Best circular saw?

[scorrpio]

Call me backwards, but I like my saw heavy. I got an old Rockwell that's built like a tank, and I am yet to see a magnesium saw that I'll like better. The weight of the saw makes for less vibration and smoother cutting. It is loud, too - but I always wear hearing protection. No trouble holding the line even freehanding - and cutting along a clamped guide is dead on.

[gjat]

When it comes to a circular saw, 90% of it is the blade. A dull or dirty blade will cause you to force the saw and make it impossible to cut straight. This is true whether it's a $29 Skil or a $2,999 UberSaw.

I learned to use a circular saw in the 70's from my uncle who was a framer. I still do some cuts 'off the leg'. If I ever cut my leg, I'll blame the blade maker, not the saw. If the bad wouldn't have gunked up, I wouldn't have forced the saw. But seriously, there are guidelines to useing you leg. The wood has to be long to have 3 contact points (leg, hand, something else). You have to have firm footing. Make sure the cut off isn't going to bounce and hit the saw. Don't attempt it with a bad blade, more than a 2x8, or on a cut you can't be off an 1/8". etc. I've done it for years and NEVER experienced a kick-back or scary moment. I've had more scares cutting plywood and using two hands.

[messmaker]

Popular Mechanics did a comparison this month. They said the milwaukee was best with the Ridgid was the best buy. They liked thePC, Dewalt,Makita and Hitachi as well

[Tom Miller]

I recently replaced my old Skil with a Porter Cable 7 1/4" left blade....I'm not sure why, but it tends to drift off the line much less.

Hmmm, that's my main complaint with my old Skil -- tends to drift off the line. I guess I wouldn't expect much better from a stamped base. I should check into "tuning" up the alignment; maybe make a subbase with 1/4" ply if/when I make a zero clearance plate.

Otherwise, I just don't use it enough to justify upgrading. I usually have the lumber yard make the first cut or two on my sheet goods to make transporting easier, anyway.

Regards,
Tom

[Peter59T]

I like my Ridgid

Consumer Reports had a nice review on circular saws in the August 2005 issue. I got the Ridgid R3200 which was one of their two best buys.

[Curly Qsawn]

Right v Left

I learned that the motor is over the good side and the blade is toward the waste side. For 2x stock probably doesn't make much difference whether you are using your right or left hand, but the basics should be the same, the weight of the saw should be over the good side of your cut. If a right hander is using a left blade so he can see the cut line better then the weight of the saw is over the waste side which is bad technique. For panel goods, the only difference would be whether you are pushing the saw into a guide (left blade saw) or pulling it into a guide (right blade) so which ever is more comfortable for the individual (or vice versa if your left handed). At least this is how I see the blade side issue.

Just a bit off topic, but I just got a new Penn State catalog and the picture of the saw guide looks wrong to me. The picture shows the CS on the guide plate, but the blade is next to the guide like it was mounted wrong. Doesn't seem right to me, but maybe it is designed that way.

[Freebird]

Good evening Andrew,
I can't find where I wrote that he was using his leg as a sawhorse. They do that on a regular basis but this was not the case when this happened. It was more of a lean, balance, catch, surprise situation where it all came together on his leg. FACT, it would not have happened with their regular right-hand saw because the end result of the mistakes would have been different jst as in the past. But no one was silly enough to blame the saw. The worker knew he had stacked his situation against himself but it had worked fine for years when using the type saw he was accustomed to. Would he ever do it again if he had continued using the left-hand saw? Probably not, but who can say for certain. We've all made mistakes and learned from them. He determined that what had changed was the saw and for no worthwile reason should he make adjustment to the saw. He simply went back to what had worked in the past. A good decision I think. The whole crew (no lefties) figured if their foreman could make this mistake then they might also, out of habit, and so they all wisely opted to go back to "normal" .
As for OSHA and big government, we can hardily agree here. However, I never said anyone endorsed OSHA. I meant that they endorsed the "principal" of the this law. Just because I agree with the principal of something doesn't mean I think it should become a law. Sorry if I implied otherwise.
I've been "woodworking" since I was in diapers. Yep, I have a picture of me "with drill in hand" standing inside the frame of a custom stereo cabinet my dad was building (maybe I'll post it sometime). This was took in the mid-fifties, so that gives you an idea of my age today. My dad, as well as one of his brothers (healthy 70's and 80's) and their sons all work with wood, even today. One cousin is chief designer for the tour buses that the many celebrities tour in (much interior is built of wood). We love sharing each other's projects and always learn from each other, especially when it comes to mistakes.
I hoped someone might benefit from my post and at least consider something they "may" not have already considered.
Your woody friend,
freebird

