Sawzall Choice?

[Jbear]

We're doing a demo/reno on a 1894 farmhouse in ME. I have a Rigid sawzall but it's pretty bulky and not the most user-friendly for anything small-ish. I'm thinking I will get a Dewalt DCS367, as it seems to be a nice combination of muscle and maneuverability. I also like the idea of being able to orient the blade 4 ways. I've got the platform already (have Ridgid, M12, & DW). Anything I should look at instead...in your opinion.
Thanks in advance all!

 

[whateg01]

Well, only Milwaukee makes a sawzall, so there's your first issue.

I have only used the DeWalt compact design, so no comparison to other brands. No complaints about it though. It wasn't significantly better or worse than my older DeWalt, or not enough for me to replace it anyway. If you need the smaller size, go for it.

 

[Jbear]

Appreciate the response. General term...pretty sure anyone who can answer this knows what I mean

 

[mikedodge]

I have a Dewalt no issues, not that model.
But I have a plug in Skil one I use when the job is going to take longer rather then dealing with batteries. It's also more conformable to use not being a bulky battery powered tool but less convenient because of the whole cord thing obviously!

 

[YesIHaveAHammer]

I'm thinking I will get a Dewalt DCS367

One thing that came up in my recent thread on their comfort, is that you can go to brands' European websites where they're required by law to publish vibration data.

18V XR Brushless Compact Reciprocating Saw - Tool Only | DEWALT

The DCS367 18V XR Compact Reciprocating Saw is a lightweight, compact saw designed to make cutting in between studs and in other tight spots easier than with traditional reciprocating saws. Features ...

www.dewalt.co.uk

Vibration Emission Value (Cutting Board) 27 m/s²
Vibration Emission Value (Cutting Beam) 25 m/s²

That's pretty bad. The M18 Fuel Sawzall by comparison does ~20.

 

[OccupantRJ]

Appreciate the response. General term...pretty sure anyone who can answer this knows what I mean

According to FB marketplace they are called a zawzaw.

 

[Zewnten]

Milwaukee super sawzall 120v with diablo wood and metal blades. Cordless isn't up to the task of a full demo job unless you're talking about a board here and there, thats how my M18 died.

 

[Beerhippie]

Well, only Milwaukee makes a sawzall, so there's your first issue.

Try referring to a reciprocating (recip) saw and count how many blank stares that gets you. Ask for a Saws all, and you'll have one in your hand, regardless brand.

 

[YesIHaveAHammer]

Cordless isn't up to the task of a full demo job

Makita would like a word with you (JR002G / GRJ02Z)

 

[Zewnten]

Makita would like a word with you (JR002G / GRJ02Z)

Unless they're donating it for me to test I stand by what I said.

 

[Jbear]

One thing that came up in my recent thread on their comfort, is that you can go to brands' European websites where they're required by law to publish vibration data.

18V XR Brushless Compact Reciprocating Saw - Tool Only | DEWALT

The DCS367 18V XR Compact Reciprocating Saw is a lightweight, compact saw designed to make cutting in between studs and in other tight spots easier than with traditional reciprocating saws. Features ...

www.dewalt.co.uk

That's pretty bad. The M18 Fuel Sawzall by comparison does 18 and 15 respectively.

Good to know...thank you!

 

[Rinspeed]

I would take Milwaukee over Dewalt any day of the week.

 

[YesIHaveAHammer]

Unless they're donating it for me to test I stand by what I said.

Appreciate your experience, but there's a lot of other sources of information that could go into a blanket statement of advice.

Lot of people dismissed many types of cordless tools for heavy tasks, perhaps rightly at the time, but technology moved on.

 

[Hohn]

The tools are simple. YOu want a good toolless blade change. Orbital motion can be nice for demo work.

After that, vibration and trigger are the two most important atrributes because that will determine how you feel after a long day of using one. You want a big 2-3 finger trigger, preferably with lock-on.

You also want the lowest vibration you can get.

My main recip is a 2002 USA MADE IN BROOKFIELD Orbital SuperSawzall. It to me is the last of the breed. I love it.

