Best Power Metal-Cutting & Chop Saws
14-inch 70-tooth carbide tipped blade delivers lower cost-per-cut compared to abrasive wheel cutting.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This is a phenomenal tool."
"Let the saw do the work and the blade will cut nicely through any metal."
"The hold down clamp won't allow full travel of the blade in some positions."
"I've been sculpting and working with metal for over a decade (forming, welding and forging) and I own thousands of dollars worth of metal fabrication equipment including commercial duty abrasive cutoff saws and plasma cutters. My unit did have a (slight) wobble in the blade but a single call to Dewalt got new blade bushings express mailed to me and that solved the problem. It is well worth the money!"
"Cuts great, but you have to make sure you have things clamped well and level, but for a nice, no burr, fast cut - I've yet to find anything better."
"works great would buy it again."
"I love this saw with one exception, the miter fence/stop sucks."
"Have since bought a lower RPM skil saw with the same type of blade with equal results."
Makita's 12-Inch Metal Cutting Saw (model LC1230) delivers power and ease-of-use features for a range of industrial metal-cutting applications. View larger LC1230 Features POWER - 15 amp motor delivers 1,300 rpm PERFORMANCE - 4x faster cutting in light pipe, angle iron, tubing, conduit, and channel than abrasive cut-off saws. Tool Specifications Blade Diameter. 12". Arbor. 1". Max Cutting Capacity at 90°. 4-1/2". Max Cutting Capacity at 45°. 3-1/2". No Load Speed. 1,300 rpm. AMPS (115V). 15.0. Overall Length. 20-1/4". Net Weight. 42.5 lbs. About Makita Saws Cut after cut, Makita saws deliver power, performance and capacity with less weight and more ease-of-use features. Makita has a full range of corded and cordless saws and blades for cutting wood, metal and masonry, including table saws, miter saws, reciprocating saws, circular saws, jig saws, metal cutting saws, plunge saws, and more, as well as a complete line of blades and accessories. What's in the Box Makita LC1230 12-Inch Metal Cutting Saw includes: carbide tipped blade, socket wrench, switch button, and safety goggles. Long lasting carbide tipped blade for cost efficient, clean and accurate cutting; virtually burr free.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Seeing as I had the 2 foot bar in hand, I slapped it in the vice and cut 2 inches off the end. It cuts as if I was cutting a piece of wood with a regular chop saw. If there's anything I'm disappointed with, it's the fact the vertical cut is 90 degrees only."
"I have cut a one inch diameter steel bar with it and it gave me a mirror finish on both cut ends of the steel."
"Not a huge deal, but a nice little feature when making a number of cuts in quick succession."
"A great metal cutting saw. I was planning on buying the dewalt metal cutting saw but I read reviews about dewalt having problems with the fence and problems cutting small pieces of metal ejecting into the housing an stripping gears along with the product recall that I decided to purchase the Makita."
"After cutting with band saws and abrasive wheel cutters, I wonder what took me so long to find out about this."
"45 deg cuts are perfect very little metal prep after cuts if any at all."
"When we first started with the grinding disk on the miter saw, the cuts on the extrusion profiles were terrible, really the metal melted back onto the extrusion which made it impossible to get a clean 90 deg end cut. After using the Makita, which we have to admit is an expensive saw to dedicate to only metal cutting, we achieved amazing finishes on the cuts and the saw has plenty of muscles to cut through a 1.5" sqr like it was butter."
"On miter cuts, abrasive saws on mild steel heat the metal so that beads of molten metal pile up on one side of the cut and push the blade to one side cause it to "walk" over the length of the cut. It's not uncommon for a 2" miter cut with an abrasive saw to be off by 3/16" at the bottom, throwing your angle off and requiring that you correct the finish cut with a grinder."
