# Circular saw, corded or cordless?



## Mike Milam (Mar 3, 2017)

Needing a new circular saw. The one I have works fine at full depth, but somebody must have dropped it at some pint, so if you set it shallow, it doesn't cut straight. Using a board for a guide, it walks away from the guide. That's the why, now which way to go and what's the best? Thanks


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

Mike Milam said:


> Needing a new circular saw. The one I have works fine at full depth, but somebody must have dropped it at some pint, so if you set it shallow, it doesn't cut straight. Using a board for a guide, it walks away from the guide. That's the why, now which way to go and what's the best? Thanks


 Consider trying another blade or a new blade before pitching it in the dumpster. The reason I mention this, in the good ole days I sharpened and set my own hi speed steel blades. Son-inlaw picked it up, tried a cut and it walked bad. I must have screwed that one up delux.


But back to your question I'd like to try a cordless before I get too old to even use a saw.


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## Mike Milam (Mar 3, 2017)

Point well taken, but it has done it with at least two blades. Second was a new diamond concrete blade which is solid to the edge.


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## Fman (Nov 9, 2018)

I prefer corded tools for the power and because, if you don't use the cordless a lot, you got a battery sitting around getting weaker.


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## Oso954 (Jun 23, 2012)

My cordless tools all use the same batteries, so I just rotate them between whatever tools I’m using that day, and the battery charger. I don’t have a battery reserved for saw only use.

I use my cordless saw on most of my smaller jobs. It’s very handy. Takes a lot less time to pull it out and slap a battery in it than to get out the corded saw and extension cord. A lot less time to put away with no extension cord to roll up.

Between it and my miter saw, my corded circular saw doesn’t come out as often as it used to.


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## SPS-1 (Oct 21, 2008)

Depends on the type of work you do. For example, for cutting concrete, I think I would want a corded tool. But suppose you could keep your old corded saw.

Nothing like the convenience of a cordless saw. Especially tempting to go cordless if you already have other cordless tools with a good battery system. Circular saw I bought about a year ago was cordless (as as replacement for my old cheap cordless). I do have an old corded saw under my bench for when I am doing something that the cordless can't handle. But I am not sure if I have used the corded saw in the past decade.

PS -- check the blade for play. Cheaper saws use a sleeve bushing instead of a needle bearing for the blade spindle. Eventually, the bushing opens up.

.


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

One thing that prevents me from going cordless is the seemingly endless change in Volts.


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## rjniles (Feb 5, 2007)

I vote for corded tools for anything that uses significant power and runs for a long time. The only cordless tools I use are my drill driver and flashlight.


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## Mike Milam (Mar 3, 2017)

I don't do much in the way of big jobs anymore. Maybe cut some deck boards once in awhile and then only a few at a time. Rip plywood from time to time for small projects like maybe a cabinet. I do everything by myself and managing a 4X8 sheet of plywood on a table saw is a handful.


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

Mike Milam said:


> Needing a new circular saw. The one I have works fine at full depth, but somebody must have dropped it at some pint, so if you set it shallow, it doesn't cut straight. Using a board for a guide, it walks away from the guide. That's the why, now which way to go and what's the best? Thanks


Easily adjust that saw with a framing hammer, it will go back to straight just measure from the saw teeth to the edge of the table at front and back of the blade. The teeth are bent right and left make sure you are measuring to matching teeth.


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

Mike Milam wants a new cordless saw. Mike Milam has earned a new cordless saw. Mike Milam needs to go buy himself the best cordless saw available.:biggrin2:


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## iamrfixit (Jan 30, 2011)

I have both the DeWalt 20v and 60v circular saws. The 20v works very well, any of the 60v stuff will definitely offer performance above and beyond any cordless tool you've ever used before.

The 20v version with the brushless motor and 7.25" blade is fairly economical and offers great performance. Probably enough for most users. There are tons of promotions on the 20v stuff right now, discounts, free extra battery or free bare tools when you buy the tool as a kit with charger and batteries. 

The 60v Flexvolt version does cost a little more money but it will be indistinguishable from using a corded tool. You can probably find some promotions on the flexvolt tools too. 

If you want the king of cordless saws, then get the 60v worm style framing saw. This one is a beast and you'll never miss the cord. 

Whatever way you go you'll probably want to get at least 2 batteries. I've never ran one battery down quicker than I could get the other charged up.


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## Old Thomas (Nov 28, 2019)

Corded. If I used it for a few cuts every day, I would buy a second saw with battery power.


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## NotYerUncleBob2 (Dec 29, 2017)

Fman said:


> I prefer corded tools for the power and because, if you don't use the cordless a lot, you got a battery sitting around getting weaker.


That's really just a problem with the old NiCad batteries and not an issue with the modern LiIon batteries. 
For the power the new brushless motors on the better cordless saws are just as powerful as the old corded saws. I didn't believe it when I was told that, but then I tried the Makita and was convinced.


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## huesmann (Aug 18, 2011)

Problem with the new LiIon batteries is that moment when you think, "Oh, ****, my power tool just broke," before you remember it's probably just the battery died. They have a really sharp working-to-dead cutoff.


