Entry-level circular saw

[dancrane]

I do just enough woodwork in the average year, to wish I had a power saw.

My first instinct was to get an 18v Bosch, since those are the cordless tools I've begun to accumulate. But unlike my use of the drill and grinder, I don't anticipate doing any woodwork far from home, nor far from a 240v socket, so it seems smart to go for whatever plug-in variety is cheap and serviceable.

At Screwfix, the bargain brand MacAllister 1200w has a 55mm depth of cut and can bevel 45 degrees. Lots of positive reviews, and it's under £40.

That would have been a decision made, if I hadn't seen the Erbauer EMC650. Interestingly the power, blade diameter and depth of cut are half the Macallister's, but the price is nearly double that of the bigger saw. So why am I tempted to spend so much more to get so much less?

I like how compact the Erbauer looks, and it occurred to me that 25mm ply is likely to be the thickest wood I regularly need to cut. But does a bigger blade make it easier to maintain a straight cut along a line?

Maybe there are other recommendations? Thanks for reading!

 

[Fiddlesticks]

Mine...

Previous one (corded Screwfix brand) spontaneously combusted when I tried to cut along the grain of a 5 foot long 6cm thick bit of timber.

 

[TernVI]

The erbauer looks like an angle grinder with a base added?
The bigger base will help to keep the blade vertical relative to the work.
I have a fairly basic Bosch, had it for years. It's OK. A more expensive model might set the blade more accurately vertical without tweaking?
Blade changes are a bit fiddly as access for the spanner to hold the axle still is not ideal.

The Makita looks like a nice piece of kit, the cast base would allow using a thinner guide than I can with the Bosch, which has a stamped base with curved edge. Sometimes you want to run the guide under the motor side, so it can't be too thick.

Availability of blades varies with sizes. If you want a fine blade for thin ply, that can cost.
Ripping along the grain often requires care.

You can spend any amount. Depending on what work you intend to do, you might do better putting money into a table saw or a radial arm saw.

 

[Laminar Flow]

I use these tools daily on a professional basis.

In my experience the battery operated models (I have used several, including Makita) are a bit anemic. As far as practical use goes: unless you are hanging upside down from some roof rafters trying to cut off the tail end of a barge board they have little to recommend them over a corded model.

The 7 1/4" corded models are useful tools, not overly heavy and with plenty off power to cut through dimensional lumber and sheet material. A wide variety of blades are available in various qualities and at reasonable cost. Used with a track in combination with sheet materials they can be a low cost occasional replacement for a table saw.

Makita, Bosch and Metabo make good tools. It is worthwhile to invest a little bit more to buy a decent one that has minimal run out (axial blade wobble) to ensure a smooth cut and reduce tear out.

 

[DownWest]

I have the Skil version of that little panel saw. Came with a nice 1mm kerf plade that was great for cutting ply. But I must have touched something, as it won't track straight and if running with a guide, tries to go one way.
Best of the four I have is an old Elu. Heavy, but chews through any lumber, including oak & iroko. Funnily enough, the best value one came from a local big s/market. Cuts well and the tipped blade is still good after 10yrs of house and boat work.
Not tried a battery one, as rarely far from mains.

 

[earlybird]

I bought a cheap table saw from Aldi several years ago, 254mm IIRC. Knocks spots off the hand-held variety which I now hardly ever take out of the case. Screwfix have a similar one at <£100. Well worth considering if you have space in the shed.

 

[dankilb]

I’d buy the MacAllister - see how you get on and, if you feel the need, replace the blade with a more expensive one down the track.

Joinery is my least favoured boat ‘trade’ personally - yet still, in the last year alone, I’ve needed to add a track saw, power plane and drop saw to my toolkit. If these were all Makita etc. I’d be out of money - as well as space!

I’m very happy with my Guild - I think it is - Argos circular saw! 5+ years use. It’s on its second ‘expensive’ TCT blade - and that’s a £20 Erbauer! The blade does the cutting, after all...!

Never thought much of those converted angle grinder things - just use an actual grinder, jigsaw, multi tool, etc.

Have found the track/plunge saw to have been of most boaty use - but then we’ve been doing bulkheads and interior joinery for the best part of a year!

