What circular saws don't do this ?

[JDarvall]

cause I want one......the base plate, where its thin on the outside is not strong enough and cups in.

This is a hytachi.....my old makita did it as well....and at work the makita there's got it too.

[Wood Butcher]

The Triton,

I had a good look at one when FIL bought it. It is a solid machine and well finished too.

[DJ’s Timber]

You need an alloy base one Jake. Makita and Hitachi sell them and as WB says Triton

[NewLou]

Hey Jake...............

I got an Hitachi C9 Alloy base no dramas I use it heaps with my smartguide n So far has given me faultless performance

Regards Lou:)

[journeyman Mick]

Jake,
I've had the Hitachi C9 for 13 years now, seen about 8 years of heavy trade use: bearers, joists, wall & roof framing, sleeper walls etc etc. I'd buy another again, no problems. I've used it with an ally straight edge to break down ply and joint board edges after it was used for the other work and it's still very accurate.

Mick

[Bleedin Thumb]

I have always lived with the warped base..does it really make much difference on a portable saw?

Well probably not for ol Rough as Guts me!

[munruben]

I'm with you BT don't make much difference to my work, warped or not.:)

[JDarvall]

Thankyou kindly for the advice. alloy base.

I know what you mean how you can get by with it warped. And I will anyway. There's nothing wrong with the saw other than that. Thinking maybe I'll try and fix it a bit with a hammer and attach a thin piece of steel too it somehow, to get me by until I buy new again.

But I have noticed it harder to keep the thing flat with it bent like that. dips in a bit...and harder to run it off a square like I normally do

[billbeee]

I'm with Bleedin Thumb and John.
Live with it, shows character.
Also shows you actually use it for a bit of work.

I'll take it off your hands if it does worry you though.
Cheers
Bill

[Outsider]

Jake,

What about a 3 or 4MM Al plate attached to the old panel beaten plate with counter sunk machine screws. It could be a little larger on the close side with an appropriate cutout for the blade. Al wouldn't add much weight and if you choose the size wisely the fence position could even be a bonus say 50MM from the blade rather than 46mm I think for the Triton. A real pain in the @ when setting up a fence for breaking down sheet goods.

Cheers

[JDarvall]

Sounds like a fine idea Brain. But the weight wouldn't bother me. Getting a sheet of steel will be cheaper and easier to get for me though I'd say.

In anycase I like the idea just for changing fence pos etc. Ta.

[BobL]

I've had the Makita for 5 years and several times have thought about replacing the base with a piece of 6 mm ally plate but despite a fair bit of use the base is still straight.

[Rookie]

But I don't get it. What kind of pressure causes that in the first place?

[davo453]

I have a large Makita saw, thats at least 10 years old. It's done every thing from cutting a lot of Jarrah, to cutting metal and even tiles. I reckon the base is as straight as the day they made it.

Maybe they made em tougher back then....

It now lives in my new Tritonwork centre. Even the bearing has very little play in it. It's main fault is that it is very very noisy.


Dave

[Bleedin Thumb]

My ol mac is 24 years old and the base has been warped for probably at least 23 yrs.
Also the bearing has more wobble than Dolly Parton on a trampoline!

Davo you must have a Monday model.

[specialist]

my makita after 10 years is still straight. I just don't drop or abuse it. In any case is it such a big deal if you are only rough cutting?

Just my two cents worth

Robert

[JDarvall]

my makita after 10 years is still straight. I just don't drop or abuse it. In any case is it such a big deal if you are only rough cutting?

Just my two cents worth

Robert

Well, I haven't abused mine or the ones at work. I don't think I've ever dropped mine. Their all used pretty heavily though.

For ruff cutting I think your right. No big deal.

But you can be quite accurate with these things off a straight edge or square with practise should you need it. Just a matter of making practise cuts and adjusting the tool on scrap until it cuts spot on.....sometimes its just the best way of making a cut. More convinient than a drop saw etc....and if that edge is bowed, there goes some accuracy.

[wheelinround]

Mines still fine after 15 years it is a cast plate Hitachi

[Hardenfast]

I have 2 of the little basic Makita 185mm circular saws (5806B), Jake. They do tend to end up with a cupped or twisted base depending on the user and work being performed, and the occasional droppage. However, a bit of panel beating from time to time seems to keep them in reasonable order, and accurate enough for general works. As you say, like any tool they will always benefit from a bit of fine tuning and attention to detail in initial setting up.

You've probably noticed that a lot of the Makita stuff, including these saws, is now made in China. I guess they have to do it to compete with the $10 stuff at Bunnings. Everything is minimised to keep costs down. The casings are a little thinner, the cords are a little shorter - even the blades are thinner - although this is a good thing (love those thin kerf blades). I'm sure that the base plates have been similarly diminished of late as well.

Still, these things are usually only around $150 and can take a real flogging over many years. I'm talking real trade work versus occasional weekend project stuff, so I guess you can't complain too much.

As a matter of interest I also have a Makita 185mm in the 5007B model. This is the professional version of the 7 1/4" saw with a sold 3.5mm aluminium base plate and is made in Japan. It also has a much bigger motor at 1500w versus 1050w for the basic saw. Just an altogether better machine and much heavier. Also nearly twice the price.

As the guys have said both Makita and Hitachi make the solid base plate saws in the 9 1/4" (230mm) version as well. I have both and they're fantastic bits of equipment for the price - you can't kill them. I guess one of the few perks in being a broken down old builder is that I've still got a collection of tools (hand & power) that many would drool over, even if some of them are getting a bit dated.:)

Regards. Wayne