Cordless circular saw blades

[jziegler]

I bought the Ryobi one+ starter kit this weekend (with the free lithium upgrade kit in bargain alerts) and it's my first cordless saw. In a month or so, I have a project coming up that I'd like to use it to cut down some plywood panels in the HD parking lot to fit them in my car (I don't trust them to get a straight cut without a ton of tearout). So, I'm looking at the included 18 tooth blade and thinking that I will want a better blade for this project. I just started looking, and it seems (not surprisingly) that most of the small blades are framing blades. This saw takes a 5 1/2" blade with a 10mm arbor. So, how would this work (TK004) http://www.freudtools.com/p-57-thin-...-5-38-in.aspx?

Do anyone know of any better plywood blades for a cordless saw? Is the TK004 worth $7 more than the TK003?

Thanks,
Jim

[just started]

Personally I would go for the most teeth I can find, but more importantly I would put a zero clearance base plate on the saw.

[Bigbit]

You don't say how many panels you plan to cut at the HD, but be aware that the One+ circ saw is a pretty aggressive battery eater. If you plan to make more than a few cuts, you should have a spare battery charged and ready to go. My experience is when the battery starts to lose charge, it'll still turn the blade until you put a cutting load on it, and then it will just dead-stop.

I've only used the saw in my shop and yard, so it hasn't been a big deal when it's happened to me.

[atgcpaul]

I don't know how you expect to get a straighter cut out in the parking lot
than what their panel saw can do. Are the dimensions of your panel so
critical that you can't have them cut oversized and then cut them to size
at home?

I don't think I've ever had such a bad cut at the Borg that I would want to
do it myself in the parking lot.

If your cuts are critical, when they put the board on the saw, make sure
your good side is facing away from you. You could also prescore along your
cutline with a utility knife and you could also bring your own blue painter's
tape and tape over the cut.

Paul

[poolhound]

I don't know how you expect to get a straighter cut out in the parking lot
than what their panel saw can do. Are the dimensions of your panel so
critical that you can't have them cut oversized and then cut them to size
at home?

I don't think I've ever had such a bad cut at the Borg that I would want to
do it myself in the parking lot.

If your cuts are critical, when they put the board on the saw, make sure
your good side is facing away from you. You could also prescore along your
cutline with a utility knife and you could also bring your own blue painter's
tape and tape over the cut.

Paul

I must admit I am with Paul on this. I can carry full sheets in my truck but sometimes I get them to cut to rough size to save me the trouble. I will always recut to exact size so their cut is not that important. Also if you are that worried about quality why by BORG ply in the first place as its well below par.

[rberrybabylon]

Plywood blade for Ryobi small circular saw.

My local HD sells a set of two blades for the saw, one of which is a plywood blade. I've used mine a couple of times with good results. I'm at work at the moment so I don't have more info for you. If you would like more info, let me know at rberrybabylon@yahoo.com and I'll get it for you when I get home tonight.

[jziegler]

I don't know how you expect to get a straighter cut out in the parking lot
than what their panel saw can do. Are the dimensions of your panel so
critical that you can't have them cut oversized and then cut them to size
at home?

I don't think I've ever had such a bad cut at the Borg that I would want to
do it myself in the parking lot.

If your cuts are critical, when they put the board on the saw, make sure
your good side is facing away from you. You could also prescore along your
cutline with a utility knife and you could also bring your own blue painter's
tape and tape over the cut.

Paul

I was going to do a sawboard for the saw.

I can probably go a bit oversize, I don't know for sure because I don't have final dimensions.

You guys have never seen the employees at the local stores around here. I don't think that most of them could get anything right. I've never seen/heard so much bad information as at the one closest to where I work. Plus you can never find someone to help when you need it. I've also seen the cuts from lumber yard panel saws, and they usually have huge amounts of chipout.

As to the plywood quality, I took a look recently, and their oak plywood looks pretty good right now. In the past, I have avoided it for the ply at the mom & pop near me (at twice the price), but at the moment, the quality seems pretty similar.

I'd have about three panels to cut, and I have three batteries for the saw (one Lithium, two ni-cad) so running out of power shoudn't be an issue.