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## rjniles (Feb 5, 2007)

My issue with LI Ion batteries id they give no warning that they are close to dead. They start slowing down but usually let you finish what you are doing. With LiIon, i crawl up in the attic to install 2 screws and after the first one, the drill dies.


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## Mike Milam (Mar 3, 2017)

rjniles said:


> My issue with LI Ion batteries id they give no warning that they are close to dead. They start slowing down but usually let you finish what you are doing. With LiIon, i crawl up in the attic to install 2 screws and after the first one, the drill dies.


I know what you mean on that. I have a string trimmer that uses Li battery and when it is used up, BAM nothing and no warning. But I know now how far I can get before it kicks off. I'm too tight to buy a second battery for it. So I trim the front one day and the rear the second day.


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## iamrfixit (Jan 30, 2011)

My batteries all have charge indicators on them, very easy to push the button and verify how much charge they have left. 

They just stop suddenly because the internal circuitry cuts off the power to prevent you from running them down too far. You also have to make sure that you don't leave batteries stored and unused in a run down state. Lithium batteries become unstable if the voltage gets too low, and they will short internally if a charge is forced on them. If the voltage gets too low the charger will refuse to charge them because it's programmed to know that they can short internally and become dangerous.

I've used them long enough now that I can actually tell when the battery starts getting low, the performance drops off just slightly usually a few cuts or a few screws before the tool cuts out. 

I have nine or ten of the 60v and over twenty of the 20v batteries, I've never killed one yet. I'm still using the 3.0ah batteries that came with my first 20v drill in 2011 and they're going strong. The benefits FAR outweigh any minor inconveniences they might have. They discharge very slowly over time, you could probably leave one set for over a year and it would barely be off the full mark. Much, much slower than the nicads discharge. Every time I picked up my nicad tools the battery was half to mostly dead. When I'm done I always make sure to charge any batteries I've used before I put them away. Lithium batteries don't have the "memory" effect like older batteries did, so they can be charged any time you want and it won't hurt the battery.

The performance and weight reduction is worth it alone. Throw in the additional run time, power and increased RPM that brushless motors bring to the table and you've got an amazing combination.

Because I already had the batteries, I bought a Dewalt 60v string trimmer this fall and I may never own another gas powered one. Light and extremely powerful! I have two 120x130 corner lots and an additional lot right next to one of the corner lots. All three of the properties have houses and garages on them. I can trim all three of the properties and the battery still shows two of the three bars, it is absolutely amazing.


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## Bigplanz (Apr 10, 2009)

Except for the 1.3 ah batteries, all my Dewalt lithium-ion batteries have a charge indicator. I use the 1.3 ah most of the time in my drill and 1/4 inch impact driver, and save the bigger batteries for high amp tools. I use the 6 ah battery with the circular saw and have never had it quit on me in the middle of using it.


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## Scottg (Nov 5, 2012)

Corded.

I'm a huge fan of the newer battery tools. Mostly on DeWalt 20V platform except for hedge trimmer and string trimmer on the 40V platform.

But... my general happiness with the cordless tools ends at the 20V circular saw I mistakenly got. Totally regret it. Maybe the 60v version is fine. I thought based on experience maybe it was good enough for what I wanted to do and I already had a bunch of the batteries. It's weak, and bogs down even in basic dry wood. Yeah, it can get through some 2x4s. But try going through a bit of plywood and it gets iffy pretty quickly. When it binds up, it's challenging to get going again into the cut and finish it well.

Again, maybe the 60V has what it takes. But until somehow I find reviews that convince me of that, I'm not chasing more $$$ and a whole new battery type after owning what is now mostly a paperweight to me now. Bugs me every time I see it since I really like all my other yellow/black stuff.


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## SPS-1 (Oct 21, 2008)

Forget the freakin volts. 

How the saw cuts through thick material is determined by the power of the motor. There WILL be a specification for this on the saw spec sheet. Measured in Watts or HP (746 W = 1 HP). Compare.

How long you can run it is determined by the energy capacity of battery. Measured in Amp-hours (also other units possible, but you can convert). Compare.

Higher voltage may run a little more efficiently. And maybe they can use thinner wires and save some copper cost/weight. But mostly is just marketing hype.


.


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## LS-6 (Nov 26, 2019)

Definitely cordless when it comes to circular saws. I have a skill worm drive, it has plenty of power. I even use it to cut firewood and smaller trees down in the yard. I love the blade on the left side so you can make precise cuts. Cordless drills are nice but not for hanging drywall.


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## iamrfixit (Jan 30, 2011)

Scottg said:


> Corded.
> 
> I'm a huge fan of the newer battery tools. Mostly on DeWalt 20V platform except for hedge trimmer and string trimmer on the 40V platform.
> 
> ...



Which saw do you have? I have the early version 6 1/2" blade without the brushless motor and it is exactly as you describe, ok for a few 2x4s but almost useless for cutting plywood. 

The brushless 7 1/4" version does offer better performance, I don't own that one, but a friend has it and I've used it. I had bought the 60v before the brushless 20v was released. 

