Circular saws?

[90zcar]

I don't really do anything construction wise or mess with wood too often. I never owned a circular saw and I need to cut some 2x10s I have laying around here sometime.
Anyways I bought some snap on tools from a guy not too long ago and today he asked me if I wanted a makita circular saw for $20 bucks and I said sure.
It is a makita 5007nb model.

I already took the blade off because it looks to have seen better days. Any suggestion on a decent cheap blade for it? I'm only gonna be using it to cut the occasional 2x4 and I know sometime in the future my fiancé wants me to cut down a large piece of pine board for the top of our TV entertainment stand to stain.
Also what does this adjustment do right here

And this one



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[Bobcat753]

The first adjustment is for depth of cut, second is for a guide clamp down. For a blade I'd just get a Diablo Demo Demon.

 

[Finky198]

It's a decent saw +1 on the diablo blade and get yourself a speed square to assist making the cuts nice and square

 

[woody 73]

Be careful with buying blades, what I mean is that some blades are good for one job but not for another type of job. For example lets say your girlfriend wants you to build her a new deck, well first off that wood will be treated lumber with chemical so you would want a blade that will cut through all that treated wood.

Ok with that in mind as someone said look into buying diablo blades (cheap and good never go together) but be sure and read which blade is best for what you want to cut; each store should have some kind of guide to look at.

Something like the following:

http://www.lowes.com/cd_Circular+Saw+Blade+BG_449686513_

http://www.toolbarn.com/woodworking-circular-saw-blades-guide

You get the idea.

 

[RAYJAY]

+1 diablo blade as long as it cuts and does not kick a breaker you got a winner for 20 bucks

 

[bcradio]

watch some youtube videos before you use it. You can easily cut your hand off if you don't know what you're doing.

 

[90zcar]

watch some youtube videos before you use it. You can easily cut your hand off if you don't know what you're doing.

Haha.... yeah I need my hands

I took off the guard and an item or two and I'm gonna give it a good cleaning and wipe down with wd40 Before I put a new blade on. I may see if I can get a new guard return spring that's similar looking at my hardware store


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[Bro-Hio]

+1 for Diablo blades. I have them in my chop saw, table saw, and circular saw. They've all got different tooth counts and I've had no problems across the board.

 

[johndeereman]

Although i am partial to left handed saw's those older makita saw's are real workhorses as a framer's every day saw. My dad still has one from probably 25 years ago or better and it still gets the **** used out of it.

 

[Wamsutta]

Go to Home Depot and get a Diablo 7-1/2'' x 24T blade. They're easy to find because they're red. They leave a very smooth cut. The cut looks like a 40 tooth blade did it. Sometimes they're on sale two for $10.

 

[Zeke]

Although i am partial to left handed saw's those older makita saw's are real workhorses as a framer's every day saw. My dad still has one from probably 25 years ago or better and it still gets the **** used out of it.

I've used a worm drive LH blade all my life. Occasionally I will pick up a sidewinder. In fact, I have that same Makita on a track system. When you're not used to a sidewinder they can bind and do all kinds of bad things before you can blink an eye. No one answered what the lever does. It's the clamp for the table height. I prefer to have a lot of blade showing below the work.

Before using it I would damn sue make the guard work perfectly. In the beginning, clamp you work down in a Jawhorse, Workmate or anything you can find that is safe. Use both hands on the saw. Try this test: with the saw unplugged, grab it with both hands, one on the trigger and try to find a way to cut yourself. Other than your lower parts, it will be hard. So, if you stand squarely with your feet apart and one on front of the other, and your work is clamped so it won't move no matter what. you're ready to go.

Like I said, if something grabs or bites and the saw comes climbing out of the work, it's nearly impossible to get hurt with both hands on the saw. Take care to feed the saw in with no bias. Your trigger hand is also the guiding hand. My left hand would be on the motor housing.

Do this.

 

[toplessHO]

son says someone was hurt at work the other day
guy put the saw down after a cut the guard didnt retract
saw scooted under rotating blade power and cut the guys thigh.
Dont know how that could possibly happen but it did.