TUNGSTEN CARBIDE TIPPED BLADE: Comes with an ultra high grade 28 tooth tungsten carbide tipped blade, allowing you to make miter cuts through wood, mild steel, aluminum, and more. ADDITIONAL VERSATILITY: A full range of blades is available (sold separately) to turn this saw into a sliding tile cutter and to allow for more specific metal cutting applications.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"It cuts wood as good as my Makita miter saw. The only reason I didn't return it right away is because I could use the sliding action when cutting wood, my other miter saw does not slide. Then I decided to take a chance and order the evolution steel cutting blade to try instead of the multi-purpose blade that came with it. To help you see the difference, I'm posting photos of the cut differences between the Original Multi-Purpose Blade and the Evolution Steel Blade."
"My star rating is based on the saw only but I will also cover how the Evolution company and Amazon have failed this product. The key to the saw is its slow turning motor and the blade design, this is what allows the range of cutting materials. The problem is, when trying to make a product that can do everything, Evolution made a saw that can't do any one thing particularly well. I don't agree with people who complain about the saw not being 100% true out of the box (that's the owners responsibility). This saw should be only for the maybe once or twice a month home user that has limited work space and is on a budget. This did not give me high hopes and when I opened the box, I discovered that everything was just tossed inside in no form of order and the blade was missing. At least this time everything was in the box but there was a big dirty glove print on the handle and the blade had been used (I am guessing someone bought it, used it for a job and returned it to get their money back)."
"I don't particularly like the super soft start, also if you need to cut just a 1/16" more material if the cut didn't go all the way thru... NOPE you have to wait for the saw to come to a complete stop before it will cycle on again. Pros-. -cuts just about anything. -miter adjustable AND bevel. Cons-. -the saw is a 1" arbor meaning nearly no blades fit it(have extra on hand). -materials aren't great. -chips get everywhere and hurt. -not actually burr free. -annoying soft start. This is a GREAT saw if you want a 10" sliding compound saw that can also cut metal."
Best Power Reciprocating Saws
You can use it with confidence for a wide range of building, remodeling, and demolition work, such as cutting rough openings through walls and roofs, slicing plastic pipe, and metal ductwork, chopping up old kitchen cabinets and countertops, and slashing through hardwood flooring. DC385B 18-Volt Cordless Reciprocating Saw. At a Glance: Up to 3,000 strokes per minute Four-position blade clamp allows for flush cutting Pivoting adjustable shoe with open top for maximum visibility Bare tool--doesn't include battery or charger Three-year limited warranty; one-year free service. What's in the Box One DEWALT DC385B 18-volt cordless reciprocating saw and operating instructions (batteries and charger sold separately). 4-position blade clamp allows for flush cutting and increased versatility.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Unfortunately, the battery tabs are part of the switch/trigger assembly. I was also going to purchase some other worn parts but after seeing that a brand new saw. was only $98, it was a no-brainer to just replace the saw."
"Everything from DeWalt consolidating the plethora of Li battery types so a common charger can be used, to it's serious cutting power, to its manageable balance and weight."
"I still use the corded on for long involved demo work, but when I just need to make a few quick cuts or when getting to shore power would be a hassle, I just grab this and get the job done."
"This saw,like the whole DeWalt 18 volt line, is very well made, and has some awesome features, like the 4-way keyless blade change, and 3 position foot. I am guessing that DeWalt uses the same motor in this series, and my 1/2" Hammerdrill combo has, of course, variable speed via the trigger."
"This is a spectacular tool for tree trimming, as well as any small chore you don't need/want to brake out the circular saw for."
"I used it recently to help cut out a door in a shed and the ability to turn the blade in different directions made it that much more easy to use."
"its become my favorite tool."
"I love that it is cordless, although my batteries don't last long."
