Replies

1. 
   OrchidGuy | Jul 13, 2004 11:02pm | #1

   Greetings, Jon

    The differences between a worm drive and sidewinder circular saws are in the way the gears are connected between the blade and the saw. A sidewinder is also known as a direct drive saw. In a sidewinder the motor is at a 90 degree angle to the blade and drives or spins the blade directly through a helical gear. Your Makita is a perfect example of a direct drive or sidewinder. The blade on a sidewinder can be located on either the left or right side of the saw. My saw is a Porter Cable which is a sidewinder and I prefer to have the blade on the right side, since I'm right handed. A worm drive saw has the blade on the left side of the motor only, their are no models with the blade on the right side. The worm drive uses a worm gear to drive the blade. The motor is usually mounted parallel to the blade. The worm drive is heavier, more durable, and provides more cutting power than a sidewinder. Which one to use is mostly a matter of personal preference. On the wormdive you can get the saw with a handle on the top of the saw or a handle at the rear of the saw. If your interested here are some websites for circular manufacturers:

   http://www.boschtools.com

   http://www.portercable.com

   http://www.portercable.net

   Bosch Tools manufactures the Skil saw and they have a line of worm drive saws if your interested. Porter Cable manufactures only sidewinder circular saws.

   Hope this answered your question.

   P.S. Spend some time over on Breaktime and Knots!

   Those daring young men in their flying machines!

1. 
   CAGIV | Jul 14, 2004 05:31am | #2

   2 minor corrections.

   Porter cable does make a worm drive, albeit a small saw, having a 4 1/2" blade, and the blade is on the right of this saw.

   http://www.porter-cable.com/index.asp?e=547&p=2742

   good little saw for trim work in my limited experience with it.

1. 
   OrchidGuy | Jul 15, 2004 01:20am | #3

   Hi CAG,

    This is what happens when you don't pay attention! I checked out the link you provided, and, I looked through Tool Crib's latest catalog I've got, I totally missed it in there. I'm always drooling over Porter Cable's Porta Planer! Like I always say " I know alot, but, I don't know everything!"

   Those daring young men in their flying machines!

1. 
   CAGIV | Jul 21, 2004 02:54am | #4

   if you want that porta-plane better get one while you can, PC was bought out by black and decker, so much for porter cable I guess..

1. 
   OrchidGuy | Jul 21, 2004 06:33pm | #5

   Am I imagining things, or does it seem like B&D is buying out other manufacturers! I swear I read last year that they purchased DeWalt and were planning to close it down. And didn't Black & Decker just buy another company recently or was that Porter Cable sale you mentioned?

   Those daring young men in their flying machines!

2. 
   CAGIV | Jul 22, 2004 10:13am | #6

   there is a thread about it over at breaktime, I'm not really sure on the details but do know they purchased PC/Delta, and a few other companines I believe that were owned by PC

3. 
   OrchidGuy | Jul 23, 2004 12:00am | #7

   Thanks, I checked it out not long after it was posted.

   Those daring young men in their flying machines!

4. 
   ascaas | Aug 08, 2004 12:22am | #8

   You can't be serious!!!  B&D is planning to close down DeWalt?!?!  I just ordered a nice router from DeWalt, but what will happen to their warranty if B&D shuts down shop?  Where did you hear that?  Can you provide me with a link to the thread on that in Breaktime?  That would be a big disapointment if DeWalt all of a sudden went under!

   Thanks,

   Graham

5. 
   OrchidGuy | Aug 08, 2004 04:02am | #9

   Hi Jon,

    It turns out that B&D is not shutting down DeWalt. Bum information on a small article I read. There were 2 postings  I read that B&D puchased DeWalt, Porter Cable, and Delta along with DeVillbis and I think Oldham Saw. As for your warranty it will still be honored. I went nuts too when I read that article. There was 1 posting early last month on Knots and 1 on Breaktime. Forgot what the message numbers were but you might want to backtrack through the postings. People were posting about B&D buying everything, and there were crips about the quality about B&D products. According to what I was told on Knots B&D is keeping DeWalt, Porter Cable and Delta open, they are just consolidating the production of the various product lines. Hope they do a good job of making quality tools!

   Those daring young men in their flying machines!

6. 
   ascaas | Aug 09, 2004 07:37am | #10

   Thanks for the research you did on that one!  What a relief!!!  I am planning to buy more Dewalt tools in the future, and was really hoping that B&D wouldn't close them down, since they are one of the better tools we can buy up here.  Thanks again!

   Graham

7. 
   OrchidGuy | Aug 11, 2004 01:34am | #11

   Hi Jon,

    Sorry about the panic, I was just as freaked out! I've got a biscuit joiner in yellow. Thinking about a few more items myself from DeWalt once I get my personal budget deficit under control.

   Those daring young men in their flying machines!

8. 
   OverKnight | Sep 02, 2004 01:26pm | #12

   DeWalt is closing their NC plant and moving it to Mexico.

9. 
   ascaas | Sep 03, 2004 07:35am | #13

   Thanks for the input.  Hopefully that might reduce the cost of Yellow Tools!  I hope it doesn't mean a drop in quality.  I bought the router with the D-handle.  I had to machine a new base for it out of plexiglass to accomodate the 1/2 inch round-over bit that I wanted to use in it, and ended up too late to use it  for that job anyway.  Thanks for all the input.

   Graham