I'll confess: One of my favorite shows is "The New Yankee Workshop," which I watched when it aired right after "This Old House." Even though it's been off the air for a few years, I still occasionally will watch an episode on YouTube, comforted by Norm Abram's New England accent and flannel shirts.
I haven't dabbled in woodworking all that much — but that's about to change, because I just picked up the DeWalt 12-in 15-Amp Dual Bevel Sliding Compound Corded Miter Saw for $399 at Lowe's, where it's currently $230 off its regular price.
This isn't a Prime Day deal — this saw will be on sale through August 6 — but it seemed too good a deal for me to pass up.
I've long had my eye on a miter saw — I don't have a ton of room in my house, and I'm tired of having to use a handsaw and miter box to cut trim pieces.
However, I could never really justify the price of the miter saw I truly wanted. I wanted one with a dual bevel. That means you can angle the blade on both the vertical and horizontal planes. I also wanted a sliding model, so I could cut larger pieces of wood.
Now, I'm not going to set up a furniture shop in my garage, but I do want to be able to do things like build some shelving, an outdoor stand and storage for my pizza oven, and maybe even a new fireplace mantle.
I couldn't justify the expense of the DeWalt at its regular price of $629, but at its sale price of $399, it seemed too good to pass up. Plus, I'll learn a few new skills along the way, and save me from buying things that are already built.
Just remember: Measure twice, cut once.