Milwaukee Cordless Circular Saw?

[karoc]

Wanting to get the Milwaukee 7 1/4 circular saw sidewinder. It’s an M18 saw but I also found out that there is one that’s called their Fuel 18 volt. The Fuel 18 volt 7 1/4 is also brushless but cost by itself is at 249.00
There is also another saw that is an 18 volt Lithium saw that includes saw, battery,charger for 279.00 which both is at HD. But my question is that I thought that it was battery that made the saws different. Is there differences between two, which researching the batteries can get kinda expensive. What saw would you go for if both are brushless, should invest in better battery?

 

[jeepxj]

Milwaukee FUEL = more power. better run time too IIRC.

So with that in mind do you need the power?

 

[jeepxj]

thats a rhetorical question here on GJ. of course you need the power. get the fuel.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Milwaukee FUEL = more power. better run time too IIRC.

So with that in mind do you need the power?

Correct ! I purposely choose a non-FUEL M12 3/8" drill because I did not need the extra power or run time.

A good carbide tipped saw blade makes a world of difference.

 

[Showkey]

A good carbide tipped saw blade makes a world of difference.

Battery saws also use a narrow kerf blade to reduce the load.

 

[Sumboodie]

The M18 stuff is sure confusing. They often have 3 or 4 or 5 of the "same" tool but one model is good and one or two are ******.
Like the impact guns. the "mid" torque is about useless.

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

I have the M18 Fuel saw. It’s fantastic.

 

[tstaude]

absolutely only buy the FUEL, I love mine.

Also- a lot of guy buy the giant packs and sell off their duplicates. I got a BRAND NEW Drill, Impact, 7 1/4 circular saw and two 5.0 batteries for $450 off FB

 

[jeepxj]

Also a lot of stolen tools on FB.

 

[theoldwizard1]

The M18 stuff is sure confusing. They often have 3 or 4 or 5 of the "same" tool but one model is good and one or two are ******.
Like the impact guns. the "mid" torque is about useless.

For a pro, you are probably correct. For the average DIYer who is going to use it to most rotate his tires, its fine.

 

[theoldwizard1]

absolutely only buy the FUEL, I love mine.

Also- a lot of guy buy the giant packs and sell off their duplicates. I got a BRAND NEW Drill, Impact, 7 1/4 circular saw and two 5.0 batteries for $450 off FB

No good deal on FB around here !

 

[bzinsky]

Wanting to get the Milwaukee 7 1/4 circular saw sidewinder. It’s an M18 saw but I also found out that there is one that’s called their Fuel 18 volt. The Fuel 18 volt 7 1/4!” is brushless sales by itself at 249.00
There is also another saw that is an 18 volt Lithium saw that includes saw, battery,charger for 279.00 which both is at HD. But my question is that I thought that it was battery that made the saws different. Is there differences between two, which researching the batteries can get kinda expensive. What saw would you go for if both are brushless, should invest in better battery?

Between all the basic battery tools that most people have, I can’t think of one that I appreciate the power more than in a circular saw.

Bigger battery also has more power because it can pull a higher running load from more cells.

Bigger battery is also heavier though. It’s nice to have multiple sizes. Use the small batteries on like the impact driver micro drill, use the big batteries on the hammer drills, saws, sanders, etc.

A circular saw is about the only tool I own in battery and occasionally still use corded because of the power. Wish I had one powerful enough that it didn’t matter much.

 

[manwithtools]

Go FUEL or stay home. It sounds like you are about to start a sizeable project, you'll be glad you got the FUEL before the project is completed.

 

[jonshonda]

I think the only complaint I've heard about the fuel is its size and weight gain over non fuel. But I can't confirm what that difference is as I have never used any of their circular saws.

