I buy only Milwaukee. why??? if you need any repairs of any kind, 5 yrs down the road, youll know why...................................
Circular saw recommendations? (I know it's a bit off-topic)
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Sawyer Rob
Addicted to ArboristSite
HartRabbino
ArboristSite Lurker
Ive been in construction for 10 years, father 30 and all we buy are makita. The magnesium base is strong and lightweight. Their cordless tools are also hands down the best.
I finally bit the bullet and bought the Ridgid worm drive from Home Depot. I read tons of reviews and it got high marks for build quality and warranty. I'd been wanting one for years, and when I went into HD the other day it was on sale for $119 (normally $169). I've been using it for a few weeks to frame in my back porch and I really like it. It has tons of guts and since the blade sits on the left side of the saw I can see my cut line without having to hang over the top of the saw. Once you get used to a worm drive it's hard to go back to having the blade and cut line where you can't see either.
naturelover
Tree Freak
+1 on the 20v dewalt cordless. Bought it with the drill and impact driver on Prime day, and got a great deal on the set.
Works well, and has surprisingly good power. Thought it would end up more of a toy like thing, but easily cuts a 2x4 no problem.
Been thinking of adding the recip. saw and jig saw to the set.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Works well, and has surprisingly good power. Thought it would end up more of a toy like thing, but easily cuts a 2x4 no problem.
Been thinking of adding the recip. saw and jig saw to the set.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
having had NO experience with bosch,,no comment...
dwasifar
ArboristSite Operative
Shopping report:
The Kobalt was immediately dismissed as soon as I handled it; it just doesn't feel like a pro tool. The trigger doesn't feel as smooth and certain as the better tools, the shoe is roughly finished; it just seemed, I don't know, kind of unpolished.
I gave serious thought to the Bosch CS10. If the CS20 were still available I'd have probably bought one, but I'm just seeing too many internet reviewers complain about the CS10's cut angle not staying square, and the adjustment levers breaking. The one I looked at in Lowe's had a broken depth adjustment lever just from being handled by customers in the store. The cut angle problem is widely blamed on pressure flexing where the casing meets the plate, which might be less of an issue if the saw had a Mg casing. I wish it were otherwise, because the detents in the adjustments seemed like a really nice feature, and it felt good to handle.
Another possible contender was the Hitachi C7MBR. Good price for a Mg saw with brake, $99 at Lowe's, but most reviews said it was underpowered. They didn't have one out of the box for me to look at, and I didn't ask them to unbox one.
The Makita seemed like it was the only saw free of these worries. The only obvious flaw was the measurement gauge on the front of the shoe; it's inexplicably a sticker rather than cast-in. Otherwise it feels like quality.
But now a late contender has entered the competition: Milwaukee 6390. Unfortunately there is nowhere near here I can go to look at one in person. The Makita has the Mg housing and the worklight, but the Milwaukee has the tilt-lock body and a great reputation. I have a Milwaukee saber saw and it's great; I just didn't think I'd find a Milwaukee circ saw in my price range. But the 6390 is $142 with Prime and no tax.
Now I'm trying to decide whether to click Buy it Now on the Makita, or take a chance on the Milwaukee sight unseen. Decisions, decisions.
The Kobalt was immediately dismissed as soon as I handled it; it just doesn't feel like a pro tool. The trigger doesn't feel as smooth and certain as the better tools, the shoe is roughly finished; it just seemed, I don't know, kind of unpolished.
I gave serious thought to the Bosch CS10. If the CS20 were still available I'd have probably bought one, but I'm just seeing too many internet reviewers complain about the CS10's cut angle not staying square, and the adjustment levers breaking. The one I looked at in Lowe's had a broken depth adjustment lever just from being handled by customers in the store. The cut angle problem is widely blamed on pressure flexing where the casing meets the plate, which might be less of an issue if the saw had a Mg casing. I wish it were otherwise, because the detents in the adjustments seemed like a really nice feature, and it felt good to handle.
Another possible contender was the Hitachi C7MBR. Good price for a Mg saw with brake, $99 at Lowe's, but most reviews said it was underpowered. They didn't have one out of the box for me to look at, and I didn't ask them to unbox one.
The Makita seemed like it was the only saw free of these worries. The only obvious flaw was the measurement gauge on the front of the shoe; it's inexplicably a sticker rather than cast-in. Otherwise it feels like quality.
But now a late contender has entered the competition: Milwaukee 6390. Unfortunately there is nowhere near here I can go to look at one in person. The Makita has the Mg housing and the worklight, but the Milwaukee has the tilt-lock body and a great reputation. I have a Milwaukee saber saw and it's great; I just didn't think I'd find a Milwaukee circ saw in my price range. But the 6390 is $142 with Prime and no tax.
Now I'm trying to decide whether to click Buy it Now on the Makita, or take a chance on the Milwaukee sight unseen. Decisions, decisions.
Sawyer Rob
Addicted to ArboristSite
Biggest thing I don't like about Milwaukee is, much of their tool line is made in china now...
I have lot's of Mil tools, but I bought them when they were built here...
What about Porter Cable? I have some of their tools and they have held up pretty good for me.
SR
I have lot's of Mil tools, but I bought them when they were built here...
What about Porter Cable? I have some of their tools and they have held up pretty good for me.
SR
dwasifar
ArboristSite Operative
Unfortunately every brand we're discussing is made in China now.
I saw some Porter Cable saws while I was at Lowe's, and they were nice, but I like the Makita better.
dwasifar
ArboristSite Operative
I discovered that some HD stores actually do carry the Milwaukee 6390, and for less than Amazon. So I ordered one from them, for pickup at a store just across the state line where the sales tax is lower (only about 15 miles, and I'm going that way this weekend anyway). $136 with tax. This way I can see if I like it, and if I don't, I can return it to my local HD without paying shipping and get the Makita instead.
