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Chief
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 4297 Southwest MiddleTennessee
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2003-08-31          62967


I just ordered a Skilsaw Model Skil 5700-05 7-1/4" 2.6 HP Circular Saw with Site Light. This is not the best saw in the world but not bad for home use. The price of $69.99 and free shipping was not too bad either. I also ordered a Diablo D0740X 7-1/4"x 40-Tooth Carded ATB Finishing Blade for $17.99. I found a Model 5600-01 Skilsaw at Walmart for $47 on the opened package discount shelf but this does not come with the carrying case like the Model 5700-05 does and it has .1 more hp. I need to finish up some cabinet work in the kitchen an need a circular saw. Any comments or suggestions appreciated. Did I buy a piece of crap saw or did I do good? Thanks.



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kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 5764 NW Oregon
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2003-08-31          62969


I don't mean to put a damper on your enthusiasm here but I've bought two skil products, a belt sander and a saw, and wasn't happy with either one. The sander belt rollers were really sloppy and it was impossible to adjust the belt so it wouldn't walk off the rollers. The saw frame was weak and it was difficult to keep the blade adjusted so it was square. I ended up returning both units and bought porter-cable replacements which have been superb, but they were quite a bit more expensive. My experiences were a few years ago so maybe the skil products have improved. The saw I had would have done the job but I didn't want the aggravation. The belt sander was hopeless. ....


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harvey
Join Date: Sep 2000
Posts: 1550 Moravia, NY
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2003-08-31          62971


Chief I gotta agree with Ken. Skil used to be one of the finest names you could buy. Along with Black & Decker, and many others that were bought by conglomerates for the name reginition. Then built the stuff so cheap making a hugh profif and dumping the name.

My prerfernce for circular saws is Makita, I have other tools by dewalt, craftsman, milawakie, air nailers by Portercable, bostich...

For finish type cutting you can not beat a good table saw or radial arm and a high quality router.

Sorry but I do not shop at wal mart for any kind of tool. ....


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Chief
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 4297 Southwest MiddleTennessee
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2003-08-31          62978


As I said, this is not the best saw in the world but I figured I would give it a try and see how it performs. I was looking at the DeWalt, Makita, and Milwalkee worm gear drive saws for maybe later on it I find more use for a saw. I looked at the Black & Decker and other brands and they seemed like junk next to the Skilsaw. I liked the cutting light on this saw as well since my vision is not consistent everyday, the grips were some kind of soft material that is easy to grip, and Accu Sight looked like it may actually work. Those other saws were $189 and up. For now I just need to rip a few pieces of plywood and maybe some boards. You guys confirmed what I was thinking. After I use it a bit, I will post some feed back. Ken turned me on to the "Tracto Point Best Buy" pressure washer for half what the others cost and it has performed fantastic. Hopefully this saw will too. My other power tools are DeWalt and Makita. I love how the Makita buffer works on the finish of the boat. ....


Link:   Link to Model 5700 Skilsaw

 

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F350Lawman
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 411 Goshen, NY
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2003-08-31          62979


"Chief I gotta agree with Ken. Skil used to be one of the finest names you could buy. Along with Black & Decker, and many others that were bought by conglomerates for the name reginition. Then built the stuff so cheap making a hugh profif and dumping the name.'

It's a shame, I have a Black and Decker circular saw from the early 70's and it is great. It works like new, it will probably outlast most saws I could buy new tomorrow!
....


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kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 5764 NW Oregon
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2003-08-31          62980


My dad had a lot of Black & Decker tools from the 60's and they were all excellent. It's too bad that companies take good names and destroy the products that made them great. ....


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TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
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2003-09-01          62991


I have my frustrations with consumer products like most everybody it seems. Seems like few of the MacTools from box stores are capable of doing serious work, and some just don't work at all. Fast food, fast tools--it's all the same. Competitive advertising to flog junk few people would tolerate in their homes if they hadn't been reduced to stupors by their shopping experiences first.

Maybe everybody who feels cranky on the subject could go and rent the old video 'Other Peoples' Money.' So, was the DiVito or the Lancaster character right? For myself it doesn't matter I just have to keep doing what makes me happy and I'm never happy going into a box store. I feel worse the few times I actually buy something in one. I feel better by absolutely minimizing the times I buy something in one. I'm just not going to reward the people who brought me consumerism by carnival and name recognition shams any more than I have to. I likely end up with better tools too, but since most of mine came from the early '70's, I still have them.
....