The 60v definitely has what it takes, it performs as well as any corded saw. I haven't found a job it couldn't handle with ease.


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## iamrfixit (Jan 30, 2011)

LS-6 said:


> Cordless drills are nice but not for hanging drywall.



I always though that too, until I bought this screw gun. It works pretty impressive by itself and sets the screws at correct depth a lot more reliably than my old corded screw gun. If you add the collated magazine attachment it gets even better, you can drive screws very quick and easy.

I love this thing for hanging drywall, no more cord to tangle in the lift or wrap around my feet. A spare battery will charge up way before I run the first one down.


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## LS-6 (Nov 26, 2019)

iamrfixit said:


> I always though that too, until I bought this screw gun. It works pretty impressive by itself and sets the screws at correct depth a lot more reliably than my old corded screw gun. If you add the collated magazine attachment it gets even better, you can drive screws very quick and easy.
> 
> I love this thing for hanging drywall, no more cord to tangle in the lift or wrap around my feet. A spare battery will charge up way before I run the first one down.


I must say I still have my milwaukee screw gun that I bought new in the 80s. It still works great but I don't do much remodeling these days. I'm an old geezer now(lol)and am not surprised with many new and improved remodeling tools/equipment these days. Can't justify buying new when my old tools still get the job done. I don't mind corded power tools. Back in the day we thought nothing of it, now one can't imagine life without cordless tools. Just like one can't imagine life without a phone in your hand 24/7/365.
Heck my grandfathers generation cut a lot of wood with a hand saw.How many these days would rather commit suicide before doing such inhumane labor. :surprise:


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## 007noob (Sep 17, 2018)

For something like a saw, I like to go with corded because once I pull the plug it’s not turning on. Just a safety thing I consider since I am getting absent minded. 

Cordless is definitely convenient though. 

Just my 2c.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Oso954 (Jun 23, 2012)

If you remember to pull the plug, you can remember to pull the battery.


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## iamrfixit (Jan 30, 2011)

LS-6 said:


> I must say I still have my milwaukee screw gun that I bought new in the 80s. It still works great but I don't do much remodeling these days. I'm an old geezer now(lol)and am not surprised with many new and improved remodeling tools/equipment these days. Can't justify buying new when my old tools still get the job done. I don't mind corded power tools. Back in the day we thought nothing of it, now one can't imagine life without cordless tools. Just like one can't imagine life without a phone in your hand 24/7/365.
> Heck my grandfathers generation cut a lot of wood with a hand saw.How many these days would rather commit suicide before doing such inhumane labor. :surprise:


I bought my dewalt corded screw gun probably 1993 or so, used it a lot but never did like it. The tip is very narrow and there's a very fine line between pushing too hard and breaking the drywall out around the screw or not hard enough and leaving the screw stand proud. I started using a cordless drill with an adapter bit to leave the screw flush. I hung a lot of drywall that way. This new cordless gun is so much nicer to use, the tip is wide and flat and gives more surface to hit the drywall. Way more forgiving on the amount of push you use. Also the speed seems a little different and more suited to driving screws.

Got my first professional cordless in the mid 80's, the old Makita 9.6 with the long handle and slide in battery, I was hooked. It was useless by today's standard but impressive to us all back then. Had Dewalts 12v, 14.4v, 18v, several different model drills and other tools but none compares well to these newest Lithium power, brushless tools. This technology has taken cordless to a new level. In most cases equal to corded and for some tools they're even better.


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## u3b3rg33k (Jul 17, 2018)

I have an M18 fuel 7.25" circular saw. removed a deck with it no issues with performance or battery runtime whatsoever. I wouldn't want to go back to corded.


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## sixeightten (Feb 10, 2009)

Running a 4 man framing crew with cordless saws now. Dewalt 60v has made all the difference. I gave away my 20v saw after using the 60v the first week. I was skeptical, as I had been through all the cordless saws over the last 20 years.


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## LS-6 (Nov 26, 2019)

iamrfixit said:


> Got my first professional cordless in the mid 80's, the old Makita 9.6 with the long handle and slide in battery, I was hooked. It was useless by today's standard but impressive to us all back then. Had Dewalts 12v, 14.4v, 18v, several different model drills and other tools but none compares well to these newest Lithium power, brushless tools. This technology has taken cordless to a new level. In most cases equal to corded and for some tools they're even better.


Ahh I forgot about the cordless makita. Used one way back then but didn't like it even though it was amazing at the time. My milwaukee screw gun fit nicely in my tool belt when using it. The makita not so much due to the long handle and much of the weight in the handle and not the motor. The darn thing wanted to fall out of my tool belt all the time. Even my long milwaukee hammer drill was more balanced than that makita. :wink2:


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## More Power! (Aug 2, 2011)

Re: Batteries self-discharging:



NotYerUncleBob2 said:


> That's really just a problem with the old NiCad batteries and not an issue with the modern LiIon batteries.


