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‘b’ CAUTION:THE NEW DEWALT HEAVY DUTY
…..IT SUCKS…. FORTUNATELY THEY HAVE REPLACED 6 OF THEM FOR ME IN THE LAST EIGHT MONTHS. I just bought a millwalke, any body have a better idea????
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I just turned on the computer to ask a similar question.Today 1/3 way thru cutting off a roof, the 25year old B&D finally started losing the battle.Had to get a new sawzall tonight.Wanted to compare the 10amp DeWalt to the new 10amp and/or 11amp Milwaukee's. the only place convient was Home Depot and they only had the DeWalt so I got one for tomorrow.I'll use the 30 day return if I have to.What went wrong with the DeWalt, and to anyone else...any hands on use of either?Does the Milwaukee have a trigger switch lock-on button?Need advice within 29 days!I usually choose DeWalt products over others, seem to just feel better and usually have easier to operate knobs and such.I did like their version of keyless chuck.Thanks.
*If you do a search you will find other threads with this question... but I for one am sworn to the Bosch. I have had one for about two years and it kicks ass! It is way more powerful than others that I have tried and the orbital action rips through stuff like a chain saw. I wouldn't trade it for any other saw.
*Jeff, I've used the 6.5A DeWalt extensively for the past 10 months with no problem whatsoever! I love it!!! I, too, typically chose DeWalt over other brands. I'd say you're on the right track: if it lets you down within the next 3 weeks or so, return it! Good LuckMike WrayLic. Home Improvement Contractor
*Nick, I haven't gotten to the Bosch yet... but I've used one years back for metal-cutting... great tool. My current unit is the old allen-key Porter-Cable... tough tool. Two friends have newer versions with the quick-change blade feature, and they swear by them.Dewalt seems to be trying, but the Quality Control has to be as agressive as the marketing hype. Cute trucks, cute girls repping the company, however none of that matters when you're in a crawlspace cursing their product.
*Don't get me wrong, the 10 amp dewalt sawzall has balls, however it's gearbox gets noisy, then starts clunking, whining, and eventually either seizes or grenades. If your last saw held for twenty five years, you probably wont have a problem with it. However, I equip my six man demo, framing, and remodeling crew with three sawzalls and about 250 blades on a buzy month. I'm sure an owner operator would be kinder to his tools, maybe not.
*I've been using the DeWalt mid-range reciprocating saw and the the new Milwaukee for the past 3 months, just about every day. I think they are both in the same amp range, and the differences I've noticed are that the Milwaukee is a smoother, less-vibrating saw, but that the DeWalt is a more agressive cutter. All in all, I prefer the DeWalt.
*http://www.toolsofthetrade.net/content/tools/1998/winter/recip/default.asp seems to be a pretty balanced and accurate review of current offerings. It matches much of the general discussion on this topic over several threads at this site. I got the Milwaukee Super Sawzall, and it seems like a keeper.
*A quick update.I used the DeWalt for about six hours today.It somehow lost that new tool shine!The job in question is a porch roof demo.Nothing like 100 year old soot/dust to break it in.Power is fine. Balance is pretty good.Vibration not too bad, and the keyless chuck is greatif it will work like this for a few years. The only complaint ,and not a small one, is the adjustable shoe. Halfway thru the day I had to use both hands and pull about as hard as I could to extend it.Then at the days end, I had to tap it with a hammer to push it the whole way in so the tool would fit in the plastic case!I'm sure the nose got filled with fine saw dust and roof soot.I'm gonna hit it with the compressor and see what that loosens.Still it a pain if it reoccurs.Talked w/ someone who has the new Milwaukee and his only complaint was their version of keyless chuck let the blade rattle alittle.He said it just dosen't feel as tight as a lock nut would.If this is common I'd rather fight with the shoe.Jeff
*"Best" depends on what you do. The keyless Milwaukee (mine) has a delicate chuck and is not super-aggressive, but controls very well, smooooth. They have come out, I hear, with a new one that does orbital cuts and a tougher chuck -- perfect for demo. The PC Tiger is popular with the aggressive set, too.
*Jeff - My Milwaukee has a tool-less locking lever for the shoe depth and I have a heck of a time operating that lever. I like my Sawzall just fine except for that.
