Sidewinder or worm. which to go with?
Looking for a new circular saw. Just blew my old one up. Should i go with sidewinder or worm. And which saw would you recommend in each type. Have been looking at the dewalt, makita, and bosch sidewinders and the dewalt and rigid worms.
Replies
Sidewinder versus worm seems to be a matter of personal preference. I've tried both, and don't see a significant real advantage of one over the other. Seems though, that if you live on or near the left coast, that you'll be ridiculed unless you're worming.
For me, a third lighter, and a third less money, with no difference in functionality, makes the decision easy.
And for what it's worth, I have the Milwaukee, and I love it.
Unless you're the lead dog, the view just never changes.
I used a Skil worm when I framed a decade ago. Didn't really like it.
I own 2 sidewinders: Hitachi's- I love it. Nice and light.
A black and Decker Super Sawcat. Just like a DEWALT DW364K. Use it for finish work. Not light. Both 15 years old. And still work great.
Looking at the Bosch worm because of the top handle.
When I was framing I got careless and the weight of the Skil was too much in one instance and imbedded itself in my leg.
Blood. Exposed muscle. Stiches.
Might be I have a bias.
Buy whatever saw feels best in your hands. They're all pretty darn good these days and all in the same ballpark, cost-wise. You'll get more opinions than you can count asking that question here and most are nothing more than that... opinions.
My personal recomendation is the Bosch wormdrive for it's features, balance, and durability. If I were to choose a sidewinder, I'd pick a Milwaukee Tilt-Loc. But those are what work well for me.
my old porter-cable is the best sidewinder i've ever used, and i've used every one. feels like an extension of my mind at this point. i don't know about the new ones, i never thought changing blades once a month warranted a keyless blade change. i should have bought a couple old ones and saved them.
if you're used to a worm, get a blade left sidewinder. worms are just too heavy for cutting in awkward positions safely, imo.
I second that about PC. I have a 23 year old 8 1/4", all other saws feel like toys compared to that. I did recently get the new PC Mag saw, pretty nice too. I came across a hardware store in Brooklyn several years back that had a few (brand new in the box) of the 8 1/4" when they were under the Rockwell brand name.
I've got a Skil worm that I use for framing and love everything about it except the weight--though one good thing about the weight is when you're doing fast cuts, the weight seems to help keep it on track. I'm probably just dreaming, but it does seem to work.
For the sidewinder, I'd second that on the Milwaukee. One of the carpenters I worked with had one and I had a hard time not putting it in my van.
For cabinet and finish work, I use a Festool. It's just really damn good, but too expensive and unusable for framing.
Tim
I've heard that some people say the worms are more powerful; but I've never met a hunk of wood that couldn't be beat with a sidewinder and a sharp blade. to me the worms are too bulky.
Do you know what the black diamonds are on a tape measure?
Yes?
get a sidewinder
No?
Get a wormburner until you get smarter!
Mr. T. MOTOL
"I think natural selection must have greatly rewarded the ability to reassure oneself in a crisis with complete bull$hit."
I'm Swiss!
It depends what you use it for. I'm remodeling, and have one of each. Sometimes it's easier to have the blade on the left, sometimes on the right, so I need both. For instance, cutting thru subfloor close to a wall, plunge in and cut from the middle to the left corner with the worm, then again from the middle to the right corner with the sidewinder. (Finish both ends with the recip.)
The worm I have is a Skil 77, a lot heavier and more powerful than the very old Craftsman sidewinder.
I've used the Skil to freehand rip full depth in a hardwood log -- creating a kerf that I finished up with a 12" blade in a Sawzall. It has more than enough power for anything anybody could ever want to do with it.
The sidewinder weighs a lot less, and so is the choice for a lot of difficult to reach places. It has enough oompf for two by Doug fir, and only rarely do I need more than that. It's not great, but it just won't die and let me try something new and better. ;-)
-- J.S.
You deserve a prize for the easiest question ever posed on this site.
Answers simple.....If you`re a DIYer, get the sidewinder. If you`re a Pro, wormdrive, of course.
I`m partial to the Skil Mag.....but the Bosch is nice as well.