 Not true. While modern Li-Ion batteries have a slower self-discharge rate, they do self-discharge. And, as with their NiCad and NiMH predecessors: An overly-discharged Li-Ion battery can become non-rechargeable if allowed to discharge too far.



iamrfixit said:


> My batteries all have charge indicators on them, very easy to push the button and verify how much charge they have left.


 Except, due to the discharge characteristics of Li-Ion batteries, that indicator is only a guess. It might be a reasonably accurate guess and it might not. Too many variables to say.

To the OP: I've fallen out of love with cordless tools. Particularly cordless tools that don't get used often. As I noted, above: The batteries *will* self-discharge. And, while modern Li-Ion batteries, aided by the computer control they put in many modern battery-powered tools make more efficient use of the batteries and help them live longer, they *will* die on you in the middle of a project. Lastly: While modern Li-Ion batteries will live longer than their NiCad and NiMH predecessors, they do have a lifetime. I got tired of finding replacement batteries costing darn near what a new tool would.

I have a vintage Black & Decker 3/8" chuck, variable speed, corded drill motor that's better than 45 years old. Still going strong.

So, other than a Hitachi drill/driver set and a Milwaukee 12V Fuel drill, my power tools are corded, air- or gas-powered.


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## iamrfixit (Jan 30, 2011)

Well, I've been using the 20v max batteries for almost 9 years now and I find the gauges have always seemed pretty much right on. I use them all the time and run the tools every day. I have a pretty good expectation of how long a fully charged battery should last, can't recall ever having a battery run down unexpectedly. Usually the other way, I'm often amazed how long they last. 

I've had the charge indicator on my phone get a little out of whack once or twice. A simple battery calibration always fixed that right up, but I've never had that happen with the Dewalt batteries. My original, nearly 9 year old batteries are still in use.

Discharge rate for Li-Ion is very low, about 1-2% per month, while the discharge rate for nicad batteries is much higher at about 15%/month. Honestly, my old nicad packs seemed like they went way faster than that. If I didn't use one for a couple weeks it would be completely flat. 

I have a bunch of batteries so I'm sure they don't all see regular use. Keep all my charged packs fit on these nice little wooden card trays I salvaged during a commercial tear-out of a bank. Each one holds about a dozen batteries and the packs fit in the trays perfectly. Any batteries I've used always gets charged up before being loaded back on the trays. I've never grabbed a battery from one of those trays that seemed run down.


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## Calson (Jan 23, 2019)

Cordless saws are much easier to use but require special blades to perform well. I have a DeWalt 6.5" cordless and the DeWalt blade that came with it drained the battery quickly. I replaced it with a Diablo blade and can cut 3x as long on a battery charge. 

For general use a 6.5" cordless using 20 volt lithium-ion batteries will work for boards and 2x4 and 4x4 material. I have and use a 7.25" corded worm drive Skilsaw for the tough jobs but 95% of the time I grab the cordless DeWalt as it is all I need. 

The big advantage of lithium-ion batteries is that they will lose their charge very slowly. I like that I can grab a tool and clip on a battery that has sat in the cabinet for a month or two and do the job and not have to first charge the battery before I begin. 

DeWalt and others are selling bare tools for $100 so you can use the same charger and batteries with multiple tools and save a good deal of money.


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## kerryman71 (Feb 26, 2017)

Certain tools I prefer corded, a circular saw being one of them. I have a Milwaukee (not sure of the model) that's been worked hard for about six years now with no problems.


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## jeffnc (Apr 1, 2011)

Some tools I appreciate having cordless, and others I always want to make sure I have full power without worrying about running low and recharging. A concrete hammer drill, a paddle mixer, and a circular saw are three that I can think of off the top of my head that I would always want corded. I can see the use of a cordless saw, but I would never be without a corded one. I'd buy the corded one first, and if I had situations where I wanted the cordless, I'd add the cordless later.


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## Bigplanz (Apr 10, 2009)

jeffnc said:


> Some tools I appreciate having cordless, and others I always want to make sure I have full power without worrying about running low and recharging. A concrete hammer drill, a paddle mixer, and a circular saw are three that I can think of off the top of my head that I would always want corded. I can see the use of a cordless saw, but I would never be without a corded one. I'd buy the corded one first, and if I had situations where I wanted the cordless, I'd add the cordless later.


With a cordless circ or recip saw, you need the biggest ah battery you can find. 5 ah, minimum. I got two 6 ah batteries just for the circ saw and the jobsite blower. Plenty of power, plenty of run time.


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## jeffnc (Apr 1, 2011)

Bigplanz said:


> With a cordless circ or recip saw, you need the biggest ah battery you can find. 5 ah, minimum. I got two 6 ah batteries just for the circ saw and the jobsite blower. Plenty of power, plenty of run time.



I normally use corded recip saw. You pretty much have to stick with one company once you buy batteries. I went with Makita. They make a large and small recip saw. I didn't bother with the large because I would just use my corded. I finally bought a small recip which I keep in my truck. I don't use it for big jobs, but it's great for little jobs especially in small spaces. Then the smaller 3 ah is fine. Similar story to what I was saying about the OP's question. I bought the corded first and if I only had one, that would be it. I added the cordless later once I had a need for it.


