Cordless Circular Saw Recommendations

[Larry Nall]

I'm looking for your thoughts on a cordless circular saw.
My immediate application is that I'm about to begin sheathing the roof on may new shop. I rather doubt that all of my trusses are absolutely parallel and perfectly spaced, so I'm anticipating a little custom trim work while laying out the sheathing. Dragging a circular saw and an extention cord all the roof sounds like a drag. I was slow to move to a cordless drill but now I think it's the greatest thing since sliced bread. I'm hoping I'll have the same experience with a saw. Since I have a 18v DeWalt, I'm hoping a 18v circular saw will share batteries or is that wishful thinking.

Just curious to hear your experiences and recommendations.

[Michael Schwartz]

I have a Milwaukee V28 and it is great and cuts better than a cheap corded saw. It also gets great battery life and I have used it for production cutting.

The 36 Volt dewalt saw has also got to be great.

The key with cordless saws is having a sharp blade, and a lithium Ion Battery.
Top of the line 18 or 24 volt Nicad saws cut ok, but don't do to good in regards to batery life.

To answer your question the 18 volt dewalt saws do use the same batteries as your drill.

[James Carmichael]

Larry,

I've got a DW939 circular saw that I don't use. It takes the DC9096(?) 18v battery packs, should be the same as your drill.

PM me if you're interested.

James

[Ryan Myers]

I have the Milwaukee V28 cordless circular saw too. The battery life is very long and it has plenty of power. It is very light, especially compared to my Mag 77 Skilsaw which I hardly use anymore since I got the Milwaukee. I believe it is rated at crosscutting 330 2X4's on a single charge. I've ripped a couple hundred feet of 3/4 plywood on a single charge.

I agree that LI batteries are the only way to go on a circular saw.

Tools of the Trade magazine just did a review on 50+ LI tools a few months ago. You can search and look up the review. Lots of side by side comparisons.

[Larry Rose]

I'll tell you what not to get, a Ryobi. Maybe I was expecting too much but in MHO it's next to worthless. Thats what I get for going with the El Cheapo tool. I keep swearing never to do it again, but sometimes I backslide.

[Tim Devlin]

I'll tell you what not to get, a Ryobi. Maybe I was expecting too much but in MHO it's next to worthless. Thats what I get for going with the El Cheapo tool. I keep swearing never to do it again, but sometimes I backslide.

Funny, I have the Ryobi and think it is great (understanding it's limitations)...if you are talking about the 18V one. The issue with is not the saw, but that it is powered by an 18V NI-CAD. I got an extra set of batts for $20 (a steal) and keep them charged up. I have cut anything from 2x4's to the siding on my house when I replaced windows and it worked as it should...even better than my old skil CS.
For serious work, I have a Makita that will cut through anything. For convenience, the Ryobi works fine.

Tim

[Bob Aquino]

I have the 14.4 Bosch, came as a combo with the drill. I like it for what it is, a convenient tool that will let you do some cutting without the hassel of a cord. What it is not is a full up corded saw. Battery life is not that great if you are talking about one long cut or series of cuts, such as cutting off the wild ends of decking boards or ripping 4x8 sheets of plywood. It will drain the battery pretty quick doing that type of work. These saws use smaller blades with narrow kerfs to maximize the battery. Some of the other higher voltage saws may do much better on battery life, but you are going to pay for it with a pretty heavy tool. If you are up on a roof, it may make a difference. And then again, 10 years ago everybody used skilsaws that probably weighed more, so maybe we are all just getting spoiled...

[Jim Becker]

The cordless units are pretty handy tools when you are up high, especially with light-chores like sheet goods trimming.

One thing to consider, rather than triming the sheathing in the middle of the roof, keep in mind that they make special clips that can be used to knit sheets between trusses if necessary.

[David G Baker]

I'll tell you what not to get, a Ryobi. Maybe I was expecting too much but in MHO it's next to worthless. Thats what I get for going with the El Cheapo tool. I keep swearing never to do it again, but sometimes I backslide.
Larry,
I too have the Ryobi and love it. I don't use it commercially but I have cut a lot of 2x6's with it. I also use it for cutting Sheetrock when I need a quick cut. I tried cutting metal siding with a plywood blade turned back wards and it couldn't do it. I have had it for around 4 years and have yet to have any complaint other than it not working on things I shouldn't have tried to use it on. The blade is a little bigger around than the Dewalt as well.

[skip coyne]

Ive got the 18 volt ryobi and I like it also , I don't expect the same performance as may Makita , Milwaukee or skill corded saws
it does a great job for what it is

[Paul Zoske]

I would think twice about buying a cordless circular saw at all. I own a Makita (along with $300 dollars worth of spent batteries for it) and used other brands too. While they have improved a lot over the last couple of years with lithium ion it still seems like the batteries are always draining too fast. Not to mention batteries have a relatively short life span compared to the tool, and they are extremely expensive to replace. You can buy a new saw for the price of a battery. For light duty work they are fine, but don't expect to cut 2x4's or rip sheet goods all day long.

[Michael Schwartz]

In addition to my V28 I also have a Ryobi and it is a nice trim saw.

[Joe Pasquarella]

I own a Ryobi too - and am very pleased with it as a trim saw.:) I volunteer at Habitat for Humanity and bring it when we're top plating, sheathing exterior wall panels, and working on the roof. We always have batteries on the chargers, since they don't last :eek:. However, a BIG plus is it's much easier to handle when we inevitably find ourselves on a ladder / roof and find ourselves trimming plywood/osb after setting a panel etc. :eek:

[Steve Hayes]

Another vote for the Ryobi 18 volt. Over the past year and a half my wife and I have rebuilt a fixer upper and it has worked great. I purchased one of the drill, saw, light and sander combos at Home Depot. They were closing this particular one out. Best $79.00 I've spent.

[glenn bradley]

The C-man is also worthless after about 6 months. Till the battery died it wasn't half bad but I'm not buying or rebuilding batteries twice a year.

[Barry Anderson]

Believe me when I say I am not a Ryobi fan ... HOWEVER, I've the Ryobi 18v CS and love it. I've had it for about 3 years and it has never failed me. This is one fine little saw. My "big" CS is a Festool TS55 that I use for cutting down sheet goods ... but I still pick up the Ryobi when I need a quick cut.

PS - I've two batteries for it ... and I'm still on my original set ...

Barry in WV

[Greg Cole]

Another vote for the Milwaukee V28 cordless... I bought the 4 piece kit last summer. All 3 tools are the equivalent of the Milwakee tailed versions, which are pretty good tools. First time using the sawzall, it was set free from about 20' off the roof by my Dad... anyone else & they woulda been hitting the concrete right after the tool! Didn't hurt a thing though.
The circ saw is light, QUIET, has a brake, battery life is AMAZING & no power shortage. I've ripped some 2"X10"X10' PT lumber without the saw bogging, stalling etc... Granted my SKIL #77 can do that too... but with a tail and about what feels like 200 pounds more weight.
L-ION is the way to go no matter the brand. The batteries don't become trained from a charge-discharge pattern, nor do they fall off when 2/3's dead. They go & go & go until they stop. The Milwakuee ones have a battery life indicator too, which is a nice little touch. How many times have ya grabbed a cordless tool, and when ya walk off to use it & it's dead or just about dead.....

$0.02 donation & not affiliated with Milwaukee.