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Thread: 6-1/2" cordless circular saw, which one?

  1. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by Steve Rozmiarek View Post
    A blade right, 6 1/2" circular saw is the exact opposite of what I'd recommend. I use these things to make a living, every day. 6 1/2" blade is a ridiculous thing, they are a holdover from some previous dead tech that needs to just stop already. Anything a 6 1/2" can do, a 7 1/4" can do better and give you the ability to use practically any saw blade on the market.

    Blade right is silly for a right hander to. Why would you not want to see the blade when you are cutting????? Good luck trying to use a cut indicator line on a skinny little 2x4. I'll bet you that I could cut ten 1/2" slivers off a 2x4 with a left blade saw while a right blade guy is still messing with his speed square because I can see the blade all the way through the cut.
    You are once again being way too absolute about things. I'm sure this is right for you, but others have different preferences & use the tools differently than you. Personally, I agree that the left blade is preferable, but I know lots of people that really don't like it. I do not agree that the 6-1/2" saws shouldn't exist. I have a 7-1/4" saw and a 6-1/2" saw. It's been year since I used the bigger saw. The little one is big enough for what I need & is lighter & easier to handle. I have a rough work blade & a decent plywood blade & that's all I need. Others will have different requirements.

  2. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by Frank Pratt View Post
    You are once again being way too absolute about things. I'm sure this is right for you, but others have different preferences & use the tools differently than you. Personally, I agree that the left blade is preferable, but I know lots of people that really don't like it. I do not agree that the 6-1/2" saws shouldn't exist. I have a 7-1/4" saw and a 6-1/2" saw. It's been year since I used the bigger saw. The little one is big enough for what I need & is lighter & easier to handle. I have a rough work blade & a decent plywood blade & that's all I need. Others will have different requirements.
    Frank, my opinion is based on my experience, and I do not back off it. OP can pick whatever he wants. My post was not for the OP's benefit, he'd already made up his mind and others had agreed. I don't, and my post is for the benefit of others in the same decision making process to have a counterpoint. A useless thread is one that has many posters all saying the same thing and agreeing with each other completely. No new information is shared or perspectives analyzed in those, they serve no purpose. As always, I'm happy to debate my assertions, I've even been wrong before

    To the matter at hand, a 6 1/2" blade is used by modern tool makers to enable a weaker motor to still provide enough power (marginally) to the blade to make a cut. That same saw with a 7 1/4" blade would be severely underpowered. You can put a 6 1/2" blade in a 7 1/4" saw though and have more torque and access to all the blades on the market. How many table saw horsepower threads have you seen? Woodworkers care about power. A modern 6 1/2" saw (all of them that I know about) have much less power than a very slightly bigger and massively more capable 7 1/4" saw. That is the main reason I do not recommend a 6 1/2" saw.

    If a smaller format 7 1/4" saw is desired, they exist. The DeWalt DWE575SB weights a bit over 8#, actually the OP's 6 1/2" Makita is heavier. Corded is lighter than cordless.

    I'm happy your 6 1/2" works for you. We likely expect very different performance from our saws. I expect mine to be able to process entire bunks of framing materials in a short period of time with no drama and then with a blade switch, be able to cut down a door if needed. Most 6 1/2" saws are probably used to process the odd piece of plywood maybe several times a month.

    My post is to point out a counterpoint as cautionary info for someone expecting performance similar to me, but considering a 6 1/2" saw for the job.

  3. #18
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    Another counterpoint. As a carpenter I have noticed there are two main "camps " when it comes to circular saws; left blade or right blade. I am in the right blade one. Although I am nearly ambidextrous I use a skilsaw right handed. I also grew up with a "sidewinder" saw versus a wormdrive. So for me I want my cordless saw to have the blade where it belongs(in my mind) on the right. All my experience and habits are geared this way so it makes since. It could be entirely the opposite if I had grown up with a wormdrive saw. . I had a 6 1/2" saw with a left blade,it is now my fathers saw. He is left handed and retired,so it gets light use for renos etc. Works great for him, did not work good for me.

  4. #19
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    Steve, Frank and others appreciate you posting what works for you. I really like it when multiple views/methods/ways of work on posted on the same subject. Helps to get a better idea of how things are.
    For myself I prefer worm drive saws blade left to sidewinders blade right. I was taught by an old general contractor on a Porter Cable 6 1/2" blade right saw, never could get comfortable with that saw. Bought other saws 71/4, 71/2 still not warming up to them . Then in my 30's discovered worm drive blade left saws. Bought a Craftsman Professional saw worm drive, left hand 7 1/4 blade, now I had a saw that fit me. No more looking over the blade to saw cut line. I am right handed. Only sidewinder saw since has been a Porter Cable Saw Boss for plywood. Have 2 brand new old style worm drives in the basement along with plenty of others including a 8 1/4" Black and Decker that cuts a full 3" plus. Bury it in a stack of plywood and go. Would like to have a 10" and a 16" worm drive but have no use at all for either.
    Used to be all west coast was worm drives and east coast was all sidewinders. Don't know if that still holds true or not. As both became available in right and left hand saws. Worm drives were redesigned into DeWalt Hypoid and makita had a new design 20+ years ago. have not kept up with what is current, maybe need to do some research to see what is out there.
    Kinda like framing guns coil or stick. Started with stick and have enough of them then discovered coil and will not go back.
    Got the saws out last year for a deck project at work, introduced the younger guys, 30-50 to a worm drive. No one else could handle a worm drive one handed, I am a lot weaker than I used to be however a worm drive one hand is still natural and easy to me. Normally use sidewinders at work for 1 and 2 cuts a month.
    Ron

