Circular saw recommendations? (I know it's a bit off-topic)
- Thread starter dwasifar
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dwasifar
ArboristSite Operative
You bought a new Milwaukee circular saw on Craigslist for $50? New new, as in never used? No offense, but that sounds like it "fell off a truck."
dwasifar
ArboristSite Operative
I bought a Freud blade from Amazon to put on the new saw when it arrives, and this is how it came.
Sawyer Rob
Addicted to ArboristSite
Generally Freud blades are good quality, at least they will take care of you with a replacement...
SR
SR
dwasifar
ArboristSite Operative
Yeah, Amazon already shipped the replacement without waiting for the return. I'll still have the blade before I have the saw.
dwasifar
ArboristSite Operative
Well, here it is:
This is a butt-ugly saw compared to, well, almost anything else. But I didn't buy it as art.
I got tired of waiting for Home Depot to bring it to the store I'd specified for pickup, mainly because they could not get their, um, "stuff" together. Each time I contacted them I would get a different delivery date, sometimes more than one, ranging from Oct 24 to Nov 01. All told I received seven different dates. So I made the considerable drive to a store that stocked it, and cancelled the web order, at which time I got two emails - one confirming the cancellation, and one telling me it was ready to pick up at the first store. The emails were time stamped 17 seconds apart. So it's either the coincidence of a lifetime, or more likely a glitch. Like they hadn't been confusing enough.
But anyway it's here. Gonna build a covered wood rack.
This is a butt-ugly saw compared to, well, almost anything else. But I didn't buy it as art.
I got tired of waiting for Home Depot to bring it to the store I'd specified for pickup, mainly because they could not get their, um, "stuff" together. Each time I contacted them I would get a different delivery date, sometimes more than one, ranging from Oct 24 to Nov 01. All told I received seven different dates. So I made the considerable drive to a store that stocked it, and cancelled the web order, at which time I got two emails - one confirming the cancellation, and one telling me it was ready to pick up at the first store. The emails were time stamped 17 seconds apart. So it's either the coincidence of a lifetime, or more likely a glitch. Like they hadn't been confusing enough.
But anyway it's here. Gonna build a covered wood rack.
dwasifar
ArboristSite Operative
I'm starting to think this is a bad-luck purchase. First the Diablo blade arrives damaged, and then the first time I start the Milwaukee saw, I hear something not right. Come off the trigger and as it spins down I hear the blade ringing. Tingtingtingtingting-ting-ting-ting-ting,ting,ting,ting, ting, ting, ting. Ting. Ting. Ting. Like metal hitting metal. Even my wife said, "That doesn't sound right." So I call Milwaukee customer care at 1-800-SAWDUST and try to describe the sound to the person. She says it sounds like a problem. "Let me connect you to our tech department and they can tell you if it should be doing that." She transfers me, but instead of talking to a tech I land in someone's voicemail. I leave a message.
An hour passes. Two hours. Three hours. No call. By this time it is late afternoon and I am at the end of my patience with this whole process. I repackage the saw and take it back to Home Depot with the intent of exchanging it for a Makita. And of course even that doesn't go smoothly. They have only two shopworn units in stock. I decide not to buy either of them and instead drive to ANOTHER store, and finally come home with this:
This has been way more hassle than necessary. It's a good saw but man, what a headache getting to this point.
An hour passes. Two hours. Three hours. No call. By this time it is late afternoon and I am at the end of my patience with this whole process. I repackage the saw and take it back to Home Depot with the intent of exchanging it for a Makita. And of course even that doesn't go smoothly. They have only two shopworn units in stock. I decide not to buy either of them and instead drive to ANOTHER store, and finally come home with this:
This has been way more hassle than necessary. It's a good saw but man, what a headache getting to this point.
Sawyer Rob
Addicted to ArboristSite
I don't think Milwaukee tools are as good as they use to be, it pains me to have to say that too! Cuz, I LOVE my old Mil tools!
SR
SR
This is getting better and better! Sorry for your troubles, but it makes for a great story!!
dwasifar
ArboristSite Operative
Yeah, at least there's that.
I wrote Home Depot a gripe-o-gram about the whole delivery-date fiasco, and received a boilerplate cut-and-paste all-purpose apology. I sent back a sour thanks-for-nothing reply to that, and got back a more personalized reply that summed up to, "Yeah, our dates are unreliable and our trucks are slow, whaddaya gonna do." Not in those words, of course. I'm so p!ssed at them right now that I'm considering buying another one of these from an Amazon seller and returning this one to HD.
