Decent cordless circular saw

I can only recommend one with the latest Lithium-Ion battery as they last longer per charge.

You have to stick with me on the cordless part, they have a cabin without power that needs occational renovation. I could pick from several different brands, Makita, Hitachi or Delta but so far I've only found them in sets with drill, flashlight, etc, all things he does not need. Thanks. Jesse

Another handy use is in ripping up large sheets of plywood in order to get them into smallish shops/garages for further processing. Also in cutting roof sheathing in situ. It's a hassle to mess with a cord and

FWIW,

Greg G.

I have a small (5-3/8"), 18 VDC, DeWalt panel saw that was part of a drill/saw combo kit.

(That size saw has been replaced with a larger unit.)

I have beat the devil out of both tools.

After 10 years, they don't owe me anything.

The panel saw, while small, has still managed to cut 2x stock. Just don't expect it to keep up with a Skil 77, corded unit.

Have fun.

Lew

Jesse,

I have a 18.4 DeWalt, that came with a kit. I like it and use it a lot to break down plywood, cut the occasional 2x4, etc. It's batteries are sort of going (I have 3) after 8 years. I'd look at either the Ryobi or any "semi-pro" brand (DeWalt, Porter Cable, Milwaukee, etc.) Avoid, Craftsman.

I agree with Lew, I have the 18v Dewalt that comes with the kit and it has sawe of barn rafters and you name it. Don't push the saw, let it eat it's way thru. Also use a blade designed for cordless saws (i.e thin kerf). I think the cordless circular saws eat up batteries faster than the other tools in the kit. Also hold the line, don't go halfway thru the board and say aw- gee I am off the mark, and then try to correct it. you will waste the battery right there. Back up and saw again. Good Luck Lyndell

And maybe a fast mobile charger that works from the car battery - or a solar panel and controller - to recharge the batteries?

John

Sat, Dec 15, 2007, 11:33pm (EST+5) snipped-for-privacy@telus.net (Jesse) doth now sayeth: You have to stick with me on the cordless part, they have a cabin without power that needs occational renovation. I could pick from several different brands, Makita, Hitachi or Delta but so far I've only found them in sets with drill, flashlight, etc, all things he does not need.

You might have said that in the first place. Some of you guys really need to watch Roy, instead of so much Norm. My first thought would have been a handsaw. With so many of you guys, your frist thought is battery powered. Roy would be so ashamed.

My two sons use cordless tools every day, at their work - no power available at most of their jobsites - if it was. they'd probably opt for corded tools. They, and all their buddies in the trade, at least around here, swear by DeWalt. I have seen them as single tools. Might check Harbor Freight, they sometimes sell factory reconditioned DeWalt tools.

JOAT I do things I don't know how to do, so that I might learn how to do them.

- Picasso

The best cordless saw won't be much better than the cheap Sears

With no power, how will he recharge the battery when it runs out?

Jesse wrote:

: You have to stick with me on the cordless part, they have a cabin : without power that needs occational renovation.

Thinking outside the box - get him a DC to AC inverter. Then he can use gasoline (and his car engine) to run corded tools and recharge the batteries for his cordless tools. It could come in handy in many situations. Lots of useful things don't come in a cordless option.

Unless he's hoofing it to his cabin with a back-pack (or mule-pack) full of cordless tools and charged up batteries.

Just a thought,

--- Chip

I'm a professional carpenter, and I have and use a Milwaukee V28 cordless 6 1/2" circular saw regularly. It's lithium powered, has a charge meter built into the battery, and for a cordless tool, is a real workhorse. No cordless saw is a replacement for a corded saw, but a high end tool like the V28 will crosscut ten or twelve 2x6's, and then rip a few

I'd usually advise a non-pro to stick with a corded saw, but in your case, it sounds like a legitimate justification for a good cordless. I have less experience with Makita, but I've always found them to be good tools. Dewalt varies from tool to tool, but they're usually OK. I'd definitely recommend getting something with lithium batteries, though. They're about twice the power for their weight as ni-cads, and they can be "topped off" at any time with no penalty. They also last much longer.

Good luck!

Luke

snipped-for-privacy@webtv.net (J T) wrote in news:25907-476482B5-115 @storefull-3336.bay.webtv.net:

If I had a hand powered circle-bladed saw, it'd be a table saw and not a circular saw. It would be awful difficult to turn the hand crank on the side and push the saw through the material! At least with a table saw, you can get an assistant to turn the hand crank as you push the wood through the saw blade!

:-)

Puckdropper

I am not convinced any of the cordless circular saws are that great. If he needs power were none is available maybe a 2500-4000 watt generator would get some use. Cordless saws eat batteries pretty fast too. If no power is available where will he charge the batteries once they are dead?? Greg

I imagine he would have that covered, I'm thinking an inverter off the vehicle battery. Jesse

Get one of those fancy new foot-pedal ones, and you can do without the assistant.

-MJ

I have a Ryobi that replaced an ailing Craftsman. I actually prefered the Craftsman. For BORG-tools, I'd look at Ridgid. I don't have any of their cordless stuff, but they felt better than the Ryobi line last time I went tool fondling.

-MJ

Oh ye of so little imagination. First you put down the ever reliable handsaw, and then all you can come up with are wimy cordless circular saws. If you're only open to cordless circular saws, then here's my choice, in order of preference:

JOAT I do things I don't know how to do, so that I might learn how to do them.

- Picasso

For the price of a good battery saw you can get him maybe twenty 100 foot extension cords. How far to power?