Circular Saw Recommendation

[Larry Frank]

I got out my circular saw tonight to make a cut and could not line it up. I found that it is worn out which is not unexpected since it is 20 years old. I have been doing some looking and did not realize how expensive a new one could be. I like the Festool but it is really out of my price range. I use it mainly for breaking down sheet goods and for making trim cuts on large panels. I need something that has a good solid base which will ride along a guide.

Any suggestions or experiences would be helpful. I am going to have to sell this to my Chief Financial Officer and she can be pretty tough.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

I have the Skill big dog worm drive. While it is unstoppable and I use ot for everything: brick, steel, wood, it is awfully heavy.

I've considered getting a lighter one for those quickie cuts or cuts where I'm standing on the top of the step ladder with one foot braced against a wall and one arm gripping a window frame and the other making some bizarre cut at maximum extension.
You know the saw is heavy then.

[Peter Pedisich]

Larry,

I have an older Bosch 7-1/4" with a formed (not cast) aluminum baseplate, and a P/C 324.
I like the PC better. It has a better trigger switch, a nicer cast baseplate, and a more comfortable handle, better depth control, quieter motor, and feels a little lighter.
Many people like the new Makita 5007 for it's smooth and powerful motor.

I also have the Festool TS55, and I use it on the MFT table primarily in the shop.

If you are looking for a general purpose circular saw, as it sounds, then a traditional non-plunge saw would be my recommendation.

Heavy Duty Tools dot net has some great CS deals occasionally.

Good luck,

Pete

[Paul Ryan]

Porter cable mag series. Either left or right side. Super light weight, adjustable exhaust (dust control) and keyless arbor nut (I really like that feature). Many don't like the keyless, but I don't know why. I have never had a problem, I hate haveing to look for a wrench, I change blades frequently. I think the "never to tight" crowd may have had a problem with it. I sugest you go handle a couple of options. Makita, dewalt, milwaukee, porter cable, skill, and bosch. I see what feels best. I liked the porter cable the best.

[mickey cassiba]

I've got a PC 743(lefty) and a new DW 738G(new worm drive). Like 'em both a lot. Neither one holds a candle to my old Skil worm drive, though...not even sure of the model number, spec plate was gone when I got it, nearly fifteen years ago. Heavy, but has never bogged down, I swear , it'll drag itself down a board.
If I was buying new...it would be the DW. Smooth, light and tough.

[Randal Stevenson]

Porter cable mag series. Either left or right side. Super light weight, adjustable exhaust (dust control) and keyless arbor nut (I really like that feature). Many don't like the keyless, but I don't know why. I have never had a problem, I hate haveing to look for a wrench, I change blades frequently. I think the "never to tight" crowd may have had a problem with it. I sugest you go handle a couple of options. Makita, dewalt, milwaukee, porter cable, skill, and bosch. I see what feels best. I liked the porter cable the best.

I have had the blade get pinched and the bolt loosens up. Only happened once, but I now check it every time (paranoia).
The P/C was listed in the Deals and discounts forum recently, at Lowe's (discontinued/old model?)
I use my old worm saw for construction/demolition work, and the sidewinder for everything else. I have had good luck with both Bosch and P/C, but prefer the left blade since I am left handed. (P/C 424 with brake over my Bosch CS20)

[Dino Makropoulos]

I got out my circular saw tonight to make a cut and could not line it up. I found that it is worn out which is not unexpected since it is 20 years old. I have been doing some looking and did not realize how expensive a new one could be. I like the Festool but it is really out of my price range. I use it mainly for breaking down sheet goods and for making trim cuts on large panels. I need something that has a good solid base which will ride along a guide.

Any suggestions or experiences would be helpful. I am going to have to sell this to my Chief Financial Officer and she can be pretty tough.

PC mag. 325 ( dust collection and electric brake) Best to use with an edge guide. ( Cast magnesium base with high sides for good contact)

Easy sell to your CFO, :rolleyes:

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Get a new Skil Mag worm drive. Marginally lighter than the old model. So many here say they have one 15 years old. If you buy one, you'll still be using it 15 years from now. I got mine used, still going strong. Need to add oil every couple years. No big deal. Cuts straight as an arrow. Easy to control.