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
"You deserve a prize for the easiest question ever posed on this site.Answers simple.....If you`re a DIYer, get the sidewinder. If you`re a Pro, wormdrive, of course."Are you serious?Joe Carola
HELLLLLLLL-YEAAHHHHH!!!!!!!!!
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
WOW!!!I thought you were smarter than that. I love it when you worm guys give ridiculous answers like that. It just to show that you don't know what your talking about.Joe Carola
Whassamatta?
Tew heavey faw yaw wittew wists to handew?
MARY!
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
"Whassamatta?Tew heavey faw yaw wittew wists to handew?MARY!"Yes. That's the reason. Maybe when I become a PRO some day I be big and strong like you......CLOWN!Joe Carola
Edited 10/13/2005 11:31 pm ET by Framer
When I stop laughing so hard I'll just say, "you took the words right out of my mouth".
I have the DW wormer for ripping mucho ply when I was framing this dump among other framing jobs but for the most part I love my new Bosch. The one w/ the rafter hook and lighted detachable cord. I forget the model.
I'm bettin' some of these guys use 28 oz framing hammers to do trim work...I bet you anything and I'm not kidding. I had a framer working for me not long ago that I HAD to fire. HE thought everything was framing. Couldn't gear himself to get in the right mode for the jobs at hand.
Actually I was thinking about you Joe when I answered a post in a thread here about framers and installing doors. I spoke about that guy that worked for me and said I knew too many framers that couldnt get in the right gear other than mainly the bosses. Am I right?
By the way, that guy that work"ED" for me I caught more than once using a framing hammer to do trim... @# $ %^@ grrrrrrrr.
Be the right tool for the right job
andyThe secret of Zen in two words is, "Not always so"!
When we meet, we say, Namaste'..it means..
I honor the place in you where the entire universe resides,
I honor the place in you of love, of light, of truth, of peace.
I honor the place within you where if you are in that place in you
and I am in that place in me, there is only one of us.
Andy,I don't get this crap about these two saws when these guys say that only pro's use wormdrive. Write then and there that's wrong even though it's their opinion but still.These guys know that there are pro's here at breaktime and we do use sidewinders. So their baisicly calling us DIYer's. They make me laugh with this MACHO TUFF GUY SH!T.This Pro vs DIYer Sh1t has to stop. But i wont....."Actually I was thinking about you Joe when I answered a post in a thread here about framers and installing doors. I spoke about that guy that worked for me and said I knew too many framers that couldn't get in the right gear other than mainly the bosses. Am I right?"Your absolutely right about that. I saw a framer one time hang a side door and just slam his nailgun with 10 penny nails and start shooting away threw the brickmold. That guy wouldn't even go near an interior door.I've trimmed a lot of houses before and I love to do it and I have the patience to do it.Be a Sidewinder......Joe Carola
Joe
That's the other thing i hate about "some" framers. The nail gun. Hmmmm, does a real carp use a nail gun or the original hammer and muscle and feel?
The nail gun thing: I almost hate looking at what some of these framers do w/ a nail gun. Turns them into cowboys, not carpenters. Must be a left coast thing...LOL. Some jobs I've been on I see dozens upon dozens of nails where there should be maybe 6-8. Nails protruding half inch or better on the head side and no one knocks them home with their "hammer".
Sometimes I honestly think nail guns are the demise of a "real" carpenter.
Don't get me wrong if they're used right its a godsend but.......well, you know,I actually wrote an editorial for FHB (they paid me for)that addresses the love and respect(The Zen) of a carpenter. Wonder if they'll ever publish it.
I think we're all doomed. Too many carps don't care anymore. Its all about their ego and manlyhood, not their craft.And we have newbie carps comin here into BT and they look for advice starting out and all they get is some macho dribble. Too bad ain't it?I studied, "Aikido" for yearsssssss. Oddly enough,at my dojo the best at it were "woman". A man invented it and woman seemed one of the best at it. Why? Because they were less agressive and more into the flow than the macho aggressive man.
Be well bro
andyThe secret of Zen in two words is, "Not always so"!
When we meet, we say, Namaste'..it means..
I honor the place in you where the entire universe resides,
I honor the place in you of love, of light, of truth, of peace.
