One of the cool things spotted at the Makita 100 year anniversary event was a Makita XSL02 36V Cordless 7-1/2 in Sliding Miter Saw. This new brushless miter saw uses the X2 technology (twin 18V batteries) to power the 10-inch blade through cuts with even more power than the existing Makita XSL01 18V cordless sliding miter saw. Initially I had thought this was a Makita 10-inch cordless miter saw, but signage and a rough sizing indicated a smaller blade. We were initially supposed to keep it hush-hush, but after the news broke on Twitter and another website, we’re pretty much clear to let you know about it…plus there were over 350 people walking around with cameras at the event—which is hard to control.
Makita XSL02 36V Cordless 7-1/2 in Sliding Miter Saw Features
The new miter saw is short on details, but here’s what we know. It uses a brushless motor and features a 7-1/2″ blade that spins at an astounding 5700 RPM (no load). It’s powered by two Makita 5.0 Ah 18V batteries (see our battery voltage vs amp hours article for more on this), and features (similar to the Makita HRH01ZX2 rotary hammer) a dual battery level indicator on the tool itself, just above the battery sleds. It’s a single bevel saw with a 57-degree right bevel and 2-9/16″ cut capacity at 90 degrees.
With a cross cut you should be able to get 11-3/4″ on 2X material—just enough room for clearing a 2×12. At 45 degrees you can tear into a piece of 1X with an 11-3/4″ cut, or slice through 2X material at 8-3/8″.
The real winner on this saw is its speed. At over double the no-load speed of the Makita XSL01, the Makita XSL02 36V Cordless 7-1/2 in Sliding Miter Saw literally doubles down and should last longer, cut faster, and even provide cleaner cuts than many entry level corded saws. Plus, with Makita’s history of including excellent blades on their saws, users of the new X2 cordless miter saw should see pretty decent cut efficiency and impressive battery life.
Makita XSL02 Specifications
- Model: Makita XSL02/XSL02Z (bare tool)
- Manufacturer Designation: Makita 18V X2 LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless 7-1/2″ Dual Slide Compound Miter Saw
- Power Source: 2 x 18V LXT 5.0 Ah batteries
- Blade Size: 7-1/2″
- Arbor Size: 5/8″
- Weight: 27.5 pounds
- No Load Speed: 5700 RPM
- Max Cutting Capacity: 2-9/16″ x 11-3/4″
- Max Cut at 45 Degrees Miter (L/R): 1″ x 11-3/4″ or 2″ x 8-3/8″
- Miter Capacity: 0 – 47 degrees left, 0 – 57 degrees right
- Bevel Capacity: 0 – 45 degrees left, 0 – 5 degrees right
- Warranty: 3 years
- Price: $599 (bare tool)
