Entry-level circular saw

[Graham376]

I wouldn't get too hung up on power, anything above 1000 W will be adequate, what is important is a good blade and feed rate just the same as with a file or a handsaw let the tool do the work don't try to force or pressurise it.

As you say, blade (tooth count) is more important than just power and most circular saws come with general purpose blades which are a compromise for all jobs. Some of the cheaper saws have odd sized blades so alternatives for clean cross cutting or ripping may not be available.

 

[dancrane]

Thanks - I learned here, the importance of a blade with more rather than fewer teeth on it. ?

I ought to stop at Lidl myself. I haven't bought a circular saw yet, but am planning some work with ply in the coming weeks.

Unfortunately I realised that the 12mm so-called marine ply I bought, has only five obvious layers...is that right?

The job is my long-planned outboard bracket - not the standard format and too complicated to describe here, but I reckon I can do it with a decent hand saw. I'm just concerned that having made, epoxied and painted the thing, I might wish I'd used better ply.

How many laminates - if that's the term for individual layers - should there be in 12mm 1088 marine ply?

 

[Graham376]

Thanks - I learned here, the importance of a blade with more rather than fewer teeth on it. ?
I ought to stop at Lidl myself. I haven't bought a circular saw yet, but am planning some work with ply in the coming weeks.

I've just done a couple of quick cuts, to show an example. Same piece of Contiboard, one cut with cheap Silverline saw with 24T blade, the second with Triton track saw with 60T blade. One big difference is the plunge saw allows a reverse scoring cut before normal forward cut and the track gives a finished straight cut. OK, I accept there's a big difference in price but think ahead to what else you may want to make.

 

[earlybird]

Unfortunately I realised that the 12mm so-called marine ply I bought, has only five obvious layers...is that right?

How many laminates - if that's the term for individual layers - should there be in 12mm 1088 marine ply?

BS1088 says that core veneers should be less than 4.8mm and face veneers should be thicker than 1.3mm . It doesn't define the number of veneers, so your piece seems to comply in that respect, although the veneer thicknesses look to be near the limits.

 

[fredrussell]

I might wish I'd used better ply.

How many laminates - if that's the term for individual layers - should there be in 12mm 1088 marine ply?

I can’t remember exactly, but the expensive stuff from Robbins timber used at the boatbuilder I worked for a while back was more like 7 or 8 layers

 

[Yellow Ballad]

I haven't read the thread but if you're working with ply I have found rough cutting the part with a jigsaw (15mm or so larger) then cutting with a hobby bandsaw to the line provides a much nicer cut with no splinters than a circular saw/jigsaw on it's own.

Small bandsaws can be bought used for £40ish.

 

[Rum Run]

Thanks - I learned here, the importance of a blade with more rather than fewer teeth on it. ?

I ought to stop at Lidl myself. I haven't bought a circular saw yet, but am planning some work with ply in the coming weeks.

Unfortunately I realised that the 12mm so-called marine ply I bought, has only five obvious layers...is that right?

The job is my long-planned outboard bracket - not the standard format and too complicated to describe here, but I reckon I can do it with a decent hand saw. I'm just concerned that having made, epoxied and painted the thing, I might wish I'd used better ply.

How many laminates - if that's the term for individual layers - should there be in 12mm 1088 marine ply?

I have given up arguing with timber merchants about BS1088 quality ply (they don't sell it whatever is marked on the boards) and either use Finnish Birch ply and lots of epoxy or go to Robbins with an open wallet and still use lots of epoxy.
For some jobs solid plastic is better anyway, though not so yotty of course. And Far Eastern plywood is not very good from the deforestation point of view.......

 

[ghostlymoron]

I bought a black and decker one way back when I was building our house in 1979 it's not very well made but is still going after all that time. If I needed to replace it, I'd get a midrange one like McAlister or Erbauer as they are more precise setting up depth and mitres. I'm unwilling to pay Makita prices for occasional use and don't belong to the 'buy cheap, but twice' brigade.

 

[ean_p]

As you say, blade (tooth count) is more important than just power and most circular saws come with general purpose blades which are a compromise for all jobs. Some of the cheaper saws have odd sized blades so alternatives for clean cross cutting or ripping may not be available.

Having worked ,back in the day, as a CNC engineer for Wadkin machine tools. When it comes to cutting wood all other things being equal what counts is the quality of the cutting edges and the rigidity of the blade, if circular. This later in both the blade itself and the shaft it is mounted on. Or so one of the old hand traditional machine engineers once told me.

 

[xyachtdave]

Since this thread started and now resurfaced I’ve moved over to the 54 volt Dewalt saw that can run on a rail for dead straight cuts.

It’s amazing!