Best Power Miter Saws
Cam lock miter handle with miter detent override deliver quick, accurate miter angles. SPECIFICATIONS: 15.0 amps, 4,000 RPM no load speed, 12" blade diameter, 5/8 or 1" arbor size, 6-1/2" vertical capacity baseboard against fence, 5-1/4" vertical capacity crown molding vertically nested, 8" horizontal capacity baseboard lying flat, 6-1/2" horizontal capacity crown molding lying flat, 2 x 8" for 45 degree bevel cut capacity (dimensional lumber), 2 x 8" for 90 degree cross-cut capacity (dimensional lumber), 2 x 8" max width for 90 degree cross-cut capacity, 4 x 6" dimensional lumber max height for 45 degree miter cut capacity, 2 x 6 dimensional lumber max width for 45 degree miter cut capacity, 42 lbs. 12-Inch Single-Bevel Compound Miter Saw. At a Glance: Powerful 15 amp motor delivers no-load speed of 4,000 rpm Adjustable stainless steel miter detent plate with 11 positive stops Tall, sliding fence for work with crown and base moldings Four hardened steel bevel stops for versatility Three-year limited warranty, one-year free service, and 90-day money-back guarantee. An easy-to-adjust cam-lock miter handle delivers quick and accurate miter angles, as well as allowing for detent override--which allows you to adjust the miter setting without the saw slipping into the miter detents. Increased Bevel Capacity and Convenient Stops This DEWALT saw is designed to deliver quick, accurate bevel cuts. It also allows you to setup for bevel cuts that measure between 0 degrees and 48 degrees to the left and bevels that measure between 0 degrees and 3 degrees to the right, providing increased capacity for big jobs. Plus, with hardened steel bevel stops at 0, 33.9, 45 and 48 degrees, this saw delivers versatility and makes finding and setting the most common bevel angles a quick and easy process. Miter detent override that allows you to override the miter stops and adjust to the desired setting without the saw slipping into the miter detents. Adjustable stainless steel miter detent plate with 11 positive stops. Cam lock miter handle with miter detent override that eliminates the need to twist the handle to lock in on the angle.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The service technician who ground the fence flat admitted that he had seen the problem multiple times but had “no idea how it got that way”. The manager claimed that the one piece aluminum fence would bend easily, so it must be my fault, but didn’t explain how the bolts to attach the fence still lined up perfectly and why the technician ground the fence to get it parallel rather than just bending it straight (I tried bending the fence straight, but it wouldn’t budge). Anyway, if you check the fence with a straight edge as soon as you get the saw and it is not parallel, you can either return it or take it to a Dewalt Service Center where they will not be able to claim that you abused the saw."
"much more accurate, although the top sliding portion on the left isn't always paralel. - the saw has very good compound angle indents and very securely locks. night and day difference compared to my old ryobi. - i underestimated the blade that came with the saw. will upgrade to a good diablo blade when this gets dull. - maybe not a big deal for others but i was pleasantly surprised with an ergonomic handle. will be hacking it with some cardboard in the future. - have it on a craftsman stand and the bolts don't align that great with the saw holes. - the folding lock is a small aluminium knob."
"When the guard is in blade-changing position it is mechanically held up away from the blade, so even if you are dumb enough to do what I did with my Makita, nothing bad will happen when you start up the saw."
"I can now cut boards at a record pace, thus spending less time in the realm of etsy type projects."
"Hands down one of the greatest things we've bought for our home renovation."
"The fence was aligned right and so was the blade."
"Another solid product from Dewalt."
"Check the fence!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Best Power Jig Saws
Bosch’s 7.0-amp top-handle jigsaw has a tool less blade-change system, an ambidextrous lock-on button, a variable speed-dial, a large, sturdy die-cast foot with steel insert, an exclusive multi-directional blade clamp, an internal precision control, constant response circuitry, four orbital-action settings, an adjustable dust blower, an ergonomic top handle, and includes a non-marring overshoe, an anti-splinter insert, a blade, a bevel wrench, and a carrying case. JS470E Jig Saw At a Glance: The 7.0 AMP motor and up to 3,100 SPM Footplate arm can withstand force up to 546 pounds Four orbital-action settings Backed by a one-year warranty. To ensure your desired speed is maintained, Bosch has developed the Constant Response Circuitry so that you never have to worry about inconsistencies in your performance and precision. Credited to the internal precision control, this machine’s plunging system is designed for low-vibration to enhance accuracy and extremely smooth operation. Tool-less blade-change system, fast insertion, blade ejection lever eliminates need to touch hot blade.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"After struggling for many years with lesser quality jigsaws, I finally decided to do a fair amount of research, spend a reasonable amount of money, and by something that would do a great job and finally last me for years."
