Circular Saw Reviews and Buyer’s Guides 2015
Circular saw has become an essential tool in any workshop. However, there are so many different options in the market that could make the beginner user confusing about what feature they are looking for. The circular saws are offered with different shapes and sizes which could be suited to only one or combination of different purposes. Then, what criteria you should consider to determine whether it is the best circular saw for you!
We set up this page in order to provide some useful guidelines, circular saw comparison table and reviews on purchasing the circular saw as well as evaluate some criterion, pros and cons of several brands to support your decision. Hopefully they will help you choosing the best circular saw that meets your expectations.
A circular saw is a powerful electric saw that uses a flat blade or a toothed disc which moves in a rotary, spinning motion to cut various materials such as metal, wood, masonry or plastic. It is a must-have versatile tool that comes handy and serves its purpose well. It is conveniently portable and may be handheld or mounted to a machine.
This handheld type circular saw is a basic tool for every builder, carpenter, or home renovator and is widely used by home builders for home improvement as it is designed to make rip-cuts, crosscuts, it can even do both and anything else you wish to accomplish with the saw..
DEWALT DC300K
* Cordless circular saw
* 36-Volt Lithium Ion
* Best 7-1/4″ deep cut capacity
* Electric brake enhances safety
Makita 5402NA
* 16-5/16-inch large saw
* Powerful motor, quietly
* Perfectly constructed design
* Great for cutting larger pieces
Now we will discuss some feature you should look at when you choosing the circular saw:
The circular saw’s power can be gauged by its motor strength and at what speed the blade spins. This can be measured by the number of RPM or revolutions per minute it spins. Circular saws use high power rating for a smooth cut. Its motor power ranges from 500 to 1500w. The higher the wattage, the more RPM it yields and the greater the RPM, the more power and control you get. More power grants the capability of running bigger blades. Larger models have bigger blades and hence, a maximum cut depth of about 65mm can be made. With more power comes more control and means the circular saw will possess greater ability to cut tough materials. So when choosing a circular saw, the blade speed is a very important factor you must pay attention to.
A good circular saw must let you adjust its base by tilting it in order to achieve angled cuts. It must be able to provide a base plate that is adjustable. This feature will enable your circular saw to be angled at the range of 0-45 degrees and modify its cutting depth. Built-in adjustments ensure accuracy and improved efficiency when used for common angle adjustments.
It is critical to have a clear view of the cut line so in buying a circular saw, being right or left handed must be considered to find the best saw with blades and notches that enhance visibility.
The ability to adjust the cutting depth allows ease in cutting materials of different kinds of thickness. This aids in good visibility, simple adjustments necessary and makes it easily accessible, well within reach. The outboard levers also allow you to keep your trigger hand in place, on the handle where it belongs, while you work on the locking the perfect blade depth into place. Tucked between the blade guard and handle would be the inboard levers, which could be quite difficult to operate so you must prefer thick, rounded levers or those that are covered in rubber for grasping it easy and secure. The depth scale must be easy to read and distinctly marked. Cast numbers or engraved markings are way better than stickers because they are permanent.
This will stop the motor in just about 2 seconds after you release the trigger. On the other hand, a saw that doesn’t have an electric blade takes about 10 to 15 seconds to stop. The electric brakes function in a way that it reverses the flow of electricity towards the saw’s motor. Electric brakes are preferable and is now being offered by most models because it greatly helps reduce inconvenience brought about by prolonged use of the circular saw. After a while, your arms and fingers tend to get tired, and a blade that stops quick and fast would give less risk of getting hurt and ensures your safety.
This serves as a protective covering of the blade when the saw is not in use and is ideal for safety measures as well. It then retracts to reveal the blade when you are ready to use it. However, it could be a really frustrating experience when the blade guard gets stuck and won’t retract exactly when you are in the middle of cutting. Those with rough or sharp edges are those that are most likely to get stuck when you are cutting in agles or regular wooden surfaces, therefore you must look for circular saws that have a large lobe above its blade guard’s leading edge.
Circular saws are likely to produce massive clouds of dust so you must look for one that is equipped with a dust bag or has a vacuum cleaner connection to collect the mess. A dust blower enhances visibility by removing the dust from the cutting lines. A dust port gives the option to connect to a shop vacuum or a dust bag for easy dust management.
Balance proves more important than weight for long hours of use of the circular saw. The trigger should have sufficient space even when you are wearing gloves. Consider as well the positions in which you would usually use the saw. For instance, most handles that may be comfortable for overhead work may not be best on long cuts with plywood.
Some saws have a built-in laser which projects a laser line on your work material that allows for superior accuracy and efficiency when making straight cuts.
Choosing the right circular saw according to your preferences to suit your needs and meet its purpose is not a simple task. This guide aims to give you a broad view of circular saws because it is not only based on style and design, but on the benefits of its features and functions, as well as performance. You would need to consider the different factors and do a lot of research and your efforts will lead to a well informed decision in purchasing the perfect circular saw for you.
The motors in this type of saw is situated at the right angle of the saw blade. It utilizes gears to increase torque that is transferred to the blade.
- Recommended applications: extremely demanding professional, home applications (such as framing)
- Pros: more power, heavy duty, corded, quietly, for ambidextrous, easy to follow a cutline, plunge cuts, cut through difficult materials
- Cons: heavy, more expensive
These are traditional and the most common of circular saws. Its motor is positioned in the same axis as the blade. Its shaft runs directly from the motor for driving the blade. It is available in both left and right-handed models.
- Recommended applications: light to heavy duty, home and professional use
- Pros: lighter, less expensive, suitable for most applications, better balanced, easier to handle
- Cons: obscuring the line of sight when used with the wrong hand, side-mounted motor may block view
These are unique, unlike the commonly used worm drive and sidewinder saws, because it is designed for small tasks. It is very easy to control, light, and mainly used for finishing work on projects in carpentry or any kind of task that works with thin materials. Trim saws are circular saws that have small blades with diameters usually measuring between 3-1/2 to 5-3/8 inches.
- Recommendation applications: jobs requiring shallower cuts (such as finish carpentry work)
- Pros: compact and light, easy portability, maneuverability, corded or cordless
- Cons: only for small task
These are best suited for cutting wood given its battery limitations. It can cut through tough materials, however it uses more power and therefore drains batteries quickly. The size of cordless saws ranges from 5-3/8 to 6-1/2 inches.
- Pros: less expensive, convenient, portable, light weight, no extension cords, smaller than most corded saws, work well in confined spaces, no need carry generators, eliminates danger and expense of cutting through the saw’s cord
- Cons: less power, limit of batteries, small capacity, suite for cutting wood products, limit of sizes
Corded saws are best suited for tough work such as masonry and steel cutting. It doesn’t depend on batteries so you need not mind the amount of power being executed for it will last a long time. It comes in various sizes, but the most common would be the 7-1/4 inch size and requires an extension cord.
- Pros: use power, suited for tough cutting jobs, steel and continuous woodcutting, offer many size
- Cons: heavy, more expensive