I honor the place within you where if you are in that place in you
and I am in that place in me, there is only one of us.
"And we have newbie carps comin here into BT and they look for advice starting out and all they get is some macho dribble. Too bad ain't it?"Yes. It is to bad."The nail gun thing: I almost hate looking at what some of these framers do w/ a nail gun. Turns them into cowboys, not carpenters. Must be a left coast thing...LOL. Some jobs I've been on I see dozens upon dozens of nails where there should be maybe 6-8. Nails protruding half inch or better on the head side and no one knocks them home with their "hammer".
Sometimes I honestly think nail guns are the demise of a "real" carpenter.
Don't get me wrong if they're used right its a godsend but.......well, you know,"I've seen that plenty of times and it makes no sense becasue that doesn't make the wood stronger if that's what they think it's doing. I had a guy put about 26 nails in each 3'header one time and I told him to rip them apart because if I ever seen him do that again he would be gone and I'm taking the cost of a box of nails and the cost of the lumber for the two headers out of his pay.Be nailed..................Joe Carola
I think we're hijacking this thread,,,sorry. But one more question for ya Joe.
Do you think a nail gun does as good a job as a real 10d commmon and a hammer?
I mean nail gun nails seem to be half the thickness and theres no way the gun draws the wood together like a hammer does. Does it?
I mean I know the house isn't gonna fall apart but do you think its as good a job?
I know a guy that runs a "hugeeee" crew out in the HAmptons and he allows no framing nail guns. People are hiring him like you wouldn't believe.
Theres a thought for you...nice little niche' he thought up. Thing is, the people in the Hamptons have the money to be picky with.
Be well bro
andyThe secret of Zen in two words is, "Not always so"!
When we meet, we say, Namaste'..it means..
I honor the place in you where the entire universe resides,
I honor the place in you of love, of light, of truth, of peace.
I honor the place within you where if you are in that place in you
and I am in that place in me, there is only one of us.
Great now there's going to be a high end niche for non powered framing.
If you are going to get rid of nailguns you might as well eliminate circular saws too and then we will really have a grasp of carpentry when we have to hand saw, and just think you'll bring back the art of hand sharpening too.
ANDYSZ2I MAY DISAGREE WITH WHAT YOUR SAYING BUT I WILL DEFEND TO THE DEATH YOUR RIGHT TO SAY IT.
Remodeler/Punchout
> ... and theres no way the gun draws the wood together like a hammer does. Does it?
Indeed it doesn't. Palm nailers are even worse for sucking up the gaps. With a hammer, you always have the option of hitting the wood alongside the nail, which does more to tighten things up than can be done with either machine. Often I go back over gun nails, hitting the wood once on each side, and then hit the nail head. Sometimes that's to close up the gap, but usually it's just lack of skill. ;-)
-- J.S.
If you really want to get technical....pound 2 nails in together and smash the hell out of them they will draw like a vise..
Oh my 2 cents about pneumatic nailers...they work great for what they were intended for...production nailing ...ie sheathing,plates,headers...one must first know the proper nailing schedule.... I read it years ago in some old publication and then was corrected by a building inspector who showed me the correct schedule in the code book...but then again ,some are born with common sense and others not.
.....you are judged by what you do more than what you say.....
a nail gun severs the fibres in the timber, whereas hammering prizes the fibres apart, definately creating a stronger connection
I rest my case. Thank you.
Be well adhered
andyThe secret of Zen in two words is, "Not always so"!
When we meet, we say, Namaste'..it means..
I honor the place in you where the entire universe resides,
I honor the place in you of love, of light, of truth, of peace.
I honor the place within you where if you are in that place in you
and I am in that place in me, there is only one of us.
I think learning to nail properly (or not) goes right along with schools allowing calculators in grade school.
I know its a bit of a jump, but it seems that everyone's so interested in doing things faster, that we've forgotten how to do things well, or even why we do things in a particular way.
If a guy starts out with a nail gun, he's never going to learn how to properly drive a nail, how many are really needed to hold something together, or just the simple pleasure of taking your frustrations out on a nail <G>
PC Sidewinder. I just hate my Skill 77 worm drive. Too heavy, to hard to get back on track, once it gets off.Regards, Scooter"I may be drunk, but you're crazy, and I'll be sober tomorrow." WC Fields, "Its a Gift" 1934
Maybe, if you`d take off your own "Mr. Macho" T-shirt for a second or two, you`d recognize a joke when you see one.