*To be honest I am really surprised more people don't seem to use the Bosch - of course I understand that one tool doesn't fit all and I don't question the quality of the other tools, but I used a PC Tiger saw next to my Bosch and it seemed more like a kitty cat than a tiger. Aggresiveness is not he only quality to look for in a reciprocating saw but I haven't been disappointed in any way by my choice.
*Yup, BoschDennis
*I just wanted to let everyone in this particular discussion group know that I'm working on a recip saw survey article for Fine Homebuilding, so feedback like this on the various saws is great. I've gotten my hands on about 16 or so of the most current saws and have been using them for some remodeling and demo work. I have my own ideas about some of the features and particular characteristics of the different saws, but durability in the field over time is one thing that is difficult for a reviewer to test, yet important nevertheless. So, keep this feedback coming in; I hope that you don't mind if I contact some of you individually to follow up on some of your thoughts and opinions. Thanks,Andy
*I've owned the Milwaukee and the PC Tiger Saw and used the Makita working for someone else. My preference is for the Milwaukee ...... mostly because of smoothness. Spend a day with it and you don't feel quite as beat up. The PC is a close second ...... it seemed a little more aggressive cutting. I didn't care for the Makita at all ....... vibrated and didn't cut that aggresively. One thing that bugs me about the PC and for that matter, all their corded power tools, is that square plug. I work by myself, and it always seems to get snagged on something, usually at the worst possible time, meaning a trip down to unsnag it. Milwaukee's plugs are rounded ...... they don't seem to do it nearly as often.
*I have owned a total of 5 reciprocating saws in the past year, thanks to the a$$holes who decided to break into my shop. I first started off with the PC, I liked it a lot, it had a ton of power and ate through anything, but it shook a ton. I also picked up one of the little 4amp Milwaukee Sawzalls for a real good price - $50 from Sears (yes, working for them during the school year sometimes can be nice) - I loved that little saw, it was so light and it cut well. I really liked it for replacing windows, it ran very smooth and seemed to be sized perfectly for this. Then came the bandits, they stole both of these saws right out of my shop one night, along with a goodly portion of my other tools. I replaced them with the 10amp Milwaukee with the quick change chuck. I liked that saw a lot - ran smooth, the removable cord was great, and it was powerful. My only problem with it was that the quick change chuck failed to hold a blade in place within a week of buying it. A friend of mine (also in tool retail) told me that Milwaukee had been having some problems with the blade chucks, so I decided to replace it with the 10amp DeWalt. I've had this saw for around 6 months and have used it quite a bit. It runs smooth, is very powerful, and is overall very nice. However, it seems to be missing something over the Milwaukee - I sometimes wonder if I like it as much. In the meantime, I have heard that Milwaukee has perfected their new blade chuck - I just may have to exchange the yellow beast for one of the newer Super Sawzalls. Hope this helps a bit. -Nick Markey
*I have the Bosch, and like it a lot, even though it's a lot heavier than Milwaukee and DeWalt. Waaaay smoother and more powerful. Quiet. Good case, nice long cord, just a well made tool.MDxx
*A spy, a spy! Run for cover!The quick-lock chuck on the Milwaukee saw is a definite design defect -- plastic retainer explodes if you jam the blade into something. I did it once and am careful not to do it again. (Yet I still would not want a hex-wrench design.) Did I hear right about a redesign this year? If so, I'm going to press them for a retrofit...
*What I like is a really old beat to death Milwaukee from a pawn shop for $70. They always work. Every time I dig mine out and jack around with that allen screw and cut something, I realize its all the sawzall I'll ever need.
*I've got to stick with the Porter Cable I,ve been using for over three years. The orbital blade stroke makes a big difference when you get into damp old timbers. It seems to stand up to everything, even a quick dunking in salt water. I did have a Makita prior to the PC, it was a nice tool except that with gloves on, there was not room to release the switch. You had to remove your hand to shut it off! Hope they fixed this on the new ones.
*I am very impressed by the "old" Porter Cable 8amp saw that I use. I've even loaned it out to relatives and it came back in one piece. I have directly compared it to the 8 amp Milwakee and found it tougher and faster cutting.
