Circular saw breakdown! Which saw to buy
I got a Craftsman circ. saw from my Dad several years ago(their top of the line) as a gift. I used it trouble free all this time, only complaint is maybe it’s a little cumbersome. Recently, the bearing and armature went out. The local Tool Crib told me they could repair it, but upon inspection they determined that it wasn’t worth fixing. Does this sound on the level or could they be trying to sell me a new saw?
Secondly, if indeed I do need a new saw, which brand is a good saw for the money?? I will not be buying another Craftsman. I have a few Bosch tools and a few DeWalt and have been happy with both! Are their circular saws decent or should I be checking out something else?? Thanks for any tips you can give me!
Duey
Replies
Try the sears website and repair it yourself if you like the saw.
http://www3.sears.com/
I love my Bosch CS20. Had it about a year now, cuts great, blade change is a snap, easy bevel and depth adjusting. I also like the direct connect feature and the metal hanging hook.
Dewalt dw369csk is the best feeling saw that you can fit in your hand just my opinion
You are going to get a ton of different opinions on this one. I prefer the Porter Cable with the blade on the left for a better line of sight. However, a lot of people think it is more dangerous.
Remember what opinions are like...
the first time i laid eyes on the saw boss from porter cable i had to have one. it was the first saw i had seen with the blade on the left. i love that saw. its too bad it only has a six in. blade, which are very hard to find. i now have a 71/4 P.C. that also has the left hand blade. it seems to me that if i can see what i'm doing it would be safer. Why is it that some people say the blade on the right is the "safe" way with circular saws?
Am I the only joker here with a Milwaukee worm?It's heavy as hell (a couple pounds more than a 77), but the grip is great, and it's well balanced.
I have got an old Milwaukee worm drive. That thing weighs a metric ton.
I break it out once in a while when we need three saws, and it makes dust just as good as my Bosch worm drives, just too stinkin heavy.
I think it weighs more than my 8-1/4" skil come to think of it.
I think Bosshog owns one too, saw it in one of his pictures.
What the problem is?
Why is it that some people say the blade on the right is the "safe" way with circular saws?
It's only considered the '"safe" way with circular saws' for right-handed carpenters. For lefties, a left-side blade is better.
To use a left-blade saw safely, you really should have the workpiece clamped on the right side of the cut. But a right-handed carp tends to hold the saw with his right hand. This naturally places his body to the left of the saw, and makes it highly probable that he will have placed the fixed part of the piece to be cut to the left of the cut.
When set up like this, obviously the cut-off will drop off to the right. But on a left-blade saw, 90% of the width of the sole plate--and the whole weight of the motor--is to the right of the blade...which means when the cut-off drops away, the saw falls over to the right as the wood supporting it drops out from under it. This can cause blade binding and kickback and other nasty side effects.Dinosaur
How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not broughtlow by this? For thine evil pales before that whichfoolish men call Justice....
"90% of the width of the sole plate--and the whole weight of the motor--is to the right of the blade...which means when the cut-off drops away, the saw falls over to the right as the wood supporting it drops out from under it. This can cause blade binding and kickback and other nasty side effects."
Well, no wonder you don't like it - you don't know how to use it! Worm drives work best when cutting down, not flat (unless it's something like plywood supported on sawhorses). Use the wieght, don't fight it. Gravity is your friend. Prop the 2x4 on your right foot, drop the saw following the line. Straight cuts all day long with no binding or kickback, and I've even used my 77 for trim!
Well, no wonder you don't like it - you don't know how to use it!
Right. I don't know how to use a saw. Thanks for sharing that.Dinosaur
How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not broughtlow by this? For thine evil pales before that whichfoolish men call Justice....
Dino,What wrudiger was saying may have come across as too harsh, but his technical point is valid. The way to cut with a wormdrive saw is a different technique than for a sidewinder. I learned on an old Milwaukee drop foot before ever seeing a worm drive, and was taught the downhill cut by an old Australian carpenter with an 18 pound 8-1/4" Skil.I use both types of saws in my work, and each one demands its own sort of handling. The great thing is that nobody here is forcing us to accept their saw choice for the work we do.Bill
Thanks, Bill, but I thought I was responding to someone else's question about why he heard people say only right-blade sidewinders were safe. If I missed the reference to a worm-drive model in there somewhere, that'd be my bad. I don't claim to know every saw model by its nickname.