"Other cuts of a more general nature were easy in heavier stock."
"Bosch is one of the best consumer tool brands, this came highly rated and does not disappoint."
"Quick, sturdy, precise and comfortable."
"Easy to use and high quality.. used for making new seats for my dining room chairs, Have never used a jigsaw before and this was easy to use and to learn."
"Best jigsaw out there!"
Best Power Circular Saws
Optimized rubber overmolded comfort grip delivers optimal balance and control; Power Tool Type: Cordless.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"It has all of the features and power of a Top Quality corded skill saw, and it's light weight, with the 4Ah & 5Ah batteries, it does the work of a heavy duty skill saw. I only use DeWalts 4.0Ah and 5.0Ah batteries, and with those, I can use this skill saw all day long, with 1 battery lasting most of the day, and usually all of the day. Features: -This skill saw has a blade break, which is a very nice feature in any skill saw. -This is a nice light weight skill saw, and that greatly cuts the fatigue you would feel from using a traditional skill saw, all day long. -This skill saw allows for a direct line of sight to the blade and working surface. This is much like the design of a worm drive saw (a Roofers Saw), the design of most all other skill saws have the motor and the blade on opposite sides, so the skill saw operator would need to look over the top of the saw, to see his work surface. -Please see Blade recommendation below-. This blade here: Vermont American 6-1/2-Inch 40T Smooth Cut Carbide Teeth Circular Saw Blade, is one of the best blades you can buy for this saw. To end, this DeWalt skill saw is a Professional Quality skill saw, and will last you for many many years."
"This saw is so much better than my previous generic brand from the blue store."
"I highly recommend for anyone looking for an awesome saw, and who already owns other Dewalt battery operated tools."
"Awesome saw."
"this is a smaller than traditional circular saw at 6 1/2 '' the battery will last longer than it would in a 7 1/4'' circular saw."
"Love this saw and all of Dewalts 20V Max products."
"Bought this to with my drill & impact driver, all 20 volt."
"This made my new son-in-law so happy he was like a little kid at Xmas, and he's already planning all the things he's going to make!"
Best Power Scroll Saws
Arm design pivots from the back of the saw to the front and lifts so blade can be easily threaded through the material for inside cuts. Unique arm design keeps the blade perpendicular to the work. 20-Inch Variable-Speed. Scroll Saw. At a Glance: Unique arm design for reduced vibration and quieter operation Electronic variable-speed control for application-specific performance Dependable 1.3 amp motor delivers 400 spm to 1,750 spm Convenient access to controls on front, upper arm Three-year limited warranty, one-year free service, and 90-day money-back guarantee. Unique Arm Design for Accurate Cuts A scroll saw needs to perform both reliably and accurately, whether you're crafting custom jigsaw puzzles or designing unique trim pieces. This DEWALT scroll saw's double parallel-link arm design helps it deliver on both fronts by reducing vibration. This unique arm design also works to keep the saw's blade perpendicular to whatever you're working on, reducing the chance of over cutting or under cutting. Save Time with Tool-Free Blade Changes and Adjustable Table Whether you're working with a variety of specialty materials or you're simply ready for a more aggressive cut, the DEWALT exclusive, tool-free blade clamps allow you to complete blade changes in just seconds. Arm design pivots from back of the saw to front, shortening the arm movement for smoother, quieter operation.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I used 12 inch drawer slides left over from another project and bought good lockable wheels at Lowes. I use a 4x4 block to hold up the arm when I change blades or do internals as you see in the pics. If I do a lot of scrolling then I could justify a Henger machine but I don't, I work for my enjoyment not for income. For those who are beginners my best advice is get this saw and when you are learning use spiral blades and go slowly and stop when you start to go off line."
"I have made a few things since receiving this saw."
