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All hail the reciprocating saw!

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SuzukiGS750EZ

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Apr 26, 2012
Messages
3,273
I bought my milwaukee m18 fuel sawzall a month or so ago. I've been wanting one for years (a recip, not necessarily a milwaukee) and recently I found myself using my grandfather's old corded makita. Well, I bit the bullet and paid the 300$ for the kit. Came with the 5.0 battery. My neighbor is remodeling the bathroom and needed a way to shorten a few studs inside a wall. Bam, done. Needed to cut up some pallets, bam, done. I see use in it for cutting down bolts, trimming small trees, plunge cuts into things, rough cuts, cutting exhaust on cars. And I love that it's portable. I bought some Diablo blades for it, awesome blades, just the bi metal ones though, nothing fancy. I have to say, besides for being fun to use, I find myself using it in place of things I'd use a cut off wheel or dremel for, and is super easy to control. The variety of blades they sell for them makes them versatile, and they cut the time it takes to turn things into pieces into no time at all. Definitely one of my favorite tool purchases I've made in a while.
 
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honcho

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Feb 2, 2011
Messages
2,304
Location
Near Sodom & Gommorah (aka Wash. DC)
As a homeowner, my single favorite use of a cordless reciprocating saw is.........Pruning Trees & Shrubs. Not as fast as a chainsaw but, in my opinion, easier to handle and more versatile for limbs up to about 6 inches in diameter. I think the last batch of pruning blades I purchased were from Diablo and they work well.
 
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cheechi

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Joined
Feb 29, 2012
Messages
4,384
Location
Triad, NC
Second the M12 hackzall for tree work. I have the original & the brushless and 95% of both their use has been on green wood. If you get that kit lowes sells you can put on a wire brush and clean the grill too. NOT something I'd use with the bigger saws for sure, ask me how I know.

For the bigger tasks it's hard to argue with the 15A Super Sawzall. Earns its name and then some.
 
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Badger 13

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Joined
Aug 28, 2010
Messages
407
Location
Northern Idaho
Glad to hear you like it. I have used the corded versions of Milwaukee Sawzall's for years, and still use my "Super Sawzall" on occasion. Since I have gotten the Fuel 18v I really never use the corded one. It is great for trimming trees, and I agree with what honcho said.
 
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bcradio

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Joined
Jan 30, 2012
Messages
6,017
Location
New Mexico
SuzukiGS750EZ said:
I bought my milwaukee m18 fuel sawzall a month or so ago. I've been wanting one for years (a recip, not necessarily a milwaukee) and recently I found myself using my grandfather's old corded makita. Well, I bit the bullet and paid the 300$ for the kit. Came with the 5.0 battery. My neighbor is remodeling the bathroom and needed a way to shorten a few studs inside a wall. Bam, done. Needed to cut up some pallets, bam, done. I see use in it for cutting down bolts, trimming small trees, plunge cuts into things, rough cuts, cutting exhaust on cars. And I love that it's portable. I bought some Diablo blades for it, awesome blades, just the bi metal ones though, nothing fancy. I have to say, besides for being fun to use, I find myself using it in place of things I'd use a cut off wheel or dremel for, and is super easy to control. The variety of blades they sell for them makes them versatile, and they cut the time it takes to turn things into pieces into no time at all. Definitely one of my favorite tool purchases I've made in a while.
Click to expand...

Make sure you charge your neighbor for its use to help fund your next tool purchase.

:beer:
 
F

FigureItOut

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Joined
Sep 14, 2015
Messages
3,267
Location
Bentonville AR
Nice purchase OP. I recently got the same saw, it wasn't my first but right out of the box that saw just feels like it's already revving up. That thing WANTS to cut. Everything about it to me feels like it wasn't just made to do its job, it was born to do it.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337Z using Tapatalk
 
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Richard Cranium

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Joined
Apr 22, 2011
Messages
18,552
Location
central Washington
I purchased an reconditioned reciprocating saw from Sears back in 1999 for 5.00 and it is still going strong. I used the heck out of it when I built my new house. It just does what is asked of it and keeps on going. I wasn't expecting much for 5 dollars.
 
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Coach James

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Joined
Jun 24, 2005
Messages
8,933
Location
Sandhills of North Carolina
Recips are great. Several years ago, I bought a B&D Firestorm corded that keeps on going. I have a Porter C. cordless that is fine for smaller jobs.

From my dad, I inherited a C-man Pro model that looks like a Dewalt. Great power.

Coach
 
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1badbird

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 9, 2014
Messages
277
Location
Neenah, WI
I can't even imagine what it would be like to not own a reciprocating saw, think I've owned one since I was 16 lol, I use it for loads of things, usually several times a week.
 