I've never owned a worm-drive; there's no need for one in what I do. I've played with one from time to time just for the heck of it, and can see the wisdom of cutting downhill with a tool that is rear-handled. But I would be real hesitant to tell anyone to prop a 2x on his foot and then saw away at it....Dinosaur
How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not broughtlow by this? For thine evil pales before that whichfoolish men call Justice....
Why is it that some people say the blade on the right is the "safe" way with circular saws?There was a time when these saaws did not come wioth good retractable gaurds, so the further the blade is away from the human, the better, supposedly.
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I personally love my left-blade PC, but there are a lot of people who don't like them. The safety issue is that the motor side of the saw pushes down on the piece of lumber that will be falling off instead of the side you are holding. I just use my wrist to keep the sole plate flat against the "keep" side. No big deal to me. Another safety issue is that it is easier to cut the end of your fingers on your left hand if the blade is one the left. I just keep my left hand far enough away and don't worry about it. I had my boss cut the end of his thumb while using my saw a couple of years ago and he was mad at me and chucked my saw off the lift we were on. I got a newer better model out of the incident.
Duey,
My recommendation to you is to go to Tool Crib and handle all of their saws. Then decide which one just 'feels' right to you. There's so many good saws out there now that you can hardly go wrong just choosing one. Stick with major manufactuers like Bosch, Dewalt, Makita, Milwaukee, etc. I think circulars saws are like workboots.... what feels great to me may not be a good fit for you. But as long as you buy the pair that fits and they're a quality pair of boots.... then who cares what color they are? Know what I mean?
FWIW, my three favorite circulars saws are the Dewalt framing saw, the Bosch wormdrive, and the Milwaukee Tilt-Loc which is a sidewinder. Those three might be a nice place to start.
I LOVE how you keep saying the DeWalt is one of your favorites.
With all the times you complain about how they wear out and break down.I know, you love the way they feel.It's a classic love/hate relationship.Sometimes you crack me up, Brian.How is they big screen working out. That's my latest desire now.
They're still a pretty good saw, just not a durable as some of the wormdrives are. But for whatever reason, the eronomics just suit me really well. I dunno.
No big screen yet. Delivery is scheduled for Wed, and installation on Thursday. I'll let you know though.View Image
Unfortunaely for me, I'm living my big screen life through you vicariously.I need a life.
I hear football season is coming
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Diesel said it. Test them and what one is ergonomically fit to your feel is the one! My favorite they don't make anymore, the old Sawcat. it was a hell of a saw and I regret not buying 5 when they were on sale 23 years ago.
I bought a Ridgid wormdrive and like it quite a bit. Demoted my Skil 77 to backup status for cutting rebar and other ugly work.
You have to consider that Dave's a west coast guy. He's under a great deal of peer pressure to use a worm drive saw!
I just returned my new Bosch wormdrive and got the Ridgid wormdrive again. It seems better in most every way.Rebuilding my home in Cypress, CA
Also a CRX fanatic!
I've been using Freud 'Diablo' 24T blades and the whole works is very quiet, no blade whine and all you can hear is the saw motor humming.
I bought a Ridgid wormdrive and like it quite a bit. Demoted my Skil 77 to backup status for cutting rebar and other ugly work.
And they say that orange is the new pink :-) And we all know how fashion forward us PacNW guys are :-)
It really is a great saw. Bought it cuz you said so. Hey, what about my $300 hammer to test-drive?? Don't you have any clout?
Clout? Not really.
I think I'll drive up to Pro-Dek's house and steal his hammer collection. You in? If you can drive fast, you can be the driver. :-)
No clout?? C'mon, Tim, you gotta WORK this situation! Those editors are starved for stories, you can make them beg, you can make them cave. Demand a dressing room with no green M&Ms! A round of hammers for the house!!
Aren't the DeWalt's just loke the Sawcats?
The DW364K looks just like my Super Sawcat, but in yellow.
I'll be the vote for Hitachi. I have a C7SB2 (with the blade brake), I think it's an excellent saw. Picked it up for under a hundred bucks on eBay, you can get the one without the brake for maybe $60 or so. Only other saw I'd consider would be the Bosch CS20.
Ummmm, it's kind of embarrassing to admit this, but I backed over my Makita circ with the truck once and kinda bent the sole plate a little....
I left it with the Makita A.R. guy in the next village, who said he could replace the plate for about $25 and it would take 4 days. But I needed a saw the next day so I dropped into a local yard and hefted a bunch of others to see how they felt.
