What's your favorite 7 1/4" or 8 1/4" saw and why?

I have three Mag 77s, from a few years old to 6 months old, and I can't keep a single one perfectly square. There's a wobble in the base of each, that only seems to have developed recently, in fact since I've been running a bigger crew.

I'm a worm drive fan and can't even imagine having the blade on the saw's right side, but what the heck, try me. I'm looking for advice in the world of tools that diminish in quality and hired help that overall seems to be devolving as well, with an occasional lucky exception.

Oh yeah, what's your favorite blade, too? I like Freuds.


Thanks for sharing.

Zach

Right now I'm running an older makita with a diablo blade without problems.
Was working outdoors the other day and sawed into a rock, making a kerf about 2" long, the old diablo just kept on cutting... the rock was limestone, so not really that hard.

Mark- I used diablos before the freuds. Good blades. And a fine testimonial.
I had an older Makita and it worked well but with old age it got louder and louder. Think I gave it away.

Apparently I have too many tools. I remembered I have a fourth Mag 77 at home, never abused. I checked this afternoon and it's base is solid and cuts beauifully square.

I'm still interested to hear if there are any newer saws that stand up to abuse inflicted by those who don't pay for their own power tools.

I used the cheapest dewalt helping out on an owner build and had no problems. nice light saw. You would do well to have a worm drive and a sidewinder in your kit... blades on both sides.

I haven't done a lot of woodwork in the past, and just recently got into timberframing. I actually work for a power tool manufacturer. What I've noticed lately is that too many circ saws have stamped bases and rip fences. A small router I have has a stamped edge guide. These are "professional grade" power tools and as a user, I think I would much prefer a higher quality machined base, fence, and edge guide. I would also like adjustment in the rip fence to make sure it's square. If you are buying a professional grade saw, I expect a few extra bucks spent on those items. I don't know, maybe too few professionals care about that on portable saws? The festool 75 saw looks really nice, but it does have steep price tag at $560 for the saw and then I'd want some accessories too..like the parallel guide and the extra long 197" guide rail($413).

the more I use a circular saw, the less I care about the base. the base often floats a bit to keep the blade on the lines anyway... that being said, I don't use timbers from a 4 sided planer, I have my own sawmill and also work with a local circular mill. I would imagine if one was using planed timber, the saw base would become more importand.

I have the full set of big and little Makitas like any other shop - but the saw I most use is a left hand Milwaukee magnesium 7 1/4" tilt-lock saw. The blade's on the left so you can see it - just like a worm saw, but it's less then half the weight and it stays square !

I own a dewalt 7 1/4. I can't remember the model # but it has a fiberglass base and the depth set on the saw is located on the left of the handle. its the lightest saw dewalt makes @ a little over 7 lbs. it has positive stops on the bevel gauge @ 22.5 and 45 and will cut up to a 55 degree bevel( and they have maintained their accuracy after much abuse. the visibility on this saw is remarkable you can see both sides of the blade almost as easy. the most remarkable thing about this saw is its base. A coworker of mine dropped it roughly sixteen feet off an extention ladder and it landed right on the corner of the base, full force. not only did it not shatter in to a million pieces, it remained true. as square as the day i bought it. Plenty powerful with 15 amps. A very nice saw. what i can't quite figure out is that it is cheap. about $120. As long as they keep making them i won't ever buy a different saw. Beware though they make another saw with an aluminum base. its cheaper but not quite as good.
bloveland

p.s. sad to say that i can't stand any of the other Dewalt saws

We have a 77, and we often use it for the first pass of a long rip, because it has so much torque. It's just a great general purpose saw to have around the shop and construction site for whatever reason. We also have a dewalt 8-1/4, which we like for that extra little bit of DOC (depth of cut). It cuts almost 3 inches, which is enough for tenon shoulders on an 8" stick. I guess it's a one trick pony, though, because we don't really use if for anything else.

Thanks everyone.

Anyone out there running a Bosch? I guess it's 15 amps versus 11, and the magnesium model is just as light. I'm curious if it's more solid than the Skil 77 and Mag 77 particularly the base. Bosch owns Skill but they seem different.

As for the Dewalt saws, thanks, but I've taken a vow to never buy another yellow powertool. They used to have some quality, and a few tools may still, but I got burned one too many times.

This is a good discussion. Somewhat needs to start a favorite handsaw thread.

Zach

I have the bosch bigfoot. Runs great, wouldn't exactly call it lightweight though. not sure how the bigfoot base wieghs in compared to a 7 1/4 base... Also I have never owned a skill sidewinder, so can't say whether the bosch is better or not. It does run great though.
The dewalt saw I was referring to is the one with the fiberglass base. I would buy that saw if my makita dies today. And... that blade that kerfed the rock, it still cuts good. I was ripping some 2" pine yesterday with no trouble ( -;

Zach,
Ok, I just walked over to the skil engineers desk who is responsible for the Skil 77 and Mag 77. He also had the Bosch one at his desk.
Skil 77 : 16 lbs, stampled steel base, non mag housing, 45 degree side adjustment, 13 amp rating that is in the process of changing to 15 (only required changing lead wire size to get that rating), no soft grip on handle.
Skil Mag 77: 14 lbs, stamped aluminum base, Mag housing, 45 degree side adjustment, 13 amp rating that is in the process of changing to 15 (only required changing lead wire size to get that rating), no soft grip on handle, available with hanger hook.
Bosch : 14lbs, cast Mag base, Mag housing, 50 degree side adjustment, 15 amp rating, soft grip on the handle, has hanger hook.

