Battery circular saws

I know this subject has been discussed before, however I guess I wasn't taking a whole lot of notice to take the detail in.

I seem to be doing a fair few loft floor installations now, and it crossed my mind that instead of humping my mains powered circular saw up into the loft with a trailing cable to cut boards to size maybe I should get me a battery saw for convenience. Nothing fancy, just able to chop 18mm boards so relatively small blade diameter would be fine. Accuracy is not a big deal for loft flooring - plus I've made a jig which runs the circular saw thru a channel to lop the ends off a board.

Screwfix offer a Ferm 18v saw:

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is, anyone got one of these and feel it's worth the price (£68)?

Comes with 2 18v 1.2Ah batteries and a 1 hour charger. I'm not bothered if I have to swap batteries a couple of times on a job - sometimes I have to cut 50+ boards to size, I just need to know if this is up to doing several boards before the battery life is sucked into oblivion - I need a saw not a fan.

Other suggestions welcome. I don't want to spend a huge amount on this, so it rules out the DeWalts etc.

PoP

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PoP
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Are you talking chipboard or TGV?

This is not a huge battery capacity so my gut feel says OK for a few TGV boards, probably disappointing for chipboard.

Do you think it's that big a deal to have cordless for this?

.andy

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Reply to
Andy Hall

Chipboard T&G :)

That's what I wondered. Seems a little light, but maybe someone has got one and thinks it's okay.

Problem is when you are up in a loft sawing up boards it can get a bit claustrophobic, and it becomes possible to saw thru the cable. That takes out the lights and you could be in instant blackness :)

Or has happened to me several times the cable snags as you are part way thru the board, and you have to back off, release the cable, then come into the cut again. You tend to be standing on one end of the board holding it down whilst cutting (if not, holding it with the other hand), and it very quickly becomes a game of Twister - the twist being that you've got a very dangerous weapon in one hand!

So yes, I am inclined to feel that cordless would be a positive move.

PoP

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Reply to
PoP

I have an 18v performance power cordless, it is very useful for hardboard or thin ply, anything over and it struggles. I would not even bother trying to cut a chipboard flooring panel with it

MrCheerful

Reply to
MrCheerful

My 18v Dewalt Saw seems to last very well, but you will much thru batteries.

Steve

Reply to
Steve Dawson

Good advice - thanks! Looks like I'll have to stick with the 240v version :)

PoP

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PoP

When I did my loft I started with chipboard panels and it was a major PITA. They were too large to manipulate and cut easily, it was fiddly to get them to an appropriate length to be supported properly and awkward to cut to fit where needed. I used a mains circular saw and the exercise was messy and dusty as well. I also found it a real sod to get the boards to interlock properly.

So I jettisoned that idea and went for T&G softwood floorboards instead, These are about 110-120mm wide. I bought long lengths and precut pieces of three different sizes. This made it easier to manipulate them in a confined space. I then took my small chop saw into the loft and was able to cut each piece to final length and fit it really quickly.

I reckon that I saved over a day of time in the whole job. It is more expensive material, although one can shop around.

.andy

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Reply to
Andy Hall

In that case your first job when starting the boarding could be to screw a cup-hook into one of the rafters and hang enough cable over that to give you freedom of movement with the saw and put it down on the floor.

would solve the problem of standing on the cable...

-- Richard Sampson

email me at richard at olifant d-ot co do-t uk

Reply to
RichardS

Nah. That's a French railway train.

T&G means tongued and grooved (generic term)

TGV in timber terms is generally softwood boards with a tongue and groove profile plus a V groove on the outside formed by chamfering the edges.

.andy

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Reply to
Andy Hall

Useful information, thanks.

I do a loft floor in about a day normally, so saving a day isn't such a big deal for me :)

PoP

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Reply to
PoP

I have one of those, and two one hour batteries/charger for it (and 3 x three hour batteries).