 

[jeepxj]

I think the only complaint I've heard about the fuel is its size and weight gain over non fuel. But I can't confirm what that difference is as I have never used any of their circular saws.

now ya got me curious:

MILWAUKEE M18 Woodworking Circular Saws: Corded & Cordless - Acme Tools

Browse Acme Tools wide selection of MILWAUKEE M18 Circular Saws. - Acme Tools

www.acmetools.com

fuel: 10lbs

M18 FUEL™ Rear Handle 7-1/4 in. Circular Saw 2830-20 from MILWAUKEE - Acme Tools

M18 FUEL™ Rear Handle 7-1/4 in. Circular Saw - 2830-20 from MILWAUKEE

www.acmetools.com

Fuel: 8lbs:

M18 FUEL™ 7-1/4 in. Circular Saw 2732-20 from MILWAUKEE - Acme Tools

M18 FUEL™ 7-1/4 in. Circular Saw - 2732-20 from MILWAUKEE

www.acmetools.com

non fuel: 7.2lbs

Milwaukee M18 7-1/4" Circular Saw Brushless Reconditioned 2631-80 from MILWAUKEE - Acme Tools

Milwaukee M18 7-1/4" Circular Saw Brushless Reconditioned - 2631-80 from MILWAUKEE

www.acmetools.com

non fuel: 7.2

M18™ Brushless 7-1/4 in. Circular Saw 2631-20 from MILWAUKEE - Acme Tools

M18™ Brushless 7-1/4 in. Circular Saw - 2631-20 from MILWAUKEE

www.acmetools.com

 

[tstaude]

No good deal on FB around here !

Yeah not much around here right now either, I picked mine up in the middle of winter after all the crazy home depot deals.


Looks like Karoc can score a saw for $180 on its own

NEW Milwaukee M18 FUEL 18-Volt Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless 7-1/4...

NEW TOOL ONLY NO BATTERY NO CHARGER $$ 1️⃣8️⃣0️⃣ CASH, ZELLE AND ALL CREDIT CARDS 💳 ACCEPTED WITH A XTRA 4% UP CHARGE ONLY ‼️ PRICED VERY FIRM NOT NEGOTIABLE ‼️ PICK UP ONLY ‼️

houston.craigslist.org

The trick is to buy a drill combo kit to get the two batteries

5.0 AH is the absolute MINIMUM if you are building this garage and want to be efficient

 

[Fordguy1964]

I bought the 2782-22 set for work then went out and bought a second set. These things are beasts but they DO go through blades quickly and they aren't cheap. Maybe time to look into generic non Milwaukee blades. Anyone know of a good blade for these cheap? We are using the 5-7/8 blades on ours.

 

[jonshonda]

@jeepxj the weights don't look bad at all! I may have been confused as maybe the comparison was a 7-1/4 and a smaller diameter saw as well? Idk

 

[Earp69]

The M18 stuff is sure confusing. They often have 3 or 4 or 5 of the "same" tool but one model is good and one or two are ******.
Like the impact guns. the "mid" torque is about useless.

The mid torque may be useless if your working on large heavy equipment. It's perfect for me as I work on 1 ton trucks or smaller and appreciate the fact of not having to carry around the twice the size hi torque along with being able to fit in a lot tighter spots.

 

[jeepxj]

@jeepxj the weights don't look bad at all! I may have been confused as maybe the comparison was a 7-1/4 and a smaller diameter saw as well? Idk

its a balance. less weight = using all day makes life easier. but less power means holding it longer. i dunno i still take power cause... tim the tool man told me so.

 

[jonshonda]

its a balance. less weight = using all day makes life easier. but less power means holding it longer. i dunno i still take power cause... tim the tool man told me so.

Yeah I prefer power and I think more power is actually safer with a circular saw. I currently have three circular saws, all Corded. The big Skill 77, a makita that is strictly for metal, and the Makita track saw. I need a good quality circ saw as I really don't like having all the weight and wider part of the base of a worm drive on my drop piece.