The salesman told me I could buy a P-C on a no-risk 30-day trial, so that's what I did. I promised myself to do the honest thing and keep it if I liked it even though I was gonna get the Makita back...but although it did the job, it wasn't comfortable and I hated the dust discharge and the ribbed sole plate which left marks on everything I cut. Plus, that 10-y-o old Makita had more balls than the PC did, so the grey one went back.
Couple of years later I did a few weeks as a carp for another builder and used his tools instead of mine; that exposed me to the DW and the Milwaukee (and I had always wanted a real Milwaukee!).
I still liked the Makita better. I was surprised at how much more torque it put out. I can set that thing for a full-depth 45º bevel rip cut in nasty green 4x and it'll just keep on cutting no matter how hard I push it. I am not physically capable of stalling that saw. OTOH, when I need a nice clean straight cut, it'll deliver that, too.
On something like a circ ergonomics are important, so Diesel's advice is good because everyone's hands are different. But if you want individual recommendations on dependability, longevity, resistance to abuse, and pure balls, the Makita is mine.
FWIW....
Dinosaur
How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not brought
low by this? For thine evil pales before that which
foolish men call Justice....
That just goes to show that personal preferences ar of prime consideration. I hate the Makitas. True that they have strong motors, but I jhave never yet seen one that has a base plate in line with the blade. I do a lot of cutting with straightedge guides and speed squares which doesn't work with crap like that.most drop foot saws have more solid base plates, which is why Ilike my milwaukee, but it is on the heavy side and not the best erganomics. 'Course mine is about twelve years old - I hear they have one wi5th an adjustable handle to help that out.My PC is my daily use saw. All mu guys have them too, so there are 3-4 of them around the job every day. Never had one mark the lumber. Yours must've had some sort of tick that needed polishing. Thge only problem we've had with them is that the cords somehow get in the way and get cut off...dang, you actually drove over it?!!
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dang, you actually drove over it?!!
Yeah. "Somebody" put it on the ground behind the truck while loading up the tools at the end of the day...and it got forgotten. So when I backed up to leave....
And the only thing that got busted was the base plate. Not bad. Kind of like Stan Foster's gyrocopter going up against the Battleship Galactica and only getting the paint scratched....
The PC saw I had came with one of those ribbed, anodised aluminum base plates, and on every cut I made you could see faint black 'tracks' from the ribs running along the wood. That's no problem when framing, but I wouldn't want to cut cab carcasses with it. I like a smooth-soled plate like the one on my Mak. When it gets too dirty or scratched up, I hit it with some 400-grit emery paper and castor oil and it polishes up like new.
I don't know why you've had trouble with the baseplates lining up with the blades on your Makitas; mine lines up fine and I use a Lee Valley straight-edge clamp all the time for panel cutting.
But I still want a panel saw (and someplace to put it, too!), LOL....Dinosaur
How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not broughtlow by this? For thine evil pales before that whichfoolish men call Justice....
"I don't know why you've had trouble with the baseplates lining up with the blades on your Makitas; mine lines up fine and I use a Lee Valley straight-edge clamp all the time for panel cutting."
.....I have used makita extensivly, as I mentioned in previous post. The crew I used to work with loved makita. But the baseplate thing was so common, and with no way to adjust it. The kid I have working for me owns a makita, bought it not that long ago, so it hasn't been used much. I told him my complaints about the makita... that night he went home and checked some cuts..sure enough 1/8" out of square.
I don't consider a handheld circ as a tool for cabinetry or fine trim work in the first place, so possibly that's the reason I'm not bothered by whatever small error mine might have. For me it's basically a rough framing tool, and is primarily used to cut sheathing panels where an eighth isn't worth losing any sleep over. In practise, I rarely use mine for cross-cutting 2x if the cut can be made on the CMS, so mostly what I do with it is rip 2x and cut sheathing to size. And I'll occasionally use it to create a 'framer's dado' by kerfing the stock at ½" intervals and chopping out the ribs with the claws of my hammer.
When I do have to use it to cut cab parts, I cuss and swear and take 5 minutes setting up each cut. And I promise myself (for the en-ienth time) that next time I have to do this, I'm gonna buy a panel saw or build myself some big, wide, in- & out-feed tables for the TS....