[Von Bickley]

I like Makita........ :D

[Mike Rees]

I just went through this a month or so ago - there is a really long and helpful thread that I started that should give you a lot of advice. I ended up w/ the Makita 5007MGA.

[scott spencer]

The Milwaukee 6577-20 worm drive is on sale for $100 shipped from Tyler Tool with "TT102709" code thru 10/30

[Scott Perkins47]

I have three circular saws.
1. a 40 year old super light 6.5 inch Skill saw that is not too powerful
but perfect for the top of the step ladder cut small stuff jobs.
2. a 15 year old very powerful Skill Professional that is decently light
and has a great trigger ( like a rifle ) and sight window.
3. a 29 dollar "on sale" saw that I use for nasty stuff and framing
and chopping and other dirty junk non precision jobs
This is the one I use the most actually and I am surprised
it has held up and done the good job that it has. Skill is
the brand actually also.

With the real powerful lighter sidewinders, I just dont see the
need for the heavy bulky worm drives. So what the worms may
last a bit longer but today's premium hi power sidewinders
are going to last a heck of a long time also and you could by
two or more of em for the cost of a worm drive. When you can
get 13 or 15 amps in a sidewinder, I no longer really see the benefit
of a worm drive except for very rare special situations where
the worm might be easier to keep on mark.

Oh yea, when I use my skill professional model I often am using
the rip guide along with it. I think most people have forgotten
the rip guides even exist.

My point is figure out what you want to do and dont overspend
or get bigger than you really need. Just like routers, many times
I prefer to use the roto tool instead of the gigantic 3.5 hp behemoth.

The only really special purpose circular are those ones with
9, 10 or 12 inch blades for the log home builders. There,
even the worms wont help.

[Chris Tsutsui]

Just to throw a unique model out there, to compete with the Festool TS55 is the Makita SP6000K 6-1/2-Inch Plunge Circular Saw.

Other than that, I don't think you can go wrong with most of the saws mentioned here though I will recommend you go to a box store to determine if you like worm drive, tilt-lock, etc...

Find one that feels right for you in a store, THEN shop for the best price.

[Dino Makropoulos]

Just to throw a unique model out there, to compete with the Festool TS55 is the Makita SP6000K 6-1/2-Inch Plunge Circular Saw.

Other than that, I don't think you can go wrong with most of the saws mentioned here though I will recommend you go to a box store to determine if you like worm drive, tilt-lock, etc...

Find one that feels right for you in a store, THEN shop for the best price.

Chris,
You can't use any plunge saw off the rails.
Why spend the money for the Makita SP6000K that is limited
( for track only use) and not for the new makita's MGA's that you can use off, next and even on the tracks?
The anti-kickback feature of the makita plunge saw don't work off the rails.

Forget about the cost and availability of the 6-1/2" blades.

[Chris Tsutsui]

Well if he uses this saw to rip large sheet goods and making trim cuts on large panels. Then his "usage" doesn't require the saw to be used off the guides.

For his usage of ripping large sheet goods and making trim cuts on large panels, to me a track saw was a lot easier and more convenient to use compared to using a standard circ saw + guide.

For 6.5" blades, you can just order one online at Amazon.com. Or just put in a 6.25" blade in there and get TS55 sized blades which there are many quality ones to choose from.

It's not the cheapest option to go with a track saw, but i believe it's a clear step above using a circular saw + guide.

[Larry Frank]

I want to thank everyone for their input on this. A lot of the replies were quite useful as they contained some pretty specific information. I did also look at the previous thread concerning circular saws.

I spent a couple of hours this morning looking over the saws at the big box stores including the ones specifically mentioned in the thread. I also checked online to find reasonable prices for each.

I then made a mistake and went to the local woodworking store and looked at the Festool. I had said that I would not spend the money and had said that I would not buy one. I guess that I was mis-informed.:) The Festool is one heck of a saw and I got the approval of my chief financial officer and bought it. Everything about it was much better than the others with respect to how solid it was and how repeatable it was in setting it up. The Makita 5007MGA was a second choice but I ended up with the Festool.

Again, Thanks for everyone who provided some help with this.