Circular Saw Advice

[Richard Spain]

I have been searching high and low for a PC 314 Trim Saw with no luck and I am giving up. With that said does anyone have a recommendation on another model? I recently bought a house that needs a great deal of cabinet work and I have an old Craftsman 7 ¼ CS that feels like pushing a gyroscope when making cuts. I expect to be cutting a fair amount of ¾ cabinet grade ply and I would like a saw that can give me a proper edge. Your advice is appreciated.

[Charles Shenk]

Sounds like you need to check out Festool circular saws. They operate with a guide rail and make almost perfect cuts on plywood.

www.festool.com (http://www.festool.com)

[J. Z. Guest]

Richard,

Consider the Skil HD 5510 (http://www.amazon.com/Skil-HD5510-5-1-2-Inch-Circular/dp/B0000223FJ/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1207886830&sr=8-2)

I bought one a month or so ago and have been using the heck out of it. I "downgraded" from a nice 7-1/4", 13 A Makita. I haven't missed the extra capacity yet. The light weight, left blade design, and great balance are great for anything up to 1-1/2" thick. (at 90°)

It is a heavy duty design, way better than Skil's typical stuff these days.

[John Callahan]

Seven Corner's Hardware should have the PC 314- check their online store and give them a call. Got mine last month ..........great saw. It has a balance and compactness sidewinders don't and it's surprisingly powerful for a little guy. Had a bunch of installed cabinets that I had to modify for double ovens- the 314 is great for vertical work.

[Dan Clark]

Richard,

There are lots of circular saws out there. Which is best depends on what you want to do with it. However, you wrote:

I expect to be cutting a fair amount of ¾ cabinet grade ply and I would like a saw that can give me a proper edge.
For breaking down plywood, especially high-cost cabinet-grade ply, the Festool TS55 is the best option available. Get that plus a Fein or Festool portable vac, and either a 2700 (106") or 3000 (118") Festool guide rail. Make sure you get the 48 tooth blade (#491952). This combo will give you a glue-up or almost glue-up quality edge.

This combo WILL be expensive. However, you want a "proper edge" on "¾ cabinet grade ply". If you're spending lots of money on lots of cabinet grade ply, you don't want to be messing it up.

Regards,

Dan.

p.s., while I like Festool, I believe in getting the right tool for the job. If you were cutting lots of 6/4 and 8/4 high quality, solid lumber, the Festool TS75 would be a better choice. If you were doing framing and general construction, a Makita hypoid or Skill worm drive saw would probably be better than Festool.

p.p.s. I have the Festool TS55 and CT22 vac. I love 'em! I have four shorter guide rails that I've been connecting together. Today, my 3000mm guide rail should be delivered.

[Richard Spain]

I just called 7 Corners and they do not have any in stock. Thanks for the tip.
Richard

[Richard Spain]

Thanks for the advice Dan. A quick check tells me the Festool TS55 is a bit out of my price range: champaign taste with a beer budget.

You are right to suggest getting the right tool for the right job and I suppose that is why I was looking for a smaller blade size. My thought is that with a smaller size blade I should have more control, reduced weight and less spinning blade area, and not need a top of the line rail system to manage the horse power. Also, since I will be limiting the use to 3/4 ply I would only need a small portion of the blade through the material.

Is my thinking correct or is there something else I should consider?

Thanks,
Richard

[Peter Quadarella]

You will get perfect edges with an EZ Smart Guide Package and any circular saw. You can see these packages under "Guide System Packages" on the Eurekazone.com website. You can also learn more in the subforum on this site.

I think the key to excellent edges is zero clearance - Festool and EZ do this in similar manners I think. EZ Smart has an edge on the rail, and a zero clerance insert in the base you attach to the saw.

[Dan Clark]

Thanks for the advice Dan. A quick check tells me the Festool TS55 is a bit out of my price range: champaign taste with a beer budget.

You are right to suggest getting the right tool for the right job and I suppose that is why I was looking for a smaller blade size. My thought is that with a smaller size blade I should have more control, reduced weight and less spinning blade area, and not need a top of the line rail system to manage the horse power. Also, since I will be limiting the use to 3/4 ply I would only need a small portion of the blade through the material.

Is my thinking correct or is there something else I should consider?

Thanks,
Richard
Richard,

For good quality cuts you need a guide rail. There are several simple ones that will do a decent job. For high quality work, you need a good guide rail and a good saw.

Festool or EZ guide rails with a good saw will do a much better job. IF you already had a good saw that you liked, EZ guide rails would probably be a good choice. However, if you have to buy one, then it gets tougher. Festool or EZ + a good saw will be pricey. EZ + a good saw will probably be less than Festool, but you'll still be spending several hundred dollars. Quality costs.

Part of what makes a good saw good is a very solid, flat base plate. And very little or no runout. And whatever combo that you use should have a good chipout prevention.

A smaller blade will help with blade deflection and runout, however many smaller saws are cheaply made. For your needs, you don't need a lot of horsepower, but you do need precision. IMO.

Regards,

Dan.

[Chuck Saunders]

I would lean towards the makita 5000 series 5007, I think. A blade brake is a good feature.

[Mike Monroe]

When I was framing houses we always used Milwakee or Makita saws. I've owned a Skil circular saw for 20+ years, haven't been able to kill it yet. Sometimes I get the urge to buy a new circular saw, but so long as that Skil saw still turns I'll just have to wait.

[Robert Meyer]

Richard,

Consider the Skil HD 5510 (http://www.amazon.com/Skil-HD5510-5-1-2-Inch-Circular/dp/B0000223FJ/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1207886830&sr=8-2)

I bought one a month or so ago and have been using the heck out of it. I "downgraded" from a nice 7-1/4", 13 A Makita. I haven't missed the extra capacity yet. The light weight, left blade design, and great balance are great for anything up to 1-1/2" thick. (at 90°)

It is a heavy duty design, way better than Skil's typical stuff these days.
I agree with Jeremy completely. When my old 7 1/2" Milwaukee bit the dust I began searching for something lighter to cut off the pickets on a fence I was building and to cut up sheet goods. The PC 314 was out of my price range, a 6 1/2 saw from the BORG was returned as defective out of the box and then I bought the Skill HD5510. http://tinyurl.com/49pyur
This saw proved a joy to work with especially cutting chest and higher cuts, no more tired arms. With a good quality Amana 5 1/2" carbide blade it cuts up 3/4" oak and cherry ply with no splintering to speak of. I also like the left cut feature when using a homemade cutting guide. Top quality saw.

[Jason White]

Festool TS55.



I have been searching high and low for a PC 314 Trim Saw with no luck and I am giving up. With that said does anyone have a recommendation on another model? I recently bought a house that needs a great deal of cabinet work and I have an old Craftsman 7 ¼ CS that feels like pushing a gyroscope when making cuts. I expect to be cutting a fair amount of ¾ cabinet grade ply and I would like a saw that can give me a proper edge. Your advice is appreciated.

[Jason White]

I have beer taste and a beer budget, but I sucked it up and bought the Festool. Get one and you'll find you're barely using your table saw anymore.

Jason



Thanks for the advice Dan. A quick check tells me the Festool TS55 is a bit out of my price range: champaign taste with a beer budget.

You are right to suggest getting the right tool for the right job and I suppose that is why I was looking for a smaller blade size. My thought is that with a smaller size blade I should have more control, reduced weight and less spinning blade area, and not need a top of the line rail system to manage the horse power. Also, since I will be limiting the use to 3/4 ply I would only need a small portion of the blade through the material.

Is my thinking correct or is there something else I should consider?

Thanks,
Richard