Cordless circular saw ......

[robgul]

I'm in the market for a cordless circular saw to replace an ancient corded B&D Proline saw (I have a track saw too) that's close to death - use will be fairly infrequent and light so I'm in the budget-range cost-wise - and having a hotch-potch of cordless tools I really want to buy one with a battery, not bare - or a package of bare saw and battery.

Some of the saws I've looked at appear to be "left-handed" - that is the motor is on the right and the blade on the left .... to me that's cutting on the waste being right-handed. My old B&D and the new-ish track saw are both "right-handed" - is it me or are a lot of these saws "the wrong way round"? - and my old B&D has a riving knife, the machines I've seen don't seem to have one (that's not a major concern, just curiosity)

I'd appreciate comments, advice and even recommendations . . .

Thanks

 

[AJB Temple]

Hikoki. Formely Hitachi.

Watch proper review from Robin of Skills Builder here. I think he is a very good site chippy. { turns out vid has been disabled for use on other wiebsites - do a search on You Tube Robin uses it to make a very neat scarf joint]. Try here:

It is dual 18v/36v. I have used it and was impressed. Runs very quiet. If I needed another circular saw to replace my Hilti I would buy this.

 

[petermillard]

Some of the saws I've looked at appear to be "left-handed" - that is the motor is on the right and the blade on the left .... to me that's cutting on the waste being right-handed.

Yes, a lot of the cordless circular saws do seem to have the blade to the left of the motor; some people like this as it’s easier to see the cut-line, but it always seems to be the wrong way round to me too. I had a little Skil cordless for review and it was that way round too. If you want to keep the body of the saw in the workpiece, not the waste, you have to cut from the top, down, if that makes sense.

At the budget end of the market the supermarket saws (Aldi, Lidl) seem to be well regarded for the money, though I’ve no direct experience of them. The Skil saw I had was OK - I’m a long-term tracksaw user so I struggle with regular circ. saws now - I gave it to a friend who uses it regularly and it gets the job done, but has the usual budget tool issues of a pressed steel base, iffy fence, fairly crude depth adjustment etc...

HTH P

 

[robgul]

Yes, a lot of the cordless circular saws do seem to have the blade to the left of the motor; some people like this as it’s easier to see the cut-line, but it always seems to be the wrong way round to me too. I had a little Skil cordless for review and it was that way round too. If you want to keep the body of the saw in the workpiece, not the waste, you have to cut from the top, down, if that makes sense.

At the budget end of the market the supermarket saws (Aldi, Lidl) seem to be well regarded for the money, though I’ve no direct experience of them. The Skil saw I had was OK - I’m a long-term tracksaw user so I struggle with regular circ. saws now - I gave it to a friend who uses it regularly and it gets the job done, but has the usual budget tool issues of a pressed steel base, iffy fence, fairly crude depth adjustment etc...

HTH P

Thanks - I had seen the video, and when I watched it again just now remembered your comments about cordless left-hand drive tools! It does seem very odd to me that they work like that - being right-handed - the clip with the Skil saw on the waste side makes no sense to me!

I guess I'm going to have to bite the bullet with a LH drive machine and get the hang of the cutting direction in the opposite way to my track saw. IIRC there are a couple of RH models (Bosch?) but they are way beyond my budget - although I suppose if you are brand-loyal with common/shared batteries and one charger* it might just make sense.

*interestingly Aldi appears to be introducing a range of Ferrex cordless tools that do just that.

 

[gregmcateer]

We use a Makita battery saw. Not used other cordless, but very pleased with the one we have

 

[Coyote]

My initial question would be do you want to start to standardise on one of your existing cordless platforms? You would likely be able to buy good bare unit for the cost of a cheaper saw + a couple of batteries + a new charger.

 

[robgul]

My initial question would be do you want to start to standardise on one of your existing cordless platforms? You would likely be able to buy good bare unit for the cost of a cheaper saw + a couple of batteries + a new charger.

At the moment my* cordless tool collection has grown like Topsy with everything different! Two different brand drills (one for drilling, one always with a screwdriver bit in the chuck), brad gun, reciprocating saw and a bike tyre inflating pump - as well as a hedge-trimmer, strimmer and lawn-mower.

At my advanced age and fairly low-level use of the tools I'm unlikely to get round to changing/upgrading any of the tools I have now to "standardise the fleet"

* the garden related stuff is at my wife's allotment.