I need some input regarding a new saw that I bought today from the big box. My old one (which is only a few houses old!) took a bad fall onto concrete and hit in a weird way that cracked the housing where the adjustment connection is located. This resulted in difficulty getting true ninety degree vertical cuts and I can’t tolerate even a slight misadjustment in that department because of the way cut a lot of stuff. I need a true vertical plunge!
Anyways, I spent a whopping 2 seconds looking for power saws…spotted the blue plastic case, noticed it was shapped different and tossed it in my cart. When I got home, I noticed it was a different version than I’ve been using. this new Makita is a 15amp…my usual tool is a 13 amp.
My question is this..has anyone found anything negative about this tool? Does the extra amps pull more starting power? Is this tool heavier?
The reason I’m asking is because I don’t really need anymore amperage…the old one worked fine. The saw does seem heavier, but its probably in my head…besides..I haven’t customized it yet and that’ll drop a few ounces. I’m not going to customize it until I give it a tryout…as yall know…the big box won’t take back my saw once I get rid of the extended table and put the guard where it belongs…and cut off the cord end and put a real man’s male plug on it!
I did notice one thing that I’ll really like…a better table tilting lever instead of knob. The sightlines on the leading edge of the plate are better…the old knob got in the way. It has a little button that will allow me to create a positive stop at 50 degrees instead of 45, but I doubt that I’d ever do that…if I need extra degrees, I just tip it more.
I did read the entire safety warning booklet and just to make sure I got it all down…I read the spanish and french versions too. After reviewing the extension cord tables, I realized that I’m definitely going to void the warranty as soon as I pull the trigger the first time….they don’t allow 100′ extension…..I’ll be working off 200′!
blue
Warning! Be cautious when taking any framing advice from me. Although I have a lifetime of framing experience, all of it is considered bottom of the barrel by Gabe. I am not to be counted amongst the worst of the worst. If you want real framing information…don’t listen to me..just ask Gabe!
Replies
Thanks for the review-input.
I don't think that you left anything out.
YCF
INput? I've never pulled the trigger...I wan't to know if I should take this thing back?!
blueWarning! Be cautious when taking any framing advice from me. Although I have a lifetime of framing experience, all of it is considered bottom of the barrel by Gabe. I am not to be counted amongst the worst of the worst. If you want real framing information...don't listen to me..just ask Gabe!
Send it to me. Or pull the trigger and give us the rest.
Is this saw have a brake?
ycf
Big blue square box,blue tipped bevel lever?? Our cutman uses one. Hohum,nothing special about it. Don't have a brake, I use my finger under the table to bevel anything over a 45 so don't care much about how steep it'll cut. A 7 1/4" will only cut so deep.
Who uses just 100ft of cord framing?I DIDN'T DO IT...THE BUCK DOES NOT STOP HERE.
Thats what I thought about that 50 degree lever too FramerT. In fact, on most bevels I just tip the saw anyways unless there's some reason that it has to be dead on. I might be more inclined to actually mess with the beveling adjustment with that lever....if I can read the numbers. Makita does a horrible job of making their numbers readable.
I'm just worried that the 15 amp will draw too much starting up juice and start knocking out our power. I was hoping someone would tell me that Makita has redesigned the amature to deliver 15 amps while only drawing 12 amp ratings or something like that.
blueWarning! Be cautious when taking any framing advice from me. Although I have a lifetime of framing experience, all of it is considered bottom of the barrel by Gabe. I am not to be counted amongst the worst of the worst. If you want real framing information...don't listen to me..just ask Gabe!
So'd you try that saw yet? U like it?I DIDN'T DO IT...THE BUCK DOES NOT STOP HERE.
No....I never pulled it out of the box. It was too muddy and I don't want to end up owning it if it pops the circuits of our generator. Also, I was doing a lot of work that required the modified version of the saw. I can't modify the new one till I'm sure I want to keep it.
I'm kinda overreacting...but I just wasn't in the mood for trying out a new style saw....I just wanted my old one replaced.
I'll try it tomorrow.
blue
Warning! Be cautious when taking any framing advice from me. Although I have a lifetime of framing experience, all of it is considered bottom of the barrel by Gabe. I am not to be counted amongst the worst of the worst. If you want real framing information...don't listen to me..just ask Gabe!