I prefer the wormdrive saws....you, the sidewinders. OK great. I think the original poster got his answer. My post merely injected a little jocularity into what would otherwise be, yet another lame azz thread on personal preferences.
Anyone who took what I said as anything other than a joke is either insecure in his own manhood, or in his pro/DIYer status.
Lighten up big guy.....its just a circular saw.
P.S. Don`t forget Andys reach around. : )
Edited to add the smiley for the benefit of those humor impaired.
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
Edited 10/14/2005 8:55 am ET by JDRHI
"Maybe, if you`d take off your own "Mr. Macho" T-shirt for a second or two, you`d recognize a joke when you see one.Anyone who took what I said as anything other than a joke is either insecure in his own manhood, or in his pro/DIYer status."There's millions of things said here that can be a joke or serious. Sometimes it's hard to tell. I asked you if you were serious and you said, yes. So I took it as being serious. I'm not a mind reader. So because I couldn't tell you were joking I'm insecure in my own manhood, or in my pro/DIYer status. So are you joking there also or are you just being a dick.....or can we get on like the two big Macho Guys that we are????Joe Carola
Joe.....I`m not surprised WestCoast didn`t get the humor in my initial response.
You, on the other hand have been here long enough to know I`m a goof off.
Take a breather.....come on down to the Tavern and I`ll buy you a cold one.
If ya still wanna drop the gloves after that, I`ll meet ya round back.
(And you can bring yer sidewinder with ya to make it a fair fight)
; )
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
Is this a Hallmark moment?.........;-)Maybe you can help me tarp my roof right now because the waters coming through my ceiling and you can rip some small strips of plywood with my sidewinder...............;-)Joe Carola
"Answers simple.....If you`re a DIYer, get the sidewinder. If you`re a Pro, wormdrive, of course."
If you are a Pro, you would never give an answer like that. Sidewinders and worms both have their place in building. One day when you hit the real world you will discover that.
And if you, Joe, or Andy had any sense of humor at all, you`d realize I was havin` some fun at the expense of those who use sidewinders.
Do I really need to put a "smiley" after each and every joke?
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
Far too many here ARE NOT kidding and you know that.The secret of Zen in two words is, "Not always so"!
When we meet, we say, Namaste'..it means..
I honor the place in you where the entire universe resides,
I honor the place in you of love, of light, of truth, of peace.
I honor the place within you where if you are in that place in you
and I am in that place in me, there is only one of us.
In the Tavern....yeah....but in a thread on circular saws?
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
Actually i enjoy lots of humour but i failed to see it here.
The original poster had a saw burn out and apparantly wanted opinions on sidewinder and worm drive saws and what people's favorite brand was. You could have given your opinion and then used some humour at the end.
"My post merely injected a little jocularity into what would otherwise be, yet another lame azz thread on personal preferences."
Then you replied with this garbage! Lame azz thread? Do you think the original poster found humour with that?
You could have given your opinion and then used some humour at the end.
Oh.....sorry....didn`t realize the humor police from JLC had invaded.
Do you manage many comedians?
Then you replied with this garbage! Lame azz thread? Do you think the original poster found humour with that?
Look WC....as a relative newbie, I realize you`ve not experienced the endless, repetative threads on which this or which that to buy. If you stick aound long enough....you`ll come to recognize there are quite a few. I said the thread would most likely be lame....the posters inquiry was quite legit. All I did was answer his question in a humorous manner.
Some of you didn`t get the joke. Apparently I need to work on my delivery.
But you do realize we`re talking about circular saws and personal preferences here, right?
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
"Oh.....sorry....didn`t realize the humor police from JLC had invaded.
Do you manage many comedians?"
Now i can see the humor finally! That delivery was much better. Now let me get back to dusting off my wormer to see if i still hate it!
Now let me get back to dusting off my wormer to see if i still hate it!
Which brings up another point in favor of the worm. Things are so powerful, just pull the trigger and they dust themselves off!