[jabe]

I'm right handed so I like to have the blade on the left so I can see where I'm cutting. I have 2 skill worm drive saws model 77 & the lighter mag 77 that I used for framing. Great saws lots of torque but heavy. My favorite is my PC 6" Saw Boss model 345 blade on left, does the job lots of blade selection and it's light only draw back it's loud. Anyway, get what you feel comfortable using, left or right mounted blade. Buy a saw with 15 amps rating for power & torque. Another factor is dust extraction capability. Happy shopping!

[LarryG]

the weight of the saw should be over the good side of your cut.

I'd like to know more about the thinking behind this. Assuming both sides of the sheet are adequately supported, I don't understand what difference it makes ... ???

[Curly Qsawn]

Larry,
The blade orientation doesn't matter for sheet goods that are properly supported. What I tried to convey is that for sheet goods it just is a matter of which direction a person is more comfortable in keeping the base of the saw against a fence - assuming one would use a guide for sheet goods. For a free hand cut along a line then no difference at all. If your cutting the end off 2x stock it makes a difference.

[germdoc]

I'm gonna put in my usual .02 for the Porter-Cable. It's light, powerful and sturdy. The deal-maker for me was dust collection. Hook it to your shop-vac via 2 1/2" hose and you'll find that you produce hardly any dust. This is important to me, as I do most of my cutting of sheet goods, etc., indoors.

IMO this CS is ideal for woodworking and cabinetry as opposed to carpentry--in same category as Bosch belt sander--more of a fine instrument than a brute tool, though I'm sure it would be at home at the jobsite as well.

[ewingda]

I just picked up a Skil with the dual lasers - BORG had a sale on them for $59. I needed something for rough framing and to make straight cuts in plywood with a guide. My Ryobi's blade was not parallel to the side of the base...quite a bit off too. So this necessitated a new model.

I got the Skil home and started using it and I can feel the lack of power - the Ryobi had an additional amp (14 I think). But I dont beat on the saw so it is OK. But then I checked the parallelism and it is off on this saw also! ARG!!

Im debating about taking it back and trying to repair my Ryobi. Since it has rivets Ill have to drill it out and replace with a nut/bolt adn washers for shims.

I wonder if it is worth getting the expensive Porter Cable? I dont to alot of work with the circ...just cutting down sheet goods and framing a shed.

[JimD]

I like my Milwaukee but for use in the shop I would also like to have the dust collector capability of the PC (the Milwaukee I have does not have this capability). I just told somebody not to spend more for a name brand on an angle grinder but my opinion is the opposite on circular saws. I think picking one of the better brands that feels good in your hand makes sense with a circular saw. You should get less arbor runout and a blade that is parallel with the edges of the base plus the ability to easily replace wear items like brushes. If you get a good one, it will be the last one you need to buy - and when a good one is only around $100, I think it is false economy to pay $50 for one you have to fight. I tried the cheap a couple cheap ones but the wasted money was the money I spent on them, not the extra it took to get the Milwaukee.

I also think the accident mentioned on this thread had more to do with an experienced worker trying something new without thinking about the adjustment he needed to make than it had to do with which side of the saw the blade was on. If you've done something a lot, you develop habits which are not easily changed. Buying a tool that makes you fight to change those habits for no good reason doesn't make much sense.

Jim

[sacherjj]

Anyone have any experience with the Skil HD5510 5-1/2" Circular Saw? It will still do 2x at 90 degrees, but not at an angle. I think it would be a dream to break up sheet goods. Much lighter that a traditional 7-1/4"