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## u3b3rg33k (Jul 17, 2018)

Calson said:


> Cordless saws are much easier to use but *require special blades to perform well.* I have a DeWalt 6.5" cordless and the DeWalt blade that came with it drained the battery quickly. I replaced it with a Diablo blade and can cut 3x as long on a battery charge.
> 
> For general use a 6.5" cordless using 20 volt lithium-ion batteries will work for boards and 2x4 and 4x4 material. I have and use a 7.25" corded worm drive Skilsaw for the tough jobs but 95% of the time I grab the cordless DeWalt as it is all I need.
> 
> ...


I threw a lennox metal cutting blade in my milwaukee and chopped up a steel clad door on one battery.


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## ktownskier (Aug 22, 2018)

I have not re-read the whole thread, so forgive me if I am repeating what someone else posted.

NiCd batteries and NIMH batteries are last years old underwear. So to speak. They are tired, worn, but they are comfortable. And while they still fit, they are full of holes. Time to replace them. Besides, the new underwear they have now, fits better, helps you breathe, and has fancy new colors. Just like the new L-Ion batteries. 

L-Ion batteries, like all batteries, will lose their charge, but over a much longer period. That is why Smoke and CO detectors can come with a battery that never needs replacing. Once the battery dies, replace the unit. Which is about the life of the unit anyways. 

The other nice thing about L-Ion batteries is that they usually can't be overcharged. You can leave it on the charger and if you forget it, the batter won't be damaged. And you can get them in increasingly longer amp-hour ratings. 

On the subject of cord vs cordless, I feel that owning a good drill, a high torque low speed mixing drill (for thin set, mud and the like), sawzall and circular saw that is corded needs to be on everyone's list. Start with the circ saw and if you do a lot of tile work or drywall work, get the mixing drill. Until recently, no cordless drill was designed to mix concrete, thinset, etc on a regular basis. DeWalt now has a Flexvolt tool (Model #DCD130B) $219 bare and Milwaukee has an M18 18V tool (Model #2910-20) $143.10 bare that are both designed for mixing mud, concrete, thinset, grout, etc.. on a continuous basis. 

One of the best corded mixer drills is Rigid's 9 amp Spade handle mud mixer. 

As for cordless tools, wait until there are buy this, get that free type sale. Which is of course right now. I like Rigid, if you register them right away, including batteries, they are covered for life. 

DeWalt, Makita/Metabo, Porter Cable, Bosch are all good brands. Ask 20 people, your will get 20 or more different answers. 

I like buying a kit, that way you share batteries. Then again, I have Kobalt, (Got it on special), a couple of skill drills (cheap bastards that cost me almost nothing) and then my Rigid stuff, some old, some new, but most of it started out as a kit. And I sill look at kits because you can get batteries that way and for some reason, my wife likes to hide them on me. When she tidies up. 

The main thing is, go to the store, pick them up, see how they feel in your hand. What fits my hand, may not fit yours. 

And buy good blades for your saws. Cheap ones wear out too quick and never cut that well to begin with. Diablo are great blades. Lenox are to. They may cost a bit more, but they will cut better longer. 

Same for driver bits. I really like Milwaukee ones. Get the ones that say 50x. They really do last longer than others. And for not much more money. And the cases are easy to modify to your liking.


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## jeffnc (Apr 1, 2011)

ktownskier said:


> a good drill, a high torque low speed mixing drill (for thin set, mud and the like)



I've seen quite a few _corded_ electric drills blow smoke when used for mixing thinset. Low speed, high torque is the key, the opposite of drilling and driving drills.


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## SPS-1 (Oct 21, 2008)

jeffnc said:


> I've seen quite a few _corded_ electric drills blow smoke when used for mixing thinset.


I've done that. Thought the drill was heavy duty. It survived though.


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## Bigplanz (Apr 10, 2009)

My totally unscientific experience with lithium ion batteries is they don't self discharge over years of storage. Here is one still full after 4 years.


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## More Power! (Aug 2, 2011)

Bigplanz said:


> My totally unscientific experience with lithium ion batteries is they don't self discharge over years of storage.


 Then you have miracle batteries that defy the laws of physics as we currently know them. It can be very low--depending upon battery chemistry and storage temperature, but, regardless, there will be self discharge.

*All* batteries have a degree of self discharge--even lithium primary cells.


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## raylo32 (Nov 25, 2006)

I still have one of those Makita 9.6V cordless drill/driver tools myself. I can't bring myself to toss it even though I have big collection of Makita 18v LXT tools. And BTW, the LXT cordless circular saw works great for most jobs. I don't even recall the last time I needed to pull out the old plug in Skill Saw.

Quote:

Got my first professional cordless in the mid 80's, the old Makita 9.6 with the long handle and slide in battery, I was hooked. It was useless by today's standard but impressive to us all back then. Had Dewalts 12v, 14.4v, 18v, several different model drills and other tools but none compares well to these newest Lithium power, brushless tools. This technology has taken cordless to a new level. In most cases equal to corded and for some tools they're even better.