But the results are good if I take the trouble. I can't measure whatever skew there may be once the cut is done: The cut is straight (as straight as my straight-edge); the workpiece is the right size (if I put the straightedge in the right place); and the corners are square (in proportion to the care I took in setting up the cuts). If I don't lay the cuts out accurately, five-decimal precision of blade alignment isn't gonna do me a whit of good.
Betcha you can muscle the sole-plate of any circ out there at least .09375" off parallel by pushing too hard against the straight edge, anyway....Dinosaur
How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not broughtlow by this? For thine evil pales before that whichfoolish men call Justice....
yeah, but it's at least .017348% easier with a danged swivle foot Makita
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ROAR!Dinosaur
How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not broughtlow by this? For thine evil pales before that whichfoolish men call Justice....
Your right most the time it's not a big deal and it is still a good saw....I'll take it any day over a cheap saw. The one I have is old and beat up but will still plow thru a roof, shingles and all, with a beat up blade, man the abuse I give it.
Where I always noticed it was when cutting P lams, 6x6 posts - straight cuts and notching, and that sort of thing. very annoying when you consider yourself skilled with a skill saw , yet no matter what you do you cant make the cut lines match up.....gotta blame something.
Couldn't you file/sand the offrnding edge of the basesplate square to the blade?
I understand that these are expected to be square, but realisticly, they are framing tools. And the decline of QC marches on...
The base plates are made out of a soft aluminum, they seam to get warped over time after the abuse. the saw in my opinion is a solid work horse. When new and the plate is true, it is beautifull to cut with. There just are other saws that I would buy 1st.
I still own one makita that is beat up and I still pull out for rough cuts, good tough saw, just would like to see an improvement on the base plate and the rip guide.
well, I have never seen a Makita start out that accurate, and they darn sure don't generally stay that way, in my experience with them. I've used a lot of them when working for other outfits.I can see your problem with the PC base you had. Mine is some sort of plastic, or it has a plastic finish over the AL. It is ribbed
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I've always used sidewinders, but-
My dad had a couple of Makitas.
I was never real fond of them- they seemed too light, and it seemed like I hard a harder time making straight cuts with them than my P-C or old Black & Decker.
But I guess that's why there's so many saws- one of them's gotta feel good to you.
You're making me feel really old now, you and what's his name there...I had been working construction for about 12 years before I saw my first Makita. I was in the process of wearing out my second Rockwell circ saw by then. After that one, I got a Miller's Falls built on the same stlye but heavier. I still have that saw kicking around the "fix-it-someday" pile of tools. The motor runs fine, but the handle broke so it isn't safe around employees
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sorry, but I can't do anything about you feeling old <G>
actually, I'd been working a few years before my dad bought that first Makita. We had an old all aluminum body Black & Decker saw that I really liked, and I continued to use even after we got the Makita.
My dad ended up buying 2-3 Makitas during his career. I never did warm up to them.
Possibly the reason I liked that Makita so much at the beginning is that I graduated to it from a $19.95 Skilsaw bought on Canal Street when I was about 19 years old. The Skil had no bearings, only a shaft bushing. So after 20 or 30 hours of operating, the blade wobble on that thing was enough to give you a ¼" kerf, LOL. Kind of like having a dado head whether you liked it or not. But that was my saw, and it was the first one I'd ever used, and I didn't know any better. I thought that's what circ's were like. Good thing I wasn't doing this for a living back then....
Finally, after almost 25 years, the motor died, and I had to buy a new circ to do a little work on the old shack here. I had a choice of Crapsman, B&D, or these newfangled blue-greeny things with the funny name. I hesitated over the price...but it felt good in my hand...and I remembered my old man telling me, 'Never buy cheap tools; it's not worth it.' And it came with a carbide tipped blade, too! I took the plunge.
The Makita was the first professional tool I ever owned. I could not believe how smoothly and how straight it cut...and with how little effort. When I got into heavier work years later, I couldn't believe how strong that thing was. On some porch roofs and outbuildings, I'll bevel the tops of built-up beams instead of cutting all those effin' danged birds' mouths...and that Mak will rip a full-depth beveled slice off a pair of unplaned, green 2x12s as fast as I can push it down the board. If I tried that on my 2½-horse table saw, I'd stall it dead and blow the circuit breaker.
It's tougher'n'dirt, too: In addition to my having run it over with the truck, it has been dropped off roofs, rained on, used to cut CBU, steel track, CI pipe, and asphalt shingles laid up 6-thick. Yet clean it off and put in the right blade, and it will slice a perfect, 1/8" thick spline off the edge of a board 16 feet long.