Careful though....if its too clean, you`ll give the appearance of a DIYer trying to look like pro.
; )
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
I've been in the trades for 33 years, and this is indeed a West Coast vs. East Coast thing. You'll see very few worm-drives used in the east, very few sidewinders used in the west. I have an old Skil 77 I use for demo work. I have a newer Mag 77. I have a little Skil 6 inch sidewinder with the blade on the left. And I recently bought a Ridgid Sidewinder, with the blade on the right. I use them all, but the Ridgid gets the most use. On the nail gun question, I agree with you guys who don't use them so much. I use them for nailing off sheathing, and for hard to get to places, or if it makes things easier for me, working alone. I much prefer hand nailing, and do it whenever I can. I like the way my hammer slams everything together. But I use a gun when I don't want things getting slammed. I use my guns on all trim, too. And I have a little 1/4 crown stapler that I'm using more and more for different things.
Allen in Santa Cruz
They're both good saws. It's really up to you and what you feel comfortable with. you didn't say which type of saw you had.
You'll get the Tuff Guy answers like JD gave which make no sense at all about wormdrive's for pro's and sidewinders for diy'ers. That's all nonsense. I've been framing for over 20 years using a sidewinder most of the time and I do have two wormdrives and they work great for what I use them for.
If you had a sidewinder and if you know somebody with a wormdrive, maybe you can give it a try and see if you like it first or vice versa.
Some guys like the wormdrive if they're right handed because they can see the blade better because it's on the left side of the saw. If your left handed the saw is no good for that reason. Sidewinders come with the blade on the left and the blade on the right. Wormdrives don't.
You'll also here that the saws cut straighter which im my eyes is not true. Any good carpenter should be able to cut a straight line no matter what saw thery're using
Joe Carola
Edited 10/14/2005 7:16 am ET by Framer
If you read most of these the sidewinder vs worm supreme court decision is still undecided and the left coat/ right coast special interest groups are spewing their views !!
Ha, Ha!
some guy said it in an earlier post about feel, most saws have enough power for general use as a HO or DIY'er so what feels comfortable and levers etc. are intuitive to you, then get it. I personally have about 12 saws, three mag 77's and the rest are varied between DW bosch, PC, Makita, Milwauke and Ridgid and they all have their quirks. If you took all the good features I like from all of them and built a "super saw", then some other guy would hate it and call it the biggest POS.
BTW, i'm a southpaw so what works for me might not for you.
Blade choice makes a difference too.
I cut the board twice and its still too short ! ! !
Edited 10/14/2005 9:29 am by LEMONJELLO
Buy your last saw first...get a 6 1/2 worm drive..it will cut all 2x lumber and if you let the saw do the work you will find it cuts easier ,straighter and you can see the blade and the line.. and it will outlast you if you do regular maintenence Oh... I do have a Porter Cable "Saw Boss" its a great little saw for cutting plywood ,doors.decking... So the answer is ..Both !!! no one tool is the magic bullet......and invest in the best blades,don't buy junk...and buy blades that are job specific,in other words dont rip a wet piece of Doug Fir with your 40 tooth ATB blade invert in a 16 tooth rip blade...it will do an outstanding job for a long long time...
...."Perfect is good enough.."
I would think the minimum acceptable compliment of saws would be a worm drive and two sidewinders, one blade left, one blade right. I like the P-C saws for sidewinders.
Add a couple of cordless saws, (small and large), and you're in pretty good shape.
Don't even get me going on handsaws. <G>
try some of each use what feels right
tyke
Just another day in paradise
I won't debate the points between a circ saw and an inline. My preference is an inline saw.
My crew reviewed the popular inline saws a couple years back and then the new Ridgid. We've been using the Ridgid saw since last December (same saw we reviewed) and honestly after almost a year it is blown away the other saws.
Our previous favorites were the DeWalt and the Bosch. Both have their pros, but neither has held up to the rigors of full time framing. I'm very disappointed in both saws. The Ridgid has just been a solid solid saw for almost a year.
It is my opinion as a full time framer that the weight of this saw is a plus, not a minus. It will not make your arm fall off. I really have no idea why people think they are so heavy. I started framing after school when I was 15 and I learned to use a saw on the old heavy Skils. Its not a big deal.
