mix company.

And, if someone who uses a saw like this on the job on a daily basis, I don't hold it against them, nor do I blame them if they spend two or three times as much for a saw.

That's how I look at it too. I figure it owes me nothing and can go for pennies on the dollar at an auction someday. What will I care?

"I figure if I buy the tool for a specific job, I still own the tool after the job is done."

We think alike.

I've typically done the same thing my entire life. It's a good way to acquire things you'll need or use over the years. These tool acquisitions just get written into the job if you are doing it yourself. Savings is the overhead and profit of a contractor doing the job "on the books".

Any hired out work will cost more and rightfully so as no business survives without decent profits.
It is nice to do some of ones work in house, the incentive being the previous.
When time is short, it needs to get done, no choice to hire out, just you don't gain any tools or the like either.

Friend is in my shop with his nice 62 impala ss. He was going to send it to a shop to remove the existing motor, replace with a professionally rebuilt one, to his specs. Instead he's got an new engine hoist, few other sundries he did not have and doing the work himself gets things done exactly how he wants it.

I bought a used craftsman compound miter saw, seen some use but is completely accurate still, plenty good for all kinds of work still to be done.

I am glad you got through your project with the saw with no problem. I don't own anything from HF so what I am going to say is not from personal experience. What I have gathered from others experience, here and from friends, is sometimes you get a good tool that will last and sometimes it fails soon. And you never know if you have a winner or looser or when you will find out. This mostly applies to power tools. And an exception seems to be the Predator engines, they seem to be pretty good.

I laugh at all the negative comments about Harbor Freight I have bought and used several Items from them and have had no complaints on any of them, I will say you have to look stuff over. I have a 2.5 ton engine hoist, 20 ton Hyd. press an engine stand 1/2 ton chain fall, a set of combination wrenches for the barn and my last purchase was a pressure washer. all work well with no problems. My son bought a small air compressor from them and after 3 months it acted up he brought it back and they replaced it no questions and he didn't even have the receipt. When I bought the pressure washer the lady told me if ever a problem they will replace it.

One can never have too many power tools !

About ten years ago, I bought one of their 60 gallon, upright, two stage compressors. After six months or so it began leaking down some overnight.

I mentioned it to an employee and was told to bring it back with my receipt and they'd give me another one. Then I figured out it was my own ball valve I'd put on it that was leaking.

It's still the main compressor in my shop.

Goose, I bought that Harbor Freight 12 inch saw about 3 years ago for $129, for that money I couldn't go wrong and its still works great. It replaced a 10 inch skill mitre saw,, which I gave to my son. I really like the slide action allowing us to cut a much larger board or plank. The really has done a remarkable job and has plenty of power for my needs.
Chuck

Bought a lot of tools over the years for a specific job.

Always figured what I spent on the tool was covered by not paying someone else to do it

Always other uses for the tool too...a transmission jack is great for gas tanks, or for putting a little pressure under a suspension component.

And they'll look good at my estate sale

Fred

I do the same thing. Cheaper to buy a tool than pay someone to do what I can do. Only problem is now I cant remember all the tools I've bought so I wind up getting duplicates sometimes.

I worked on an office building for the State Reps.
A company came in and put cove moulding in every office, they bought a couple of power miter boxes to use, and sole them when the job was finished, I got one of them, very nice saw, I would never have bought a new one that nice, for myself.

After you use it, check the motor for overheating. Typical Chinese problem is inferior or lacking grease.
I have rebuilt several HF and other China items and after changing out the grease, the operating temps drop like a rock.
Still using it a few years later.

I fall asleep almost every night planning what I will be doing the next day. Mostly it is a DIY project.,whether inside outside or around the house, or in my shop on some equipment. It is a good feeling to get something done yourself.