I bought the cheapest cordless LXT makita for portability and it’s frankly useless. The vibration is so bad and the trigger is basically an on/off switch so you can’t hide from the vibration or moderate it at all. That tool is my single most regrettable tool purchase.


If I had a lot of heavy demo work to do, it’s no contest that I’d be getting the HILTI WSR36a. At 13m/s^2 is the lowest vibration saw you can get.

yes, it’s crazy expensive. But it’s also about 5-10 hours worth of labor of paying someone else. If you have weeks of demo work ahead, it’s worth every penny to spare your hands the stress. Your hands a critical part of your quality of life. It’s wise to spare wear and tear on them as you’re able.

 

[Jbear]

I would take Milwaukee over Dewalt any day of the week.

I'm sure many would agree and just as many wouldn't.

 

[Zewnten]

Appreciate your experience, but there's a lot of other sources of information that could go into a blanket statement of advice.

Lot of people dismissed many types of cordless tools for heavy tasks, perhaps rightly at the time, but technology moved on.

No it hasn't. A 120v tool will run all day without the heat or wear that happens to a cordless tool and it will continue to work for years even decades with minimal care.

Cordless tools are for convenience, some can hold up to producton for awhile but other than the square drive impacts cordless is not equal in the long term.

 

[Hohn]

*investigating air options*

 

[YesIHaveAHammer]

No it hasn't.

I was referring to cordless technology in general, that it has become viable for heavier tasks than it used to.

I'm not disagreeing with your later remarks on longevity. I was just suggesting having an open mind to new developments, and considering how other people have got on with those newer tools. One day a tool that suits might come out, and it'd be a shame to miss out.

 

[KnurledNut]

We're doing a demo/reno on a 1894 farmhouse in ME. I have a Rigid sawzall but it's pretty bulky and not the most user-friendly for anything small-ish. I'm thinking I will get a Dewalt DCS367, as it seems to be a nice combination of muscle and maneuverability. I also like the idea of being able to orient the blade 4 ways. I've got the platform already (have Ridgid, M12, & DW). Anything I should look at instead...in your opinion.
Thanks in advance all!

A variety will be most beneficial on a major renovation.
If your Ridgid is corded, a standard cordless will complement that nicely for when you have to turn off the power for demolition, when you need to cut from outside, in a crawlspace or attic, or just for a quick cut somewhere that having to plug up will waste time or the aggravation of running an extension cord.
I have the DCS367 you mentioned and the compact size will help versus a full size corded. I have always liked Dewalt's multiposition blade clamp and have used it heavily on some of their older cordless saws.
I'd also recommend having a small one-hand recip saw and an oscillating multi-tool.

 

[Zewnten]

I was referring to cordless technology in general, that it has become viable for heavier tasks than it used to.

I'm not disagreeing with your later remarks on longevity. I was just suggesting having an open mind to new developments, and considering how other people have got on with those newer tools. One day a tool that suits might come out, and it'd be a shame to miss out.

OP wants to buy a sawzall in the near future, yes? In my opinion what I recommended is the best as available for his needs. Especially as OP could probably pick up a used unit for $100 and hve it the rest of his life.

I'm not close minded to new ideas but I've been hearing my whole life the next best thing is just around the corner.

 

[tarmy]

Get a 18v Fuel Milwaukee Hackzall. I have several full size Milwaukee sawzalls…I rarely reach for anything but the hackzall…one handed and all the power you need. Lighter, easier to handle and will do anything the two handed big brother will do.

 

[Jbear]

A variety will be most beneficial on a major renovation.
If your Ridgid is corded, a standard cordless will complement that nicely for when you have to turn off the power for demolition, when you need to cut from outside, in a crawlspace or attic, or just for a quick cut somewhere that having to plug up will waste time or the aggravation of running an extension cord.
I have the DCS367 you mentioned and the compact size will help versus a full size corded. I have always liked Dewalt's multiposition blade clamp and have used it heavily on some of their older cordless saws.
I'd also recommend having a small one-hand recip saw and an oscillating multi-tool.

Thank you...that's my current line of thought. Have a DW oscillating...it's a tool I sometimes wonder how I worked before I got one

 

[Jbear]

Get a 18v Fuel Milwaukee Hackzall. I have several full size Milwaukee sawzalls…I rarely reach for anything but the hackzall…one handed and all the power you need. Lighter, easier to handle and will do anything the two handed big brother will do.

Yes...that's another serious contender. Honestly, I run into situations wherein I could really use the 4-way blade of the 367.

 

[finn]

One thing that came up in my recent thread on their comfort, is that you can go to brands' European websites where they're required by law to publish vibration data.

18V XR Brushless Compact Reciprocating Saw - Tool Only | DEWALT

The DCS367 18V XR Compact Reciprocating Saw is a lightweight, compact saw designed to make cutting in between studs and in other tight spots easier than with traditional reciprocating saws. Features ...

www.dewalt.co.uk

That's pretty bad. The M18 Fuel Sawzall by comparison does 18 and 15 respectively.

Dewalt advertises between 13 and 15 for standard size XR saws.

The higher values are for compact models which, given their lighter weight, one might expect.

You’re comparing a full sized Milwaukee to a compact Dewalt, so that’s apples to oranges.

I have a compact Dewalt and a full sized Bosch, and, yes, the smaller saw vibrates more, but I’m also not dragging the extra weight around, or trying to fit that (relative) monster where there’s no room.

 

[whateg01]

*investigating air options*

we need solar powered tools!

 

[CJM8515]

milwaukee, honestly if your doing that much demo you may want to go corded. personally have 2, an older plug in dewalt 6 amp thats ok but not overly powerful and a milwaukee fuel cordless and i have the heavy duty forge batteries. the milwaukee is a serious piece of equipment in that its that heavy duty

 

[whateg01]

Dewalt advertises between 13 and 15 for standard size XR saws.

The higher values are for compact models which, given their lighter weight, one might expect.

You’re comparing a full sized Milwaukee to a compact Dewalt, so that’s apples to oranges.

I have a compact Dewalt and a full sized Bosch, and, yes, the smaller saw vibrates more, but I’m also not dragging the extra weight around, or trying to fit that (relative) monster where there’s no room.

holding one over your head for any amount of time is a great way to experience the effect of the extra weight. every little bit counts. I recall thinking I wish my 9.6V dewalt drill was more powerful at times. then I got a 14.4V. installing stereos at the time, I had the 14.4 within arms reach and would have had to get crawl out from under the dash to get the 9.6. After a short time, i crawled out from under the dash and got the 9.6 because that 14.4 got heavy fast!

 

[manwithtools]

No it hasn't. A 120v tool will run all day without the heat or wear that happens to a cordless tool and it will continue to work for years even decades with minimal care.

Cordless tools are for convenience, some can hold up to producton for awhile but other than the square drive impacts cordless is not equal in the long term.

I continue to hear that over and over, but every construction project you go to has cordless tools exclusively in use. If they were not up to the task I can assure you that would not be the case. Who wants to contend with a cord when they don't have to? Increases in efficiency and safety abound when using a cordless tool.

 

[Jbear]

Lots of good stuff here...thank you everyone!

 

[Beerhippie]

we need solar powered tools!

Plug the battery charger into a solar inverter system and it's solar-powered!

 

[RTM]

Only things I can add is
the orbital really does help with demo.

Check on stroke length, my oldest MKE is 3/4", newest is like 1-3/8".

Try them out for vibration, there is a difference.

 

[Hohn]

I continue to hear that over and over, but every construction project you go to has cordless tools exclusively in use. If they were not up to the task I can assure you that would not be the case. Who wants to contend with a cord when they don't have to? Increases in efficiency and safety abound when using a cordless tool.

While true, there are factor that explain this that may have nothing to do with cordless being unilaterally superior.

Many job sites simply have no power. Using corded means renting a generator and tripping over dozens of cords serving many workers all at once. Being able to skip the cost of a generator and improve job site safety by eliminating cords is a HUGE improvement in productivity and safety and lower cost per hour.

Cordless tools were developed initially for pros precisely because they offer so much value for that use case.

So useful was cordless in that context that many pros made do with inferior tools. Relatively recently, cordless tools have largely not only equalled, but surpassed the corded counterparts.

The only advantage left for corded is unlimited energy capacity/runtime. Sometimes that's really important. (angle grinders, IMO). But it's amazing how often the "limit" of runtime on cordless is no limit at all.

 

[manwithtools]

Many job sites simply have no power.

I'll add that even on job sites that have power available you will not find corded hand tools, doesn't matter if it's residential or commercial these days.

The only advantage left for corded is unlimited energy capacity/runtime.

That is simply not a limitation for cordless tools, anyone with a significant investment in cordless tools has multiple batteries and multi-battery chargers. Running out of power does not practically happen with cordless tools today. This is where the value of being on one battery platform (maybe two) becomes obvious.

Have you used a cordless RO polisher on a car vs a corded version? There is no going back after that experience.

 

[Beerhippie]

Many job sites simply have no power.

Huh? I worked over twenty seasons doing carpentry/construction and every new build I worked on had a pole with a meter, an out door breaker box and a tree of outlets. It was always the first thing to go up on the site after grading.

I did work a few remote sites that had no power because there was no power (off-grid). A big trailer-mounted generator and compressor kept the job going.

The reason workers started going with cordless battery tools was simply convenience--going back to the 7.2V NiCad era--and those batteries really did ****.

 

[mapesken]

I have used mostly DEWALT reciprocating saws.

I started with an 18volt cordless but bought a corded variable speed saw much like this one.

I cut up an entire 1998 Park Avenue, cut the roof off a 1994 Camaro and put the Park Avenue into the Camaro for scrap.

The quick change blade lever and multi-position blade chuck made replacing blades and getting into tight areas easy.

The variable speed was handy if you want to ease into the cut and not shake your teeth out.

​

 

[mepstein]

Get a 18v Fuel Milwaukee Hackzall. I have several full size Milwaukee sawzalls…I rarely reach for anything but the hackzall…one handed and all the power you need. Lighter, easier to handle and will do anything the two handed big brother will do.

I recently cut about 20 pallet racking uprights with the m18 hacksaw. 3 cuts per upright. Used diablo blades and it worked great. I really like the form factor of the hacksaw

 

[mepstein]

I continue to hear that over and over, but every construction project you go to has cordless tools exclusively in use. If they were not up to the task I can assure you that would not be the case. Who wants to contend with a cord when they don't have to? Increases in efficiency and safety abound when using a cordless tool.

No it hasn't. A 120v tool will run all day without the heat or wear that happens to a cordless tool and it will continue to work for years even decades with minimal care.

Cordless tools are for convenience, some can hold up to producton for awhile but other than the square drive impacts cordless is not equal in the long term.

There's something to be said for a great tool that may not last forever vs an ok tool that does. Cordless has taken over the industries (and the hobbyists) because it offers more to most people vs corded tools. My kids don't want my tools so decades of use doesn't matter to me. I think the only people who currently use corded tools are the people who bought them years/decades ago and can't bear to give them up. For me, it's like a cell phone vs a hard line phone. They both accomplish the same thing but for most people, theres's no going back.
My 24 year old daughter worked as a carpenter assistant for a year. I bought her a bunch of m18 tools and she loved them. If I bought her a corded tool, she would have looked at me cross-eyed, said thank you, and placed it in the closet until my wife could donate it to goodwill.

 

[driftpin]

I use my Porter-Cable Tiger saw which adjusts via two swivels into all-sorts of blade positions. Dunno if it's still available. I bought mine after I saw it written-up in Fine Homebuilding. A great tool for me. A pic of one:



Look at that big knuckle forward of the gray body. It moves like a clock. Then the blade also adjusts. Look at it staring down the blade front, pointing at you, and you can set the position of the teeth 'around the clock,' locked into-place.

I have plenty of cordless tools but I also don't mind deploying a cord. I'm retired, and maintain 3 houses.

 

[Jbear]

I always find value in learning about what other folks find works for them.
My approach to everything is that I'll use whatever I think works best for me even if I'm the only one one the planet who thinks that. I just don't feel any inclination to convince anyone that I'm right or that they're wrong.

 

[strutaeng]

According to FB marketplace they are called a zawzaw.

Around here, they call them "Soso."

Lol