I think that Im done with Ryobi circular saws

[jonshonda]

When I first started buying tools, I bought cheap new stuff. Then I realized they sucked in a multitude of ways (cheap cords, ergonomics, quality) and started looking for good quality used tools. I buy new quality when it makes sense, and used quality when they pop up.

Tools I use a lot I spend good money on, because I fully expect to use and depend on them for many years. Tools I don't expect to use much I try to find used, or am not afraid to make a trip to Harbor Freight. You don't have to buy everything all at once, just buy AS NEEDED!

 

[dnschmidt]

Do you have a construction company to justify all this, or do you just need to attend a class?

"Hi, i am dnschimdt and I have a tool addiction!"

The answers to your questions: 1) No. 2) Definitely yes.

 

[tarbellb]

Honestly tho corded circ saws have been dialed in for 50+ years now, it not a hard tool to make right.

I bet that Menards brand green saw is just fine, sh!t its got more features then a $100 Dewalt, and likely similar build quality.



But cordless.... my M18 Fuel is ok, convenient , but just OK.

 

[Aaron_W]

I like Ryobi tools for what they are, and probably have a dozen I am happy with. I wouldn't be looking at a circular saw from them. There are a lot of tools where cheap and good enough is fine, but a circular saw is one of those tools where it is worth spending more to get a better than just adequate tool.

 

[75gmck25]

If you are looking at cordless tools, don't try to judge based on what you might have purchased a few years ago. The battery technology and battery life has improved significantly, and the new brushless designs are smaller and much more power efficient than the older models.

I bought quite a few of the Ryobi tools in the 2012-2018 timeframe because I was doing work on my house and the Ryobi cordless tools always seemed to be on sale at HD. They work fine, but are relatively heavy, and the batteries definitely wear out as you use the tools more. The batteries also don't recharge very quickly, so they weren't convenient for a long work day unless you had quite a few spares.

I have the Ryobi 1/2" impact and was surprised at how well it worked for breaking loose bolts on my '75 truck. I also have the cordless/corded water transfer pump and it was really useful when rainwater got into the excavation. It moves quite a lot of water, and running off batteries (instead of A/C) made me more comfortable when I was out in the rain moving it around.

I then started working with a contractor who used Makita tools, and found them much more convenient overall. For my drills and circular saw I splurged and bought the Makita brushless sub-compact models because they were much easier to hang on a tool belt and carry up a ladder. I also bought the Makita dual battery, 7 1/4" circular saw because it seemed it would be good for heavier cutting work, but then realized the dual batteries made it too heavy to handle easily with one hand and the weight makes it tiring to use. All the Makitas have good batteries that recharge quickly, so having enough power has never been a problem.

 

[Kscardsfan]

In my opinion battery power tools never were suitable for heavy use (other than stuff like drills and impact drivers, and even then you still swapped batteries a lot) until the newer brushless and big battery, newer stuff came on the market.

I used to regard cordless as mostly a joke until I used the first M18 lithium battery tools and was impressed by the run time and power of them compared to the nicad tools of the time. Fast forward to the brushless Fuel and similar DeWalt and Makita lines and holy **** the difference is insane.

You’re literally describing every single person I’ve converted over to modern cordless tools. They’re all soured on an experience over a decade ago and won’t believe me when I tell them how far brushless and lithium ion technology has come. I won’t hardly use my air impact over my M18, and unless I’m setting for a day long framing project with some stationary tools, I don’t pull out extension cords for a Mag 77 anymore. My Milwaukee 6-1/2” 18 volt works just fine for 99% of my cutting. Until some guys use them for themselves they don’t believe how much better cordless is now.

 

[duneslider]

I worked as a pro carpenter years ago... still moonlight for family & friends.

All cordless saws, and cheap saws basically ****. Accuracy... and more so... safety really matters here.

Good cordless is ok for a handful of cuts but if framing a deck? Plug me in. Or have a huge stash of batteries.

