Tool Test: Reciprocating Saws, continued
Reviewer's Comments
Bosch 1634VSK |
The 1634VSK is a powerful,
orbital cutting machine that cuts as quickly as any saw
I tested. It does the job, but it's longer and heavier
than other saws in its class. |
DeWalt DW303MK |
The DW303K is very light and has
a comfortable grip. The lever-action clamp makes it
easy to change blades. The price is right, but the saw
is very slow and hasn't got the power to do heavy
cutting. |
DeWalt DW307MK |
The DW307K is a light saw but
with good speed and power. The grip is comfortable, and
the lever-action blade clamp is easier to use than the
clamps you find on other brands. |
DeWalt DW309K |
The DW309K is powerful and
smooth-running. It's equipped with an auxiliary
speed-control dial and an internal counterbalance to
dampen vibration. The lever-action blade clamp is
exceptionally easy to use, and the rear grip is
comfortable. The only thing I don't like about this saw
is that it's kind of bulky in the middle. |
Hitachi CR13VA |
The CR13VA is an orbital cutting
saw with the power to do any cutting job. It has a
comfortable grip but is bulky in the middle. I didn't
like the spring-loaded shoe because it feels like it
pushes back on light cuts and gets in the way when
you're changing blades. The CR13VA also vibrates more
and is louder than any other saw I tested. |
Makita JR3020 |
The JR3020 is a recently
modified version of an existing Makita saw. The new
version has a different blade clamp. This is a narrow,
compact saw, but it's slower than average and has a
bulky shoe-adjusting mechanism that gets in the way
when you grasp the front of the machine. |
Milwaukee 6509-22 Sawzall |
The 6509-22 is a no-frills saw.
It's light and well balanced but lacks an adjustable
shoe, quick-change cord, and gear-protecting clutch.
The price might be right, but with a 3/4-inch stroke,
it cuts slower than any other saw I tested. If you want
a Milwaukee, it's worth spending extra for a Sawzall
Plus or Super Sawzall. |
Milwaukee 6519-22 Sawzall Plus |
The 6519-22 is a light,
well-balanced tool with comfortable grips. It cuts with
average speed and is equipped with a quick-change cord,
a tool-less shoe, and a clutch that protects the gears
if the blade gets stuck. |
Milwaukee 6521-21 Super Sawzall |
The 6521-21 is slim, powerful,
and fast. It's rated at 3,200 spm, which is 300 spm
faster than the closest competitor. It has an orbital
cutting mode that is activated by an easy-to-reach
switch that's recessed into the top of the housing. At
8.5 pounds, the Super Sawzall is very light for a tool
with so much power and speed. |
Porter-Cable 9741 Tiger Saw |
The 9741 is a brand-new model. I
tested a prototype, which is why the saw in the picture
has no label or logo. Speed is controlled by trigger,
and there is no speed-control dial or orbital mode.
This is a basic no-frills saw with average cutting
speed. |
Porter-Cable 9746 Tiger Saw |
The 9746 is a powerful no-frills
saw. Speed is trigger controlled, and the saw does not
have orbital action or a speed-control dial. The 9746
is a good saw, but I don't understand why it costs the
same as the more powerful and better-equipped model
9747. |
Porter-Cable 9747 Tiger Saw |
The 9747 is another new model
from Porter-Cable. In the orbital cutting mode, it's as
quick as any saw I tested. The most unusual thing about
this tool is the handle, which can be rotated in
relation to the blade. I really like this feature
because it allows you to cut up, down, or sideways
without changing the way you grip the tool. |
Porter-Cable 9750 Tiger Claw |
The 9750 is a powerful machine
with a unique adjustable gear housing that allows you
to contort the tool to cut from any and all angles,
making it the king of tight spots. The adjustable
mechanism seems well made and is very easy to use. On
the downside, this saw is slightly heavier than
average, and the gear train makes it vibrate noticeably
more than other saws. |
Late Arrivals
Two companies introduced new recip saws that showed up too
late for the author to test. The specs for these tools are at
the bottom of the spec table.
Hilti WSR 900 PE |
The WSR 900 PE is an 8.5-amp,
900-2,700 spm, orbital-action saw. The most unusual
thing about this tool is the housing, which is short in
length, tall in height, and has an exceptionally large
open grip. The WSR 900 PE has a tool-less blade clamp
and shoe, a speed dial, and a safety mechanism on the
trigger. |
Ridgid R3000 |
The R3000 is manufactured by One
World Technologies (which also makes Ryobi tools) and
is sold exclusively by Home Depot. The most unusual
feature is the lever-action blade clamp on the side of
the gear housing. The R3000 is equipped with a
variable-speed trigger and a key-operated foot and
comes in a large plastic case with metal clasps. |
Recip Saw Specs |
Brand
/
Model | Amps | Speed
(spm) | Length
of Stroke (in inches) | *Weight
with Cord (in lbs.) | Street
Price | **Sound
Output (straight/orbit, in decibels) | Orbital | Auxiliary Speed
Dial |
Bosch 1634VSK | 10.5 | 0-2,700 | 1 1/4 | 10.9 | $179 | 100/102 | yes | yes |
DeWalt DW303MK | | 0-2,400 | 1 1/8 | 7.4 | $99 | 98 | no | no |
DeWalt DW307MK | 10.5 | 0-2,800 | 1 1/4 | 8.3 | $139 | 97 | no | no |
DeWalt DW309K | 11.8 | 0-2,900 | 1 1/4 | 9.2 | $159 | 96 | no | yes |
Hitachi CR13VA | 11 | 0-2,800 | 1 1/4 | 9.7 | $139 | 102/102 | yes | yes |
Makita JR3020 | 9.3 | 0-2,500 |
1 3/16 | 8.3 | $169 | 95 | no | no |
Milwaukee 6509-22 Sawzall | 10 | 0-2,800 | 3/4 | 7.3 | $129 | 97 | no | no |
Milwaukee 6519-22 Sawzall Plus | 10 | 0-2,800 | 1 1/8 | 7.4 | $159 | 96 | no | no |
Milwaukee 6521-21 Super Sawzall | 11 | 0-3,200 | 1 1/4 | 8.5 | $189 | 98/99 | yes | no |
Porter-Cable 9741 Tiger Saw | | 0-2,600 | 1 1/8 | 9.3 | $109 | 99 | no | no |
Porter-Cable 9746 Tiger
Saw | 10.5 | 0-2,600 | 1 1/8 | 9.0 | $149 | 97 | no | no |
Porter-Cable 9747 Tiger Saw | 11.5 | 0-2600 | 1 1/8 | 9.3 | $149 | 99/100 | yes | no |
Porter-Cable 9750 Tiger Claw | 11.5 | 0-2,600 | 1 1/4 | 9.3 | $219 | 102 | no | no |
Brand-new saws from
Hilti and Ridgid arrived too late to be tested by the
author; see their specs below. |
Hilti WSR 900 PE | 8.5 | 900-2,700 | 1 1/4 | 8.7 | $239 | not tested | yes | yes |
Ridgid R3000 | | 0-2,800 | 1 1/8 | 8.5 | $110 | not tested | no | no |
*Each saw (including
cord) was weighed on a digital scale.
**Sound output was measured with a digital meter 30
inches from the saw with the blade out of the cut. The
decibel scale is logarithmic, so increasing a noise by
3 dB doubles the intensity of sound. |