# Best Circular Saw 2016 2017 2018 2019 Rant Review (long)



## abrowning (Jun 2, 2008)

Honestly, I think most people would prefer the combination of 15amps and a 100ft 12 guage cord to 13amps and a 100ft 14 gauge cord. As you say, 95% of your cutting is within 50ft of power, so why limit yourself to 13amps for something you do only 5% of the time?

I would buy a 50ft 12 gauge to start and add another one later if the need arose.


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## gunner66 (Jan 3, 2017)

no, I think most would prefer to not have to lug around a 12 gauge cord and just use a 13A saw. I have read the difference between a 13 and 15A saw is minor, so why spend as much for the cord as the saw costs, plus the issue of the cord being oversized? 

A 50' 12GA cord is useless in this example because a 14GA would power 15A at 50'. Only at 100' do you need a 12GA for a 15A tool, but most tools (drills etc) are much less than 13A, so I would need three cords: a 14GA 50' (for most of the time because usually not more than 50' from receptacle and 14GA 50' WILL power 15A miter saw etc), and then a second 50' 14GA to connect to the other 14GA 50' to get up to 13A at 100'. The thing I'm saying is I don't want to get a 100' $80 12GA heavy cord just for the ~%2 of times I might need to saw over 50' from a receptacle.

Solution is easy: 13A saw with laser with work light, with safety trigger. = market domination, can keep your standard 14GA cords. (and if they want to add a wrap around handle and blade break, that'd be nice too).

OK I just sent link to this to like 10 tool manufacturers. I hope they read it and make one,, you never know. they do look for product suggestions.

Why would you not want the light?
Why would you not want the laser?
they can be bypassed with a switch if it really bothers you.
why would you not want a trigger safety?
Why would you not want the full wrap around handle?
Maybe price but for only like $20 more these features can be included with manufacturing, and a striped down cheap version can be sold for $50 less.


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## jproffer (Mar 12, 2005)

gunner66 said:


> no, I think most would prefer to not have to lug around a 12 gauge cord and just use a 13A saw. I have read the difference between a 13 and 15A saw is minor, so why spend as much for the cord as the saw costs, plus the issue of the cord being oversized?
> 
> A 50' 12GA cord is useless in this example because a 14GA would power 15A at 50'. Only at 100' do you need a 12GA for a 15A tool, but most tools (drills etc) are much less than 13A, so I would need three cords: a 14GA 50' (for most of the time because usually not more than 50' from receptacle and 14GA 50' WILL power 15A miter saw etc), and then a second 50' 14GA to connect to the other 14GA 50' to get up to 13A at 100'. The thing I'm saying is I don't want to get a 100' $80 12GA heavy cord just for the ~%2 of times I might need to saw over 50' from a receptacle.
> 
> ...


.....


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## lenaitch (Feb 10, 2014)

As a suggestion, if you want the manufacturers that you copied to actually read you submission, you might want to pare it down. I found the dissertation on extension cords distracting. If you have to work at a distance from your power source, either buy a tool that matches your cable or buy a cable that matches your tool (and I would suggest not using a circular saw while standing on a ladder).

Tool manufacturers spend a lot of time and treasure doing market research and will produce tools that will sell to the most customers. If I see a tool that has a feature that I won't use but I otherwise like it, I'll buy it. Just about every tool on the planet can be found on sale at some point.

BTW, you can buy Diablo blades for $5 at HD?


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## gunner66 (Jan 3, 2017)

lenaith, they have 2-pack rough framing ~$10 diablo blades home depot.


_ I would suggest not using a circular saw while standing on a ladder._ Well suppose it's a scaffold, suppose you're cutting tails off cantilever of deck joists, it happens there's secnarios. Sawsall is less accurate and takes longer and blades cost more. then while lowering the saw you're of course gripping it. Not trying to sound like a pus, believe me I've done it all. Nothing's worth a finger or gash in the thigh. safety first. 

even just carrying it from spot to spot, my hands are too big to put all fingers in the section without being near the trigger. It's just nice to have. 

well, I love the laser and the work light. If you don't want that for an extra ~$40 then you'll be happy with any other saw. These features all in one saw leaves nothing else to be desired. The trigger safety I much prefer. To click it saves what 500 calories and a total added time of 5 minutes over a year's span of using it 5 days a week?


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## lenaitch (Feb 10, 2014)

Tnx for that. Scaffolding and ladder are two different scenarios. Ladder safety says 3 points of contact; saw safety says 2 hands = I'm one appendage short. But I get your point. As in firearms safety, keep your finger outside the trigger guard until you're ready to fire. I do like the idea of a blade brake but it would likely add to the weight and cost.


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## Mort (Nov 26, 2008)

- No contractor I know would ever use a $5 blade, especially one purchased at Horror Freight. 

- Why not a cordless saw? The new brushless saws have great power and don't need a cord at all.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

So you have a homeowners grade saw that may even have a recall, using the cheapest grade blade possible and had issues. Hmm.
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2007/08/recall-of-skil-circular-saws/index.htm
If it's a stamped metal platen it's a cheap home owners saw.
Real contractor's saws will have thick aluminum or even magnesium plates.
There not going to bend unless you drop them off a 40' ladder.