Jim

[Gator95]

I've got this one in my Ryobi cordless trimsaw:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00008WQ2U

Really good results so far.

[drumpriest]

I'm with Jim on this one, to some extent. Our local BORG's panel saw is so far out of square that it can miss by an inch or more over the 4'. Not to mention that the guys running it seem to enjoy ramming the saw through as hard as possible to leave the worst quality cut. I usually leave myself 2 inches on either side of their cut for scrap, seems a shame.

As to why buy BORG ply if you want quality, seems a bit snobbery, the BORG oak isn't TOO bad, the really cheap birch is total crap, granted, but some people really don't have a source of better plywood near them. I have to drive quite a way to get plywood that is really better, which I've done for some projects. But I've also used the BORG oak for a couple of very nice project. (or so the members of BT3 said when I posted them)

I tried using a ryobi cordless in the parking lot to cut down a sheet one time. The cuts were far better and more square than the panel saw. The downside was that I went through 3 batteries before I got through the cuts. I'm not sure those little guys are meant for that kind of work. It was frustrating doing the cuts.

[just started]

Take your charger with you and get a small inverter to charge one of the batteries in the vehicle while you use the other to cut.

[jziegler]

Take your charger with you and get a small inverter to charge one of the batteries in the vehicle while you use the other to cut.

Good idea, but even better is that my car has a factory installed inverter. Hopefully the lithium battery will really last longer too.

Jim

[jziegler]

I'm with Jim on this one, to some extent. Our local BORG's panel saw is so far out of square that it can miss by an inch or more over the 4'. Not to mention that the guys running it seem to enjoy ramming the saw through as hard as possible to leave the worst quality cut. I usually leave myself 2 inches on either side of their cut for scrap, seems a shame.

As to why buy BORG ply if you want quality, seems a bit snobbery, the BORG oak isn't TOO bad, the really cheap birch is total crap, granted, but some people really don't have a source of better plywood near them. I have to drive quite a way to get plywood that is really better, which I've done for some projects. But I've also used the BORG oak for a couple of very nice project. (or so the members of BT3 said when I posted them)

I tried using a ryobi cordless in the parking lot to cut down a sheet one time. The cuts were far better and more square than the panel saw. The downside was that I went through 3 batteries before I got through the cuts. I'm not sure those little guys are meant for that kind of work. It was frustrating doing the cuts.

Keith,

I'm glad that I get at least a little support on this. I haven't had these particular stores (3 that I can readily use) cut plywood for me, but I know the general attitude at them, and don't trust the employees.

I have to take a few measurements in the back of my car, but if I go at an angle to the floor, I think I can get up to 4' by 6', so only one cut across each sheet should be needed.

Jim

[jonmulzer]

I tried using a ryobi cordless in the parking lot to cut down a sheet one time. The cuts were far better and more square than the panel saw. The downside was that I went through 3 batteries before I got through the cuts. I'm not sure those little guys are meant for that kind of work. It was frustrating doing the cuts.

Was it binding horribly or are the batteries worn out? I can break down a whole sheet using a sawboard and my cordless on one battery. It is a Craftsman made by Ryobi. I rarely get out my corded circular saw anymore.

[messmaker]

I don't know how you expect to get a straighter cut out in the parking lot
than what their panel saw can do. Are the dimensions of your panel so
critical that you can't have them cut oversized and then cut them to size
at home?

I don't think I've ever had such a bad cut at the Borg that I would want to
do it myself in the parking lot.

If your cuts are critical, when they put the board on the saw, make sure
your good side is facing away from you. You could also prescore along your
cutline with a utility knife and you could also bring your own blue painter's
tape and tape over the cut.

Paul

I also agree. Get it cut oversize and finish when you get home if you must. A cordless saw with a plywood blade(if you can find one) would eat a battery in nothing flat.

[drumpriest]

The batteries were from different kits, and they were not all worn out. Plywood blade though, and it wasn't binding badly. Ni Cad, for sure, older Ryobi saw.

I would give them a shot at breaking it down, but again, I've had to throw away a fair amount of ply from the cross cut splintering that has been horrible.

Usually the panel saw rips are pretty good, it's just the cross cuts that suffer.