Need a new circular saw.

[rick]

After many years of service my circular saw is no longer usable ? blade has about ¾ of end float ? making straight cuts impossible. The 7 ¼? B&D was a good investment ? lasted at least 35 years.

Looking to get a new mains circular saw ? be interested if anybody has a good or bad experience of following 190mm saws

Bosch GKS 1250W £134 Makita HS7601 1200W £109 Erbauer ERB566 1500W £80 and 2 much cheaper units: Titan 1500W £49 Evolution 1500W £49

I don?t need an all-day everyday saw so discounted the £200 + models

99% of the time when it is used it is to cut sheet material 20mm or less in thickness, and occasionally the odd sheet of 25mm ply.

[Fredxxx]

1) Make sure it's a common sized blade, and the mounting hole is equally as common! 2) I would recommend a minimum 2" depth cut.

It's amazing how tools have become cheaper than the materials they cut!

[rick]

On 07/06/2017 20:00, Fredxxx wrote: ly.

I am sticking to 190mm blade size with 30mm bore - as all my currents blades then still good.

[Fredxxx]

That is a common blade and bore size.

[Andy Burns]

I have the Makita 5704R, which I think is the previous model, also 1200W

190mm.

Compared to my previous "cheapo B&Q" saw it is smooth and quiet, depth and tilt adjustments lock firmly, the M-Force blades have a thinner kerf (2.3mm instead of 1/8"), would buy again.

[Andy Burns]

Mine does just over 2.5"

[tabbypurr]

35 years.

• models

Clarke (Machine Mart) do one too. It's fairly good, but not the ultimate cu t quality. They also have a more pro one for more dough, less dough than so me of those. I wouldn't recommend MM particularly, but have bought there no w & then and the products have been quite good. The company is another matt er.

I'd choose Mak over Bosch any day. And Bosch over Titan.

I wonder if it'd be worth getting a quote to replace the B&D bearings, prob ably not.

NT

[Fredxxx]

While I can't argue over the virtue of smoothness, aren't the blade a matter of choice independent of saw?

[Andy Burns]

Yes, but in my case the makita used different bore size to my cheapo, and came with one coarse m-force blade, so I bought a fine m-force one as well, to keep the kerf the same, so that a saw-board would work for both blades.

[dennis]

If you run the side with the motor along the saw board it should work with any blade (that doesn't use a reducing collar).

[Andy Burns]

Wouldn't it depend if the teeth projected out further? I don't use a sawboard much (my old saw burnt out immediately after I'd made one for it, and of course the new saw happened to need a board that was wider rather than narrower, so I couldn't re-trim it to suit.

I have the distances from each side of the soleplate to each side of the blade dymo'ed onto the saw body and use a couple of clamp-on guides

so for me, having the same kerf width for both blades saves additional juggling with offsets.

[Graeme]

In message , Andy Burns writes

Useful looking bit of kit. Just to clarify, the description says clamp capacity 1270mm or 50 inches, so the total length must be longer. In other words, it could usefully be used to clamp across an 8x4 board for cutting with a circular caw?

[John Rumm]

I have the "Site" branded version of those, and yup its a nice saw to use.

[John Rumm]

You may be able to order them from Miles Machinery...

[dennis]

The blade sits on a shoulder on the spindle so it would always be the same distance from the base on the motor side but may be a little different in distance from the base on the other side. Most would use the motor side as it is wider and more stable but on some saws it could reduce cutting depth as the motor needs to clear whatever you have used to make the saw board from.

I also have some clamp on guides but I never got around to writing on the width so I just measure it each time. One day I may remember it but it will be wrong when I do.

I have a hitachi branded saw somewhere but I haven't used it for years, worked well but I bought a table saw for £30.

[rick]

Will never buy from MM again - got screwed over by them.

[rick]

On 07/06/2017 20:26, rick wrote: size with 30mm bore - as all my currents

OK after looking at all of the reviews I can find ........ the decision is the Hitachi C7SB2 - which wasn't even on my starting list.

The logic of the choice:

Bosch ... the GKS 190 is not as good as the pro range - and little better than the Green diy models .. key for me it had pressed steel plate. Lots of anecdotes that newer Bosch tools not very good unless you buy pro range - pro range equivalent was £200+

Makita - power too low at 1200W, some people report it can struggle - larger models don't have the issue

Hitachi C7SB2 - could not find a single bad review - has a serious amount of power at 1750W, all metal parts, and importantly a cast aluminium footplate.

Importantly was also cheaper than the other 2 .... on offer at £89

[ss]

I am in the process of doing this for a 17 year old saw, I couldnt find the bearing as available on various lists but have sourced one on ebay. There is a stamp on the bearing outer ring that I couldnt read so a macro pic was necessary and then blown up revealed the size. Bearing is approx £4 If you are going to bin the saw then it is worth attempting.

[John Rumm]

I have not used the 7 inch version, but I highly rate the 9" one. Really good cast baseplate, and good ergonomics.

[Andy Burns]

Yesterday I cut a 5" thick oak sleeper for a neighbour (ok it took a pass from each side as the cutting depth is only just over 2.5") it didn't struggle for power ...