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## gunner66 (Jan 3, 2017)

joecaption said:


> So you have a homeowners grade saw that may even have a recall, using the cheapest grade blade possible and had issues. Hmm.
> http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2007/08/recall-of-skil-circular-saws/index.htm
> If it's a stamped metal platen it's a cheap home owners saw.
> Real contractor's saws will have thick aluminum or even magnesium plates.
> There not going to bend unless you drop them off a 40' ladder.


 
I didn't know about the recall until recently. I found that link you linked. That's how I knew. I had that skil 5700 over 10 years no problems, put it through hell but not abused. The recall probably had nothing to do with the blade shattering. The recall was for the trigger safety which always worked for me. I didn't want to buy another skil brand because of the blade shattering but for 13A with a laser and trigger safety, that's pretty much all I found. I was willing to spend ~$200 for something with better bearings etc, maybe magnesium etc but I got another skil for now. 




I'm not sure if the plate bending caused the blade to crack I really dunno but that was something I remember. I changed out the blade to a new one and then it cracked. 




anyway, I'm not really asking much of manufacturers, most have trigger safety and a laser but not that nifty work light, and there's so many 14A and 15A but can't use them with standard cords. :batman:


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

I have a Mikita that I've had for about 10 years with a light and lazar that I found to be pretty much useless in sunlight.
Been working for over 40 years with wood and never had a blade crack like that.
Only cheap saws I own I picked up at yard sales and only use them when working on a roof to cut out the sheathing for a ridge vent. 
Falls off the roof so what, hand me another one.


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## woodworkbykirk (Sep 25, 2011)

having a heavy gauge chord actually does make a difference.. a homeowner using a saw every once and a while making 10 cuts in a day wont notice it.. but if you start framing houses where your saw is going non stop all day you will see the saw start to burn up pretty quick using a low grade chord as its struggling to get the correct amount of juice to the motor

as for cordless saws,, unless your willing to shell out between $200 to $200 for a bare tool and then the extra money for high capacity batteries such as the milwaukee fuel 7 1/4" with a 9 amp battery or dewalt flex volt w/ 60v battery , or makita dual 18v loaded with 2 of their 5 amp batteries.. just go with a corded saw..


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## ront02769 (Nov 28, 2008)

Easy answer is just connect q couple of #14 extension cords together and don't Rory about it. No way that Saw when you pull the trigger that saw draws15 amps....and keeps drawing it during normal use. Non issue.


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## abrowning (Jun 2, 2008)

ront02769 said:


> Easy answer is just connect q couple of #14 extension cords together and don't Rory about it. No way that Saw when you pull the trigger that saw draws15 amps....and keeps drawing it during normal use. Non issue.



Maybe an electrical engineer can chime in. The longer the cord the more resistance there is and the more resistance the more the voltage drop. The motors are designed to operate at 120 volts so if you operate at a lower voltage less current will be available. The motor will run hotter and burn out sooner. 

Then there's the whole thing about the motor start current which is higher than the motor run current. An EE can explain why this isn't good for the motor.


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## ront02769 (Nov 28, 2008)

Kind of making my point. That saw does NOt draw a steady 15 amps. Perhaps 15 as it starts for a couple of seconds...but then it will even out at less....and not hit 15 again until you try to push it hard ripping a PT six bye six. Ron


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## woodworkbykirk (Sep 25, 2011)

well put it this way... ive been in the trade 14 years.. all my chords are 12 gauge chords and all the contractors ive worked for run 12 gauge if not 10 gauge.. i have in the past and currently work with guys that run lighter gauge chords and ive seen their saws burn up before the saw is ready for the dumpster do to being too beat up which is what has happend to 2 of my saws. proof is in the pudding


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## daveb1 (Jan 15, 2010)

Put me down as another guy that uses 12 gauge cords. However if the weight or cost of 100' of 12 gauge is to much why not try 50' of 12 gauge and then 50' of 14 gauge? The drop over the first stretch of 12 gauge would be negligible and the drop over the final stretch of 14 would be minimal.


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## ront02769 (Nov 28, 2008)

Back to the OP, he talked about OCASSIONALLY having to use his tool at 100'....and was worried that he could not even run it on a 15 amp circuit.....not setting the thing and running it all day every day full power. If I a I doing something that requires a bit of cutting, I'll just set up with whatever cord is handy....or better still just grab my makita battery deal.....but if I am setting for all day constant use with a circular or the 12" slide compound miter or a table saw, I am running heavier cord. Ron


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## Californiadecks (Aug 30, 2012)

Here's what I use. After 32 years as a carpenter these saws are well Recieved! I have all three. I had to order 2 of them from Germany.





















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[emoji631][emoji631]


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## Eddie13 (Apr 20, 2015)

I usually get my seldom used tools like circular saws randomly at garage sales and such, I've prolly been through 10 of em..

The only one I haven't managed to destroy yet is an old rockwell like this..










I friggin love this old saw.. Filled her up with some full synthetic mt90 gear oil n she screams!!


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