handheld circular saw

[Brian Tymchak]

Another vote for the corded Milwaukee circ saw and drills. I use the circ saw to cut down rough lumber. It's got some serious torque.... as does the 1/2" drill.. It easily goes thru 8/4 Ash.

[Ray Selinger]

As a carpenter, I worked industrial form work so I cut a lot of plywood.We used Skil 77s on a dam project, as often to cut steel coil rod as wood. It is impossible to cut a straight line free hand with a worm drive. We had to to resort to using a plywood edge. That's if we didn't want to hear the foreman giving us shit. I hate worm drives, besides having terrible balance they are left handed . Dangerous too if you are right handed, it puts you that blade next to your leg. Skilsaws are not fully trained, they do jump around . The old # 534 Skilsaw had great balance, but Skil is long gone. I was contracting and my dainty little # 554 Skilsaw died so I picked up a industrial Milwaukee. The real US made one. The Milwaukee stripped it's gears in the cold. So much for quality. In those days they had a lifetime warranty. Off it went. So I picked up a Makita #5007 to replace it. The balance of the Makita was the same as the Skil 534 . Those Makitas are the most loved saws around here by far. Used they bring the best price. I ended up with two Skilsaws, not a bad thing if you are carpenter. Though I left the trade for millwrighting I still used them around home. Oddly enough roughly at the same time the housings wore out. With the Milwaukee, it was no parts available, but the Makita was rebuilt. I replaced the Milwaukee with a cheap Chinese made one which I use for rough work . I don't care for it. I have used Porter Cables, Rockwells, B&D Sawcats. I think one of those Porter Cables was used on the Ark. B&Ds are now yellow and called DeWalts. But my favourites were the Skil #534s . The Makita ,while plastic , balances the same.

[Tom M King]

I have had, and still have some of all of them, including the drop foot saws from the '60s and '70s. To me, a worm drive is not an all purpose saw. My all time favorite is the Porter Cable 347, 743, and 447. They're a lightweight 15 amp circular saw with the metal being magnesium. The 347 is a right blade. The 743 is an exact mirror image left blade. The 447 is a right blade copy of the 347 but it includes a brake. They all have an adjustable chute to direct sawdust in the direction you want that works pretty good.

I use the 447 only for vertical cuts like rafter ends in place. It's supported by my left hand which also holds the blade guard open. My right hand holds the handle backwards with my ring finger operating the trigger. The blade stops when I release the trigger. Otherwise, I can't think of any other time the kick from the brake is okay, but want it when I'm standing on a scaffold plank in that use.

These saws have a newer model since they stopped making them that I don't like as much.

You can still find them for sale on CL, ebay, and such, but generally go for almost as much, and sometimes even more, than they cost when they were new. I've bought several like new ones for 50 bucks each off CL, when I could find them, as backups. Since first intending them as backups, I now keep different blades on three of the 347s for different uses.

I have a number of other sizes, but see no need to go into their sizes and uses for this discussion. One cuts thick metal. One cuts thin metal. Numerous others for different wood thicknesses.

[Warren Lake]

why cant you cut a straight line with a worm drive. As long as I dont use thin blades which I dont worm cuts fine.

[Edward Weber]

I think part of the issue with worm drives is that they're not balanced and not recommend for one hand use.
Originally made for the torque achieved via the gear reduction, I don't really think they're as necessary these days as they once were. These days, for most general construction tasks, a good quality sidewinder has more than enough power in a smaller, better balanced form factor.
I know many can't say enough about them but I'm with Ray.
I do own a Skil 77HD but it's not my favorite tool by far, I prefer my Milwaukee sidewinder.

[Paul McGaha]

I run a Skil #367. It’s a 6 1/2” worm drive saw. A little smaller and lighter than the Skil #77. I used it mainly to break down plywood. It’s around 20 years old. I like it a lot. I don’t know what I’d buy if I had to replace it.

Good luck with it.

PHM

[Cameron Wood]

I have three of these, & they all have the rafter hook. Gets used for rafters once in a while, but mainly it makes it so the saw can stand on it's nose, vastly reducing the number of times bending over to pick it up. This one sporting it's latest new (~20') cord. Cordless saws get used as well, but this is still the thing for framing and ripping lumber.

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I did also use this a week ago to cross cut 6x12s.

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[Edward Weber]

I did also use this a week ago to cross cut 6x12s.

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I just got finished rehabbing one of those, now I think I need to make a nice box as well. It's a bit unwieldy on it's own, when not in use.

[Cameron Wood]

I just got finished rehabbing one of those, now I think I need to make a nice box as well. It's a bit unwieldy on it's own, when not in use.

Yes, this saw does not want to be dropped or kicked around. This one came in it's original cardboard box- a gift from a client. It belonged to his Dad. I used paste wax on the blade, which I think helps.

[Tom M King]

I've had one of those since I bought it new in the late 1970s. The best blade I've ever had on it is an Oshlun. Not only does it cut true, it leaves a surface like a new Forrest blade on a table saw. I highly recommend it for the 16-5/16" saw. I made some compound angle cuts on 4x6's that came out perfect and pretty. I think this was the first model number. It still works perfectly.

[Edward Weber]

I got mine at an auction for a good deal. It had been sitting somewhere wet for a while. Everything needed to be cleaned and checked. A bearing, a seal, some screws, and about $50-$60 of parts later, not counting a blade.
I am a Freud guy, so...
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[Phillip Mitchell]

I’ll jump in here with my Makita beam saw. I apprenticed in a timber frame shop for about 5 years and always had several of these and other large circ saws around. What I learned is that there are a few different aftermarket aluminum shoes/baseplates (made by other timber framers usually) that vastly improve the accuracy and stability of the big beam saw. I’ve seen a few different variations on the same theme. The OEM makita baseplates are pretty flimsy and weak, IMO and are the big achilles heel of an otherwise great saw.

Here’s a not great pic of one that I picked up for cheap a few years back with the nice baseplate. The aluminum is 3/8” thick on this one. I have a hard time picking up a beam saw without it having this type of base on it anymore, though I am not timber framing much these days. Still need a new blade on this one…

[Tom M King]

I remember seeing those bases, and thought about getting one, but I get by fine with the stock base. I'm lightening up on the saw most of the time when I'm using one anyway. If I used it every day, it would probably be different, but mine goes years at the time between uses. The last use, the legs that old house are sitting on was the last use in 2018.

[Warren Lake]

I know ive changed bases on other saws past. One was my original Makita barrel jig saw. Base on the original bent very easily so remember buying a heavier base after telling them the original was not strong enough. Replacement was much better.