But, the durability of a wormdrive saw and the shear muscle is needed on a framing site, especially if you are using engineered wood and cutting a lot of miters and bevels. We cut almost every roof of the houses we frame, so the muscle a wormdrive has comes in very handy.
I hope that didn't come off as a diatribe on circ/worm. I think I saw the Ridgid at Home Depot for $139 or something. That is a great price.
Wow, you sure know how to open up a bag of "worms" yuk.
Grew up with a Skill 77 in Cali and didn't even know there was any other kind of saw around. I think we even used them for trim work.
Then, as a carpenter at Mare Island Shipyard (great Job BTW) I was introduced to sidewinders by an old german carpenter that I greatly respected. It was a PC 315 I think, and he explained to me that the difference is a matter of building styles. Traditionally, houses were balloon framed with dryer lumber and usually cut on horses so the right blade position was favored for the off-cut. Carpenters usually did it all from foundation to trim.
After the war when production style platform framing was introduced, the wormdrive saws came into their own. Especially with professional "framers" that built by platform method and did most of their sawing off the knee in a more vertical direction. Here the weight and torque were an asset to the cut.
Anyway, he sold me on sidewinders. I found an old, but brand new in the box, Super Sawcat (made in Italy no less) and I will track-down and hurt the man that tries to steal it from me. Since they haven't been made since BD went to their DeWalt brand, I have hoarded all the replacement parts I could find for the day it needs service. I also have a Porter Cable Sawboss 6" that I love. Yes, I have been snickered at on many a jobsite when I bring out the "baby saw" but I always notice that after a few days I am getting the "Umm, could I borrow that saw of yours a minute?"
The trusty 77 still gets its chops in and there are some cuts where it just cant be beat like when you have to cut down a line of wet rafters. I suppose if I was in the market today I would go for a Mag 77 or the new Bosch (escentially the same saw) For a sidewinder I would take a serious look at the Milwaukee or the new PCs as they are powerful and light and can be had either left or right. I think the Makita can be ordered that way also. The adjustable handle on the Milwaukee sure looks like it would come in handy. My Super Sawcat adjusts its pivot from the rear so as the cut gets shallower, the handle goes to the rear of the saw. This works great on roofs and the Milwaukee looks similar. But in the end its really the saw that feels best to you. It is going to spend a lot of time in your hands so get one that feels like it belongs there.
Good Luck.
Terence
Terence
Just wanted to welcome you to BT and say, that was the very best answer to a long spent subject I ever heard here!
Thanks and
Be well
andyThe secret of Zen in two words is, "Not always so"!
When we meet, we say, Namaste'..it means..
I honor the place in you where the entire universe resides,
I honor the place in you of love, of light, of truth, of peace.
I honor the place within you where if you are in that place in you
and I am in that place in me, there is only one of us.
Hey grasshopper.
How cool is that to see a 120 pound woman drop a 300 pound guy!
Back in the day I too watched a woman take down a guy that was easily 280 pounds. He was such a great opponent because just his normal look was like he was going to tear your arms off. He was built like a tree harvester.
I do have to say though that I have seen many men who can lay down some serious damage because they understand the idea of sensitivity. Its also amusing to see the reactions of big guys that are clueless as to why a 150 pound guy would square off with them in a confrontation.
I think the best example of a hand nailer is Larry Haun. This maybe 60 something year old guy drops real 16s with one swing, everytime!... he kills me.
I think the bene of the nailer - finish and brad is the air itself. Im facing finish trimming a cherry island, and I know that if I attack that with pounded finish nails Im going to have some splitting, or Ill have to pilot each hole. The gun is such a swift even pressure that it has an advantage. Maybe it measures up like a fire or earth attack rather than a water or air. Also, if sanded first, the fill holes shouldnt be to obvious since they arent perfectly round and are grain shot.
-zen
I think the best example of a hand nailer is Larry Haun. This maybe 60 something year old guy drops real 16s with one swing, everytime!... he kills me.>>>>You're so right. I bought his framing video just so I could see him in action. That wirey old man is totally the zen of the hammer..or nail?? Both!He cracks me up as well...he should make videos like that dude who's name I forget that makes those ski movies.
