Thread: Worm drive circular saw

Chippies probably just didn't want the extra weight compared to a normal circ saw, especially when using them single-handed. The handle is also much further back, so you'd need a wrist of steel to use it single-handed

Yeah fair call, I'm a chippy so I can cop the weight thing. Was just curious to see why they never became popular here, whether they were more reliable, more torque, longer lasting?

Hi, i first did carpentry as a ski bum in utah usa in the 70s as far as i knew the skill 7quarter worm drive was the only circ saw , except the odd chippy would have a black n decker strange thing nicknamed a sidewinder. The skill saws are heavy powerful reliable and your handle and eye are behind the cut line , on returning to australia in the eighties i bought a makita version but it burnt out and they disapeared from the market this was before drop saws with rails, cms etc became affordable a d widely used for cross cutting . . now i can use any circ saw, doesnt matter but im retired and prefer hand saws , cheers rossco

I have two Skil worm drives, the smaller 7" and the bigger 8". They fit me better ergonomically and make for far straighter cuts. The motors are also enormously torquey, far better than a standard design direct drive saw. I have never jammed one in a cut. Downside is they're heavy and they have a high vapor pressure (they evaporate easily) if you don't keep your eye on them.

I suspect that the reason is related to the typical size of construction timber in Australia compared to North America.
In AUS, 4 x 2 is standard, with larger sizes much less common. Here (Canada) the local Bunnings equivalent would carry near equal quantities of 2 x 6, 2 x 8, 2 x 10, 2 x 12
as others have commented, if straight cutting a wide board is easier with a worm drive saw, then the need to use wide boards here in NA would keep the worm drive saw popular.

Originally Posted by ian

I suspect that the reason is related to the typical size of construction timber in Australia compared to North America.
In AUS, 4 x 2 is standard, with larger sizes much less common. Here (Canada) the local Bunnings equivalent would carry near equal quantities of 2 x 6, 2 x 8, 2 x 10, 2 x 12
as others have commented, if straight cutting a wide board is easier with a worm drive saw, then the need to use wide boards here in NA would keep the worm drive saw popular.

Very interesting comments from everyone, my experience in framing in US , worm drives only, crosscuting on the platform with the long end of the board rested on your ankle in the air cut on the pencil line eighth of an inch was very accurate, now chippies all have compound mitre saws with stands in feed out feed tables, battery circ sawsfor small jobs, times have changed, accuracy more achievable, cranes for any uplifting, ah but the smell of the douglas fir, Rossco


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Well, there are some interesting thoughts here. Thanks for your input all, I am a big fan of tools that last, so the extra weight would not be an issue to me when they offer other advantages. Seeing as you can't buy them here I won't find out first hand though!

Originally Posted by Ando967

Well, there are some interesting thoughts here. Thanks for your input all, I am a big fan of tools that last, so the extra weight would not be an issue to me when they offer other advantages. Seeing as you can't buy them here I won't find out first hand though!

Dewalt will release a cordless one in oct.

Really really powerful