 

[BarrelRoll]

I have the front handle fuel. I've been using it to build a boat and using it for a lot of scarfs (full depth blade cut) and curved cuts. With a normal 5.0 batteries it's worthless and wouldn't make a 30" scarf cut without changing batteries. Put a 8.0 on it and it's been a great saw. It's been the only circular saw I've used on the boat from about the 4th day on when I decided my corded Ryobi wasn't up to the task. Sharp blades are very important along with big batteries. If you don't want to buy a 8.0 battery I would just buy a corded saw.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwauk...amZ96xRQKQSkCW5FWeBoCWisQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[wyo george]

The non-FUEL has a sheet metal base and the FUEL has a more precise magnesium base. That was the reason I went with the more expensive FUEL version when I bought mine.

 

[tstaude]

I bought the 2782-22 set for work then went out and bought a second set. These things are beasts but they DO go through blades quickly and they aren't cheap. Maybe time to look into generic non Milwaukee blades. Anyone know of a good blade for these cheap? We are using the 5-7/8 blades on ours.

I have been using Spider demo blades for my entire build, I bought two but have not even opened the second one. The blade has seen at least a five gallon bucket of nails.

 

[tarbellb]

High draw tools like a circ saw should only be FUEL

Big batteries are also a must

Anything less usually results in starting a new thread "battery tools arent up to the task"

 

[Fordguy1964]

I have been using Spider demo blades for my entire build, I bought two but have not even opened the second one. The blade has seen at least a five gallon bucket of nails.

Nice... but this saw is a metal cutting saw and sees nothing but "nails". I use it to cut angle flange. It seemed to do fine for the standard steel. It didn't like the stainless as much.

 

[finn]

In general, aren’t the non Fuel Milwaukee tools all brushed, while the more upscale tools are brushless?

The non Fuel are mostly legacy platforms with cheaper components, ie stamped instead of cast aluminum shoes, cheaper chucks on drills. The non Fuel tools are generally advertised heavily and sold at low prices during holiday sales events.

 

[karoc]

Guys thanks so much, Fuel M 18 it is at 249.00, and a spider saw blade. Now this leads me to one more question, which is the battery guessing bigger is better. Not knowing anything about Milwaukee batteries, what size and who has best prices? This is a saw that I plan to do pre cutting the 2x6's here where I live then haul the lumber that I can use for day and do the framing. With Memorial Day coming up maybe something will go on sale? Thanks guys for the guidance on saw selection and battery selection

 

[theoldwizard1]

Milwaukee is very "proud" of their batteries ! You can get away with a 3.0 or 4.0 if you have a spare and can recharge the one you just used up. If no charging is available at the site, you will need TWO 5.0 batteries. Many guys have a small inverter in their truck just to run the charger.

EDIT : I just noticed, Milwaukee makes a charger that plugs into a 12VDC out. Does both M12 and M18.

 

[BarrelRoll]

Milwaukee is very "proud" of their batteries ! You can get away with a 3.0 or 4.0 if you have a spare and can recharge the one you just used up. If no charging is available at the site, you will need TWO 5.0 batteries. Many guys have a small inverter in their truck just to run the charger.

EDIT : I just noticed, Milwaukee makes a charger that plugs into a 12VDC out. Does both M12 and M18.

You NEED to run a 8.0 or bigger on it or you will get frustrated with it quickly. You will be very disappointed with this saw if you try and run 5.0 batteries on it. Bind the blade once or twice and the 5.0 or smaller battery will go to nothing in a hurry. With a 5.0 you have to treat it very delicately, with a 8.0 treat it like a normal corded circular saw. I get a couple days of boat building out of the 12.0 though am not making 200 cuts in a 2x6 though many times am making 40'+ of cuts in 3/8" or 1/2" plywood.

