Circular Saw Choice. Corded or Cordless?
- Thread starter APEowner
- Start date
Yes I have a 20v Dewalt brushless. I find the cut is acceptable with 3 bars on the battery then gets worse as the bars decrease. The cut in plywood is really splintered if I cut with one bar because I am too lazy to walk to get another battery off the charger to complete that last cut. My corded worm drive cuts straight and clean every time.
Firebrick43
Well-known member
Only the 60v 7-1/4 dewalt and 7-1/4 milwaukee fuel are worth a damn imho. I have used milwaukee's 7-1/4 "brushless" and several of the 6-1/2 brushless and they dont have near the cojones that the fuel does. I have not tried makitas 36 volt saw
Voi
Well-known member
Since you're already invested in the Makita LXT system and are used to a sidewinder and need a saw for sheet goods I'd strongly consider the Makita track ready circular saw. It is a cordless sidewinder that has a base that fits the Makita rails. It's a regular saw that can be used on a track. It's not a dedicated track saw.
Makita 18V X2 LXT Lithium-Ion (36V) 7-1/4 in. Brushless Cordless Circular Saw Guide Rail Compatible Base (Tool-Only) XSH08Z - The Home Depot
Now you can tackle the job with ease and comfort by choosing this Makita X LithiumIon Brushless Cordless Circular Saw Guide Rail Compatible Base.
www.homedepot.com
Makita USA - Product Details -XSH08Z
36V (18V X2) LXT® Brushless 7-1/4” Circular Saw with Guide Rail Compatible Base, Tool Only
www.makitatools.com
If you think you would prefer a lighter saw and still want the blade-right sidewinder arrangement then Makita makes one of those in their subcompact line up. It is not track compatible as far as I know but one could make a few shooting boards for it.
Makita USA - Product Details -XSH05ZB
18V LXT® Lithium-Ion Sub-Compact Brushless Cordless 6-1/2” Circular Saw, AWS® Capable, Tool Only
www.makitatools.com
I have a couple of corded sidewinders, a brushless Makita 6.5" blade-left CS and a corded Makita track saw.
The cordless Makita is what I grab for any quick cut.
The track saw is the one I use the most. And since I'm hooked up to a dust extractor when using it the extra cord is not a problem.
I leave one my my old sidewinders at the cabin and another at home in case I need to throw in a masonry blade or whatever. I really don't use them anymore.
Black300zx
Well-known member
I'd ask yourself two questions:
1 - In your current use cases, have you ever had to spend more time finding and running an extension cord than you spent actually making the cuts?
2 - When you use it, is it usually for an extended period of time where you'll need to recharge batteries?
If 1 = yes and 2 = no, go cordless and keep the corded as a backup. No brainer.
If 1 = no and 2 = yes, grab a new corded and use it for another 30years, and save some money. No brainer.
1 - In your current use cases, have you ever had to spend more time finding and running an extension cord than you spent actually making the cuts?
2 - When you use it, is it usually for an extended period of time where you'll need to recharge batteries?
If 1 = yes and 2 = no, go cordless and keep the corded as a backup. No brainer.
If 1 = no and 2 = yes, grab a new corded and use it for another 30years, and save some money. No brainer.
Magnum440d100
Well-known member
I personally have a Milwaukee M18 fuel circ saw as my go to. I have others as well (corded/cordless), but reach for the M18 9 times out of 10.
No particular reason, except it’s smaller/more compact, so it’s easier to use in the work I do (when I need to use it, which is very very very infrequent)
No particular reason, except it’s smaller/more compact, so it’s easier to use in the work I do (when I need to use it, which is very very very infrequent)
Dakotadadv8
Well-known member
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- May 30, 2021
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OP what did you decide on and why? Great info on this thread and other threads relating to corded vs cordless tools.
Wow! Thanks for all the input. That's a lot of great information. I really appreciate it. Right up until I saw Vol's recommendation this morning I had decided on a corded 7 1/4 sidewinder (probably a Makita because they get good reviews and I've had good experiences with their cordless stuff) with the idea that I might add a cordless trim saw to the mix later. Now I'm rethinking that but the price is pretty steep so, I'm still undecided.
Voi
Well-known member
If you want to read more about the track compatible saws Metabo also makes one. Makita makes two, including a 9". Milwaukee is supposedly releasing an aftermarket base in the EU for some of their cordless saws so that they can be track compatible.
Festool make a saw that I think fits in the same category, the HKC 55.
I'm not recommending anything other than the 7 & 1/4" Makita to you since you already have the batteries but researching those other saws may give you some ideas if the concept is right for you.
