# can you recommend a cordless saw?



## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

I know a lot of people will disagree but I really like my Rigid from the Depot. You can buy the combo and get about everything you will need at one time. Circ saw, recip saw, drill and impact driver. Plus they have a good warranty program. I have had mine for years with no problem but a couple batteries.


----------



## notmrjohn (Aug 20, 2012)

I'll have to pass on this one. The only battery tool i use is drill and i have very old Makita. I do have El Cheapo circular, jig, and recip came as "Free Gift" with something, rarely use, except to play with, use recip most, light weight pruning saw. My use of saws, I feel, just needs the extra power of line voltage, if I am in locale without elec. I use portable generator. Or hand saws. Some times that's easier and quiker than anything. makes much more pleasant sound too.You may wanta look into generator anyway. Livin out in country you may need it. Small one just to keep reefer and a light running. Small enough to put in truck, maybe mounted on dolly.

Back to saws, Recipricating is good for demolition work, rough cutting, variety of blades for pruning, metal, plastics, fast cuts, etc. harder to make precision cuts. Circular saw is best all round saw. Will do most that you want. Jig or saber saw I often reccomend as first saw for inexperienced home owner, not as scary as Skilsaw ( circular) will do many jops of circular and sawzall. Just not as quickly. And will do some jobs others can't, curves, holes, cutting up to walls or end of cut. Its what I use for cutting sink openings in counters.

A set of hand saws is maybe what you want, need a few anyway for when its only thing that will work.

Now folks with experience with battery saws turn.


----------



## firsttimeremode (Jul 19, 2012)

a hand saw, while it works nicely for some things, wont work for floor repair. I need something that will cut 1/4" particleboard to repair sagging under the stove, the renters must have had a flood or something, i dont know, all i know is i went in there after they moved out and there is some sagging under the stove area. In my trailer, its not a problem because i can use a generator or extension cord, i cant do that with this rental house. Why they did not use 3/4" plywood on these floors, i dont know.


----------



## sublime2 (Mar 21, 2012)

A ryobi cordless kit would serve you well for your needs.
Not ideal for serious remodel work but with light work they will do the job.
But then there's the issue of no power,how do you recharge the batteries?


----------



## firsttimeremode (Jul 19, 2012)

i dont need to recharge them, its not a very big spot, i just need something to cut out the old floor. i can cut the new piece of flooring at my dad's shop and put it down with screws and a cordless drill.


----------



## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

Sorry I misread your initial post. If you only need it for this one job I don't know but I suspect you could rent a cordless. But if you really want to buy one almost any of the major brands will do. Again if it is only for use occasionally I would look into ryobi or craftsman something in that range and save a few bucks instead of going high end.


----------



## notmrjohn (Aug 20, 2012)

"1/4" particleboard" you're kidding? "a hand saw... wont work for floor repair." If you can cut it with power, you can cut it by hand. Especially 1/4" stuff. Folks been cutting stuff long B4 we had power tools.

I'm no tool brand snob, any brand is OK if it does job you want it to do. Even from that place down by the docks, "whose name shall not be mentioned." 

" no power,how do you recharge the batteries?" Always have at least one fully charged back up battery as well as one in charger. There are adapters to charge off of running auto-mobiles. Even adapters to run tools off of them. Back in olden times we had to make horses run really fast to charge up batteries, or use hand tools.


----------



## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

One thing i would like to add, if it was particle board under the sink it did not have to be a flood just a very minor leak. that is the nature of particle board when it gets wet it swells and then crumbles. Just me but I would never put particle board back in there.


----------



## firsttimeremode (Jul 19, 2012)

no, im not kidding, believe it or not. I almost fell out when i saw that. Im thinking a previous owner must have installed it, no builder in their right mind would do that. But its just a rental and it seems sturdy enough so we just leave it be for now.


----------



## firsttimeremode (Jul 19, 2012)

not under the sink, under the stove. I cant think of any reason there would be water under the stove, unless the ice maker disconnected or something and water flooded the floor.


----------



## notmrjohn (Aug 20, 2012)

"reason there would be water under the stove" Us students of the Three Stooges know how it got there. Has fire been shooting out of the faucets?


----------



## woodworkbykirk (Sep 25, 2011)

if your going to be using cordless saws. makita is the only way to go.. ive owned and used countless cordless tools and makita is the top brand that is easy to find. milwaukee and ridgid are notorious for their batteries going stale very quick. bosch is also very good but i find their cordless circ saw and recip are almost as big as a corded model but without the power of a corded.

craftsman will burn up in no time.. when i first started out as an apprentice the contractor i was working for had just bought a new craftsman drill for us to use.. i was assembling a table for the home owner.. about 20 screws intohte project and hte motor burnt up..... 3 hr old dead tool.... circ saws need more juice and will eat up a batteries charge much quicker than a drill


----------



## firsttimeremode (Jul 19, 2012)

i bought the ryobi combo set, it was the best deal with the best reviews. BTW, kirk, not every craftsman is a bad tool, i have a craftsman cordless drill, ive charged it and used it in my remodel several times, the battery lasts about two weeks before needing recharged and it has a lot of power. maybe you just got a dud. the flashlight that came with my pack is really bright so it will come in handy not only to fix this but also to work on my own house. thanks for all of the suggestions.