It's a real trouper.Dinosaur
How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not broughtlow by this? For thine evil pales before that whichfoolish men call Justice....
If you said what you were going to do with it I could not find it. There are some that are super for framing but not too great for finer work. Are you going to cut top grade plywood or rough lumber? Are you going to work it hard full time or home projects?
I know a lot of folks that really like the Makita and their new lightweight model the 5740NB can be had as a reconditioned one on eBay from Tool King and others for around $70 in your hand.
http://www.makita.com/menu.php?pg=product_cat&tag=saw_circular
This one will cut through a 2x4 at 90 deg on the EZ Smart guide system if you are so inclined. If money is not a real concern you can get a Hilti 267 that is a super saw. The Festool saw and guide is a pile of money but has great reviews and almost a cult following.
http://www.us.hilti.com/holus/modules/prcat/prca_navigation.jsp?OID=-16775
http://www.mcfeelys.com/festool/festool_subcat.asp?subcat=22.21
The Worx has had some good reviews.
http://www.worxpowertools.com/products/core-range/circular-saw.htm
I have a 24 V DeWalt, toy B&D 6 1/2 wood hawk or something, DeWalt 364, PC 325 (use these two on the EZ guide), and a Makita hypoid. I like the PC because of the brake and dust collection. Have several others but will not go into them.
http://www.amazon.com/Porter-Cable-325MAG-4-Inch-Circular-Right/dp/B0001GUEH2/sr=1-33/qid=1157251570/ref=sr_1_33/104-9216786-5560767?ie=UTF8&s=hi
The advice to hold them is great, actually cutting with one is even better.
Duey, you need 3 saws: Skil worm for ####-kickin work i.e. cutting in ridge vent, rippin sheathing all day (make sure you like the color, they last a long time). 2nd saw should be a medium weight side winder, at least 11 amps, blade right for more civilized work, and finally, a 5 - 61/2' trim saw, maybe cordless.
If you are allowed only one saw, get a Milwaukee or Bosch sidewinder.
regards, Carl
I got my Bosch CS20 factory refurb (one little blemish on the saw guard) from Amazon/CPO Bosch with one year factory warranty - $108 including freight.
http://bosch.cpotools.com/saws/circular_saws/corded_circular_saws/cs20-rt.html?ref=shoppingcs20-rt
I like the feel of the handle, depth-setting detents, clearly readable bevel settings with 22.5 and 45 degree detents and 56-degree max angle.
Oh, and it cuts well too.
BruceT
Edited 9/3/2006 1:09 am ET by BruceT999
Throw in my vote for Makita-I have the 5740 sidewinder and it is a great saw, light and ballsy. The Hypoid saw is great for the tougher jobs, and the 14.4 volt trimsaw is great for those quick cuts that dont warrant dragging out the cord!
FWIW.. in the last FH tool comparision on skill saws, I recall that the Bosch and Milwaukee sidewinders came out on top...as far as the article went. The Milwaulkee is supposed to be a coveted saw....whiel the Bosch has some pretty nice features.
as someone mentioned it would help to know what you intend to use it for, as a framer needs are far different than a guy who uses it strictly in the shop.
The makita is used by many framers, in fact the crew I used work with had about 6 or 7 of em. everytime they were on sale the Boss would pick up a new one to be the new "fascia and stringer saw". so that was all I used.
when new, the Makita cuts were smooth as silk. ..... However..... I personally found the base plates to be "soft" and got easily beat up for everyday framing..and very easliy bent if dropped, from not very high... ( cost me $90 to get one fixed that I dropped off step ladder) not sure why they were so makita happy when it came to skillsaws...they said something about them being lite, but have I since learned they are not the lightest.
The other huge complaint is that with the rip guide it won't rip 3 1/2"! how stupid is that.. yeah I'll use my finger for making a couple rips but if I'm ripping a couple hundred feet of plywood I want a rip guide. ( we never used the table saw when framing) one trick I discovered though was to use a stair nut as guide for 3 1/2"
Anyway....I have 3 Dewalts that I am very happy with, not to say that I wouldn't try other saws, but the makita that I own I use with rebar blade and for cutting into roofs when doign additions.
OH...there is one newer ( past couple years) feature that you can get on the makita and that is the led light...when I 1st saw it I thought big deal...Then while backing framing in basement one day...I realized hey cool I can see!