Edited 12/7/2004 9:21 pm ET by blue_eyed_devil
Blue, why don't you get the one you had before?
Dez
Makita still sells a 13 amp saw, as well as the newer 15 amp model. Not sure if available at HD or Lowes, but Tool Crib has it in the most recent catalog I got.
Seems a 13 amp has to be less likely than a 15 amp to cause problems with the longer cords.
By the way, anyone know why all the 15 amp circular and miter saws? Is there a noticable improvement over the 13 amp saws?
I was thinking the same thing DHoov2!
There isn't any reason that we need 15amps. I spent the day working and quite frankly, I wasn't impressed. I'm not passing a bad judgment yet....I'll change the blade and see if that makes a difference. The blade that shipped with the saw just wasn't real good for framing but it cut nails reeeeeeaaaaalllllllly nice! I was impressed with that feature because I didn't notice any noticable difference after I sliced throuhg two of them.
blueWarning! Be cautious when taking any framing advice from me. Although I have a lifetime of framing experience, all of it is considered bottom of the barrel by Gabe. I am not to be counted amongst the worst of the worst. If you want real framing information...don't listen to me..just ask Gabe!
Dez, Ithought I was getting the same saw that I had before...but when I went into the big box, I just grabbed the first blue box that I saw. It said makita and I figured they had changed the box, which I never use anyways. When I got it home, I noticed it was different.
Today, I said the heck with it and decided that I'd give it a serious tryout. Here's a pic of me getting ready to customize it for some serious boogerin'. I'll use my old saw to make that base perfect for framing.
I still crack myself up when I smack it to "fix" the guard. I'll replace the male plug on the end tomorrow.
blueWarning! Be cautious when taking any framing advice from me. Although I have a lifetime of framing experience, all of it is considered bottom of the barrel by Gabe. I am not to be counted amongst the worst of the worst. If you want real framing information...don't listen to me..just ask Gabe!
Blue,
Guess I'm just gettin' to be an old fart. I can't stand it when a tool finally wears out that I've been using for years, and I can't get an identical replacement! Makes me change my MO!
Don't like it! (Old dog) But, I'm not opposed to cool, new innovations. Just don't mess with my saw!
Dez
Blue,
You should try the Makita 5277NBX. Now that is a nice saw. I don't own one, but I used one for a few months and that is just one sweet saw. To bad there is no rafter hook
http://www.makita.com/Tools_Item_View.asp?id=633
really? I hate that saw. I dont know why but it just doesent feel right.But I think blue is thinking about sidewinders not worm-drives.-->
measure once
scribble several lines
spend some time figuring out wich scribble
cut the wrong line
get mad
Skye, don't pay attention to Tim...he's just jiving me.
blueWarning! Be cautious when taking any framing advice from me. Although I have a lifetime of framing experience, all of it is considered bottom of the barrel by Gabe. I am not to be counted amongst the worst of the worst. If you want real framing information...don't listen to me..just ask Gabe!
As you've mentioned, it's nothing to get worked up about.The 15amp I've mentioned did'nt jump when you hit the trigger,doesn't trip the breaker on our gen set. I use an older Hitachi,13amp but have the new one 15amp,too.But they are green.I DIDN'T DO IT...THE BUCK DOES NOT STOP HERE.
I tried that hitachi saw. I busted it up pretty bad within a coupla months.
I'm rough on saws. My new saw fell off the roof today. I saw it heading for the steel outrigger of the crane and I was thinking "oh, oh"....then the cord tightened up and it swung away into the mud.
That was a good sign for me....I packed up and went home.
blueWarning! Be cautious when taking any framing advice from me. Although I have a lifetime of framing experience, all of it is considered bottom of the barrel by Gabe. I am not to be counted amongst the worst of the worst. If you want real framing information...don't listen to me..just ask Gabe!
So when can we expect the sequel to "Boogerin' With Blue"?
You know JC...the impetus of the original Boogerin with Blue was to drastically improve a house from 300 hours down to 200 hours. If you remember, I failed and only got it done in 220 hours.
