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Re: What size circular saw? #8624 10/08/04 03:03 PM
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Joel Offline OP
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Emmett...

Never owned a Bosch tool...but your comments are well taken. Their side winder circular saw is an upgrade option for the BigFoot saw. I'm starting to lean towards getting the Bocsh side winder. That way, if I feel I "need" a deeper cut, I could always get the BigFoot as a kit to install on my saw.

I'm enlightened by everyone's comments on using a chain saw. It never dawned on me to combine it with the use of a conventional circular saw. Interestingly enough, I moved up from a small home owner chain saw to one of the professional saws that is part of the Stilh product line. Cost a bit more than the other Stihl saws of the same size, but what a great saw!

Thank you for your reply!

Joel

Re: What size circular saw? #8625 10/09/04 01:56 AM
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Jim Rogers Online Confused
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As to what saw I'd recommend, that's a hard decision for me to make.
I own several of all different sizes.
I have a small portable battery powered Porter Cable, 19.2 volt, that came with a nice electric drill in a hard case. I have two batteries and keep one in the quick charger all the time. Very nice light but powerful tools.
I have a Makita 7 1/4 circular saw. A good all around tool.
I have a very old Millers Falls 8" circular saw that was my fathers that we used in the 60's and 70's and is still going strong. A nice old tool that cuts a little deeper than the 7 1/4".
I have a Skil worm drive saw, 7 1/4" that I have a Prazi beam cutter attached to it, capable of cutting off a 12" beam one pass. But I have used the Skil worm drive with regular blades and like it as well. A very powerful saw.
I have a Makita 16" saw, that I got used from the rental department at my local home depot store. (I think I posted a story about that here somewhere.)
And of course I have a hand saw.
Oh, yea and several chain saws and last but not least a bandsaw sawmill (Woodmizer brand).
So I guess I've got just about every size saw a timber framer could use to cut wood with.
Here at my sawmill yard, when I teach beginners timber framing, I teach them how to use any of the above saws that they want to learn how to use. But I stress that they should practice with the same size saw that they will be using at home when they are creating their own frame.
There is nothing wrong with a Big Foot, 10" saw. I've seen them, I've used them, I just don't currently own one. There are probably lots of other good quality saws out there. And probably lots of low quality saws as well.
Sometimes you'll start a cut with a 7 1/4" saw that won't cut as deep as you need it to go to finish the cut and by the time you go get the big saw or gas up the chain saw, you could have finished the cut with a good sharp hand saw, and I often do.
You can go broke buying all the fancy tools and then pack them all up to go to the job site, and have to unload them all, or you can do it with just a few tools and it might take a few minutes longer to do the same job.
It's really up to the individual what he or she wants to use to do the job, what tools they can afford and how fast do they want to do the job.
Good discussion.
Jim Rogers


Whatever you do, have fun doing it!
Re: What size circular saw? #8626 10/09/04 01:23 PM
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Mark Davidson Offline
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Excellent point on the handsaw Jim...
Often it's faster to finish the center of a joist or smaller beam with a handsaw because there is less clean-up than a chainsaw. Something that can help in this regard is to have a circular saw blade which leaves a kerf big enough for your favorite sharp handsaw.

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