"they said something about them being lite, but have I since learned they are not the lightest."That is because they have a pretty good balance for a lot of guys. Decent balance erganomics will make a saw feel lighter than it is. Bad balance will make you work harder so it feels heavier than it is.
Right on about bad base plates with Makita!Somebody mentioned having several saws - At least two is essential for a sawyer framing from the lumber pile, you can have one at each end or one set with a bevel and one square. Waste of time to keep changing one to cut bevels. I've had three out. One PC square, One set beveled, and the Milwauklee for rips. It's good to have a saw with a clean base for trim too but I can clean and polish mine in two shakes.
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Piffin, all,<!----><!----><!---->
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I agree with you about your concise savvy saw reviews. Mine is a little more in depth and opinionated, and lacks any real available saw recommendations. I think choice of saw should compliment the overall tasks you will use it for and fit your saw handling posture preferences too. <!----><!---->
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I grew up using the PC/Rockwell 315 top-handled drop-foot saws. I miss not being able to buy them new anymore. They had plenty of power, the top-handle position is constant with the sturdy drop-foot adjustments, well balanced for a heavier sidewinder saw, and they had the single guide mark foot-plate instead of the newer wide notched guides that may require you to guess at, or encourages, blade watching when making bevel cuts. All excellent features that are missing in most saw brands today. They required regular maintenance but they were built for easy care and rebuilding. The early Makita’s and Milwaukee’s, Bosch, had similar design blue prints and some internal parts were standard saw/tool architecture used in the early PC’s. (Mostly switches and bearings, brushes) <!----><!---->
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I don’t own any of the new Milwaukee’s but I might one day. They look like the best new saws I’ve looked at lately. But I have so many 315-1’s that it’s hard to buy an odd ball saw to go in the trailer. I have a box of replacement parts for my saws and enough saws to eliminate any down time from tool breakage. <!----><!---->
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The Makita’s are the smoothest saws I have ever used.<!----><!---->
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I recently bought a couple of light weight yellow DeWalt saws for use up on scaffolding and in attic spaces (for bracing tasks, ect.) where they have a chance of being dropped a distance. My PC’s don’t bounce as well as the yellow saws do, so I bought them because they are cheaper to replace than my nice PC’s and they bounce good. They aren’t worth a dang for ripping though as the whole saw is plastic and seems to flex around if you push them hard. But they do have a comfortable grip and 56 deg bevel capabilities.<!----><!---->
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I’m not a big fan of wormies because the are heavier, the blade left feature encourages blade watching, which in turn can encourage the development of other poor saw handling practices. The worms are better suited for lefty’s since they are awkward to righty’s since the weight of the saw wants to fall off with the cut off. IMO.<!----><!---->
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It’s OK to look at the blade when starting your cut but I think you should not rely on it for making the entire cut. Most saws provide a visual port up front between the saw body and the blade that is still mostly guarded by the blade housing as to minimize saw dust be thrown in your face. I see many experienced sawyers ignore this feature regularly too and contort their heads to the opposite side of the saw to start the cut. I do it occasionally. But if your able to use the view-port you posture will not be uncomfortable to start with and you will cut faster and more accurately transferring you attention to the guide. <!----><!---->
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I equate using the saw guide to using the front sites on a gun. Focus on the front site/guide and you’ll be aiming the saw as opposed to pointing it. If I can’t see the guide, for what ever reason, then I reference an alternate guide point. Many new saws have rules incorporated into the foot plates that are useful in this manor. (I have to mark some standard dimensions on the PC’s myself.) Some even have depth-o- cut feed rules too.<!----><!---->
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As I have quoted Murphy before, “The Best Tool they make is barely good enoughâ€. True for circular saws too.
I would go with a Milwaukee, a Bosch, or the PC. Try them for fit and balance in your paw first.
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Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
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Milwaukee is the ONLY real mans saw out there...
Some neandrethal framers are gonna recommend a worm drive model.
but they have been left behind by evolution...
(brian: :D )
Something tells me that when the westerners wake up, your charachter is gonna get bolstered a whole lot!
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
I'm"The truth, when told does nothing but bolster a mans character."
going"The truth, when told does nothing but bolster a mans character."
to"The truth, when told does nothing but bolster a mans character."
beat"The truth, when told does nothing but bolster a mans character."
you"The truth, when told does nothing but bolster a mans character."
to"The truth, when told does nothing but bolster a mans character."