I find it's ideal for sheet material of any kind up to 18mm (so far). I can cut about 32ft in 18mm WBP before the battery gives up. The only thing that I kick myself for is buying too early, the current kit from B&Q is the sabre saw, jigsaw, cordless drill, circular saw, torch and a

240V chop saw in a wheeled toolbox for less than I paid for the kit with four tools in it. The same set from Ryobi (who make the PP tools) is available from Screwfix for £400(ish) so the B&Q set looks like a good buy.
Reply to
Steve Firth

I had the PP cordless and (much to my surprise when I first tried it) it was a wizz on flooring chipboard (is that 'TGV'?) but the single battery and crap charger were a pain. I was ogling the screwfix reddish-colour job with the 2 sanyo batteries but now I've got the PPPro set (drill, jig, circ & tor ch) with 3 batteries (and not-quite-so-crap charger :-) which does for me. However unless you want the whole set and/or are prepared to wait for a special offer on it, if you want a cheapy cordless circular to dip your toe in the water then your options are the PP 18V one-battery job which ISTR was on offer recently (and maybe buy another battery), the Screwfix Ferm, or LIDL's £35 job (one battery, but you could buy 2 machines, then you get a spare blade and charger as well!)

Reply to
John Stumbles

Money. Fortunately I haven't sacrificed myself to the alter of evil.

Yes I want to earn a living. No I don't want to count the pennies as they trickle into the bank account. Life's got too much else to offer to get upset about earning more per second.

PoP

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Reply to
PoP

In that case you could do one in no time and get an infinite number done in a day and make LOADSAMONEY!!!!

:-)

Reply to
John Stumbles

I bought a whatever brand 18V 110mm(?) saw from B&Q (they do them in argos too) and used to to cut up a 3m length of kitchen worktop in Wickes car park :)

It cut that just fine, then about two other crosses before giving up. On thinner material it might be ok for maybe 5 or 6 cuts but I haven't really tried it.

BTW the 18v battery works a treat in my 9v drill but using it as a screwdriver isn't quite so good :-)

Reply to
adder

I popped into Focus DIY in Winnersh today and they had a combined rechargeable drill and circular saw set - with 1 hour charger and 2 batteries! Half price at £39. Couldn't resist.

The circular saw looks a bit on the puny side to me but it'll be useful for the occasional job I do if it isn't man enough to do the boarding. And I could do with a 2nd rechargeable drill anyway, that way I won't have to switch bits when doing drilling and screwing.

Thanks for all the comments everyone!

PoP

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PoP

How did you manage with the surly teenagers and getting past the irritating woman accosting people on the way out to sell double glazing? Unlike the person at Homebase in Bracknell she won't take no for an answer.

Recent conversation:

Her: "50% off double glazing and conservatories" Me: "50% off of the price?" Her: "50% off double glazing and conservatories" Me: "Do you mean a 50% discount from the normal price?" Her "50% off double glazing and conservatories. Do you wanna quo' duck?" Me: "Not just now, thanks" Her "But it's 50% off." Me (making for door): "Really, it's OK"

I'm so tempted to have a money changers in the temple scenario, but I'd probably be arrested. Next time she does it, I think I'll arrange a wild goose chase appointment for her :-)

.andy

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Reply to
Andy Hall

There was no-one on the other side of the checkout at about 9:45am this morning.

Didn't notice the surly teenagers today. The staff seemed to be busy squirting stuff on the floors and vacuuming everything. Got a bit fed up having to walk round whole stand areas because they'd conveniently positioned pallets of stuff and taking up room with vacuum cleaners and the like.

I did think about tripping over the vacuum cleaner lead so that I could claim compensation, but I didn't think that would be fair :)

I almost feel sorry for that chap - he seems to be there 5 days a week at least and it must be the most soul destroying existance possible. And because I'm in and out of Homebase in Bracknell frequently he must recognise me - but I still get asked if I'm interested in dodgy double glazing or whatever it is that he's trying to sell!

PoP

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Reply to
PoP

Her: "50% off duck"

.andy

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Reply to
Andy Hall

I asked him if he could do hardwood and said that he could do PVC that looked like hardwood and was that all right.

As you say, I feel sorry for him.

.andy

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Reply to
Andy Hall

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