I expect it will be fine. Just about every internet review says it's great.
At this point I think it is safe to say I have overthought this purchase. But it's probably the last circ saw I'll ever have to buy. I got 24 years out of the Craftsman. Assuming the Milwaukee is good for 30, I'll be too old to use it by then.
I expect it will be fine. Just about every internet review says it's great.
At this point I think it is safe to say I have overthought this purchase. But it's probably the last circ saw I'll ever have to buy. I got 24 years out of the Craftsman. Assuming the Milwaukee is good for 30, I'll be too old to use it by then.
I'm a contractor and I have mostly Dewalt tools. I have the 18v and 20v circular saws. Bosch and Milwaukee tools are also excellent. I've never been that impressed with Makita, but I don't have much hands on experience with them.
Really, a circular saw is quite simple, so whatever your price range, you can't go wrong. The more expensive tools have the fine details that contractors like (or the cheap gizmos that the consumer falls for, such as laser guiding).
Worm drives have good power, but I've never seen the need for one.
I prefer cordless tools, but there's nothing wrong with corded - more power. Batteries eventually die and they are always rather expensive.
Really, a circular saw is quite simple, so whatever your price range, you can't go wrong. The more expensive tools have the fine details that contractors like (or the cheap gizmos that the consumer falls for, such as laser guiding).
Worm drives have good power, but I've never seen the need for one.
I prefer cordless tools, but there's nothing wrong with corded - more power. Batteries eventually die and they are always rather expensive.
kingOFgEEEks
Out, standing in my field.
My wife and I agreed on a rule when we first got married: If I need a new tool, that I don't already have one of, the first one is a cheap one. If I use it enough to wear out the cheap tool, or exceed its capabilities, the next one is the best quality we can afford.
For the most part, I have very few cheap tools anymore. However, there are a few. One is my $40 skillsaw, and based on how it just works, even after all the abuse I have thrown at it, I'll probably have it for a lot longer. It's weak, loud, heavy, and not at all refined, but it doesn't skip a beat.
For the most part, I have very few cheap tools anymore. However, there are a few. One is my $40 skillsaw, and based on how it just works, even after all the abuse I have thrown at it, I'll probably have it for a lot longer. It's weak, loud, heavy, and not at all refined, but it doesn't skip a beat.
TimberWolf530
ArboristSite Guru
My next saw will definitley be a worm drive. I like that the blade is on the left side of the saw instead of the right. Being right handed, it just seems that's the side its supposed to be on.
Sawyer Rob
Addicted to ArboristSite
I have a worm drive saw, they are just way too heavy for me to lift for hours on end...so it sits.
You can buy regular circular saws with the blade on either side...
SR
You can buy regular circular saws with the blade on either side...
SR
Buying a saw is like buying a shoot gun or a good pair of boots , find the right fit . Ran a circular saw for 345 months about every day , mostly ran dewalt , ran a few other brands . The new dewalts are nice , they get steep angles will go over 50 an light weight . The extreme use we put them through , the cord is the weak link .I would like bigger numbers to see the degrees a old thing , has a nice notch at 22 an 45 degree . At normal use the cord would last a life time .
dwasifar
ArboristSite Operative
My understanding is that right-bladed saws are for right-handed people and left-bladed saws are for lefties.
I'm primarily right-handed and I've never used a left-bladed saw, but from what I've read, the advantage of a left-bladed sidewinder for a righty is that you can see the cutline without leaning over the saw, but the disadvantage is that you are reaching over the saw to use it, and the sawdust and chips fly at you instead of away from you. (One reviewer referred to this as "filling your boots and toolbelt with sawdust," which is a hilarious picture.) Another objection seems to be that it makes it more likely that the saw will fall with the scrap instead of staying on the workpiece, but I'm not sure I understand how that becomes a problem.
Anyway, I've always been okay with the common right-bladed sidewinder saws, so I didn't go looking for a lefty this time either.
I take the opposite approach. I usually know what I need and how often, so I get top quality most every time. I do have a cheap belt sander (hand held, and table mounted). Wish I would have gotten good quality on both of them, but they both still work fine.
Dewalt has corded saws with the blade on the right, and cordless with the blade on the left. Drives me nuts! I'm a lefty and I want my blade on the right. But I hate to leave the DeWalt brand because all the batteries are interchangeable (so I'd have to change all my other tools or carry multiple chargers and batteries) and the quality is great.
Sawyer Rob
Addicted to ArboristSite
I'm a "lefty" too, but I don't mind what side the blade is on... I'm glad I learned to use "both" hands as well as I can...
I've using my De-Walt cordless saw more and more and liking it just fine, it sure is handy around the mill too,
it cuts just as good as a corded tool...
SR
I've using my De-Walt cordless saw more and more and liking it just fine, it sure is handy around the mill too,
it cuts just as good as a corded tool...
SR
dwasifar
ArboristSite Operative
That's how I've been trying to do everything for a long time, and the result is that I now have a lot of 20+ year old tools that are holding up great. So I'm wondering now why I bought a Craftsman saw 24 years ago. I don't remember buying it, or what my decision process was that long ago. I have a Makita drill that's just as old, so it's not like I didn't know good tools existed. Maybe it was on sale or something.
Still waiting impatiently for the Milwaukee saw to arrive for pickup at HD. I have a project I'm itching to start. I thought they had store stock on it when I placed the order, but apparently not, so it'll be the middle of next week.
kingOFgEEEks
Out, standing in my field.
Everyone's mileage definitely varies. Our compromise was from our newlywed and broke days, and it does stop me from buying a $100+ tool that I will only use once.
I do sometimes wonder when she will say I was the entry level model, and that I'm being replaced with a higher quality version.
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