To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

What circular saw size for someone that wants to build their own home?

8

809

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 21, 2021
Messages
251
Corded circular saw. I see that the common sizes are 6.5" and 7.25". Is bigger better in this case? Will be working with 2x4s, 4x4s, 6x6s, and various thickness plywoods. The 7.25" seems like the obvious choice but I could be wrong.

Would also like to double duty the saw as a metal cutting saw when needed (with a metal cutting abrasive blade ofcourse).

Want to know best size but also open to brand, amp, and RMP suggestions.
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
I

IndyGarage

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 29, 2010
Messages
9,669
Location
Indy
Skil 77 is a great saw - I have an original and it is very heavy, the magnesiums save a pound or two. That thing can cut right through anything.

I'd also look at the makita magnesium hypoid. I used one one once and I would probably go with that over a new Skil

I wouldn't overlook a cordless. Since I've had the Makita 18x2 saw, I haven't touched my 77.
 
OP
8

809

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 21, 2021
Messages
251
IndyGarage said:
Skil 77 is a great saw - I have an original and it is very heavy, the magnesiums save a pound or two. That thing can cut right through anything.

I'd also look at the makita magnesium hypoid. I used one one once and I would probably go with that over a new Skil

I wouldn't overlook a cordless. Since I've had the Makita 18x2 saw, I haven't touched my 77.
Click to expand...

Is running out of battery too fast ever an issue? How many cuts on a single charge?
 
M

Mandres

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 22, 2006
Messages
1,151
I'm in the middle of a whole house remodel and foundation repair job. I recommend a large 15a corded 7.25" model and a lightweight 6" cordless alongside it if you can swing it. It's no fun hauling a big worm drive framing saw up a ladder or for awkward positions. But you'll want that power for most standard cuts.
 
L

lardy1

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 17, 2019
Messages
3,387
Location
Michigan
I bought a new Milwaukee 6365 in the mid 80's and used it professionally as a contractor until '07. The only service it ever had was a new cord one time. It still works just as it did the first time I used it. Lifetime saw and then some. I'm certain technology and trends have changed but that saw was one of the best investments I ever made.

You'll more than pay for the price of a contractor grade saw if you use it to build your own house. Don't cheap out and you'll have the pleasure of a reliable/accurate saw for life.

Probably get disagreements with this but if you aren't professional stay away from the worm drives. Bulky. Expensive. Heavy and it takes time to learn to use them proficiently.

A circular saw will rip sheathing accurately enough for framing a house.
 
P

PCustoms

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 23, 2011
Messages
22,186
Location
VT
mike93lx said:
Setup? Make two mark, place the track and cut.

This guy isn't a contractor. He is a homeowner that clearly isn't an expert. The simple fact is that a track saw is a fast, easy, accurate and safe way to cut sheet goods.

I stand by my recommendation
Click to expand...
Sorry, was thinking panel saw
 
B

bassJAM

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 10, 2020
Messages
855
Location
Cincinnati, OH
809 said:
Is running out of battery too fast ever an issue? How many cuts on a single charge?
Click to expand...

Running out of battery depends on how quickly you're working and how big the batteries are. I built a 12'x12' elevated deck/tree house last spring, instead of dragging a cord all over and wheeling my 12" miter saw out every day I decided to go cordless with my Bosch 18v 6.5" for as much as I could. With two 3.0 ah batteries (one charging while using the other) and normally putting in about 6-7 hours a day I was never out of power. Used it for 4x4's and 6x4's (cutting twice), 2x12's, 2x8's, decking and railing. Having 3 batteries would have been a tad easier because there was times I was swapping a battery between the saw and my impact when driving Timberloks while the 2nd battery was charging. Now I don't claim to be super fast as I was doing all the work alone, things might have been different if I had a helper. I only opted for a corded circular saw when cutting the the outside edges of the decking at the end since I can cut straighter with my Makita hypoid and using my miter saw when cutting all the balusters to length since I could use a jig and not measure each one.
 
J

jives

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 4, 2013
Messages
2,803
Location
Central NY
lardy1 said:
I bought a new Milwaukee 6365 in the mid 80's and used it professionally as a contractor until '07. The only service it ever had was a new cord one time. It still works just as it did the first time I used it. Lifetime saw and then some. I'm certain technology and trends have changed but that saw was one of the best investments I ever made.

You'll more than pay for the price of a contractor grade saw if you use it to build your own house. Don't cheap out and you'll have the pleasure of a reliable/accurate saw for life.

Probably get disagreements with this but if you aren't professional stay away from the worm drives. Bulky. Expensive. Heavy and it takes time to learn to use them proficiently.

A circular saw will rip sheathing accurately enough for framing a house.
Click to expand...