"Saw works great but coordination not included."
"Smooth and nearly vibration free at all speeds."
"I love this saw."
"What I really like is the very small amount of vibration that you feel in your hands when they're resting on the platten as you manipulate work into the blade."
"A great purchase!"
Best Band Saws
Durable and versatile, the DEWALT Deep-Cut Portable Band Saw Kit features a powerful 10 amp motor with variable speed control for material-specific and application-specific cutting performance. Also offering an LED sight that indicates the cut line, ergonomic grip options, and an integrated hanging hook, this work-horse saw is packed with little details that make your life easier. Durable and versatile, the DEWALT Deep-Cut Portable Band Saw Kit features a powerful 10 amp motor with variable speed control for material-specific and application-specific cutting performance. Also offering an LED sight that indicates the cut line, ergonomic grip options, and an integrated hanging hook, this work-horse saw is packed with little details that make your life easier. Deep-Cut Portable Band Saw Kit. At a Glance: Powerful 10 amp motor handles tough applications Variable speed control from 100 to 350 sfm for versatility 5-inch deep-cut round-stock capacity; 5 by 4-3/4-inch rectangular-stock capacity LED sight light makes cut line easy to see Ergonomic handle design for improved control Includes hex wrench, standard blade, and kit box Three-year limited warranty, one-year free service, 90-day money back guarantee. Integrated hang hook allows user to hang the saw without damaging front handle or castings Variable speed dial allows user to vary speed for specific materials and various applications (100-350 spm).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I made a bench stand for myself and mounted this saw to it."
"Easy to use and I mounted it to a stand to be used in the vertical position."
"My plan was to cut a tangential square around my scribed circle, cut off points, and grind down."
"This saw does it so much cleaner and faster that it saves me lots of time and hassle - I don't have to spend time filing or grinding the cut ends any more."
"I had read the great reviews and purchased for shop use.. Let me say that this tool is VERY impressive!"
"Very nice porta bandsaw, very powerful."
"I did a lot of research, and after talking with friends that owned Milwaukee's and a friend that had the DeWalt, I decided to go with the DeWalt."
"We use it to cut the extremely hard steel used in steel piers which are used to stabilize house foundations or raise settled foundations."
Best Table Saws
The 32-1/2 inch rip capacity easily cuts a variety of larger shelving and trim materials - the patented material support allows this to be used for narrow rip cuts. The telescoping fence rails easily extend and retract to create a small portable package and the flip-over ripping fence allows for narrow rip cuts. Trim Carpenters: ripping moldings, wainscoting, ripping and cross cutting 1X material for framing book shelves and entertainment centers, ripping framing lumber. Serious Woodworkers: home hobbyists, ripping sheet material (4 feet X 8 feet), framing lumber, (2-inch X 12-inch), sizing material up to 3-inches thick, ripping and cross cutting 1X material used for dados, rabbets, mortise and tenons. Flip over ripping fence allows for narrow rip cuts.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Upgraded specifications from the previous series are a 4,800RPM no-load blade speed (from 3,850RPM), a larger dust port (2-1/2" vs 2-1/4"), slightly heavier weight and for the 7491, an improved rolling stand system with integrated tool & safety accessory storage. Most interesting to me, the 7490X and 7491RS series feature an improved fence system that has pushed the industry limits of contractor saws past the 24-1/2 inch barrier. The new models seem to have similar differentiation as the previous series and the deciding factors are fairly straight forward based on your needs. If you want maximum portability in a rolling stand, along with an impressive 32-1/2" rip capacity and a bonus fully integrated system storage, you go with the 7491RS series. The improved fence system solves just this problem and provides adequate material support where it's needed. The measurement scale accommodates both fence positions with one starting at 0" and the other at 8" and out of the box, it was pretty close to accurate. I never used the previous model of rolling stand (744 series), but comparatively I think this one is a bit easier to manipulate from what I saw of YouTube videos. Once in place, the saw is sturdy as a rock...no problems with movement and it's not side heavy in any particular direction. The saw features a no-fail recessed power-on button with a large stop that could be easily kneed or kicked in an emergent situation. There's basically no way this thing could inadvertently turn on, but as always, it's best to practice power-off safety when working directly with the blade. The riving knife accessories are super easy to install or remove, which means I'll probably end up using it in most cases! I've read that the older series dado inserts aren't a 100% match and fit fairly loose in these new saws. You can use a generic adjustable roller stand (or custom built outfeed table) and DIY dado/zero clearance plates in the mean time. Overall, with the increased power and larger fence system, this particular unit is starting to approach cabinet saw capabilities. I have a couple cabinets to mill down and build in the immediate future, so I'll certainly be putting this saw through a workout of it's advertised capabilities over the next few weeks. Usage update: I've used the saw for quite a few hours now, so I have a pretty good feel for the shortcomings and limitations. Do be aware that when you push this saw hard, it will draw more than 15 amps and can trip fuses/breakers that are rated at that level or less. Upon building my panel and cross cut sleds, I found it would fairly easily rub off with even the lightest friction. Awesome option, but absolutely ludicrous to plumb for at this time, making the accessory virtually worthless."