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cutter
Join Date: Feb 2000
Posts: 1307 The South Shore of Lake Ontario, New York
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2003-09-01          62994


I'm with you Tom. I still have some Black and Decker tools from the early seventies. Also have a Thor drill from the 50's, recently had to repair the cord! My Sawsall is a piece of junk, everyone I asked prior to purchase at the time said that they are the best but I believe they meant "used to be". I have a Ryobi rechargeable drill that I used unmercifully for twelve years and now I can not get a battery for it for less than $100. Guess what I did rather than pay that price, went to the B&D outlet store and bought saw and drill combo for $140, local box was selling them for $200. The new stuff actually works well, not near the quality of my Riobi but I refuse to pay that kind of money for a rechargeable battery. I tend to pay more for tools that last, but for the occasional use a less expensive tool is not always an unwise choice. ....


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Peters
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 3034 Northern AL
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2003-09-01          62996


Chief you need to look at the Skill saw carefully but for the money. I bought a Skill like that a number of years ago with the box. It was an retro addition so it may be built more like the old ones but I have near finished my large house and I have used only the circular hand saw only to rip some sheets of plywood, the odd angle cut on a 2" x 10" and some heavy gauge metal roofing. I bought a slide saw and use it for most of the dimensional lumber cutting, siding, pine ceiling and the trim etc. It will cut up to 12" diagonally and more than 6 at a 45 degree. Frankly I get a more accurate cut from the slide saw and rarely used the circular hand saw.
I saw some good worm saws for sell the other day at a garage sell and though about it once or twice but they wanted more for the used worm than I paided for my skill (49$ with 3 blades) and for the amount I use it?
I would buy it and save the money for a good slide saw. ....


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DRankin
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 5116 Northern Nevada
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2003-09-01          63001


Peters, when you say slide saw are you refering to a sawsall type saw? ....


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DennisCTB
Join Date: Nov 1998
Posts: 2707 NorthWest NJ
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2003-09-01          63002


Mark, attached is a pix of what I think Peters is talking about, sort of a mitre radial arm saw combo. Another variant of a slide saw is the saw that cut all the fingers off my grandfathers hand. That saw is like the ones at home depot where the circular saw is mounted on a tube that you pull across the lumber up to about a 4 foot panel.

My grandfather was a long time lumber yard employee and indavertently had his left hand along the line of cut on a 4 x 8 foot panel and cut off all four fingers on his left hand before his first knuckle.

He was over 65 years old at the time and had been working Lumber since he was 15, so he was sure familiar with the saw, maybe too familiar. They were able to attach his fingers back, nice clean cut I suppose, but his left hand was a bit rigid after that, and he kept working at the lumber yard until the year before his death at 83.

Dennis
TractorPoint.com ....

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Billy
Join Date: Oct 1999
Posts: 975 Southeast Oklahoma
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2003-09-01          63003


It's like when Mitchell Arms bought the rights to use the good name of High Standard. Then they turned it into junk. It's a shame ....


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Chief
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 4297 Southwest MiddleTennessee
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2003-09-01          63004


Unfortunately, you guys are right about the quality thing. I still have and to this day still use my John Deere, MAC, Matco, & Snap-On tools I bought nearly 25 years ago when I worked at Mid Atlantic Equipment in Fairfax, VA. I even have an old Black and Decker drill that is over 30 years old and still kickking. The Craftsman tools helds up pretty good as well. Can't get any of that stuff for near what I paid for it then. If I need a tool for something important or I think I will use alot, I spring for the best. Alas gentlemen............ we live in the land of El Cheapo! ;-) ....


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Peters
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 3034 Northern AL
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2003-09-01          63006


Actually Denis that is the saw I have exactly. I would have purchased the Hitachi if I could have found one at the right price and local. It certainly had the best reviews. I bought the Makita and would certainly buy another for the work and time saved.
....


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DRankin
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 5116 Northern Nevada
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2003-09-01          63011


Ok. I think of that as a chop saw or a power miter saw.