For me to do a sequel, I'd have to get fired up, and get my azz out of the house and to the jobsite by at least 9 am......which just hasn't been happening...and....I'd have to hustle instead of f'ing off all day.....which is happening....
Furthermore, my crew has "matured" into "journeymen"....so they won't listen to me anymore even if they are doing something 50% slower.
The only way I could do a sequel would be to hire a new set of apprentices and start drilling them...which aint gonna happen anytime soon.
I might be willing to do a Boogerin with blue II and change the basic format. I'll think about it.
Maybe a Boogerin II with table framing?
blueWarning! Be cautious when taking any framing advice from me. Although I have a lifetime of framing experience, all of it is considered bottom of the barrel by Gabe. I am not to be counted amongst the worst of the worst. If you want real framing information...don't listen to me..just ask Gabe!
Blue,I've been wondering something for a while and hope you can help me out.When you mention 200 hours for 1800 square feet you're talking about total man hours, right? So a crew of 5 could finish this house in one week?I don't do production framing so this is merely an academic exercise. I'm just wondering how much slower I would be than you.
Jon Blakemore
Jon, yes you were correct...we were fininshing those models in one week.
But....you gotta remember...they were simple. Simple means not too many corners, walls all the same height, no siding on the rough frame, relatively simple truss packages (I think those models had three different trusses), walkable roofs, etc, etc, etc.
Keep in mind that I've spent trhee times that amount (or more) on that much square footage too! I've spent 200 hours on roofs that only covered 1500 sf! Some of the truss packages are unbelievably complicated.
Also, understand that remodeling that same amount of square footage is significantly higher. I find that building new work is twice as fast as remod, simply because I can eliminate all "adjustments" simply by using good techniques from the sill up.
Lastly, you have to factor in the repeatitive nature of these types of frames. Most houses similiar in style to that particular model are all the same to me. On some of theses, its dejavue over and over. Once we do a model in a sub like that, we incorporate some very clever ideas into the next one and we eliminate all the studying an figuring that we have to do on the first. For instance, we're going to be duplicating the house that we've just finished. I expect to knock almost 33% or more out of the time. I'll make significant gains just by eliminating all the minor mistakes that we created for ourselves. Another huge chunk will be eliminated because we don't have to sort the trusses and I joist package.
For instance, the last hip set I built had a wide span of 26" at the garage joint. If I had known, I would have shifted all the layout, but I didn't know that until I got it up and mated it with the existing garage trusses. ON the next one, I'll shift the entire layout and save the monkey business that occurs with scabbing or cutting. Additionally, I just posted a thread on building a layon up on the roof. It involved the filling in of four trusses that were designed to fill in a hip. I'll just toss those four hip trusses in the scrap pile on the next job and run four long commons instead of the four truss jacks, intermediate ridge, four common-jacks. I'll prebuild the four long commons and attach the 6' ceiling joist and make it into a "truss" just like the truss company would. In fact, I'll probably use their jacks as the template...
All these little "tricks" add up and before you know it...a 300 hour house is down to 200....but most of the time efficencies come with repetition. A partial time framer will never keep up with a full timer...just like I could never keep up with a full time trimmer..they'd easily beat my times by half..and deliver twice as much quality.
blueWarning! Be cautious when taking any framing advice from me. Although I have a lifetime of framing experience, all of it is considered bottom of the barrel by Gabe. I am not to be counted amongst the worst of the worst. If you want real framing information...don't listen to me..just ask Gabe!
oh, ha! sorry tim-->
measure once
scribble several lines
spend some time figuring out wich scribble
cut the wrong line
get mad
I'm that transparent? Dang it!
Tim....hahahahahaha!
I'll try out that beast but you're going to have to come and hold up the front edge of it for me to make a cut. And...I'm going to have to practice working lefthanded...
I'd use a handsaw before I'd use that!
I'd use a speedsquare before I'd run that!
blueWarning! Be cautious when taking any framing advice from me. Although I have a lifetime of framing experience, all of it is considered bottom of the barrel by Gabe. I am not to be counted amongst the worst of the worst. If you want real framing information...don't listen to me..just ask Gabe!