"Extreme Framing"
Every 16b nail with one shot. He sees the wood as butter. and we're taking hanging over a 2x wall 30 feet up. Walking the walls like a tightrope.
Its all in your concentration...like this OLD Aikido teacher I studied with for one day. He was Urihi Yoshiba's (sp?) student back in the day. The guy that invented Aikido. He sat in a bridge chair during a demonstrtaion. Folded his legs in the lotus position and asked for two volunteers. One was a huge guy that was in my daily class and one from a dojo in Manhatten. This Sensei was about five and a half feet tall and light as a feather.
He asked the two guys to lift the chair with him in it after he centers himself. They couldn't do it. I don't know what the trick was cause to this day I don't belive it. Although he did a demo I was part of called The Unbendable arm. Asked me to use all my stength and bend his left arm at his elbow. I couldnt budge it and neither could anyone else that tried to help me...alongside me.
Be in a meditative state
andy Haun Yoshiba wannabeThe secret of Zen in two words is, "Not always so"!
When we meet, we say, Namaste'..it means..
I honor the place in you where the entire universe resides,
I honor the place in you of love, of light, of truth, of peace.
I honor the place within you where if you are in that place in you
and I am in that place in me, there is only one of us.
See that Andy,
Haun is so fast you didnt even see him nail the Aikido teachers chair to the floor when the teacher was asking for volunteers.
I want to see Haun attack a landscaping spike. I bet he drops it at least halfway.
lmao
I wanted to go right up to Larry and just say YEAH!!!! when I saw him at the Builders Trade Show.
-zen
Td,
Greetings from the far Northeast, and the quality department.
I envy your baby saw. If I saw a carp with one I think I would sit around and watch. I would automatically look up at them as specialized and understanding the importance of each job at hand.
Because of the breadth of work that I do, the tool list goes on and on. I have looked at those for years... maybe someday.
As for the circs, I run a Rockwell 315 circ for the tough stuff, and a cordless Ridgid trimmy. Im going to pick up a Ridgid worm to score concrete, and if it doesnt get to beaten, it will occasionally take a finish blade for left tilt stair miters with a jig.
Be every tool you can afford. -this line is Andy's turf.
-zen
Thanks back at you guys. On my very first job there was this older carp that was trying to teach me to layout and when I saw him frame I was in awe. tap.. WHAM. tap..Wham. He had like a 36oz framer and we called him one-shot. he was that good. I've never attained that level and with guns probably never will. I don't even know where you would get a hammer that heavy any more.
BTW, any truth to the rumor that unions restrict the weight of framing hammers so you can't sink a 16d with one blow. Just curious.
Terence
ps wasnt this a saw thread at one time?
Td,
No Unions up on my turf, in most industries up here they get laughed or thrown out of the place.
Ive never heard of that restriction, but I dont think Larry's hammer is that big, Andy will have to scan the video... Id figure its maybe a 24 or 28oz. If you havent seen it, you should check it out. Its a Taunton Framing video, your local library or one near you might have the series.
-zen
Edit: if you click on your own name in the posts it will open your profile... if you at least put the area you live in, sometimes it helps with geographic specific questions. You can see anyone elses profile by clicking on their name.
Edited 10/17/2005 4:23 pm ET by zendo
Edited 10/17/2005 4:26 pm ET by zendo
> After the war when production style platform framing was introduced, the wormdrive saws came into their own.
The first saws were worm drive, Skil in 1924. They were adapted from - of all things - a machine designed for cutting sugar cane. In those days, they cost the equivalent of $10,000 in today's money, plus temporary power on the job site was very rare. So, they didn't sell many.
During WWII, the government bought a bunch of them to speed up the construction of temporary buildings, barracks and such. They proved their worth, the price came down, and they came into widespread use in the post war building boom.
You can get more horsepower per pound from a motor by designing it for higher RPM's. Then you have to gear it down to get enough torque and a reasonable RPM for the saw blade. That's why the early saws were worm drive.
In the 1950's, motor technology improved to where they could get enough torque at lower RPM's -- and with a small enough motor diameter -- to drive the blade directly. That eliminated the weight of the gear assembly, and made the sidewinder possible.
-- J.S.