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## Bigplanz (Apr 10, 2009)

More Power! said:


> Then you have miracle batteries that defy the laws of physics as we currently know them. It can be very low--depending upon battery chemistry and storage temperature, but, regardless, there will be self discharge.
> 
> *All* batteries have a degree of self discharge--even lithium primary cells.


I am sure you're right. No energy storage is forever. My example is just that, an example. Charge indicator shows full after 4 years. Maybe it is, or maybe the indicator is giving a false reading. 4 years is a long time for a battery to stay charged. A whole lot better than Ni-cad.

I don't believe in miracles, but I do respect experience. If I wanted to find out for sure, I could run it until it is empty. Maybe take axle nuts off random cars at pull a part. Hmmmmm!


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## Ruko (Nov 10, 2019)

Quote: Thank a police officer for being the one who runs 'TO' a report of shots fired, while everyone else runs 'AWAY' 



If they run away why would we pay them? It is their sworn duty to run to a report of shots. That's why they strap on a gun to shoot bad guys who want to kill them or others. To protect and serve. It says so on their police cars. It could very well lead to taking a bullet to protect us.


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## Scottg (Nov 5, 2012)

iamrfixit said:


> Which saw do you have? I have the early version 6 1/2" blade without the brushless motor and it is exactly as you describe, ok for a few 2x4s but almost useless for cutting plywood.
> 
> The brushless 7 1/4" version does offer better performance, I don't own that one, but a friend has it and I've used it. I had bought the 60v before the brushless 20v was released.
> 
> The 60v definitely has what it takes, it performs as well as any corded saw. I haven't found a job it couldn't handle with ease.


Too lazy to go to garage right now to check! But it has to be the brushless then as I know it's 7 1/4" Good to hear the 60V is maybe ok. At this point, not going to do anything until maybe next summer. I'd really like a cordless version. Lot's of convenience. Even if just taking down plywood, just easier. And if using a guide, not having the cord drag or interfere can make a difference in smoothness of cut.

Still, I'm annoyed that I basically wasted $$$ on the 20v. I'll probably try to sell it on eBay or Craigslist and get crap for it. But I'm just not using it.


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## ktownskier (Aug 22, 2018)

Ruko said:


> Quote: Thank a police officer for being the one who runs 'TO' a report of shots fired, while everyone else runs 'AWAY'
> 
> 
> 
> If they run away why would we pay them? It is their sworn duty to run to a report of shots. That's why they strap on a gun to shoot bad guys who want to kill them or others. To protect and serve. It says so on their police cars. It could very well lead to taking a bullet to protect us.


Umm, @Ruko, I think you have the wrong thread. Unless you are also wanting the police to also carry a cordless saw.


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## ktownskier (Aug 22, 2018)

jeffnc said:


> I've seen quite a few _corded_ electric drills blow smoke when used for mixing thinset. Low speed, high torque is the key, the opposite of drilling and driving drills.


I should have stressed in my post for corded drills, like I did for cordless drills, that you need to get a drill that is designed for mixing mud, thinset and concrete. 

The one I did include reference "One of the best corded mixer drills is Rigid's 9 amp Spade handle mud mixer." did have mud mixer in it's name. 

And I too have burned up a few corded drills, and drained several batteries beyond repair in cordless drills, (not my ridgids though) mixing even a small amount of thinset or grout. This was before I got my Delta spade handle mud mixer. 

If I did a lot more tile work, I would get a dedicated mixer like this one from Ridgid:


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## LS-6 (Nov 26, 2019)

That mixer looks expensive. I have an old corded 3/8" skill hand drill. It has worked great for years. Perhaps they don't make them like they used to???
Like this one. Yes I know this is the circular saw thread, this is a circular drill? Does that count??? lol


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## Mike Milam (Mar 3, 2017)

ktownskier said:


> Umm, @Ruko, I think you have the wrong thread. Unless you are also wanting the police to also carry a cordless saw.


He was quoting my signature line and clearly didn't understand it.


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## iamrfixit (Jan 30, 2011)

Scottg said:


> Too lazy to go to garage right now to check! But it has to be the brushless then as I know it's 7 1/4" Good to hear the 60V is maybe ok. At this point, not going to do anything until maybe next summer. I'd really like a cordless version. Lot's of convenience. Even if just taking down plywood, just easier. And if using a guide, not having the cord drag or interfere can make a difference in smoothness of cut.
> 
> Still, I'm annoyed that I basically wasted $$$ on the 20v. I'll probably try to sell it on eBay or Craigslist and get crap for it. But I'm just not using it.



I don't believe dewalt made the 7-1/4" in anything but brushless, and I searched around but didn't find any. The reviews of the brushless have been pretty favorable but I haven't used that model enough to offer an opinion other than it worked better than the 6 1/2" brush model for me. 

Be sure you're using the full sized battery. The compact batteries won't have enough reserve to adequately run the circular saw. The bigger the battery the better it should perform. I have 3,4,5 and 6 ah batteries, mostly the 5's. For tools like the circular saw that draw a lot of power, the higher amp hour batteries become a necessity. 