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Two Door

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Joined
Jan 7, 2011
Messages
816
Location
Houston, TX - USA
My wife is responsible for us having a reciprocating saw. One day in Lowes she asked why we didn't have one. She has always been pretty pro-active about me buying tools, but I told her I didn't really see a need for one and couldn't really justify buying it.

But somehow we ended up with one shortly after that, and shortly after that I found the first use for it. Yes, it is amazing the uses you will find. The most indispensable use I've found, among many, was cutting out a small tree that had started growing in the small space between the outside air conditioning unit and the house.
 
OP
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SuzukiGS750EZ

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Apr 26, 2012
Messages
3,273
One thing I've noticed versus the older makita is mine is really balanced. The shoe doesn't need to be against the material to be able to control it. Even with the shoe on the makita, it shook you off your feet
 
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PJNJ

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Joined
Sep 20, 2013
Messages
1,047
Location
Iowa
Had a reciprocating saw for years. Bought a Craftsman Pro (re-badged Dewalt) first and have not been able to kill it. Cuts through everything with the right blade. For Christmas some years back my wife bought me the Craftsman adjustable saw (re-badged Porter Cable Tiger Claw 9740). It is heavy but I have used it a couple of times to get into places that I couldn't get the other one into. Worth it and paid for itself each time.

To me, "sawzalls" are one of those indispensible tools nowadays.

:beer:
 
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Jarhead0408

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Apr 1, 2012
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5,783
Location
Who knows?
Recip's are awesome.

I borrowed my brothers Kobalt for a while before buying a new Milwaukee corded model. I own two of them now, but hope to add a brushless Milwaukee soon.
 
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truckdriver

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Joined
Nov 12, 2009
Messages
1,209
Location
Miami,OK
I bought the M18 Fuel Sawzall when I had to redo ALL the floors, joists, and sill plates in a house I bought. I freakin loved it. After having a Dewalt 18V NiCad I swore I would never own a corded grinder or recip saw. Fuel changed that.
 
OP
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SuzukiGS750EZ

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Apr 26, 2012
Messages
3,273
Besides wood and metal blades, what types of specialty blades are sold for recip saws?
 
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FigureItOut

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Joined
Sep 14, 2015
Messages
3,267
Location
Bentonville AR
I've been thinking about getting some of this stuff to try it out: http://www.reciprotools.com/
I tried the Kobalt versions years ago and they were, well, Kobalt.
Some of those attachments would be nice to keep near your 12v one handed recips. I've got the Bosch 12v and don't cut with much anymore since I got my Fuel.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337Z using Tapatalk
 
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Tucko

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Joined
Jul 28, 2012
Messages
1,650
Location
Whittier, Ca
I got my corded Milwalkee Sawzall at a yard sale for $25, and many years later at another yard sale, a guy gave me the metal box for it. Now the set is complete. :beer:
 
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vicegripbloodblister

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Joined
Nov 15, 2014
Messages
56
Location
Midwest
World's best rattle paint can shaker...duct tape it to the blade and pull trigger...release blade and paint and it's ready to be shook again till gone..........
 
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S

SuzukiGS750EZ

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Joined
Apr 26, 2012
Messages
3,273
FigureItOut said:
I've been thinking about getting some of this stuff to try it out: http://www.reciprotools.com/
I tried the Kobalt versions years ago and they were, well, Kobalt.
Some of those attachments would be nice to keep near your 12v one handed recips. I've got the Bosch 12v and don't cut with much anymore since I got my Fuel.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337Z using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
That. Is. Awesome.
 
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thebeekeeper1

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Joined
Sep 5, 2012
Messages
1,011
Location
Illinois
vicegripbloodblister said:
World's best rattle paint can shaker...duct tape it to the blade and pull trigger...release blade and paint and it's ready to be shook again till gone..........
Click to expand...

They make a tool for that. It inserts like a blade and has a cradle with a ratchet strap to hold the can. Twenty bucks or so. Works great. I'll see if I can find a link. :)

Edit: Here it is--

http://mixkwik.com/

It's evolved since I bought mine. Price went up too.
 
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pcmeiners

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Aug 13, 2009
Messages
7,948
Location
In the only town in Pennsylvania, Bloomsburg.
Thanks to Sandy I got a new upgraded Sawzall, first was 30 plus years; one of the best time/aggravation saving tools. I could could do surgery with a Sawzall; actually I have cut off a few hand and leg casts with a metal blade, never lost a patient or a drop of blood ( during cast removal only).
 
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