If you're curious how they spun that reply, here it is:
I am sorry you received different answers for your delivery questions for order # Wxxxxxxxxx. The dates listed are estimates only. I know this can be very frustrating when you receive conflicting information on the estimated delivery.
Upon review, the order was shipped from our warehouse and was in transit through our internal distribution system. Unfortunately this sometimes takes longer than a UPS delivery. In looking at the order, I see that it was canceled on 10/25. You should see a credit on your Visa account within 3-5 business days. I am glad you were able to purchase the Saw at the store. We hope to make improvements with our delivery systems. I apologize for the inconvenience this caused you.
Upon review, the order was shipped from our warehouse and was in transit through our internal distribution system. Unfortunately this sometimes takes longer than a UPS delivery. In looking at the order, I see that it was canceled on 10/25. You should see a credit on your Visa account within 3-5 business days. I am glad you were able to purchase the Saw at the store. We hope to make improvements with our delivery systems. I apologize for the inconvenience this caused you.
byron2
ArboristSite Member
That should be a good saw for you ... I built houses for about 30 years started out with a couple craftsman skill saws...I brought my first Makita 71/4 around 1990 still have it today put brushes and greased it a couple times over the years...It still works good just about everything I brought after that was Makita can't go wrong in my book ... I always brought from my building supplier the price was roughly the same as home depot . The big difference is the Makita tool rep stopped by the store monthly checking store stock and I had a easy line on replacement parts, brushes , cords, any part no hassle... Home depot... well you get the picture they by bulk ...good luck with it man
dwasifar
ArboristSite Operative
Yeah, I wanted to buy local, but unfortunately the only other local dealer I can find wants $30 more than HD for the same saw, and they're not all that local; it's almost an hour drive.
After reading a bunch of reviews I picked up the magnesium Makita hypoid this summer open box on amazon for $115. The mag case is is almost the same weight as a sidewinder and it has the torque of the skilsaws. I am quite pleased.
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WoodTick007
Addicted to ArboristSite
How could you stoop soo low in the pond of chainsaws to own a stihl 029/031/039 aka the 14lb plastic toaster/boat anchor/"chainsaw"? Talk about Stihl's corporate greed...lol.
Either way, I hope when you were done building your outhouse that you threw that POS/039 into the pit and took a big ole chit on the piece of 039. . . just saying it would be a well suited end lol
I have three of the Rigid 6 1/2 circular saws and we love them, we use them for everything from framing to finishing. We use Freud blades, it makes a big difference in any saw's performance.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-F...-Compact-Framing-Circular-Saw-R3204/205076385
http://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-F...-Compact-Framing-Circular-Saw-R3204/205076385
chads
ArboristSite Operative
I have two of the Millwaukee circular saws I paid $100 About 25 years ago for new one and $35 for a nice used one on CL a couple years ago both are mae in USA.
My favorite circular saw I ever used. Very durable and just keep on working.
THe newer ones are a little diffrent.
I also have a Hitachi that was broke paid $5 I think I replaced cord and added a little bolt to be able to lift the guard to make plunge cuts since the lever was missing. I use it for roofing etc it gets beat around but not a bad saw.
Chad
My favorite circular saw I ever used. Very durable and just keep on working.
THe newer ones are a little diffrent.
I also have a Hitachi that was broke paid $5 I think I replaced cord and added a little bolt to be able to lift the guard to make plunge cuts since the lever was missing. I use it for roofing etc it gets beat around but not a bad saw.
Chad
1 stihl nut
former space alien
While I prefer Milwaukee for several tools such as Sawzall and power drills, I don't prefer the fit and feel of their circular saw. It's a good saw, just not my preference. I've never been a Makita tool guy. Decent tools....just not my preference. I have been really pleased with the balance and feel of my Bosch circular, and I have thoroughly abused it for years. One downside is finger hole for trigger is too small for winter gloves. I recently purchased a Dewalt which I like the fit and feel of almost as well as Bosch, but with more room for gloves. Also, the plastic angle and depth adjustments on Bosch are....well...breakable.
dwasifar
ArboristSite Operative
Used the Makita saw for the first time over the weekend: http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/building-a-little-wood-shed.302466/
I'm very pleased with it. Nice balance, plenty of power, easy adjustments, and a perfectly placed little cutout on the inboard side of the upper guard to give you a clear view of your cutline without leaning over the saw. It's the little details.
I'm very pleased with it. Nice balance, plenty of power, easy adjustments, and a perfectly placed little cutout on the inboard side of the upper guard to give you a clear view of your cutline without leaning over the saw. It's the little details.
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