Replies

1. 
   SawdustSteve | Mar 02, 2005 04:57am | #1

   Hi Caveman... Welcome to the board. The way you posed your question, it's like saying 'I need a recipe for supper. What should I cook?'
   WE need more info in order to help you. Do you want (need) a cabinet saw, a contractors saw, a table-top saw or a side-winder (Skill-saw)? Are you just beginning to get into woodworking? Does your shop have a size limitation?? Do you have a budget limitation? What are you planning to (wishing to build) in the next 6 months to a year?

   Many of us with tight budgets like machinery produced by Grizzly (http://www.grizzly.com), others prefer Powermatic and others like Delta. There are also mega-buck machines out there that are really designed for cabinet shops, but some 'home craftsmen' like them too. The general consensus is to avoid the lower priced Craftsman machines, although they will do nice work if you don't push their limits. So.... Let us know more info so we can steer you in (hopefully) the right direction.
   SawdustSteve

2. 
   Steinmetz | Mar 02, 2005 05:00am | #2

   Cave, are you right handed or'Leftie'?
   Check out Milwaukee/Bosch/Porter-Cable
   STAY AWAY FROM CRAFTSMAN, Cheap Skill brand, or china imports
   Use good carbide blades and don't be suckered into cordless unless you are rich and extremly patient and forgiving. Steinmetz.

3. 
   JMartinsky | Mar 02, 2005 05:37am | #3

   Not everyone likes it, but I use a DeWalt. I like the wide base and the adjustments. I have the one with a knob on the front with a case. After that, I would choose Porter Cable.

   John

4. 
   bones | Mar 02, 2005 06:27am | #4

   I bought one specifically for the purpose of cutting plywood down to manageble size. I love the Porter Cable with a forrest blade. The magnesium base is nice and I use the dust pickup attachement from my routers (also PC) to help keep the dust down (it fits the PC saw nicely). I have cut up MDF with little dust using this setup.   

5. 
   paule38 | Mar 02, 2005 04:12pm | #5

   Hey Cavemen, welcome!!
   First off, as somebody else has stated, what are you planning on using this saw for, somewhat everyday use or weekend projects?? Either way I'd buy a good one but maybe not top of the line. I use a Milwaukee myself, a 7 1/4 inch tilt lock and it works fine, but I do commercial work and have worked on a lot of house framing, etc. I know of guys who have tried that new Hitachi saw and they like it as well, you can get it for under 100 bucks, whereas the Milwaukee will run you about 139. The only stuff I'd stay away from regardless of the type of work you plan on doing is a Black and Decker, Dewalt (made by Black and Decker), Skil, saws from Harbor Freight, and the lower end Craftsman saws, none of them will stand much use at all and you end up replacing them quickly. Porter Cable makes a good saw for about 119 bucks, the Milwaukee is 139, the Ridgid is a good saw (I'm told, have never personally used one though). Get something with a 15 amp rating if you plan on cutting the heavier type materials, although I will tell you I've seen guys using the 13 amp Ryobi saws on medium duty carpentry work and they've had fair success with them. You can either spend around 100 bucks for a saw up front or spend 60 to 80 dollars initially and then end up spending the 100 or so after you burn out the cheap saw you buy to begin with, in my mind I'd just spend for the quality tool up front and save money in the long run......hope this helps!!!

6. 
   paule38 | Mar 02, 2005 04:25pm | #6

   Forgot on my 1st message, I see no need to spend a few extra bucks getting conned into buying a "laser" on the saw either, although if some of our fellow members can refute that I'd love to hear the reasoning in buying a laser on a circular saw and certainly welcome their comments, I can always stand to learn something new.....

1. 
   TXJon | Mar 02, 2005 05:09pm | #7

   Well, with the laser you don't need to have a blade!  Isn't that how it works?  Go Buck Rogers!

1. 
   paule38 | Mar 02, 2005 05:11pm | #8

   Hey...a Star Wars saw!!! I never gave that much thought....better be looking at whats downrange of the saw though....

7. 
   oak | Mar 04, 2005 09:54am | #9

   go down to the local tool store... whatever it may be...

   pick up a worm drive, then pick up a sidewinder... determine what feel you like more... do you want the blade on the left, or on the right... pretend you are making a cut with it, and see if you can see the blade, move the gaurd, etc... wormdrives are heavier, but i like the mass..

   i have and love the bosch worm drive (i wanted the blade on the left) based on the classic skill 77 model, but with a couple more amps and lighter...

   others swear by the sidewinder.. i dont use one, but hear that the milwaukee gets great reviews (blade on right).. i hear the smaller porter cable saw boss (blade on left) is also well liked, but i have never used it

   for what its worth... mine retails around 199.. picked one up off of ebay, brand new in the box, direct connect with a 25' cord... 150 shipping included

   
   

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   Edited 3/4/2005 2:01 am ET by oak

8. 
   nikkiwood | Mar 06, 2005 08:50am | #10

   I have five circular saws, and my latest acquistion has now become my favorite -- the PC Saw Boss.

   Compared with the others, it is light weight and easy to manuever. I used it to cut all the rafters for a hip porch last fall, and it zipped right through all those compound mitre cuts. And needless to say, it does very well with sheet goods. I am right handed, and this is a left-blade saw -- which I prefer, since it is easier to see your cut line. The downside is you have to learn to balance the saw if you are only taking off a inch or two from a board.

   Framers don't like this saw because it has a wimpy base shoe, and they're right. I dropped it from a 2' saw horse, and the base bent. But because it bends easily when dropped, it was easy enough to straighten out.

   I have only used the dust collection bag a few times, and like my other PC saws, it does a very good job.

1. 
   paule38 | Mar 06, 2005 08:12pm | #11

   I ran into a guy a couple years ago who had one of the PC Saw Bosses on a job site and he couldn't say enough about it. he loved it and when I used it I felt the same way. Granted, it's only got a 6 inch blade and only 9 amps, but it felt good and it worked good. We were cutting a lot of 2 by material and the saw never bogged down on the job. I like the blade left feature even though I'm right handed. I've been meaning to get one for the past couple years but never have, now that PC is owned by BD I'm not so sure......