I also know a guy that was a damn good mechanical that lost 2 fingers due to a saw accident 30 yrs ago and they still havent grown back

 

[Zeke]

son says someone was hurt at work the other day
guy put the saw down after a cut the guard didnt retract
saw scooted under rotating blade power and cut the guys thigh.
Dont know how that could possibly happen but it did.

I also know a guy that was a damn good mechanical that lost 2 fingers due to a saw accident 30 yrs ago and they still havent grown back

Oh yeah, a saw has a lot of stored energy after you let off the trigger. Set it down on a spinning blade and it will act like an alligator. I know a guy that got 90 stitches from a 4 1/4" (110mm) saw. This little guy — the guard was missing.

 

[90zcar]

Well I took all your opinions on a blade to heart and went to my local hardware store(SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESS!!) and got a Diablo blade for 11 bux and grabbed a tension spring that looked similar to the guard spring on mine which was a little stretched. Got a new flanged bolt to replace the rusty one aswell.
Not a bad saw for a little over $30 bux total invested




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[CNGsaves]

^ ^ ^ OP . . . now you've got powerful cutting machine !!

+1 to always be slow/careful when putting down saw "after cutting" when blade is still spinning. Good habit is always have scrap piece of wood off to right and set saw down on that if blade is still spinning.

As Zeke said, "sidewinder" saw (ie circular saw / Skilsaw) should be safe when used with proper caution and don't bind it up.

Only close calls I've had is cutting up scrap plywood so it would fit in trashcan and got in hurry & bound up saw. Kickback is not good.

P.S. Get you another blade for "dirty" work that might include running into some nails/staples. I used Marathon blade from Lowes when plunge cutting roof sheeting that did have some hidden staples/nails. Blade cut right through them but it did make it dull quick.

 

[sometoyotaguy]

That old blade is probably still ok if the carbides aren't chipped. Keep it for "dirty" work.

 

[LB-1911]

There is a pdf manual @
http://powertool.manualsonline.com/manuals/mfg/makita/5007nb.html?p=1

 

[90zcar]

Ok so I got to use it this morning and it cut like a hot knife through butter!!

Only problem is the line I had drew on my wood the blade seemed off to the right by a good 1/8"-3/16"
I thought you were supposed to have your line lined up with this edge?
I drew a sharpie line where the blade actually is



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[Shiftless]

Ok so I got to use it this morning and it cut like a hot knife through butter!!

Only problem is the line I had drew on my wood the blade seemed off to the right by a good 1/8"-3/16"
I thought you were supposed to have your line lined up with this edge?
I drew a sharpie line where the blade actually is



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Good thinking to draw a line there.
With the line there, you can be reminded of possible errors considering the width of the kerf. (width of the saw blade) Sometimes a guy cuts with the waste on the right and sometimes on the left.

 

[jobo1004]

Any chance there is something between the ring and inner flange (sawdust)? Is the inner flange the same on both sides? Just wondering if something isn't sitting quite right and is pushing the blade out farther than it should be.

 

[90zcar]

I'll have to take it apart again. I had it completely apart and assembled again. It's almost like the inner washer is too thick


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[Fcvapor05]

I'll have to take it apart again. I had it completely apart and assembled again. It's almost like the inner washer is too thick


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There's usually a fairly thick washer (much thicker than a standard 1/2" washer or whatever) that should go between the bolt and the blade- NOT between the motor and blade. Switching that to the wrong side might be the root cause here.

 

[90zcar]

So I removed the bolt and outer washer then blade and have this

And this is what it looks like on the saw




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[90zcar]

Hmm why do I not have part #5??
That doesn't make sense tho. That would push the blade out even further



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[spike99250]

The base could just be out of alignment, from being dropped or something.

 

[jobo1004]

Hmm why do I not have part #5??
That doesn't make sense tho. That would push the blade out even further



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I found that image just from searching for a Makita owner's manual. Since you know your model number you may want to look up your specific manual to be sure you should have part #5.

 

[90zcar]

Ok I looked back at the manual for this specific model and it does not show that extra wager so I'm ok as far as that goes. I'm just gonna deal with it being off an 1/8". No biggie



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