I had the privilege recently of field-testing 13 of the
leading reciprocating saws on the market courtesy of
JLC and the saw manufacturers. When
JLC first
contacted me about the test, John Matthew of Allenwood
Construction and I were converting a college dorm into a
nine-unit apartment building. I thought it would be a perfect
place to abuse a dozen or so reciprocating saws. To get more
input, I also enlisted the help of some other tradesmen, and
tried to rotate the saws between carpenters every ten days or
so. Each of the carpenters who used the saws has at least ten
years of experience in the field, and most have well over
twenty years in the trades.
The testers were all small-volume, independent builders --
guys who pay close attention to the details of their tools and
equipment. Ken Randall of Randall Contracting and his crew put
the saws through their paces on a large commercial renovation
of a late nineteenth century building in downtown Barre, Vt.
Builders Pete Copping of Copping Construction and Kevin Rand of
Kevin Rand Construction also used the saws and gave me
feedback, as did Peter Thomas and John Ayers, who were working
on an extensive renovation of a farmhouse in East Montpelier,
Vt. Bob Pomer of Pomer Contracting and Dave Smith of Knob Hill
Carpentry and Design used the saws, too, and weighed in.
Choosing a Saw
Deciding which recip saw to purchase has more to do with the
volume and kind of work you do than any other factor. All the
tools we tested are top-of-the-line, commercial-grade tools
that will provide years of quality service if they are used
properly and well-maintained. The saws ranged from two 6-amp
models to several big 11-amp, heavy-duty saws, and they offer a
fairly wide range of capabilities.
Which blades will you use? We used several
hundred blades during this review, including the Lenox 966R,
606R, and 650R, and the Magna Progressor M90452 and M90448 (see
"Tool Test: Recip
Blade Demolition Derby," 5/99). The availability of the new
thicker demolition blades may also be a factor in choosing the
right reciprocating saw. The smaller saws really don't have the
punch to power heavy demo blades through thicker materials, and
they're really not designed for these types of applications
anyway. When you use a thicker demolition blade, you
automatically require your saw to move around 25% to 30% more
blade through the material that you're cutting. If you are
involved with a lot of heavy-duty cutting, you'll need a big,
powerful saw that can withstand this type of punishment on a
daily basis. If you work more often on smaller remodeling jobs
and are satisfied with the thinner, more conventional bimetal
blades, then perhaps one of the smaller saws will be better
suited toward your particular needs.
Most of the testers agreed that the smaller models generally
have less vibration, weigh less, and are quieter. This in turn
is much less wearing on the tool operator. Another advantage is
that the smaller saws also cost less than their bigger
brothers, though all these saws are competitively priced.
Finding a good deal on the saw of your choice shouldn't be too
difficult.
Speed Test
The first task I threw at the saws was a simple speed cutting
test. The item of choice was a doubled piece of 2x10 Douglas
fir. I put a new, identical blade in each saw (a wood-cutting
bimetal blade) and hung a 10-pound lead weight from each saw on
the collar just behind the shoe. The process is way too
arbitrary to be scientifically accurate, but it does give a
basic idea of the performance characteristics of each saw,
including the difference between straight and orbital cutting
strokes. Not surprisingly, the heavier, larger-amperage saws
performed better, with the Milwaukee 6521 and the Bosch 1634
leading the pack. For the results, see page two of this
article.
Fire Department Extrication
Drill
As a member of our local volunteer fire department, I took the
opportunity to try these saws on a little bit of vehicle
cutting. (Thanks to the help of Chief Tom Maclay of the
Marshfield Fire Department, who put the drill together, and all
the volunteer firefighters who participated.) We got a couple
of junk cars and worked a full drill, but in the process also
used all the saws for at least a couple of cuts each.
| A firefighter in an extrication
drill uses the Milwaukee Sawzall to cut through a car
roof. |
Time is obviously of the essence in every extrication
situation, and the reciprocating saw is a key element, along
with the hydraulic cutting and prying tools. Every saw
performed really well during the drill. We used a new,
identical Lenox Rescue Blade for every initial cut. Like its
demolition cousin, this is a thicker blade than the standard
bimetal blades that we used to use in these situations. As is
the case with general demolition work on construction sites,
the bigger saws were able to cut a little more smoothly and
consistently at the slower speeds required for sheet metal
cutting. Cutting at slower speeds is very important. This not
only prolongs blade life, but also substantially reduces
vibration, an extremely important issue when dealing with
injured victims in a motor vehicle accident. The saws with the
more accessible blade clamps were appreciated in this situation
for the faster blade changeover times.
No Perfect Saws Yet
I can't say that I really had one favorite saw. Overall, Peter
Thomas and I liked the performance of the Makita JR3020 the
best, but agreed that the lack of a quick-change blade clamp is
antiquated. I loved the Milwaukee quick-change blade clamps,
along with their heavy-duty cords and cases. The Bosch was the
best saw strictly in terms of power and cutting speed, but is a
real monster in weight. Kevin Rand liked the Milwaukee Orbital
Super Sawzall 6521-21 the best, rating it a good heavy-duty,
dependable saw. Bob Pomer liked the DeWalt 309K quite a bit,
but had reservations about the durability of the power cord. I
particularly liked the blade clamp set-up on the DeWalts. This
past week I've been using the Hitachi, and despite the fact
that it's fairly heavy and the blade clamp is also inaccessible
(unless the clamp is in the fully extended position at the end
of the stroke), I've grown rather fond of it.
Will Schwarzis a remodeling contractor in Plainfield,
Vt.See page two for reviews and specs.