  5. #20
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    I needed a cordless saw this past summer for some roof repairs. I did not want to deal with a cord, making cuts in 2X material on a 9/12 pitch roof..... So, I ran into the store and bought a Milwaukee saw. It's an M18 7 1/4", which I wanted, and it's the brush-less Fuel model. Great saw, but I quickly learned I bought the wrong one. The blade is to the right of the motor, so I guess that makes it a "left hand" saw? Drives me friggin nuts. I hate using it. So make sure you get the right blade orientation! Also, the battery power matters. I don't mean 12V, 18V or other, but the battery capacity. The smaller compact batteries will not drive the 7 1/4" blade worth a damn.

  6. #21
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    Oh, and I am in the "worm drive" saw camp for general framing work. It won't kickback nearly as often as the direct drives. That was also what I was taught to use. Board propped up on my foot / ankle, use the saw's weight to cut (obviously well away from body parts). My favorite, model is the Skill Magnesium body saw. Super comfortable to use all day. When I bought the M18, I wanted small, light, but the capacity to cut a 2X on a 45. Need the larger 7 1/4 blade to do that.

  7. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by Michael Drew View Post
    I needed a cordless saw this past summer for some roof repairs. I did not want to deal with a cord, making cuts in 2X material on a 9/12 pitch roof..... So, I ran into the store and bought a Milwaukee saw. It's an M18 7 1/4", which I wanted, and it's the brush-less Fuel model. Great saw, but I quickly learned I bought the wrong one. The blade is to the right of the motor, so I guess that makes it a "left hand" saw? Drives me friggin nuts. I hate using it. So make sure you get the right blade orientation! Also, the battery power matters. I don't mean 12V, 18V or other, but the battery capacity. The smaller compact batteries will not drive the 7 1/4" blade worth a damn.
    A couple of the guys I work with bought the big milwaukee cordless because they are fans of the brand. It's unanimous with all of us though, the dewalt "worm drive" flexvolt is a lot better. Lots more power, better balanced. Actually the best circular saw I've ever used. It feels like a proper worm drive even.

  8. #23
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    I have a 61/2 makita cordless (different than linked above) and I like it for the occasional plywood. I would've never bought it on my own as I don't have a ton of need for them and when I do my ancient skil works great. But now that I have it I never pull out the corded skil.

  9. #24
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    When shopping for a tool, I go to Lowes and Home Depot and pick them up and when I find one I like, I buy it.

  10. #25
    Quote Originally Posted by mike sato View Post
    Thanks folks for your input. While doing more research, I just saw a youtube video that mentioned that using a blade left circular saw can be more dangerous if holding a speed square with the left hand, since the hand will be close to the blade.

    Since I always use a speed square to cut 2x4's, that situation would be constant using a blade-left CS. So that info along with not knowing how to get accurate 90 degree cuts on a 2x4 when the waste is short, I decided to buy a blade-right cordless CS. I'll try the Makita XSH04ZB.
    Picked up the Makita XSH04ZB 6-1/2", blade-right circular saw, 5ah battery and charger yesterday. Gave it a test run today cutting 1/4" pieces off of a 2x4 using the 24 tooth Makita blade that comes with the saw.

    TEST-1: I'm right handed and can see the blade and the cut line on the 2x4 via a sight path on the left side of the blade via the built-in LED light. So using a speed square, I was able to start the cut correctly on the cut line. Not as easy to see as my 7-1/4" blade-right circular saw but doable.

    TEST-2: Then I tested aligning the cut using the cut line guide on the base of the saw. Again using a speed square to guide the saw. The cut using the supplied Makita blade was "perfectly" on the line. Just as accurate as my sighting the blade and cutline in test-1. So it's really not necessary to see the actual blade and cut line from the left side of the blade.

    The saw with the 5ah LXT battery is substantially smaller and lighter than my corded 7-1/4" circular saw. That noticeably lighter weight, smaller size and no cord to deal with makes it very easy to cut 2x4's and should work well cutting sheet plywood. The brake stops the blade quickly. It cut the 2x4 just as well as with my corded 7-1/4" circular saw. I like my new toy a lot.
    Last edited by mike sato; 10-21-2020 at 3:24 PM.

  11. #26
    I am left handed but had to learn to use tools right handed such as a circular saw. Now that I have several left bladed saws I cut with either hand. If I want accuracy (being able to see the line very well) I use my right hand and the sight pix is great. If not so concerned about accuracy I use my left hand. Being left hand dominant my left hand is stronger and can therefore work longer without giving out
    I started out with a Milwaukee M18 then bought a set of Dewalt tools for my CO vacation place. I noticed that the DeWalt saw cut way faster due to a faster motor so I bought another DeWalt for the home shop. Only complaint about the DW is the plastic blade guards. I very seldom use a corded circular saw but when I do I use my dad's Craftsman circular saw (1950's vintage, solid steel and & 7" blade_

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