Makita USA
With the blade on
the left side, a noticeable forward balance, and plenty of
power under load, the 18-volt Makita invites favorable
comparison to a wormdrive. More than one carpenter who tried
this saw didn't want to give it back. Clearly more than a trim
saw, this is an excellent tool for remote locations - and as a
friend pointed out, anything past the end of your cord is a
remote location. It won't replace your AC circular saw, but it
will cut more than 150 2x4s or two dozen 8-foot rips through
OSB without a power cord to be seen.
We tested the 18-volt model with both the 2.0Ah NiCad battery
and the 2.2Ah NiMH battery. The NiMH battery gave about a 15%
increase in crosscut capacity, which is actually more than I
would have expected. (NiMH technology is one of the hottest
topics in cordless tools these days - see Notebook, 10/99 - and
we're all waiting to see how NiMH batteries will work out over
the long run.)
Many framers routinely prop dimensional lumber up on one foot
and "drop" the saw through the cut. Because of its forward
balance, the Makita performs this maneuver easily and
comfortably (see photo, at beginning of article). It handles
2-by stock easily and has plenty of power for ripping that last
run of sheathing, or installing an access panel or skylight.
Take a spare battery with you and you might forget about
pulling a cord up onto the roof.
The 18-volt model cut more linear feet of 7/16 OSB than any
other saw tested, and with the NiMH battery, it was comparable
to the Hitachi on 2x4 crosscuts. Brake action was quick, and
overall construction looked sound. External brush holder caps
make for fast change-outs, and the shoe could be replaced in
minutes if it were to be damaged, both nice features. Two of
the shoe-mount screws came loose (one actually fell out), so a
little Loctite 222 (the purple low-strength formula - don't use
the red or blue) might be helpful here. If you took care of
this as soon as you unpacked the saw you'd probably never have
a problem. Scales across the front of the shoe and down the
left side could be handy.
The 14.4-volt model has predictably less runtime. The
unusually fast 2x10 cut times shown in the chart may be the
result of a difference in wood density, since this saw was
tested on a different 2x10 than the rest. In any case, this was
an average taken from five cuts, and very impressive for a
14.4-volt saw. The bevel scale took some getting used to on
this model, so it's worth checking with a 45-degree triangle as
you set it up for the first time. As with any 6-1/2-inch saw,
you're going to need every bit of blade you can get to make a
45-degree cut through 2-by material.
The Makita 18-volt was the hands-down favorite of Mark
Hopkins, construction supervisor at Prull & Associates. He
pointed out that the left-side blade offers a clear view of the
cut line, and the combination of forward balance and overall
good performance make it easy to work with for a variety of
tasks. Mark also noted that the controls for depth of cut and
angle adjustment are well-placed and easy to use, as is the
trigger safety button. The smooth table makes this saw an
especially good choice for finish work. For those more
accustomed to sidewinders, Makita has just introduced the Model
5621DWA, with the blade on the right side.
More New Cordless Saws
Just when you thought 18-volt cordless tools were pushing the
limit, there's more. Among the new saws introduced at the
National Hardware Show in August was Bosch's 24-volt,
6-1/2-inch blade-left cordless saw, which includes a dust port
for vacuum attachment. This saw comes as part of a kit that
includes a drill/driver, a flashlight, two 24-volt batteries,
and a charger. It should be available in mid-November for about
$489.
DeWalt has also
introduced a circular saw as part of its new line of 24-volt
tools. The 6-1/2-inch 4,000-rpm DW007K has an electric brake,
and will take a 2-1/8-inch cut at 90 degrees or 1-5/8 inch at
45 degrees. The saw is priced around $300. For an additional
$150, there is an AC/DC converter available (same size and
weight as the battery), so you can plug this saw in if you
like. When you hit the end of your cord, you can replace the
converter with a battery and keep on going.
Porter-Cable now has a line of 19.2-volt tools, which includes
the Model 9845 Saw Boss. The Saw Boss has a left-side blade, a
1-9/16-inch depth of cut at 45 degrees, and a dust port that
can direct sawdust away from the line of cut or into an
accessory dust collection bag. This could be a real advantage
at punc
h-list time. The 2,600-rpm 470-watt motor has
rare earth magnets, long-life brushes, and steel gearing. The
Model 9845 kit includes the Saw Boss, a charger with
diagnostics, two 19.2-volt batteries, an 18-tooth carbide
blade, and a plastic carrying case. We couldn't get a saw in
time to review for this article, but did get to spend a few
minutes with it at the show. The balance and overall "feel" was
excellent, and we look forward to giving it a workout. The kit
should be available now for about
$299.
*First number is number of
cuts made before noticeable decrease in performance. Second
number is total number of cuts.**These cuts were made with a
NiMH battery. 133/152 cuts were made with a NiCad
battery. 2.6 sec., Rockwell sidewinder, 20T
blade
Bosch Power Tools
4300 West Peterson Ave.
Chicago, IL 60646
877/267-2499
www.boschtools.com | Makita USA
14930 Northam St.
LaMirada, CA 90638
800/462-5482
www.makitatools.com |
DeWalt Industrial Tool
626 Hanover Pike
Hampstead, MD 21074
800/433-9258
www.dewalt.com | Porter-Cable Corp.
P.O. Box 2468
Jackson, TN 38302
800/487-8665
www.porter-cable.com |
Hitachi Power Tools
3950 Steve Reynolds Blvd.
Norcross, GA 30093
800/546-1666
www.hitachi.com | Ryobi America
1424 Pearman Dairy Rd.
Anderson, SC 29625
800/525-2579
www.ryobi.com |