Amp rating of a tool: Although a tool may have an amp rating, you usually are not pulling that many amps when actually using the tool. Amp rating is determined by a UL temperature rise test of the tool and motor. It's only allowed to rise a certain number of degrees when the tool is loaded to the test amps, like 15amps for example, in a certain, set time period. You can test a tool and try to get it to pass for a higher rating as long as you can pass without going over the temp rise limit. Amp ratings are often used for marketing purposes. While they are a measure of how well a tool can remove heat or stay cool, it may not make one tool significantly better than another if the operating current is much lower. For example if a tool is rated at 13 and another at 15, but the tools basically operate at 6amps (this is just a made up number). The tools may not have any difference all other things being equal. If the operating point was closer to the rating, well then there could be some (I say some) difference in brush life. My point is that I wouldn't put too much weight in the 2 amp rating difference. Often the same tool can pass a higher amp rating with a minor change, like wire size increase (reduces resistivity and thus heat loss, but increases cost). I will go find out what the normal current draw is for those saws.

Brad,

Do you think we could get that engineer's autograph?

You raise a good point--amp rating isn't such a big deal, short of the real cheap saws. I do like a wormdrive more than sidewinders for ripping and anything requiring a little more power.

For me, what started this discussion, is what saw out there has a base that can still cut square after being abused by job site barbarians. I thought the 77s were tough, but when the three saws on the job all have slight wobbles toward the tail, I got a little miffed.

Do you know about the Bosch base, is it skookum?

What I also have realized is that I need a finish saw, one that no one else uses, and not even me for anything but those finesse cuts that need to be right the first time. Sounds silly, but swearing at all three saws on the job is silly too.

Derek--I'll let you know when and where to find the competition.


Zach

I had to look up skookum online. I'd never heard it before.

I have a regular Bosch circ saw, not a worm drive. It actually has a plasic base. I think it's as good as a stamped steel one. I think it's plastic so it can survive drop test without permanently deforming the base - it has some give, but is still rigid enough in use. I don't have personal experience with the Mag or aluminum base of the wormsaws though. I was just using this saw a couple weeks ago to rip 2 inch thick white oak (12 feet long). I was ripping 3"X2" stock out of 12 inch wide boards I have to make bunk frames for a buddy's hunting cabin. The saw did well in the 2" thick oak.

Skookum is a Chinook jargon word that has come into general use in British Columbia and Yukon Territory in Canada, and in the U.S. Pacific Northwest.
Principal meaning
It has a range of positive meanings. As described in the FAQ from Skookum Tools, the word can have meanings from "'good,' to 'strong,' 'best,' 'powerful,' 'ultimate' and 'first rate.' Something can be skookum meaning 'cool' or skookum can be 'tough.' A skookum burger is a big (or really tasty) hamburger, but when your Mom's food is skookum, it's delicious but also hearty [...] When you're skookum, you've got a purpose and you're on solid ground."

Being called skookum may also mean that someone can be counted on as reliable and hard-working, or is big and strong. In a perhaps slightly less positive vein, skookum house means jail or prison, cf. the English euphemism "the big house" but here meaning "strong house". Skookum tumtum, lit. "strong heart", is generally translated as "brave" or possibly "good-hearted". In the Chinook Jargon, skookum is also used as a verb auxiliary, as in "can" or "to be able". Another compound, though fallen out of use in modern BC English, is skookum lacasset", or strongbox.

A related word "skookumchuck" means turbulent water or rapids in a stream or river, i.e. "strong water" ("chuck" is Chinook Jargon for "water" or "stream" or "lake"). There are three placenames in British Columbia using this word, one of them for a famous saltwater rapid at the mouth of Sechelt Inlet, the others at rapids on the Lillooet and Columbia Rivers. While the rapid at the mouth of Sechelt Inlet is the skookumchuck on the coast, the term is used in a general sense for other patches of rough water al, typically tidal-exchange rapids at the mouths of other inlets or bays, which are a regular feature of the British Columbia Coast.

Zach I've been using a Bosch worm drive for about 4 years now and it's skookum. Base is not warped at all, and the rafter hook is the best (I just hang the saw on the sawhorse).

I use the 15 amp Bosch.

I have 2 of them and I love them! I haven't said that about a circular saw since the old porter cable with the grease fitting.

I use a Matsushita blade and with the composite base plate, you can't go wrong.

That base plate takes a lot of abuse like falling off the loft deck and hitting the slab....no bending or breaking.

For the record I did mis-speak when I said:
"Although a tool may have an amp rating, you usually are not pulling that many amps when actually using the tool"
The truth is that you are often pulling more than the rating, just not for a sustained period. The current you are pulling depends on the material being cut, if you are binding, etc. The skill and Bosch circ saws commonly see 40-60 amps, but it is not for a sustained period, at least not long enough to overheat the tool.

RC,

Thanks for the endorsement on the Bosch. I'll look into it more. I've used the Matsushita blades, but only on bigger saws.

A good friend here in Alaska grew up in Old Lyme, even worked for a timberframer 20 years or so back in college there. He works Summers at McNeil River guiding folks at the falls watching brown bears. In this world of compound joinery, we're never more than a few connecting members away.

Best-

Zach