This. No reason for a heavy and expensive worm drive (e.g., Skil 77). You said corded, so get a quality name brand 7 1/4" Makita, Milwaukee, DeWalt, Bosch (there are others). Used saws come up for sale pretty often (CL, FBM) as folks go to cordless and sell off the corded.

For framing a track saw might be nice for cutting sheathing, but it won't be used for cutting dimensional lumber. A better investment would be a good portable stand for cutting sheet goods and dimensional lumber.

You also mentioned steel cutting. I just put on a Diablo Steel Demon Cermat II blade to my 34 year old Skil circular saw -- did not want to chance it on my Makita cordless -- and it cut 1/4" steel plate great (36" and 48" rip cuts).
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
I

IndyGarage

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 29, 2010
Messages
9,669
Location
Indy
809 said:
Is running out of battery too fast ever an issue? How many cuts on a single charge?
Click to expand...

Walkers said:
FWIW, I bought this 36v Makita and it is a damn fine saw. Works longer than I can without a recharge, no dealing with a cord.79EE4F1E-36CE-4D35-9CB9-7C96D61D11B4.jpeg
Click to expand...
That is exactly the cordless saw I have. I'm more of a heavy DIYer than a pro, so I've never run it out of battery. They say it will do something like 400 2x6's on a charge.

It is laid out like a worm drive and has plenty of power. I like the blade on the left layout personally.

I haven't sold the Skil 77 and probably will never, but I may not use it much any more. A few years ago my neighbor was finishing out a new retail shop and her husband was trying to cut down her sales countertop. It was some kind of old hardwood mounted on top of 2 layers of heavy particle board. Hubby had burned up the blade and then the motor on his $40 Craftsman sidewinder saw and then tried with a recip saw before burning up that blade. I pulled out the 77 - she says that's probably not going to do it - buzzed right through like a knife through butter.
 
G

GrantCee

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 23, 2010
Messages
808
Location
Willamette Valley, Oregon
Disclaimer: I’ve never built a whole house, but I’ve built more than one shop, outbuilding, barn, storage shed, and miscellaneous buildings from scratch — no kits — along with extensive remodels of two old (circa 1930s) houses. From building concrete forms to roofing the finished building, I've done it all by myself.

For years I used a corded worm drive saw and a corded standard circular saw. Today, I have zero desire to use (let alone own) corded saws; the battery powered saws (mine are Makita) perform just as well, and in many cases out-perform, their corded equivalents. I’ve used ‘em both, and then sold all my corded saws.

Frankly, I have very little use for a standard-sized (7-1/2”) circular saw. I have one, but it doesn’t get used much. For instance, on the last building I constructed, the miter saw and track saw (both battery powered) did at least 90% of the work. The remainder was handled by a 6-1/2” circular (the most underrated size), a recip saw, and a 7-1/2” model — in that order. Again, all Makita battery powered units.

IMHO, the attachment to big corded worm-drive saws is either nostalgia or posturing.
 
C

csp

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 23, 2010
Messages
5,719
Location
Franktown, CO
Built my house and used an old craftsman 7.25 for anything that didn't require super accuracy, eg framing and sheathing.

I bought a Mag 77 after the house was built and that old craftsman was a helluva lot easier to maneuver coming into and exiting a cut due to the lower weight.

One saw isn't going to cut it for every job though. I also used a sawzall, table saw, miter saw, jigsaw, etc....
 
P

pkpk

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 29, 2020
Messages
64
Location
Midwest
FWIW, there's older 6-1/2" worm drive Skilsaws to be found. Still lots of power, can still cut 2x boards at 45 degrees, but the ones with the plastic handles weigh a couple pounds less. (The really old ones are at least as heavy as the 7-1/4" saws.)

ez-duzit said:
Actually you will want 3 circular saws: a 7-1/4" worm drive (Skil), a 5-1/2" sidewinder (Skil), and a track saw (Festool).
Click to expand...
If you're referring to the Skil 5-1/2" sidewinder with the blade on the left side - I've got one of those (HD5510) from my dad and love it! Very light but still good power. Only problem is it's always run kinda noisy especially versus my worm drive, not sure if it's a bearing problem or the bushing needed for most blades on the 1/2" arbor making noise. I'm on the hunt for another, they're just such nice little saws.
 
J

joshmodelskidoo

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 18, 2012
Messages
872
Location
mid western michigan
Any name brand 7.25 corded circular saw. I have a hitachi and it will do the job. Those big worm saws are heavy. My buddy is a contractor and uses a corded 7.25 dewalt every day. He does have an old 18 volt cordless but he didn’t use it much. Truthfully a 20 volt cordless would probably do the job
 
I

icthruu74

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 26, 2015
Messages
330
Location
Michigan
How much 4x and 6x are you going to be cutting for a house? Most people will run 7.25” saws for framing, but most aren’t going to cut anything other than 2x and sheet goods. I like a Mag77 or the Skil southpaw sidewinder.
 