Edit: 8.0 not 12.0

 

[BarrelRoll]

Here's one option to get to 8.0 batteries and a charger along with a leaf blower

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwauk...RnzdUPVS6X5-imqLTJhoCvcUQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

I believe it's cheaper than buying 2 batteries and a charger along with the bare tool. The other option would be buying the saw with a 12.0 battery for $450 though a second big battery is $200-$250. There's a lot of ways to slice it. Sometimes it's cheaper to buy a tool for the batteries than buy batteries and a charger. My 8.0 came from a leaf blower and battery combo, I also bought a m18 fan and when we run it up it was cheaper with the fan on promotion than just buying the leaf blower

 

[Firebrick43]

I have the original fuel 7 1/4 and its been awesome. I cut all the wood for my house including ripping all the 5/8 osb for the roof deck, stacked 3 sheets at a time, with no issues. The day we put the roof on, we did the rafter tails, all the cross bracing, and the osb with one recharge during lunch of the 9.0 amp battery.

I have also done stair stringers without issue. After doing them I cut down to length a bunch of 2x4's. I had two more when my battery 9.0 bat died. I finished the last 2 2x4 with a 5.0 bat. It had less power power with the fresh 5.0 than the last cut on the 9.0

At work they have a non fuel 7 1/4 m18 saw. If I hadn't of used the fuel version I might have been ok with it but for the simple sheet of 1/2' acx ply I was not impressed.

 

[Ton ton]

Avoid the 9 amp/hour battery Milwaukee like the plague. You will thank me later.

 

[speed bump]

The fuel saw is pretty nice with the 6.0 a hr batteries. I hogged through a pile of 6x6 timbers then slapped the battery the sawzall to finish them off with plenty to spare the other day.

As far as fuel versus non fuel. There is no such thing as a circular saw with too much power, only saws that piss you off less than others.

 

[ChevyEFI]

I have the M18 Fuel saw. It’s fantastic.

I am happy with mine. It was a free 8.0 ah batt. deal.
I moved from a basic corded that got dropped and cracked.

absolutely only buy the FUEL, I love mine.

Also- a lot of guy buy the giant packs and sell off their duplicates. I got a BRAND NEW Drill, Impact, 7 1/4 circular saw and two 5.0 batteries for $450 off FB

I wish the 7 1/4 Fuel saw had been in a giant tool pack. Everything was 6.5. Maybe that's changed.

Guys thanks so much, Fuel M 18 it is at 249.00, and a spider saw blade. Now this leads me to one more question, which is the battery guessing bigger is better. Not knowing anything about Milwaukee batteries, what size and who has best prices? This is a saw that I plan to do pre cutting the 2x6's here where I live then haul the lumber that I can use for day and do the framing. With Memorial Day coming up maybe something will go on sale? Thanks guys for the guidance on saw selection and battery selection

You can get some work done with an 8. Minor stuff, it will cut with a 5 but won't power through long jobs like an 8.

 

[karoc]

Has anyone purchase from these people https://www.redtoolstore.com/
You get a free battery, which will work with one of my drills.

 

[Sumboodie]

For a pro, you are probably correct. For the average DIYer who is going to use it to most rotate his tires, its fine.

The mid torque won't even buzz the lugs off my little car.

 

[Sumboodie]

The mid torque may be useless if your working on large heavy equipment. It's perfect for me as I work on 1 ton trucks or smaller and appreciate the fact of not having to carry around the twice the size hi torque along with being able to fit in a lot tighter spots.

The "high" torque generally won't take lugs off my trucks. Have to use the air impact.
The mid torque isn't half the size. It's slightly smaller and a bit lighter.
Mid torque is about useless. It won't take lugs off anything I've owned.

 

[finn]

The "high" torque generally won't take lugs off my trucks. Have to use the air impact.
The mid torque isn't half the size. It's slightly smaller and a bit lighter.
Mid torque is about useless. It won't take lugs off anything I've owned.

He’s probably not going to use his circular saw to remove lug nuts.

 

[finn]

In general, I always reach for the smallest battery that will do the job at hand.

You don’t get extra macho points for spending money on a battery larger than necessary, and the large batteries are bulky and heavy.

I would go with a couple of batteries in the 6 amp hr range. They Often go on sale in a two pack, if I recall. Repetitive cuts in wet treated lumber may make me rethink, though.