How much is a pro quality corded saw these days? 100 maybe $150? Get a DeWalt Makita, Milwaukee etc and it'll basically outlast you.

I bought the 36v makita circ saw last year because the deal was 2 extra free batteries and I figured I would occasionally use the saw but the 4 batteries for the price was a steal.

12 months later. I haven't touched my mag77 and don't even know where it is at right now. I was cutting frozen LVL's with the makita cordless last January and that is when I realized we lived in a new world. The guys who framed my house didn't use a single corded circ saw.

My cabinet guy had the makita 36v sliding mitersaw, my mind was blown that thing was awesome! The new brushless motors and the battery stuff at 36v+ is game changer in the cordless world.

This weekend I cut 26 2x6's to length, 3 2x10's, and ripped a couple sheets of osb and didn't use any thing that plugged in except my compressor. Makita needs a good cordless framing nailer...I'm too invested in makita to feel like I can move to milwaukee for their framing nailer but I am really close to just buying the red framing nailer anyway. I just keep hoping makita will make one comparable.

I started with the ryobi tools and really liked the drill and impact I had. I got tired of buying batteries though and switched to makita and have only had a couple batteries go bad in 15 years.

 

[dr_clyde]

While I am on board with the current cordless revolution, we are sometimes too quick to dismiss certain corded tools as obsolete.

My mag 77 shines when we're cutting aluminum plate, thick fiberglass floor grating or something that just needs a lot of grunt for any amount of time.

Cordless makes a lot of sense for a carpenter framing or doing mobile work. But in the shop or on a dedicated jobsite, corded tools are still perfectly viable and oftentimes more effective.

Don't get me wrong, I don't like cords and hoses, but the reality is they're still here for a while longer. Cordless tools are amazing now, but my corded Sawzall still gets used even though I have a cordless one.

 

[PugetDude]

Maybe I've been lucky, but my old blue 18V Ryobi 5-1/2" Circular saw works great for me. Key is a new (sharp) thinkerf blade and a 4-amp battery. Did a big basement remodel when I lived in WA, used it to cut all the framing, sheathing and even some of the trim. I have a Skil 77 wormdrive for heavy cutting, ripping 2x material, etc and a 7-1/4" Porter Cable left hand saw for framing with extended cutting sessions, but for a weekend warrior I find myself grabbing the little Ryobi whenever I need to make a few cuts. Growing up using a wormdrive, I prefer the left hand blade over the right handed sidewinders. The Ryobi fillls that requirement.
All my 18V stuff is Ryobi and my 12V is Milwaukee. No need for me to invest in another battery platform.

 

[bwringer]

If you are looking at cordless tools, don't try to judge based on what you might have purchased a few years ago. The battery technology and battery life has improved significantly, and the new brushless designs are smaller and much more power efficient than the older models.

Yep. things have moved on and gotten dramatically better, even in the last year or two. The newer Ryobi brushless stuff and the high-performance batteries are 100% legit. I just bought in to some new Ryobi tools and batteries (the compact brushless stuff is seriously impressive), and I will be, at last, down to one battery platform.

My niece is getting my Bosch drill/impact set. They're very nice and she'll get a lot of use from them, but Bosch is an expensive, dead-end platform with a very limited tool selection and poor availability.

I've had the older brushed Ryobi One + circular saw for a while and it's been incredibly handy for what I need. Yes, it has its limitations, but it has exceeded expectations.

Anyway, it would appear they're not yet up to snuff, even on the newest version, on this particular tool. At least for the OP's particular set of expectations. I don't expect much accuracy out of a circular saw in the first place, so maybe I'd be happy with the increased power, reach, and the ability to handle standard blades.