M

mike93lx

ALLIANCE MEMBER
Joined
Dec 9, 2013
Messages
37,329
Location
Richmond, VA
icthruu74 said:
How much 4x and 6x are you going to be cutting for a house? Most people will run 7.25” saws for framing, but most aren’t going to cut anything other than 2x and sheet goods. I like a Mag77 or the Skil southpaw sidewinder.
Click to expand...
A 7.25 cuts a 4x4 in two passes, no problem. 6x6 is 4 cuts and the little bit left will often just break. But I agree, likely isn't much
 
Last edited:
M

M635_Guy

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 5, 2019
Messages
4,333
Location
NC
I haven't built a house, but done a fair amount of DIY projects. I got the Makita 5477NB Hypoid saw years ago and it was fine. But I hated having a cord so much.

I replaced it last year with the Milwaukee M18 rear-handled and it's been great - no cords/extension cords/etc. to distract from the work. I had the 8.0 battery, and I wasn't fast enough to deplete the battery - I wore out before it did.

The Makita sits. To be fair, I'm sure I could beat the **** out of it for years and years and it would be fine. I have no idea if the Milwaukee would fare well in that environment or not. I'm thinking it would, but if not, the sheer number of little time-slices I'd get back would be absolutely worth it. Circ saws are one of the best things to lose the cord.
 
S

Skiff Builder

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 7, 2016
Messages
1,776
Location
Southern NJ Coast
I treated myself to a new saw to build my house. Besides accuracy and toughness, it has to feel right in your hand. For me that was the Dewalt DWE575. 7-'1/4, 15 amp.
It has a good size alum shoe with edges 1.5 and 5.5" from the blade-handy. Light at 8.8lb. cord is 10' so does not get caught when ripping plywood. Works great with a homemade shooting board for accurate plywood cuts.
The lower guard retracts smoothly, even on acute angle cuts. It can handle curved cuts in 2x material.
It built a house, a detached shop, and an almost finished 30' boat multiple sheds , etc. Drops from 12' didn't hurt it any.
I'd buy again without hesitation.

I thought about the Rigid 6.5 corded at that time. Great feel at 8 lb. The small shoe kept me from pulling the trigger.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-..._-203740647-_-203273038-_-N&#product-overview
 
T

tarbellb

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 17, 2011
Messages
5,725
Location
Oregon
< $100- any USED older corded saw on Ebay or local CL, pawn, etc...

= $100- Makita 5007F tried and true

> $100+ go CORDLESS w/ big batteries

Building a barn/lifetime purchase/love arm workouts- Skill 77


End of thread
 
T

tyyost

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 14, 2009
Messages
802
Location
Tunkhannock, PA
GrantCee said:
Frankly, I have very little use for a standard-sized (7-1/2”) circular saw. I have one, but it doesn’t get used much. For instance, on the last building I constructed, the miter saw and track saw (both battery powered) did at least 90% of the work. The remainder was handled by a 6-1/2” circular (the most underrated size), a recip saw, and a 7-1/2” model — in that order. Again, all Makita battery powered units.
Click to expand...
I second this. As an east coaster worm drives are not big on residential construction sites. I had an 18V Makita 6 1/2” and now a Milwaukee Fuel 6 1/2“ cordless saw and I can’t remember the last time I needed one of my corded saws.
If I was suggesting a mix for residential construction it would be a 6 1/2” cordless and an 8 1/4” 15 amp corded, in whatever color strikes your fancy. That said, a home gamer could probably get by really well with a decent 13 amp 7 1/4” saw with a decent foot plate and rip guide.
 
J

JABgj

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 11, 2013
Messages
536
Location
So. California
I'll suggest a 7.25 corded standard circ saw and a miter saw on a sturdy bench or table that will allow you to handle the longer lumber maybe with the help of a roller. The circ will be a general workhorse and the miter saw will make sure you have nice square or mitered cuts when you need them. Will do the trim inside and outside as well. Sharp blades with the right tooth count are your friend. And a good heavy extension cord so you don't fry the motors.
 
M

MushCreek

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 14, 2015
Messages
9,732
Location
Upstate South Carolina
I built our house using an M18 Milwaukee cordless primarily. I have a nice corded Milwaukee 7-1/4, but rarely use it. I never have gotten used to worm drive saws. I have an old Skil 77, but never liked it. In a corded saw, the Makita magnesium saws seem to be a trade favorite. As for cordless, I also have M18 drills, driver, SawzAll, etc. I used them all a lot building the house. With 5 batteries, I never ran out. I also used a Ridgid 12" sliding miter saw a lot.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
Top Bottom