Also need a good sharp blade designed for cordless, these will have a slick coating on the sides and be very thin kerf. I stick with the dewalt blades as I've always had good luck with them. Can't power through with a dull blade using cordless. The added load will really zap the power from the batteries. Not assuming either is the problem with your saw, just an observation from my usage.

The 6 1/2" brushed version I have is fine for crosscutting or light work but ripping is a little slow. Much better than the old nicad 18 or 14.4, but it could never replace a corded saw for most and certainly not me. The 60v can and it pretty much has.


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## Scottg (Nov 5, 2012)

iamrfixit said:


> Be sure you're using the full sized battery. The compact batteries won't have enough reserve to adequately run the circular saw. The bigger the battery the better it should perform. I have 3,4,5 and 6 ah batteries, mostly the 5's. For tools like the circular saw that draw a lot of power, the higher amp hour batteries become a necessity.


Interesting. Thanks. I'll try a larger battery and see if that works. Hadn't thought of that. I've been using one of the smaller ones just because I have a bunch of them. Maybe worth getting a larger battery because worst case, if it doesn't work better I still have a bigger battery for the other tools.


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## Ruko (Nov 10, 2019)

Mike Milam said:


> He was quoting my signature line and clearly didn't understand it.



Do you get the point though? I think I understand as well as anyone. It's their job fcs!


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## rjniles (Feb 5, 2007)

Ruko said:


> Do you get the point though? I think I understand as well as anyone. It's their job fcs!


And what is you point bringing this up in a discussion of corded vs battery tools? I suspect you are being a troll. Correction know you are being a troll.

Sent from my Moto E (4) Plus using Tapatalk


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## NotYerUncleBob2 (Dec 29, 2017)

iamrfixit said:


> Be sure you're using the full sized battery. The compact batteries won't have enough reserve to adequately run the circular saw. The bigger the battery the better it should perform.


Do you think this really makes a difference? I mean, runtime yes, but in overall performance? The amp hour rating is more like how much gas you've got in the tank than it is how many cc's your motor is. Granted, you'll get more cuts before performance starts to suffer, but it should make no difference with a fully charged battery. 



iamrfixit said:


> Also need a good sharp blade designed for cordless, these will have a slick coating on the sides and be very thin kerf.


Yes. This will make a big difference. Makita came out with some blades specifically designed for cordless tools (called Max Efficiency blades) that have a slightly thinner kerf and a few other design elements to improve battery life and make cuts easier.


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## SPS-1 (Oct 21, 2008)

...and when you notice that a "kit" with drill, 2 batteries and charger costs less than 2 new batteries, check the capacity of the batteries in the kit. When they want to save a few dollars, first thing they do is decrease the number of cells in the batteries. Ask me how I know.


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## ront02769 (Nov 28, 2008)

Being on the battery subject, this is the time to hop down to HD to get your Christmas pack of three 3.0 ah 18 v batteries that fit all lit tools for $139.....or you could pay $99 for one.....


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## iamrfixit (Jan 30, 2011)

NotYerUncleBob2 said:


> Do you think this really makes a difference? I mean, runtime yes, but in overall performance? The amp hour rating is more like how much gas you've got in the tank than it is how many cc's your motor is. Granted, you'll get more cuts before performance starts to suffer, but it should make no difference with a fully charged battery.



For tools like a drill, impact driver, flashlight or other tools that have a lower power draw or tools used in short bursts, no it probably won't make a lot of difference. For a tool like a circular saw that has a heavier startup draw or likely to get more sustained use it will matter. You may not really notice a big difference making a couple quick cuts, like just grabbing the saw to crosscut a couple of boards. For making numerous repeated cuts or a long rip cut on a sheet of plywood it quickly begins to matter. The smaller number of cells depletes more quickly when subjected to the constant power draw. If the fewer cells can't feed the usage quickly enough, the voltage drops off and so does the HP and torque being produced by the motor. 

Using one of my 1/2" impact wrenches I can notice the performance hit even using a 3.0 versus a 5 or 6 amp hour battery. A set of lug nuts might have to hammer using the 3 amp battery but immediately spin loose on the big battery. Lots of places have a two pack of 5.0 batteries for $129-139, buying a single battery is usually just too expensive. An even better deal is to find a special where you can buy a bare tool and get a free battery thrown in with it. Those offers are pretty plentiful around this time of year.


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## Bigplanz (Apr 10, 2009)

iamrfixit said:


> For tools like a drill, impact driver, flashlight or other tools that have a lower power draw or tools used in short bursts, no it probably won't make a lot of difference. For a tool like a circular saw that has a heavier startup draw or likely to get more sustained use it will matter. You may not really notice a big difference making a couple quick cuts, like just grabbing the saw to crosscut a couple of boards. For making numerous repeated cuts or a long rip cut on a sheet of plywood it quickly begins to matter. The smaller number of cells depletes more quickly when subjected to the constant power draw. If the fewer cells can't feed the usage quickly enough, the voltage drops off and so does the HP and torque being produced by the motor.
> 
> Using one of my 1/2" impact wrenches I can notice the performance hit even using a 3.0 versus a 5 or 6 amp hour battery. A set of lug nuts might have to hammer using the 3 amp battery but immediately spin loose on the big battery. Lots of places have a two pack of 5.0 batteries for $129-139, buying a single battery is usually just too expensive. An even better deal is to find a special where you can buy a bare tool and get a free battery thrown in with it. Those offers are pretty plentiful around this time of year.


