Ryobi - CSB142LZK Circular Saw

Editor's Review: Tool Test: Sidewinder Circular Saws

Features:
Cutline markers: 90° Fair, 45° Good
Blade visibility: Poor, front handle obstructs view
Guard operation: Poor
Brake: No
Adjustments: Poor. Depth set outboard with a small plastic knob, flimsy adjustment arm bends out away from its guide slot when locked in and creates instability in the entire assembly. Bevel set with similar knob, engraved numbers every 5°, 45° bypass is a simple offset slot in a very thin bevel quadrant.
Shoe: Stamped steel with rolled edges. Humped across width, dished across length.
Stability: Poor, flexes at front yoke and depth adjustment arm at rear. Less stable design because body to shoe connection is at the blade guard rather than in line with the handles. 
Grip comfort: Rear handle Good, trigger Good, but has a long throw with a delayed click. Front loop handle feels nice.
Extras: LED headlight, laser, rip fence, and vacuum attachment
Case: Fabric bag

Flaws: The steel adjustment arms and body attachment points were thin and flexible. Right out of the box the depth adjustment arm was bent out from its guide groove and added unwanted lateral play. When all went ideally with the cutting, the assembly proved sturdy enough, but when a little of the real world of the job site came to visit, the thin metal was not up to the challenge. On the positive side, steel that bends easily out of place can usually be bent back easily, but you only get a few chances at this before metal fatigue snaps something. Another dislike was the small plastic knobs used to lock the depth and bevel adjustments; they were difficult to crank tight and time consuming to use. And the Ryobi’s cord was the only one short enough to hang up when ripping sheetgoods.

Bottom Line: One of the three saws considered “less than pro”.

The build quality of the shoe and adjustment features concerned me from the start in regards to potential job site longevity. Coincidentally, when a single short fall twisted the body way out of alignment with the shoe and effectively reset the blade angle a negative10 degrees, I found my suspicion justified. If kept totally out of harm’s way however, this bargain saw should be able to do a suitable amount of work for the money.

Editor Test Results: