[Adenmoor]

Which is the best/lightest worm drive circular saw in your opinion?

I've seen a few, but it seems that Skilsaw is the most popular.

 

[hatchet]

I like the Skilsaw but the Dewalt is better in a couple ways. It doesn't torque over when you start it and it's quite a bit lighter. They both have wormdrives so the power is there.. major thing is the weight and safety.

 

[Adenmoor]

So . . . why do you like the Skilsaw?

 

[hatchet]

Just saying that it's been around forever - time tested. But I personally haven't taken my Skilsaw out much since buying the Dewalt "high torque" (dewalts term). It's a lot nicer with the Dewalt when hanging off the top plates when cutting rafter tails. Some poeple will say get the MAG77 Skilsaw if you want it lighter - I'll be the first to say that the magnesium plate on there is easily bent.. too easy for me.

 

[Michaeljp86]

Iwould like to find a worm drive and looked at lowes. They just had a makita on display for around $130. That thing was very heavy.

 

[JumboJack]

I have been using the Dewalt for over 5 years.Best ever.Lighter than th Skill,less torque and a buil in rafter hook....



http://www.dewalt.com/us/products/tool_detail.asp?productID=3024





















l

 

[shed-n-deck]

I used the DeWalt before, didn't like it much...I like the traditional skilsaw better...The blade guard has a tendancy to stick on the DeWalt. The Mag77 is only a bit lighter than the Skil 7 1/4" wormdrive, but it's enough to make a difference. It cuts truer than most saws (I've used Makita, Porter Cable, and DeWalt), and feels a bit more comfortable in my hands.....Maybe it's conformity, maybe not? But I prefer the skil. Now, if only Chicago Electric would produce a decent worm drive...

 

[coframer]

I have used the Dwalt saw for a number of years now and I love it. Some of my guys don't like it at first because it looks different but once they get used to it they tend to like it.

 

[Kent Whitten]

The DeWalt and Makita are Hypoid saws and are technically a geared system, but there's a small difference between hypoids and worm drives. Hypoids have a sealed gear system, where the worm drives have an oil reservoir that can be replenished. Not much of a difference really.

A circular saw in my opinion is the sidewinder type. I think technically, they are all circular saws.

Skilsaw has been around forever, Bosch bought them out. If I were at a betting table and the question was "did Bosch kill the Skilsaw with cheap Chinese steel" I'm pretty sure I'd win that bet. Both seem to be junk now, just my opinion. Bosch has a cheap plastic blade guard handle on it, but they upped the motor amps to 15 over the 77's 13 amp motor.

Milwaukee makes a worm drive, and so does Rigid (cough)

Bosch and Skil I think are the only decent time proven worm drives

Lots of people like the DeWalt and makita hypoids. I'm thinking of trying one myself.

 

[frenchbearman]

Mag 77

One thing I will say about the Mag 77, nothing cuts straighter than that saw. I would not use any other saw.

 

[Bill]

I picked up a Makita. Lots of power, but it does over torque when you hit the trigger.

 

[Michaeljp86]

I picked up a Makita. Lots of power, but it does over torque when you hit the trigger.

I was thinking about getting one of these, bLowes has them and they are the only one Ive seen with a worm drive and I have a $65 card for there from my grandpa for christmas. Id like to check out a mag77, Id have to order one of those.

 

[Bill]

They are good, lots and lots of power, but like I said, they are a bit heavy and do torque on start up. best saw I ever purchased I think

 

[jiffy]

Makita 5377MG is a light weight model of the Worm Drive. It is a beast as far as power and it is much lighter than most Worm Drive saws. It is technically a Hypoid gear saw, and does not require replenishment of the oil...ever. I think that is a good thing to not worry about gear oil.

Sky hook
Positive Bevel stops at 22.5°and 45°

 

[DrewD]

I have had the Dewalt for about a year and a half and I'm quite impressed with it. I learned on an old Skil which finally died (rest her soul, she built more houses than most carpenters in this area) so the Dewalt was a little different, but after a few cuts it feels really natural.

 

[TempestV]

Makita 5377MG is a light weight model of the Worm Drive. It is a beast as far as power and it is much lighter than most Worm Drive saws. It is technically a Hypoid gear saw, and does not require replenishment of the oil...ever. I think that is a good thing to not worry about gear oil.

Sky hook
Positive Bevel stops at 22.5°and 45°

If I were buying a new saw, that's the one that I would get. Personally, you couldn't give me one of the old Makita Hypoid saws, they were heavy, uncomfortable, and didn't seem that powerful. The new one however, seems like a winner. It probably will be a while before I'm looking for a new saw however, because I have both Mag 77 and Bosch wormdrives.

Oh, and by the way, you can now get the Skil wormdrives with a 15 amp motor.

 

[BKFranks]

If I were buying a new saw, that's the one that I would get. Personally, you couldn't give me one of the old Makita Hypoid saws, they were heavy, uncomfortable, and didn't seem that powerful. The new one however, seems like a winner. It probably will be a while before I'm looking for a new saw however, because I have both Mag 77 and Bosch wormdrives.

Oh, and by the way, you can now get the Skil wormdrives with a 15 amp motor.

Yes, they finally have the Mag77 with a 15 amp motor, but the Bosch has direct connect and bevels to 50 degrees.

 

[TempestV]

I don't like the direct connect, my bosch has a cord. the 50 degree bevel is nice though.

 

[BKFranks]

Direct connect rocks! You don't have to disassemble the saw to replace the cord. I have a 25' cord that's always plugged into the saw. If it ever gets cut, it's so much easy to replace it.

 

[JT Wood]

Milwaukee makes a worm drive, and so does Rigid (cough)

Bosch and Skil I think are the only decent time proven worm drives

Lots of people like the DeWalt and makita hypoids. I'm thinking of trying one myself.

awww c'mon no love for ridgid? lol (just bought one)