- Q.I have a Skil 559 7
1/4-inch saw, which I have a tough time making accurate
cuts with. The saw was given to me, and I suspect
it’s a lower-end product. I realize that
it’s a poor workman who blames his tools, and
I figured I’d get the hang of it after a
while, but straight cuts right along the line have been
pretty elusive. Could I eliminate these problems with a
higher end saw?
A. Tool editor Dave Crosby
responds: I have no firsthand experience with
the particular model of saw you refer to, but I
have certainly seen the problem you describe. While
your reluctance to blame the tool is commendable,
your assessment of "lower-end products" is
well-founded. Not long ago, I had an apprentice
show up on the site with a new Skil that he paid
about $45 for at the local lumberyard. After a day
of the same difficulty you describe, he finally
came to me and asked what he was doing wrong. After
noting that the overall construction of the saw was
probably not the best I’d ever seen, I
checked the end-play on the arbor shaft, which was
way too much to be accurate, and advised him to
take the saw back, get his money back, and buy a
pro-duty saw. He showed up the next day with a
professional quality saw, and has been happily
doing good work ever since. For more information on
sidewinder and wormdrive saws, take a look at the
April ‘99 and June ‘99 issues of
JLC.