I have a 10" Delta that just "chops" (no sliding function) and will cut up to 6 inch lumber. I use it more than any other wood cutting tool.

About the only thing I use my old skill saw for anymore is to cut scrap/waste lumber into fire wood. ....


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AC5ZO
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 928 Rio Rancho, NM 87144
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2003-09-02          63081


Last year, I burned up a Craftsman circular saw and took it down to the service center to get my "Craftsman" warranty replacement. Unfortunately the warranty that is so good on the hand tools does not apply to electrical or power tools. The "repair" cost was as much as a new saw at many of the discount places.

I like good tools and I decided to buy a Milwaukee circular saw with magnesium base since I use a circular saw quite a bit. It is more powerful and lighter than the old craftsman saw and finished the job that burned up the Craftsman. I got quite a bit of good service out of the Craftsman saw, so this was not an "expensive lesson," but I will not buy another Craftsman tool that has a motor. ....


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Peters
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 3034 Northern AL
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2003-09-04          63200


Mark;
I also have a mitre or power chop saw. The side just increase its flexibility and application. I can cut full 12 inch on the straight and about 8 or 9 inch on the 45.
There is not much I can not cut with it.
Peters ....


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DRankin
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 5116 Northern Nevada
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2003-09-04          63203


I shall have to investigate this. Which of the two brands mentioned do you prefer? ....


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Peters
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 3034 Northern AL
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2003-09-04          63216


Mark;
I found some reviews when I bought mine (3yrs ago) and have not really looked closely since. Top marks went to the Hitachi at the time. I think the things to look at are:
1) Top slides if possible. Mine gets coated with material and could wear over time. Big problem with cement board.
2) Total cut length - some are less than others I like to be able to cut a 8" board on the 45. A lot of siding etc is that wide.
3) The ease of set up and precision.
4) Depth of cut. Will it cut a 4x4 or 4x6.
The Dewalt saw was nice but the reviews said it tended to throw cut material back in you face. The diameter of the blade is larger but the cut on 45 was smaller than my saw the Makita. I also believe it has problems with depth. The saw has been redesigned for the chips etc so I would revisit that saw.
Sears now has a couple of saws, one Craftsman and one Promark (?). The best saw for the money may be the Promark but not the best quality, but ok. The bigest draw back would be odd angles set up.
I like the features on the Hitachi but it is a little more difficult to find. I believe Lowes carries it now, but could only get it mail order before. I have not checked the 45 reach or other dimensions I thought important.
Freud also make one that is low price and low quality. Not the Italian quality that many Italian machined items are.
Peters ....


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Chief
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 4297 Southwest MiddleTennessee
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2003-09-10          63546


Time for a little feedback on this saw. I used it yesterday to make a shelf in the kitchen for the "sergeant major". I mounted a Freud Diablo 40 saw blade in place of the 18 tooth blade that came with the saw. The ergonomics of the saw were VERY good. Fit my hands well, easy to hold. The light on the saw is great at lighting up what you are cutting. Another nice feature was the saw blade shaft lock button that holds the saw blade shaft while you tighten or loosen the blade. The construction of the saw although not top professional quality, was VERY Good! I used a carpenter's square C clamped in place as a straight edge to cut against. This worked well and allowed me to make nice straight cuts. The saw glided through the 3/4 inch plywood and left an exceptionally smooth, well finished cut. It came with a carrying case with a post for holding about 5 extra blades in the bottom. For $69 delivered, this is the John Deere 790 of circular saws and I HIGHLY recommend it. It was reduced from $132 on amazon.com. The Freud Diablo 40 blades gets 5 stars as well. It was $18 delivered. Bare in mind that this review was written by a guy who knows enough about carpentry to be a danger to himself and everyone around him. ;-) Overall, it is a great saw at a great price. If you tear is up, you feel so bad about chucking it in the trash dumpster. LOL! ....


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Peters
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 3034 Northern AL
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2003-09-11          63619


I am glad you are happy Mark as I was one of the few that said don't worry about it. I purchased mine for 50$ and it supplied 3 blades with it. I have used it enough to go through maybe 3 or 4 blades, like I said I really do not use it that much any more. I have cut the heavy steel roofing for the house and barn with it so can't complain as the contract insisted you needed a heavy duty rig. ....


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