"I purchased the DEWALT DW7444 Dado Throat Plate (for DW744 saw) and it fits fine although the dado blade size is probably limited to 8" to 8 1/2" inches in max diameter of about 3/8" wide (or so). I have seen comments that the dado throat plate and the standard throat plate snags wood. I swapped out the factory blade for a 80 tooth Diablo carbide blade and was ripping through pressure treated 2 x 6's like they were soft butter. I did a an alignment check of the Diablo blade to the miter slot (left side) and it was approximate .1mm off (front to back of same point of blade). I raised the blade all the way up the marked a spot on the blade just behind the carbide tip. With the blade rotated so the marked spot is even with the table top on the front side of the saw I measured the distance from the blade to the edge of the miter slot. I then rotated the blade towards the back of saw until the same marked spot is even with the saw's table top on the back side and made the same measurement. Finally issue is there is no apparent locking mechanism hold the blade in the selected height position. The tilt is locked down but not the blade height. - After finishing a job, you should remove the blade insert, drop the blade all the way down and vacuum out the blade chamber, especially the cloth material that is used to keep the sawdust out of the motor.The cloth gets imbedded with very fine sawdust powder. However, I did not that the plastic cover plate is easily removable and allows access to the saw blade chamber for cleaning. - I had noted in my review previously that there is no apparent locking mechanism to hold the blade in the desired vertical position. I like to cut wood with a minimum piece of the blade protruding up from the cut. On several occasions, I have observed the blade "slipping" downward just enough that the blade did not cut all the way through the wood. The plate fits and locks into the opening but dado opening is not long enough to accommodate an 8" dado blade. My fix was to use my band saw and cut the slot all the way open (to the rear of the throat plate). I guess one could buy a blank zero clearance throat plate and cut it open with a dado blade set. Mar 6, 2014 Update. Was looking at make a zero clearance throat plate for this saw and found one on Amazon for the DW746 table saw. Measure how far back from the saw blade's does the riving knife extend (you need to raise the blade up all the way to make this measurement). Follow the instructions on how to setup the new throat plate (including the removal of the the riving knife) and make zero clearance cut in he plate. Next mark the throat plate with a line from the back of the kerf cut that matches the length that you previously measured for the length of the riving knife (including the gap between the back of the blade and the riving knife). With the blade fully extended in the zero clearance slot, turn on the saw and pull the throat plate up and towards you until the length of the marked line is cut. Assuming you blade is slightly wider than the riving knife, the slot will be wide enough to re-install the throat plate without any problem. Still can't find a "commercial" dado blade throat insert for this saw. I needed to make a 45 deg cut on a baseboard so I unlocked the blade from the upright position and titled the blade to 45 deg and locked it. After I complete the cut, I started to unlock the black to return it upright so I could lower the blade for storage. Although the locking lever moved to the unlocked position, the blade in fact did not unlock."