You can get good results with a sidewinder and a DIY shooting board. I did it this way for decades.
I'm faster with my track saw mostly because I don't need to clamp the track down but also because the dust collection is good enough that I'm not cleaning up so much between cuts and can get right on to laying out my next line.
I'm guessing the DC on these track compatible saws won't be quite as good, so keep that in mind.
Get both corded and cordless.
I built the shed below using a DeWalt DCS391 with 5.0 and 6.0 batteries and never felt I was lacking anything, but there are times you’ll need a corded saw with more “nuts”. I probably would’ve used my Skil 77 but didn’t have a big enough cord to feed it from the outlet 150’ away.
I built the shed below using a DeWalt DCS391 with 5.0 and 6.0 batteries and never felt I was lacking anything, but there are times you’ll need a corded saw with more “nuts”. I probably would’ve used my Skil 77 but didn’t have a big enough cord to feed it from the outlet 150’ away.
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GrantCee
Well-known member
People keep saying that, but after cutting the cord myself a few years ago I have yet to encounter a situation where that was true. And I live in a very rural area, on acreage, where I'm building or remodeling something nearly constantly.
tyyost
Well-known member
The only time I felt that way was cutting pavers, otherwise my Fuel 6 1/2” has done everything I have asked as far a cutting wood. Anyone who struggles with a modern cordless saw should get a new blade appropriate for the task at hand, as these saws rely on blade selection much more heavily than the corded cousins.
VolvoRyan
Well-known member
Agree on blade selection!
Good cordless stuff is nice, and if you've already committed to a battery system, you're more than halfway there.
-Ryan
Corded, Milwaukee.
RAS61
Well-known member
Since this thread has evolved into a corded vs cordless C-Saw debate, I think it simply comes down to money. Cordless is more convenient, and can do 90%+ of what a corded saw can do. So if you can afford a more expensive tool, plus expensive batteries that wear out, and can afford to replace the entire platform when it's retired, definitely go for it! And if you can afford all that you can also easily afford a lightly used top of the line used corded C-Saw for under $50 at a pawn shop or C-List to fill any void - so if you have the coin for cordless just get both!
tyyost
Well-known member
Originally I was one of the buy corded camp for the OP. I think I still am. I was an early adopter for cordless saws, starting with a DeWalt cordless 18v 1/2” drill and 5 3/8” saw combo kit. Later I added a cordless recip saw. The saws were marginal, but I was in the system with a handful of batteries and it worked. It did not replace my corded saws, but filled in on small jobs. The battery platform well outlasted the tools technology.
Rinse and repeat in early 2000’s. Lithium Ion was putting Ni Cad batteries to shame, DeWalt stuff was way old, but still running. Bought a Makita 4 tool set in an awesome duffle bag, hammer drill, impact driver, 6 1/2” saw and recip saw. First job was at a buddies building a deck for a hot tub, cut every board for frame and deck with circular saw and only charged batteries at lunch (only had 2). I was hooked. That battery system is still in use, sold the kit on Craigslist a few years back for another bare tool for my M18 setup.
I wouldn’t hesitate to purchase a cordless saw (or any other special tool) from any major professional power tool company. The risk is much lower than if you buy the “house brand of the week”. I’d expect the OP’s Makita system to be very viable if that was the direction he chooses.
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I almost never use a circular saw, so I doubt I'll go cordless unless something changes. I have a Makita 5007MGA and it is soooo much more of a pleasure to use than the 1970s? B&D that it replaced. The Makita just oozes quality. Any decent corded saw will last most of us the rest of our lives, unless we drop it off the roof. The same can't be said about cordless- in ten years it'll probably be obsolete. So how much are you going to use it in 10 years? For something like a drill, cordless all the way for me, although I still have my old corded ones. If I was buying again today I'd get a corded track, or track adaptable, saw.
rsanter
Well-known member
I have both but mostly use my cordless.
Most of the time the jobs I do are short enough that the cordless is fine.
But if I run it out then I can finish with the corded. This has only happened a couple times in the past few years
Most of the time the jobs I do are short enough that the cordless is fine.
But if I run it out then I can finish with the corded. This has only happened a couple times in the past few years
"evolved into..."? The title of the thread is "Circular saw choice. Cordless or corded?"
Not sure where you expected the conversation to go.
RAS61
Well-known member
I guess I expected it to be geared more to the OP's needs
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Snapped-off
Well-known member
Real hard to beat this deal. Total cost was $268.30. You can pick some other options besides the ratchet.
I've had this saw for about 10 years now. Never an issue, been very happy with it.