 

[Aaron_W]

You’re literally describing every single person I’ve converted over to modern cordless tools. They’re all soured on an experience over a decade ago and won’t believe me when I tell them how far brushless and lithium ion technology has come. I won’t hardly use my air impact over my M18, and unless I’m setting for a day long framing project with some stationary tools, I don’t pull out extension cords for a Mag 77 anymore. My Milwaukee 6-1/2” 18 volt works just fine for 99% of my cutting. Until some guys use them for themselves they don’t believe how much better cordless is now.

No doubt cordless have gotten better, but they come with a premium price tag compared to corded and in many cases still do not perform as well as a good corded tool. For similar quality tools a cordless is often near double the price even when bought tool only.

Cordless drills are fine for woodworking, but I have not yet used one that compares to a good corded drill for drilling metal. Tool only a cordless Milwaukee is $50 more ($129 vs $79) than corded.

I like cordless where I can actually benefit from no cord. Lightweight tools that get frequent use like a drill or ratchet can be well worth the cost increase. Circular saw where I am fairly static (relatively heavy tool cutting sheet products) just doesn't make sense for me. If I were more mobile working out of a truck in the field, then maybe I could see that. I just don't find a cord to be limiting on a tool like this.
I have a corded Milwaukee sawzall and a cordless Ryobi recip saw, they both have their place and combined I still saved money over buying a cordless Sawzall.

 

[Kscardsfan]

No doubt cordless have gotten better, but they come with a premium price tag compared to corded and in many cases still do not perform as well as a good corded tool. For similar quality tools a cordless is often near double the price even when bought tool only.

Cordless drills are fine for woodworking, but I have not yet used one that compares to a good corded drill for drilling metal. Tool only a cordless Milwaukee is $50 more ($129 vs $79) than corded.

I like cordless where I can actually benefit from no cord. Lightweight tools that get frequent use like a drill or ratchet can be well worth the cost increase. Circular saw where I am fairly static (relatively heavy tool cutting sheet products) just doesn't make sense for me. If I were more mobile working out of a truck in the field, then maybe I could see that. I just don't find a cord to be limiting on a tool like this.
I have a corded Milwaukee sawzall and a cordless Ryobi recip saw, they both have their place and combined I still saved money over buying a cordless Sawzall.

I made a living with my tools, I didn’t mind the price. And it’s damned tough to drill a hole in an I beam on a lift with a corded drill. So I’ll leave the dinosaurs in the past and stick to cordless tools from here on out.

 

[Aaron_W]

I made a living with my tools, I didn’t mind the price. And it’s damned tough to drill a hole in an I beam on a lift with a corded drill. So I’ll leave the dinosaurs in the past and stick to cordless tools from here on out.

I don't begrudge anybody their cordless tools, and for those where cordless really makes their job easier, that is a good reason to spend the money. It just seems to me that there is a mindset developing that cordless equals better, and corded tools are substandard when actually both have their advantages.

 

[dr_clyde]

I made a living with my tools, I didn’t mind the price. And it’s damned tough to drill a hole in an I beam on a lift with a corded drill. So I’ll leave the dinosaurs in the past and stick to cordless tools from here on out.

While I don't disagree, I would like to point out that every lift I have ever been in has had a 110v aux. plug for just such reasons.

Cordless is better now than it ever has been, but I still end up needing to use the Hole Hawg with a 6" hole saw up in the lift or use the mag drill on a beam and while cordless versions of those exist, I won't pony up for a cordless tool I might use twice a year like the Hawg.

 

[FredWanaker]

After trying to get parts for a skil (bosch part numbers interesting enough) I gave up and donated it. Bought a Makita - what a difference - the cuts don't try to track themselves, easy to see where the blade is headed. what a wonderful experience.

 

[duneslider]

While I am on board with the current cordless revolution, we are sometimes too quick to dismiss certain corded tools as obsolete.

My mag 77 shines when we're cutting aluminum plate, thick fiberglass floor grating or something that just needs a lot of grunt for any amount of time.

Have you tried this guy for cutting metal plate? I used one on some 3/16 steel and it cut really well.
Makita Metal Saw