 

[wallacebob]

I bought this. Bauker 1600W 185mm Circular Saw 220-240V , heavy enough to do most jobs, and £55. I found the MacA a bit too cheaply built.

 

[Keith 66]

I bought a Festool T55 track saw last year, its superb & was a revelation as to what a circular saw is capable of, finish & accuracy of cuts is excellent. One big project building new bookcases at home & it paid for itself in spades.

 

[Railbob]

I have the Macallister 1200 saw and it works very well. I needed a a saw for a kitchen I was fitting, I changed the supplied blade with to one with more teeth and it cut the panels very nicely.

 

[John the kiwi]

I have a sawbench/table saw and find i seldom dig out the circular saw, but there are times its invaluable.
To cut panels, i lay them down on the floor on a bunch of waste wood strips of equal thickness and cut as needed.
One thing i learned when building a plywood dinghy is that this method can be used to cut curves. If the circular saw blade is retracted so that it is just cutting deep enough to cut the sheet ply, its quite easy to follow curves of relatively large diameter.
Easier than with jig saw and a lot less splintery.
Whatever you are cutting, my advice is to get a saw with a good base and solid pivots and linkages and a good guide.

 

[DownWest]

I bought a Festool T55 track saw last year, its superb & was a revelation as to what a circular saw is capable of, finish & accuracy of cuts is excellent. One big project building new bookcases at home & it paid for itself in spades.

Festool is pro kit and priced somewhat above most hobbyists budget.

 

[Stemar]

I think I'd get a table saw before a circular saw. I've had one for years and use it way more than the hand-held. However, if you need the circular and the budget will stretch, I'd go for a track saw. It doesn't have to be Festool - if you need that sort of quality, you wouldn't be asking, you'd know. I've had a Bosch circular saw for years and it's OK. Does what it says on the tin but, after watching too many Youtube vids, I got jealous of the tracks (and all the other toys those "amateur" Yanks have and bodged something up. It works, but one day, I'm going to be able to justify one of these as "the tool for the job",

Erbauer ERB690CSW 185mm Electric Plunge Saw 240V

Nothing fancy, but the proper track would make a world of difference.

If the Bosch died, for the amount I use it, I'd look in Aldidl to see what they've got first - if they ever have a track saw, I think I much just find "the job for the tool"...

 

[Graham376]

Firstly, I wouldn't but any Screwfix branded tools again, once out of warranty there's no spares backup. I have a small Einhell saw and its fine for thin ply and MDF but wanders from cut line more easily than larger saw. Also have a couple of full sized ones and the one I use most is a Triton track saw, used with an MFT type bench, is as accurate as my 10" table saw and far easier to use for sheet goods. If you can afford the difference in price get a track saw, they can be used without track as well. Have a look at one of Peter Millard's videos - (14) Festool plunge saw, Skil cordless saw, or track-mounted circular saw? [video #378] - YouTube

 

[Rappey]

The mini saws like the erbaur are brilliant. Can easily cut a straight line one handed and using the guide that often comes with them enables perfect parallel cuts.
An angle grinder rotates the opposite way so not possible to convert one to a mini saw
Cheap circular saws can sometimes be impossible to keep them cutting straight.

 

[Robih]

Cheap power tools invariably lead to regret and bald patches on one’s head.

 

[Rappey]

I would look on ebay or fb market as you could buy a high quality used machine for less than a new cheap and nasty one

 

[duncan99210]

I brought one of the McAlister ones years ago for a project. I’ve used it a few times since. It does what it says on the tin, and for the price where I use it perhaps once or twice a year, it’s been great value.
If I was doing a lot more work needing a circular saw, I’d have spent more money, perhaps on a Makita, but for the amount of use, the McAlister is fine.

 

[northwind]

Tracksaw, either buy one or make one to fit the saw you buy, loads of how to's on YouTube on diy ones, personally I would go with the bigger blade as it will be easier to make straight cuts with it.

 

[northwind]

Festool is pro kit and priced somewhat above most hobbyists budget.

That depends on your outlook, buy good buy once. The only bit of festool kit I own is the tracksaw, expensive maybe, has it paid for itself yes, will I ever need to buy another circular saw, nope. Its easy to use very accurate and produces splinter free cuts on a variety of boards, this alone has made it worth the cost, given how much plywood is these days!