----------



## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

firsttimeremode said:


> i bought the ryobi combo set, it was the best deal with the best reviews. BTW, kirk, not every craftsman is a bad tool, i have a craftsman cordless drill, ive charged it and used it in my remodel several times, the battery lasts about two weeks before needing recharged and it has a lot of power. maybe you just got a dud. the flashlight that came with my pack is really bright so it will come in handy not only to fix this but also to work on my own house. thanks for all of the suggestions.


Must be a misprint my batteries won't last 2 weeks if I don't use them. Craftsman power tools are notorious for being under powered but they are great for h/o who only use them occasionally but go to any job site and see what people who use tools for a living use. But be assured they pay dearly for that privilege. Sears hand tools though are a different story. That is why when you go look at say a saw the price range will go from $60 to almost $200 it all depends on what you are going to do with the tool.


----------



## firsttimeremode (Jul 19, 2012)

no its not a misprint. i bought a black and decker drill in February, and it kept letting go of the bit, so i returned it and purchased the Craftsman drill in a double package with the oscillating multi-tool. I bought it i believe in early march, and used it in the first trailer i bought, and ive used it several times in my new trailer, and it keeps its charge well. Its every bit of two weeks in between charges. of course right now im not doing anything heavy, just stuff like taking down shelves, removing cabinet doors, changing out cabinet hardware, changing doorknobs, and tightening miscellaneous screws around the house. the heavy stuff is coming in the rest of this month, and i guess we will see which drill holds up better, the Craftsman or the Ryobi.


----------



## notmrjohn (Aug 20, 2012)

" go to any job site" aside from drivers and drills you won't see a lot of cordless tools. Roof framers may have a saw up there for a few cuts, so they don't get tangled in cord. Judging a tool for DIYer's casual use, even on "big" chore, by what pros use all day long is like judging home first aid kit by Hospital Emergency room.

Judging an entire line because the only one you used was no good is not very reliable, you're probably not going to buy that brand again. The reverse is true too. One person may have a "Notorious Undependable Mark X" that no one else trusts, but have no problems.

Ironically, I did a kwik Google, several independent tests, Consumer Report, PM, etc had Craftsman drills in top rankings, a couple at #1.
Its just like a Chevy vs Ford argument.

*First*, i hope you got at least an 18 volt kit, Ryobi makes an in vehicle charger for that. $40. ( maybe for others) Don't let the batteries run all the way down when using, recharge when they start to get noticably weak, they will last a lot longer, take a higher charge and hold it longer. 

If you do need new battery or a spare, consider the higher priced, twice as much for full size, lithium battery. It takes two Ryobi NiCads to weed eat my yard, just one of "half size" lithiums does it with some juice left over. The "Plus 1" charger works on both types, has a built in tester, and trickle charge.

If you do need new battery have yours rebuilt, or buy rebuilt. Cheaper than new and most re-builders routinely increase milliamp-hours, giving longer charge life. Pro'lly have to send battery to Big D, Humid H, or Bosie-Shreve.
Local HD may have service.

The flashlights* are* pretty handy, rotating light, heavy battery holds it in position.


----------



## firsttimeremode (Jul 19, 2012)

yeah i bought the 18v kit, it came with two normal lithium batteries, but if the tools prove good i will buy the double-sized lithium. I like the flashlight because it so bright and the rotating head, because i need to do alot of work inside cabinets, and that flashlight should brighten it up a lot in there.


----------



## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

Sorry did not intend to imply 1 brand was better or worse all I meant was to try to match the tool to the work, heavy load-heavy tool. And I guess I did a poor job. And when I said job site I should have clarified remodels or medium sized sites because that is what i'm familiar with. And yes with-in the last few years there are a lot go cordless tools on site.
Back to topic it sounds like you have chosen a good tool for what you want to do. No matter what brand or what anyone else says if you have something and it is working for you, and you are happy with it, then it is right.


----------



## notmrjohn (Aug 20, 2012)

Sorry, Tool, did not intend to imply that you were Brand snob, or idiot. "match the tool to the work"
I started out in Dad's cabinet shop, at 12, doing some real work on actual jobs I mean, he started giving me real tools instead of toy ones when mot kids get they toy ones. When i went out on my own I did additions, foundation to roof. Inside and out. Then as I matured, went into just remodels. then as I got older i went into cabinet/furniture shop, lighter materials, tools were machines not carry around. Benches for heavy stuff. As I got old I did furniture and antique repair, smaller machines lighter tools, much lighter materials, especially worm eaten antiques with delicate moldings. Now finally getting around to own home projects, using many 'lower end" brands, even some from that place down by the docks, that gives away flashlights and tape measures, whose motto should be "Where the customer is quality control."


----------



## firsttimeremode (Jul 19, 2012)

thanks for all of the advice. The reciprocating saw worked perfect, it took maybe two minutes to cut out the old floor, and then put down the new one with screws. I replaced the parquet that my dad put in it originally and now its perfect. Renters signed the lease today.


----------

