Circular Saw Recommendations?

I have a nice Makita. I rarely use it because it aims shavings at my eyeballs. Not all of them but t enough that I always end up with junk in my eyes so I usually grab the cheapo which does nothing stupid like that.  Your results may vary.

Circ saws work great on canoes

Since it's here: 

Recommendations for circular saw blades? 

My HF cir saw is just fine for how often I used it, but I understand the blade can make a big difference in noise, cleanliness of cut, etc. 

pheller said:

Since it's here: 

Recommendations for circular saw blades? 

My HF cir saw is just fine for how often I used it, but I understand the blade can make a big difference in noise, cleanliness of cut, etc. 

Diablo blades on everything, best I've used

The hypoid saw the OP posted is great too btw, I have one. Very torquey.

When I bought it the top review on Home Depot said the guy returned it because he sprained his wrist from the torque jump every time he started the saw up. While that's pretty ridiculous, I does have a ton more torque than other worm drives at start up.

Spait1946 said:

I have that exact model, my first worm-drive, and I love it and will never go back to direct drive.

quite seriously, i recomend hf cheapo. has a laser and is corded, but works really good.

Hey guys - I'm dragging this thread back out of recent history. I'm working on an outdoor kitchen cutting lots of PT 2x boards and about to start cutting a bunch of rafters. I've noticed the lightweight steel base on my trusty cheap Skil circ saw is bent and keeps warping, making it hard to get true-to-angle cuts and tending to bind the saw. Seems like a good time to upgrade to something a little nicer.

I was leaning toward the $100 Metabo (recently Makita) cord saw, but I wanted to get an opinion on cordless. Can a cordless circ saw cut 2x8 rafters all day reliably? Is the light/small saw worth the trade off when you are using in the shop with easy access to power and space? Are they a viable replacement for all the things a sidewinder saw can do, or ar they still a more specific-use tool?

I'm using the saw more than I have in the past, but it's still just heavy homeowner use. But that includes panel cuts, lots of outdoor projects, and general home repair.

In reply to ultraclyde (Forum Supporter) :

The newest cordless brushless motor models from a high end manufacturer (DEWALT. MAKITA, maybe Bosch) (BTW Metabo was part of Hitachi not Makita and is now held by a USA Strip and Flip financial entity) would equal any corded model these days. It sounds like your big decision is all about if you want to pull a cord to your work spot or not. 

Battery tech is still jumping leaps and bounds.In talking to a friend still in the tool industry, he says Pros are shifting toward choosing tools based on batteries first, tool second. 

I have a Milwaukee corded that I love, but if you're already invested in a battery line, I'd strongly consider making the jump to cordless. They're so much more convenient, and once you have a few batteries you can work all day. 
 

Each line has pros/cons, but even full time tradespeople are going battery-powered.

You're right, I meant Hitachi. 
 

I went with the 15 amp Metabo corded for on sale for $89.  I'm not really deep in a battery system and I don't mind the cord so for the money it seemed the way button choice. 
 

I used it once already and it is light years ahead of the 10 amp Skil I had. It's lighter, which surprised me, it's quieter and the platen is square.  Which is definitely a plus. 

In reply to Spait1946 :

Buy good blades. More often. Even cheap saws will work decently with a good sharp blade.  
   By the way,  there are different blades for different kinds of work.  A rip saw blade isn't fine toothed and a panel saw blade won't rip very fast.  

ultraclyde (Forum Supporter) said:

Circ saws work great on canoes

One could easily cut a canoe in half with a circular saw and a good blade.  

I've had a Skil circular saw for almost 10 years and still trucking. 

Spait1946 said:

My trusty old Craftsman Circular saw may have finally bit the dust. The motor shaft (and therefore the blade) has about a 1/4" of play. To me, that's a worn out motor and/or bearings and not something worth replacing. Plus, it gives me an excuse to put a shiny new tool on the shelf. 

I figured about $100, and started looking. I know that a $300 worm-drive Skil Saw is more than I need. But I don't want a $25 el-cheapo either. While I don't use it often, when I do, I want it to work and work well. I kinda like this option, but have no experience with a Hypoid saw or Makita. I like the layout however and it gets good reviews. Interested to get your feedback. 

If you occasionally built things and did home remodeling, what saw would you want?

Which brand did you decide on? Are you satisfied with the product you purchased?