30,000"The truth, when told does nothing but bolster a mans character."
posts!!!"The truth, when told does nothing but bolster a mans character."
Doesn't
seem
likely
Persistence is a good character bolsterWhen properly appliedLOL
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
"When properly applied"
Always an out...
Shaggy sugest adding that line?
;)"The truth, when told does nothing but bolster a mans character."
You'd better get cracking.
He's got less than 1,000 to go.
I've had a Milwaukee Tilt-Lock for a couple of years and love it. Only two complaints. 1. No dust collection which would be helpful when cutting mdf from time to time. 2. I wish I would have spent the few extra dollars it would have cost to get the same saw with a blade brake. No complaints otherwise. I didn't think I would use the Tilt-Lock feature but I do use it when I'm making shallow cuts like cutting plywood. It's been a great saw with plenty of power.
Did you get a saw yet? ! If not, those tilt-handled Milwaukees were on sale at some Home Depots for $99 this past week. Lowest price I've ever seen. Save the receipt.
After all this advice from everybody, all I would add is buy one that feels right for you, practice with it with on boards clamped down (DON'T cut the cord if you get a Porter Cable like I and probably lots of other people did the first time), take the time to learn to let the blade guard close before setting the saw down. Think about where your fingers and the blade are. If you hate the saw, bring it back within a week and go for your second choice.
The Bosch, Makita, Milwaukee, PC, DeWalt will have more power than your old saw, might weigh more, and they won't have a safety switch that you have to press before pulling the trigger.
Just my 2 cents; I've got a Skill 77, an old drop foot 8 1/4 PC that I keep running from cannibalized parts, one Makita at the moment, and one or two other mystery brands. It is the Makita that I pull out for just about everything though.
Dusty and Lefty
I like the Makita. I like the rip guide too. Plenty of power.
just curious..what exactly do like about the makita rip guide? do you mean simply that it comes with one?
on a frame crew the rip guide gets bent as easily as the saw base plate, and you can't rip the width of a 2x4 with it, which seems pretty silly to me.
Although the rip guide for the DeWalt is a seperate purchase, it is well worth it. big meaty sucker, lots to ride along the board, it is also longer so it rip up to a foot. (on certain models of saw - flaw there) also there is no dead zone like the makita rip guide.
alrightythen,Have they changed the rip guide? I've had my saw for over 10 years and I had to buy the rip guide separate. I can rip I think up to 10 - 11 inches wide (I'll have to check on that) with the rip guide on the left side and probably 6 - 7 inches on the left. I like the stability of it - the width that is against the board. Evidently you have had a bad experience with it. I went from Craftsman saws to the Makita and thought at first I didn't like the Makita rip fence design. The Craftsman fence was "self storing" - just rotate it up. I agree the base is easy to "drop-bend". As far as the guide getting bent, I just adjust it. Maybe I just don't know any better.
I couldn't remember exactly what the limit was on the rip fence so I brought it in and took a picture of it. The first shot shows it will rip up to 11 1/2 inches with the fence on one side and about 3 on the other side.Is this the type of rip guide you were referring to?
yeah same guide... yeah you sort of bend em back in line, best way is to hold up against some straight stock and lightly tap the end of the fence with your hammer till it straightens out.
yeah I remember it being around eleven 11" as the max wich is fine. the DeWalt gives you about an inch or inch and a bit more.
The thing the really bugs me about that guide is the "dead" zone. I think its jumps from 3 1/4" to 3 3/4" (something like that) anyhow you can't rip 3 1/2" with it, no matter which way you flip the guide. which is stupid - after 1 1/2" , 3 1/2" has to be the most common dimessional lumber number.
we had to rip 3 1/2" all the time, when say furring in a stud openning with plywood, but could never use the guide. usually used my finger or if had to rip alot fastened stair gauges to the plate.
EDIT: yeah I think your one photo shows it...doesn't quite reach 3 1/2"
Edited 9/23/2006 5:42 pm ET by alrightythen
alrightythen,With the rip guide on the left side the range is 11 1/2 to about 3/8 inches. With the rip guide on the right side it is about 3 1/4 inches to zero.
ok then I guess you got a different guide, which is weird 'cuz you say it's about 10 years old, about the same time I started using Makitas with my old crew. used em for about 8 years,every guide we had was the same. and I've logged many hours with em.
They must have more than one model rip guide - why they sold the one I always had to use I don't know . I'd be much happier with yours.