Please recommend a cordless circular saw to me.

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shortylickens

shortylickens

No Lifer
Jul 15, 2003
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I have lots of Bosch tools, but only in 12 volt. They dont make a 12 volt circular saw, so its OK for me to branch out and go with another brand as I dont have the batteries anyway.

Its not for professional use or home building. I just need something basic to cut up 2x4's for projects. Things like a night stand and support for my moms vines and other basic items.
I made one item with a jig saw and it came out horribly. And it was a lot of work.

I dont need anything fancy like a built in light or laser guide. If it came with a hard case or I could buy a hard case fitted for it, that would be nice. But not essential.
 
S

shabby

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
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Theres a 10.8v one but it doesn't seem to be sold here http://www.toolstop.co.uk/bosch-gks10.8v-li-cordless-circular-saw-body-only-p69773

Otherwise...

http://www.harborfreight.com/18-vol...rcular-saw-with-laser-guide-system-68849.html
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Makita-1...-in-Cordless-Circular-Saw-Kit-SH01W/203231872
http://www.homedepot.com/p/BLACK-DECKER-20-Volt-Cordless-5-1-2-in-Circular-Saw-BDCCS20B/204734331
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Ryobi-ONE-18-Volt-Lithium-Ion-Starter-Combo-Kit-2-Tool-P825/203466900
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Bosch-18...ray-for-L-BOXX-3-Tool-Only-CCS180BN/205673460 if you want the case

...should do the trick
 
shortylickens

shortylickens

No Lifer
Jul 15, 2003
80,287
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10.8 volts is the standard for British Bosch tools. I'd be getting into a weird battery situation if I got that one. Will probably get the Ryobi. It looks acceptable.
 
ControlD

ControlD

Diamond Member
Apr 25, 2005
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Most circular saws end up being cordless eventually anyhow.

I have used a Dewalt cordless a few times. It did a pretty decent job, but cutting anything significant will drain the battery in short order.
 
Humpy

Humpy

Diamond Member
Mar 3, 2011
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Greenman said:
Those are left handed saws. Most cordless saws are right handed.
Click to expand...

They aren't really left or right handed. With practice it doesn't make much of a difference what side the blade is on. The sidewinder is lighter, probably safer, and pretty easy to use.
 
Humpy

Humpy

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Mar 3, 2011
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DaveStall said:
Most circular saws end up being cordless eventually anyhow.

I have used a Dewalt cordless a few times. It did a pretty decent job, but cutting anything significant will drain the battery in short order.
Click to expand...

Ha!

Even though I have one, I've never understood the point of a cordless circular saw. It's not like you run around to a bunch of different locations making cuts like often happens with a drill. 99/100 times you are set up with some horses next to a stack of lumber.
 
G

Greenman

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Oct 15, 1999
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Humpy said:
They aren't really left or right handed. With practice it doesn't make much of a difference what side the blade is on. The sidewinder is lighter, probably safer, and pretty easy to use.
Click to expand...

While they don't say right or left, a right handed person will have far better control of the tool if the blade is on the left. Trying to look over the saw to see your line doesn't provide any benefit at all, so why not use a saw with the blade on the side that's easy to see? It's a no brainer.
 
Humpy

Humpy

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Mar 3, 2011
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Greenman said:
While they don't say right or left, a right handed person will have far better control of the tool if the blade is on the left. Trying to look over the saw to see your line doesn't provide any benefit at all, so why not use a saw with the blade on the side that's easy to see? It's a no brainer.
Click to expand...

It's an old debate and a lot of people have their preference for varying reasons. I would say that if it was truly a no brainer then the market would have declared a winner long ago.

I typically trim doors and cut sheet goods with a right bladed saw. I will often have a guide clamped on and like having the big side of the shoe, and weight of the motor, remaining over the workpiece. Makes for a smoother more consistent cut. This saw is also arguably safer for newbies as it's harder to cut into your left hand with it.

I frame with a left bladed saw where being able to quickly spot your mark and make the cut is desirable.

Of course it all sort of depends on what side of the piece you are working from and what you are used to.
 
G

Greenman

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Oct 15, 1999
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Humpy said:
It's an old debate and a lot of people have their preference for varying reasons. I would say that if it was truly a no brainer then the market would have declared a winner long ago.

I typically trim doors and cut sheet goods with a right bladed saw. I will often have a guide clamped on and like having the big side of the shoe, and weight of the motor, remaining over the workpiece. Makes for a smoother more consistent cut. This saw is also arguably safer for newbies as it's harder to cut into your left hand with it.

I frame with a left bladed saw where being able to quickly spot your mark and make the cut is desirable.

Of course it all sort of depends on what side of the piece you are working from and what you are used to.
Click to expand...

When using a rip fence, it doesn't matter where the blade is. I trim doors and sheet goods with a Festool rail saw, on the Festool, you can't even see the blade.
It is all a matter of preference, but since I'm right handed I use a saw with the blade on the left. It's worked out pretty well for me for the last 39 years.

Oddly enough, I do a lot of my framing with a chop saw. I have a 16' foot table set up on the job and generally have one man as the designated cutter. Once you get used to working that way it's very fast and makes for very clean framing. It's a dream for blocking, and we use an absolutely stunning amount of blocking here in the land of fruits and nuts. On the project I'm doing now, we have to block the edges of roof sheathing and floor decking. It's also nice to be able to cut 4x material in one pass, we use a butt load of that as well.
 