I have 3, 1.3 ah, 2, 3 ah and 2, 6 ah batteries. Circ saw and jobsite blower get the 6 ah. 1.3 ah in the drill and 1/4 inch impact driver and the 3 Ah for the angle grinder and 3/8 inch wrench. Never use them at once, of course, so I have pretty much all the battery options I will ever need.


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## NotYerUncleBob2 (Dec 29, 2017)

iamrfixit said:


> Using one of my 1/2" impact wrenches I can notice the performance hit even using a 3.0 versus a 5 or 6 amp hour battery. A set of lug nuts might have to hammer using the 3 amp battery but immediately spin loose on the big battery.


Just wondering out loud here, but does the weight of the heavier battery make a difference here? Like the lighter weight at the bottom of the driver gets a little torqued rather than that energy going to the nut if the tool has more weight and is therefor less likely to kick?


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## PPBART (Nov 11, 2011)

Oso954 said:


> My cordless tools all use the same batteries, so I just rotate them between whatever tools I’m using that day, and the battery charger. I don’t have a battery reserved for saw only use.
> 
> I use my cordless saw on most of my smaller jobs. It’s very handy. Takes a lot less time to pull it out and slap a battery in it than to get out the corded saw and extension cord. A lot less time to put away with no extension cord to roll up.
> 
> Between it and my miter saw, my corded circular saw doesn’t come out as often as it used to.


Mirrors my experience. My Dewalt 18v saw has enough power to handle most little jobs outside the shop, like roughing a sheet of plywood into more easily handled sizes.

PPBart: He, His, Him


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## iamrfixit (Jan 30, 2011)

NotYerUncleBob2 said:


> Just wondering out loud here, but does the weight of the heavier battery make a difference here? Like the lighter weight at the bottom of the driver gets a little torqued rather than that energy going to the nut if the tool has more weight and is therefor less likely to kick?


Doubt that really has much to do with it. You can simply hear and feel that the motor just maintains a bit more kick with the bigger battery, especially as you continue one fastener to the next. The big 1/2" brushless impact is a more powerful, larger diameter motor than say a drill or a impact driver and the motor puts a heavy load on the battery. The larger number of cells in the battery pack can share the workload a little more efficiently and better maintains the flow of power coming out of the battery and into the tool. 

I only have one compact battery and it's usually on a flashlight. Have a couple 3, 4 and 6 amp mixed in but I mostly run 5 amp on everything. The weight is negligible and cost is minimal so no real advantage for me to use the small packs. Most of my batteries have come in a tool "kit" or free with a bare tool anyway. Have also added several 60v flexvolt tools so I'm up to eleven of the 6 and 9 amp 60v altogether. They are larger and heavier but they work great on most of the 20v tools too.


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## Mike Milam (Mar 3, 2017)

Lots of good feedback, thanks folks!


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## DexterII (Jul 14, 2010)

I have several corded circular saws, and one cordless. The cordless is an 18V Dewalt, and I have had no issues at all with it, in fact it has always performed above my initial expectations, and I have probably a dozen or so batteries that I rotate among tools so that has not been a problem, but if I were to have one circular saw there is no doubt in my mind that it would be corded.


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## Calson (Jan 23, 2019)

Ruko said:


> Quote: Thank a police officer for being the one who runs 'TO' a report of shots fired, while everyone else runs 'AWAY'
> 
> If they run away why would we pay them? It is their sworn duty to run to a report of shots. That's why they strap on a gun to shoot bad guys who want to kill them or others. To protect and serve. It says so on their police cars. It could very well lead to taking a bullet to protect us.


Fireman have a much greater chance of dying on the job than a LEO. The majority of law enforcement officer deaths are the result of a heart attack and the second most common cause is being in an auto accident. 

Ag workers, flight attendants, construction workers, and cell tower workers, are some of the occupations in the top 10 most dangerous and the police do not even make the top 10 list. Cops do have better PR with all the cop shows on TV.


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## Ruko (Nov 10, 2019)

Calson said:


> Fireman have a much greater chance of dying on the job than a LEO. The majority of law enforcement officer deaths are the result of a heart attack and the second most common cause is being in an auto accident.
> 
> Ag workers, flight attendants, construction workers, and cell tower workers, are some of the occupations in the top 10 most dangerous and the police do not even make the top 10 list. Cops do have better PR with all the cop shows on TV.



I'm well aware more fire fighters are killed on the job than LEOs. Not arguing with your statistics. What amazes me is when there is an LEO killed on the job sometimes 5000+ fellow LEOs show up for the funeral from all over the US and even from foreign countries. An on the job death is certainly tragic but I've never seen large funerals like this for a fire fighter who really has the same job as an LEO. They serve and protect too.


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