Thread: Circular Saw All-Rounder Price/Quality

A reasonable quality saw with a minimum size of 184(?) is a good all-rounder. I would not bother with an expensive brand, unless you really want it to last for decades and/or you require sustained accuracy.

A 235 will give you the deeper cut than a 184, however a 184 will cover 95% of cuts and should be less bulky.

I would go in and get a feel for the weight and handling of a 235 vs a 184 and compare the price difference and go from there.

As a novice saw user look also at where the chips come out so you don't get an eyefull.

Ease of blade change. locking levers for depth and angle adjustment are they
] easy to use.

A good strong guide and base plate cos you will drop it.

Check for side wobble in the blade bearings as this will affect accuracy (some cheapies are bad)

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Don't force it, use a bigger hammer.

I build fences and the most used tool I have is a ryobi 7 1/4, I also have a makita 9 1/4 , which rarely gets used now, as others have said it is bulky and heavy, kinda like taking a sledgehammer to a tin tack at times, the 7 1/4 is easier to handle especially if you get any "kickback" from making an awkward cut .....ok so you have to make two cuts to cut 100mm posts, unless you plan on cutting 90-100mm all the time, your better off with the midrange size or alternatively, consider buying a mitre saw instead, you will get more for your buck, ok so you have to pre-measure and cut your posts before fixing them in perm, but thats not so difficult ...and in the end you have a tool with a wider range of future uses ...oh and way neater cuts

Thanks for the great replies guys, i guess from your experinces and suggesstions i will look at a mid size and not the larger 9 1/4. I'll look at Bunnings today/tomorrow and see what the going price is.

Does anyone have any feedback on bosch, i have a mate who works there and thought maybe with there discount it may be worth trying a bosh.

I just got a price of $102 for a Bosch PKS 66.
Specs are;
• Powerful 1000-watt motor
• Ergonomic design
• 3.8 kg light
• Cutting depth up to 66 mm
• Softgrip
• Spindle lock
• Dust extraction

Comes with:
• 7 1/4" saw blade
• Parallel guide

Is this a reasonable saw

Never owned a Bosch saw, but I've owned a couple of Bosch drills, a sander, a router and an angle grinder - I've always been happy with their gear.

I bought a cheapie a couple of years ago on the basis that "I won't use it much" and I don't, cos its crap! I'd look at the quality of the levers for adjusting the depth and angle of cut, fence, and the quality of metal of the base plate.

Definitely check the weight as there are times when you want to be able to control it with one hand.

At the end of the day, I think this is a case of you get what you pay for.

Originally Posted by want2learn

Hi guys, I’m about to start building my fence (https://www.woodworkforums.com/f82/whats-fence-46215) and if all goes well and i can actually build my fence without any problems I’ll be hoping to do a few other projects.

Therefore I’m looking at a circular saw and after reading plenty of general threads of particular type of saws I’m still non the wiser on what would suit my needs.

The biggest cuts I’ll be doing will be the 125mmx125mm cypress post and the rest will be typical fairly standard cuts of 70x35/45s and merbau decking.

1)So would a 235mm saw be too big?

2)Is a GMC suitable for a small backyarder such as me (no experience what’s so ever but keen to learn)
A guy at work suggested a 235mm Makita and said it will last for years and years as oppose to a cheaper brand.

3) He also mentioned Makita have a more accurate cut - Would i notice the difference in accuracy?

4) What should I be prepared to pay for a suitable saw for my needs?

I appreciate your feedback.

cheers
Ben

I 've had two Ryobi 71/4 circular saws ,the first one was light green in colour (older model),it was a nice saw until I dropped it and broke the joint where the foot plate swivelled.It had no end float to speak of .I did repair it eventually ,but because I was in the middle of a job ,I had to go and buy another saw immediately ,I bought another Ryobi a much later model than the first .The new one has a lot of end float which you have to compensate for when placing the saw to make the cut ,it still does the job , ok for fence posts ,but if you want to slice accurate panels its PIA.
I also have a 235 Makita ,nice saw , no end float , but its heavy and bulky.