*WHAT! You LOAN tools?!?I'm kidding, kind of: although I have invested in quality tools I found myself reluctant to let my wife's uncle, who helped demo our roof this past weekend as a laborer (and labor he did! he was terrific, filling a 10 yd dumpster mostly by himself with fun stuff like broken bricks) use anything much more advanced than a sledgehammer. The power tools, while tough, are breakable, and I was more than a little worried he might break himself. ("Oh yeah, I've used one of these before.")As I warned him three or four times, don't step between the joists. Whoops! Leg into the pantry. Oh well, whoever drywalled the ceiling got it crooked anyway... I kept the 10 amp Sawzall.
*Just got a new Tool Crib of the North catalog. They have a Milwaukee Super Sawzall with orbital action on page 41. One thing I like about the Milwaukee tools is the removable cord-it sure makes it easy to replace in case of an accident.
*Andrew: We have 3 milwaukee saws with the early quick change blade chucks. When the first one broke I called the nearest milwaukee service center for parts and the tech informed me that if I would send it to them milwaukee would replace it with a better chuck no charge to us. Since that time they have replaced the 2d. one & the tech I talked to said he knew of no time limit on replacement so when the 3d. one breaks we will send it to them also. I would think they will do the same for you.Ron.
*Thanks Ron. Of course, I'd like one that was harder to break ... this was one of the reasons i was unwilling to let someone else use the tool. The repair place is 40 min. from here, but they fixed it on the spot and were real nice, even to my bewildered wife who dropped it off (and got lost, driving past the place 3 times with her sister, to the amusement of the techs who I'd given a heads-up she was coming in).
*I started with an older model, all metal PC and liked it a lot. when the gears let go, I bought a new, plastic PC Tiger saw. We have two now and they do the job, but the machine everyone fights over is the Bosch. Heavy? You bet. Smooth, powerful and very well made. Today one of the plastic PC's broke off its' shoe. Everyone is hoping for another Bosch. What a sick buch of guys I have. BUY A BOSCH!!!
*Success! The metal Quik-Lok upgrade cost about $8 and I installed on my super sawzall in about five minutes with no tools (the shattered old one was easy to remove). Probably could have gotten the kit for free if I'd made a stink, but for $8 it seemed a little cheap. Bought an extra too.Haven't broken it yet. Works much better, highly recommended.
*I still have my original milwaukee after 25 years, alittle worn, but still ticking. All my guys do is frame, and when your paying by the hour, time is money. When I finally figured out there were faster sawszalls out there, I went to my local home depot and bought a couple of Dewalts.There fast, but run pretty hot and burn out switches to often. I finally got sick of replacing switches,and looking for the allan wrench, and needed something reliable, so I bought a portercable tiger saw. It is definitly an agressive saw and quick. I love the quick change blade feature. The only problem I had was the foot broke off the first time I used it. I tried the Milwaukee but didn't like it as much as my tiger. I've cut steel beams, overhangs with rafters,sheathing,and shingles with no problems.It does the job.
*Greg, you forgot to mention they cut overgrown vegetation, they`ll quarter a deer, and they make good concrete vibratators when you take out the blade and hold the shoe up against the forms to remove air pockets.....-when your not using them for their intended purpose.
*we use milwauk, dewlat, and Tiger- hands down its the Tiger. as Crazy Jon sez- "now thats the 1st sawzall that feels like it could hurt me!"had one give me problems from the quik change device- had to resort to packing a vise grip- but otherwise- its The One..
*Dewalt's number one problem is durability....yellow crap.near the stream,ajoh and did I say sounds like a disposal grinder....Bosch is number one...Milwaukie number one or two...
*milwaukee hands down
*I use the Milwaukee Super, Bosch and DeWalt 18V. Like the Milwaukee for finess work since the trigger can go from very slow to full on. Use the Bosch for really aggressive work. Like the DeWalt for its battery compatibility with my other DeWalt cordless tools. Also has the best rapid-change foot and blade.Nearly always have 2 close at hand, usually with a metal cutting blade in 1 and a Skil "The Ugly" in the other.
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'b' CAUTION:THE NEW DEWALT HEAVY DUTY
.....IT SUCKS.... FORTUNATELY THEY HAVE REPLACED 6 OF THEM FOR ME IN THE LAST EIGHT MONTHS. I just bought a millwalke, any body have a better idea????