G

Greenman

Lifer
Oct 15, 1999
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Mandres said:
Agreed, cordless circular saws don't make much sense to me either.
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Depends on what your doing. I hate cordless circular saws, but in the right circumstances they have a great deal of utility. I just picked up a cordless miter saw that's a dream come true. It's all about having the right tool for the job.

I'm a tool junkie, and in a business that requires a lot of them, so I get to feed the eight hundred pound gorilla on my back and actually turn a profit from it. If it wasn't for that, I'd be flat broke and trying to mooch enough money for a dime bag of chisels.
 
N

natto fire

Diamond Member
Jan 4, 2000
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Mandres said:
Agreed, cordless circular saws don't make much sense to me either.
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I would have agreed with that a while ago, before there were 7 1/4" saws, and top notch cordless ones like the Ridgid Gen5X and Milwaukee Fuel. Heck, I felt dirty for buying a battery powered roto-hammer, but my Milwaukee one has handled every task I have thrown at it. Definitely goes through the batteries, even my newer 5.0 Ah (92 Wh) battery does not last long when I am drilling serious size holes. Does much better in hammer only mode, though.

OP: Not sure if you are looking to build out a higher voltage set on the level of your Bosch tools, or just wanting a cordless circular saw only, but if the latter, I would get Ryobi or Harbor freight. If the former, I think Ridgid and Milwaukee both have very competent 18v lineups. Milwaukee's is definitely more diverse, and they seem to have more specialty tools for the trades. I am an electrician, and really like that Milwaukee has made a cordless version of their bandsaw that is pretty close to their amazing corded version.
 
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stormkroe

stormkroe

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May 28, 2011
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20v max Dewalt (yes I know they're only 18v). The 4ah batteries with a sharp blade will cut LOTS of two-bys. They're awesome for quickly and straightly<---:shrug: cutting electrical box openings in building sheeting, also good for straight-trimming roof joists on stick-framed roof projects.
Also nice to just quickly grab and cut some spacers or backing without setting up.
Oh, and I also hear they work on jobsites without power?
:)
 
N

natto fire

Diamond Member
Jan 4, 2000
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stormkroe said:
20v max Dewalt (yes I know they're only 18v). The 4ah batteries with a sharp blade will cut LOTS of two-bys. They're awesome for quickly and straightly<---:shrug: cutting electrical box openings in building sheeting, also good for straight-trimming roof joists on stick-framed roof projects.
Also nice to just quickly grab and cut some spacers or backing without setting up.
Oh, and I also hear they work on jobsites without power?
:)
Click to expand...

Not sure how common that is on residential sites, we usually had some kind of temp power on our commercial sites, but some were 300,000 square feet, extension cords were a bit impractical. I don't really follow DeWalt, but Milwaukee and Ridgid held the crown on this segment last I checked, with 7 1/4" saws that cut massive amounts of board, or hundreds of feet of sheet goods.

I have a metal circular saw blade, but haven't had much of a chance to try it out. Usually someone has a bandsaw, sawzall, or grinder and circular saws aren't used much by electricians on commercial sites.
 
Ham n' Eggs

Ham n' Eggs

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Sep 22, 2015
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I've got this and it is fantastic for amateur home building use.

DC390K_2_500X500.jpg



I have been using it to cut wood for a very big wood fence project and I love it. I would never go back to corded. The battery packs last a decent length of time and when one runs out I slap another on and keep going. I have 5 battery packs. I also have a nice Dewalt drill so I use the battery packs on those as well. I would recommend getting this charger if you go that route: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0019Z43J4/

5 battery packs have been overkill so far but I wouldn't go with less than 4. I am not the type to micky mouse around with having to stop and wait for charging so I'd rather have one battery too many than have to wait for a charge.


Another thing I like about this saw is that You can take it to the lumber yard and if you have a small car like me you can cut the lumber/plywood/etc to fit in your car.
 
Ham n' Eggs

Ham n' Eggs

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Sep 22, 2015
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shortylickens said:
Will probably get the Ryobi.
Click to expand...
I don't want to get into brand wars because I know everyone's got an opinion and lots of people think dewalts are crap (though I like them), however Ryobi really IS verging on the less than good rating. probably fine for very small stuff but I wouldn't expect it to last very long.
 
G

Greenman

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Oct 15, 1999
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Ham n' Eggs said:
I don't want to get into brand wars because I know everyone's got an opinion and lots of people think dewalts are crap (though I like them), however Ryobi really IS verging on the less than good rating. probably fine for very small stuff but I wouldn't expect it to last very long.
Click to expand...

Ryobi is a solid step up from Harbor Fright, but not pro quality gear. I've had very good luck with DeWalt.
 
G

Greenman

Lifer
Oct 15, 1999
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SparkyJJO

SparkyJJO

Lifer
May 16, 2002
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Mandres said:
Agreed, cordless circular saws don't make much sense to me either.
Click to expand...

A lot of the work I use mine for is around new construction or renovation where available electricity is limited. I also don't use it heavily since I use it mostly for cutting 2x4s for spacing/centering electrical boxes.

Greenman said:
Makita has battery issues that may or may not be resolved. I have 5 that didn't last a year. Replacements are a crap shoot as well, they either die within a year, or last a long time. Rolling the dice on expensive batteries wasn't working, I replaced the tools with another brand.
Click to expand...

I have had a Makita LXT Lithium 18V set with a pair of batteries for a couple years now with zero battery issues. Earlier on a few companies had issues with their lithium batteries but they seem to have all resolved those a while ago now.

Lithium is definitely the way to go IMO, if for no other reason than the battery not being dead after sitting a few weeks. I hated that about my old NiCad Craftsman kit. The battery was dead half the time I picked up the drill to use it.
 
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