Here you will find our Bosch GCM 8 SJL review. This is a 216mm sliding mitre saw and part of the Bosch Professional range of tools. It has a cutting capacity of 70mm (2.75") in the vertical position and a 312mm (12.3") horizontal capacity for larger workpieces.
The Bosch GCM 8 SJL mitre saw also has a laser guide and side material pull outs. It can make cross, mitre, bevel and groove cuts in wood, timber, and wood composites as well as board materials and floor panels.. It also comes with 2 port dust extraction, soft start, a transportation handle, a clamp and a blade, enough to get you cutting right away.
This is an electrical corded mitre saw, available as a 240 Volt and a 110 Volt option, so just be careful if ordering. (The 110 volt option is used on work sites, and home owners should order the 240 volt version)
Summary:
The Bosch GCM 8 SJL mitre saw is an excellent choice for those in the trade who do general construction work. It is also a great choice for serious DIY people.
We like that it is compact, has good dust extraction, and that many online buyers rate this saw very highly.
Key Features:
overall
Based on 500+ online buyer reviews.
Accuracy
The vast majority of online buyers say the saw is really accurate. You may need to adjust when it arrives as the setup may have changed during transport.
Versatility
The saw can do mitre cuts, bevel cuts and compound cuts. It can also cut larger work pieces. It has a depth stop which is useful for cutting grooves.
Ease of Use
This mitre saw has lots of features but comes with a paper manual. That is easy to read and follow making things easy to setup and get going.
Value
On average this saw costs around £325-£350 in the UK. That is the right price for a saw of this quality and built to last as well.
“Over the years we have used mitre saws from various tool brands. This expertise allows us to give you the best advice on picking the right mitre saw for your needs. In our opinion this Bosch GCM 8 SJL is a workhorse, that is very accurate and portable enough to move around. It is good value for money, comes with an excellent guarantee, very good customer service and parts are available at the Bosch website, should you ever need them.”
BOSCH GCM 8 SJL Key features in depth
Feature 1 - Power Options
- This mitre saw is available as a standard UK 230V electric option and comes with a UK plug and a 3 metre long cable
- It is also available as a 110V option suitable for building sites
- The saw uses 1,600 watts with a no load speed of 5,500 RPM. (means it can handle tough jobs)
Feature 2 - Size, Weight and Other Information
- Measures 46 x 41 x 91 cm (18.1" x 16.1" x 35.8") - this is a big saw and will take up a lot of room on a bench. It has an aluminium base.
- Weighs 17.3 Kg (38.14 lbs) - one of the lightest saws when compared to other brands. However, this is not the easiest piece of equipment to move around and better setup in a workshop or on a stand
- Will fit most universal mitre saw stands and the Bosch GTA 2600
- Comes with a carrying handle
- The dust port is designed to cater for a 35mm diameter hose
Feature 3 - Cutting Capacity
This saw can use any 216mm blade with a 30 mm bore size. It comes with a 24TPI blade suitable for general purpose cutting of wood or plastic. For finer work you will need to purchase a blade with more TPI. The spindle lock makes it easy and fast to change blades. This saw can do trench cutting and groove cutting.
- Cutting capacity, 90 degree 70 x 312 mm
- Cutting capacity, 45 degree mitre 70 x 214 mm
- Cutting capacity, 45 degree incline 48 x 312 mm
- Mitre setting 52 degree L/60 degree R
- Incline setting 47 degree L/2 degree R
Can cut larger work pieces
This Bosch saw is designed for cutting larger work pieces such as flooring, skirting boards and decking. That is because it has a pull-out on the side ideal for wider workpieces. It can cut up to 312 mm in width and that is ideal for larger skirting boards, flooring and decking. It can also handle composite boards up to that width.
Feature 4 - Single Bevel
This is a single bevel saw and as such only tilts to the left. Double bevel mitre saw tilt both left and right, and that makes it easier for beginners.
This mitre saw can tilt to a maximum of 47 degrees to the left. You can pick any angle from 0-45 degrees. A locking lever then holds the blade in position.
There are 4 popular bevel angle stops, 47, 45, 22.5 and 33.9 degrees.