54V XR FLEXVOLT 190mm Rail Compatible Circular Saw - 2 X 9Ah

I’ve used my corded Hitachi (now Hikoki) saw once in last 6 months, to rip down railway sleepers.

 

[bluerm166]

For accurate ripping of small sections off an already narrow length (e.g. for lippings) ,where it is difficult to balance the circular saw plate level,employ a longer fence and add a second adjustable bracket to set and hold it dead parallel.This makes it reliably possible to run lengths up to say 5 metres.I normally do this outside working on scaffold planks laid on trestles.Hold the saw and move it along the the work by pressing on the fence clear of the blade ,rather than the saw body.You can thus start and end the cut without losing accuracy.Ensuring that the saw stays parallel means that the cut will be clean and prevents binding.

 

[thinwater]

I carried bricks and mixed cement for a handful of old British builders in France about 20 years ago. They were forever extolling the qualities of their own and each others' Metabo, Makita, DeWalt and even Hitachi powertools. In those days I bought very cheap supermarché tools and had quite adequate grinders, belt-sanders and drills, but none of them lasted long.

In spite of reading reviews and forums, and watching Youtube and what's in the shops, I've never seen any hard proof that any one of the premium brands is "best". I recently went for Bosch (pro-grade dark blue) when I needed a cordless drill, because I found one at under £100 with 4ah battery and a good tough case that also carries lots of hand tools.

I hear a lot of negative talk about Bosch, but I don't know why. I bought a Bosch cordless grinder too, and it's great. I really want their 10,000 lumen worklight....and possibly a brushless impact wrench. I've no use for it but I want all that compact POWER.

Damn, I started this thread particularly hoping we wouldn't get side-tracked onto powertools in general. ?

I'm attracted to the old-fashioned American heavyweight called a 'worm-drive Skilsaw'. I suppose it's the same appeal as a rear-wheel drive car like a Mustang. Perhaps all old kit from respected brands is good, because it wouldn't have endured if it wasn't solid.

So as Savageseadog and others have suggested, I might do just as well or better than new, by finding good secondhand kit that's old enough to be no costlier than new basic stuff.

I've nothing really against the cheaper names, but they do love to add options and cleverdick stuff that defies the low price - and I'd rather have something simple and solid than advanced but flimsy.

In the US Skilsaw is a synonym for hand circular saw. They go way back, having invented the product. I have a Sidewinder I'm fond off. Lighter than the worm drive.

Another thing to consider, after weight and bulk, is whether you want to cut on the right or left. Worm drives cut on the opposite side. Some are avialble left or right, but only better saws.

Skilsaw - Wikipedia

 

[dancrane]

I have the Bosch 6.5" 18v saw, and it works fine for me.

Thirty months after starting this thread, I finally bought the same - currently £99 from Screwfix. I have Bosch batteries, chargers etc.

Initially I was afraid I might be making a mistake because its economy seemed striking and I know some promotions reflect very basic kit or an acknowledged substandard product. So far, I'm delighted by the saw's build quality and performance.

Unhappily, its first job was taking apart my Osprey dinghy far from any 240v socket, at which it certainly excelled. I already own a Bosch 18v grinder which may seem a more obvious destructive weapon, but I didn't fancy the dust that a grinding disk was sure to create, so I went with the saw's 24-tooth blade for cleaner cutting.

Lots of online advice suggests 18v jigsaws, reciprocating saws and multi-tools are ideal for cutting glassfibre. Bosch makes all of those of course, but I couldn't easily see any use for them beyond the destructive job in hand; and none of them was likely to accomplish it more easily.

Many reviews compare Bosch Professional (blue, not green) unfavourably with Milwaukee, Dewalt etc, and I might have been persuaded to go with a different maker. But with this saw at under £100 (temporarily, I assume) I ignored what I said two years ago about seeing no benefit in going cordless.

And so, I guess the big brands can rely on battery-based customer loyalty. It amused me to see Bosch promoting the 'Ampshare' scheme which claims wide applicability of their batteries with other manufacturers' kit, but almost exclusively with makers whose names I'd never heard before.
.

 

[greeny]

We should start a new thread. "Longest deliberation to buy time". I think you're winning with Wansworth a close second. Merry Xmas and congratulations on your new toy.

 

[Boathook]

We should start a new thread. "Longest deliberation to buy time". I think you're winning with Wansworth a close second. Merry Xmas and congratulations on your new toy.

I think wansworth will eventually win as I can't see him ever buying a boat. I do like his posts though !

 

[ghostlymoron2]

I've had a humble Black and Decker for about 30 yrs. I've put a couple of tungsten tipped blades on. It's seen me through intensive use building a complete house and several boat projects. Nowadays it only sees occasional light use. A Makita would no doubt be more pleasing to use and my son in law always uses them but he is a professional builder/carpenter so uses it all the time. For my occasional use its more than adequate.