Feature 5 - Mitre Angles
This is of course a mitre saw so plenty of angles to pick from.
It can go up to 52 degrees to the left and 60 degrees to the right and comes with the standard mitre stops.
A locking lever holds this in position. There is also a levelling foot which you can adjust if working on an uneven surface.
Feature 6 - Trench Cuts
The saw can do trench cuts thanks to the adjustable depth stop.
This is done by adjusting the orange coloured bolt to the required depth.
It is a very useful feature to have and also really easy and quick to setup on this saw.
Feature 7 - Dual Dust Extraction
This is an invaluable feature as it has a 2 point dust extraction system. You can attach a dust extraction system or vacuum cleaner to the dust port at the back of the saw. (35mm hose)
The saw also has a dust port at the back of the saw which also blows the dust back into the port keeping it away from the working area.
No mitre saw completely removes all dust, but this one does a better job than most.
Feature 8 - Laser Line
Laser lines should really only ever be used as a guide. In almost every mitre saw we have ever used this is out by about 1 mm.
For general purpose cutting probably not a big deal, but it can matter.
You should take some time to set this up as it can be useful, though we prefer to use our marked line always.
Feature 9 - The Clamp
The saw comes with a quick release clamp that is really good quality.
The clamp can be attached on either the left or the right of the saw to hold the material in position.
The serrated edge helps hold the clamp in place so no need for locking. This clamp does a really good job of holding down the workpiece.
Features the Bosch GCM 8 SJL doesn't have
- It is a single bevel saw so not a double bevel and that makes it harder to use especially for beginners
- There is no electric brake and that means the blade takes slightly longer to stop spinning
- The blade supplied is for cutting wood. If you plan on cutting other materials you will need to buy blades for that purpose. The blade size is 216 mm with a 30 mm bore
- It doesn't have the newer brushless motor
Video Review of the Bosch GCM 8 SJL Professional Sliding Mitre Saw
There are a number of videos on YouTube about this saw. We have included an unboxing video below, and one more on getting the best use from the saw.
Online Buyer Ratings and Comment Summary
We have read many hundreds of buyer reviews from a range of website so as our readers don't have to. We then summarise our findings to make these easier to read and understand.
- The Bosch GCM 8 SJL mitre saw gets an overall satisfaction rating of 96% which is an excellent rating by any standards.
- This is based on 500+ online buyer reviews left at the Bosch website, Amazon UK, and Screwfix
This saw is available on Amazon UK and you can also pay in 3 installments at 0% APR. (Subject to financial status)
Pros
Cons
Comparison with Similar Mitre Saws
We like to run a comparison as it helps place the product on the UK market place. We have compared the Bosch GCM 8 SJL to other brands who make similar saws. In this case the Dewalt shown below is the closest comparison. The Evolution is similar but much cheaper and doesn't have the full range of features, but is good enough for most types of cutting.
Evolution Power Tools R210SMS+
94% buyer satisfaction based on 1,800+ online buyer reviews
Much cheaper option (£170)which is why it is more popular, and comes with a multi-purpose blade.
This one is better suited for DIY use rather then professionals.
Bosch GCM 8 SJL
DEWALT DWS774-GB 216-mm
94% buyer satisfaction based on 500+ online buyer reviews
A similar saw from Dewalt though doesn't have all the features of the Bosch model at around £290.
It can't do trench cuts but it is lighter and smaller.
Our Summary
The Bosch GCM 8 SJL mitre saw is designed for professional use. It is a tough durable saw that has been built to last and is suitable for everyday use. Just be aware that this is a big saw and will take up a lot of room. It is heavy but it can be lifted by one hand.
It is classed as a single bevel saw and only tilts to the left. That can make it harder to use for a beginner so just be aware of that. The mitre range of angles is very good as is the depth stop, making it ideal for cutting grooves or trench cutting.
If you do a lot of DIY, then this saw will also meet your needs. It is an expensive option though, so we wouldn't recommend buying this unless it is going to get a lot of use.
If this is not the right mitre saw for your needs, then check out our top 10 list of the best mitre saws.
