Hi Dan and Dale
That bloke can dig up some good tool reviews, I do not know, how he does
it.
Ray
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dan Rossi" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, April 05, 2007 7:29 AM
Subject: Re: [BlindHandyMan] Tool review, circular saws
Dale,
Is this the review you were thinking of?
Hi All
Here are 3 Reviews on Left Bladed Circular Saws.
There was some discussion recently on this subject.
Ridgid 7 ¼", Worm Drive Circular Saw
Extremely tough, powerful and accurate
Worm drive circular saws were designed to be tough, powerful and long
lasting. The Ridgid R3210, 7 ¼" worm drive circular saw lives up to those
tenets
and more. Whether you are a contractor or woodworker, the capabilities of
the Ridgid R3210, combined with it's remarkable durability could make this
the
last circular saw you ever have to buy.
Initial Impressions
The Ridgid R3210 looks tough from every angle. The fit and finish of the
individual components is first rate as is the assembly. Though lightweight
magnesium
is used extensively, the thickness of all the materials used demonstrates
Ridgid's intent to make this a very durable tool.
Even the shoe plate is formed from thick aluminum. If you bend this shoe
plate I can only hope someone gets the number of the truck that just hit
you!
A strong 15-amp motor is a solid, ventilated housing supplies plenty of
power.
Power
The Ridgid R3210 is driven by a stout 15-amp motor, housed in a tough
magnesium case. Because the motor is oriented lengthwise rather than across
the
saw, it looks smaller than you might expect. Any doubt about power is erased
when the Ridgid R3210 is cutting wood.
To keep the motor operating at it's full potential, user serviceable
brushes are housed under tough retainers that keep them stable and secure
until
you want to take them out.
Worm Drive
The heavy-duty gear housing is finned for maximum cooling. The button is the
shaft lock for changing blades.
Applying the substantial power of the 15-amp motor through a worm gear
drive increases the torque delivered to the blade substantially over
direct-drive
saws with equally sized motors. A hint to how much power is the diamond
blade mount, necessary to resist slipping.
Precision design and machining of the gears makes the worm drive operate
very smoothly. Mounting the gear system in a tough, rigid case keeps it
smooth
for years. That case also has a removable plug that allows the user to
insert the (included) dipstick to check the oil level.
Bathing the worm drive in oil is necessary to prevent wear and loss of
power due to friction. Running in oil also prolongs the life of the gear
substantially.
Blade Changing
The substantial power available makes the diamond drive and heavy fasteners
necessary.
With gobs of power being applied to the blade, the hardware that retains
it has to be tough. Ridgid includes a 24-tooth, carbide-tipped Freud Diablo,
diamond drive, 7 ¼" blade with the R3210 to get you started.
The most high tech part of the blade system is the push-button spindle
lock. After that, the heavy Allen bolt, (wrench included, stored on-board)
washers
and diamond-shaped drive boss are simple, dependable and bulletproof.
Hanging On - and Up
The Ridgid R3210 has large, comfortable grips to help maintain control
and accuracy. The rear pistol-grip handle has a guarded trigger and rubber
insert
that reduces vibration and provides a slip resistant grip. The front
loop-style handle also has the rubber covering.
The placement of the handles gives the user a good feel of balance and
control of the saw while making cuts or lining it up for the next one.
A heavy-duty, fold-down hangar is attached to the right side, used to
hang the saw on rafters or other suitable surfaces. Though obviously meant
for
the construction trades, I have found this hangar useful in the shop when
open bench space is not within reach.
Angle and Depth Controls
The bevel and depth scales are easy to read. The brackets they are printed
on are also very tough.
The Ridgid R3210 has maximum cutting capacities of 2 3/8" at 90-degrees,
1 ¾" at 45-degrees and 1 9/16" at 51.5-degrees. Large, cam-lock levers with
rubber coated handles controlling depth and bevel functions make it easy to
release, set and secure those functions even with gloves on.
The numerals on the depth and bevel scales are clear, large and easy to
read. The bevel function has a button that positively engages a detent at
51.5-degrees.
The bracketry for the depth and bevel functions is made from heavy steel
to resist bending and insure a long, accurate life with little maintenance.
Cool Shoe
The heavy-duty aluminum shoe does more than stabilize the Ridgid R3210.
It has cut line indicators for 0 and 45-degree cuts and a full-length cut
line
indicator (0-degree cuts) that helps prevent wandering on long cuts.
The front edge of the shoe has an inch scale, centered on the 0-degree
notch that makes placing a cut accurately with minimal layout far easier.
The
left side of the shoe has another inch scale that begins at the leading edge
of the blade, indicating how long of a cut is being made.
Trick Cord
The lighted end of the cord turns out to be a handy thing to have! The cord
also comes with a nice velcro-style strap for coiling it up when not in use.
The heavy duty power cord is not a big surprise on a tool designed for
heavy, long-term use. However, the lighted plug at its end seemed like an
unnecessary
bauble. Then, during testing the saw failed to start when the trigger was
pulled. While wondering if it had blown up, that lighted plug came to mind.
Sure
enough, it wasn't lighted. After reconnecting the extension cord to the wall
socket the plug was once again glowing happily and the saw worked just fine.
In The Shop
The Ridgid R3210 handles very easily, making clean accurate cuts the norm.
After installing the blade, the shoe was checked to be sure it was
parallel to the blade, which it was. The blade to shoe alignment was also
measured
at 0 and 45-degrees to check the bevel scales. Adjustable stops are provided
to easily make corrections as necessary but the Ridgid R3210 tested was
correct
right out of the box. I also used the included dipstick to check the
"crankcase" oil and found that to be properly filled.
The high-torque generated by the Ridgid R3210 is evident from the first
cut made with it. Straight or bevel cuts are made effortlessly even in
not-quite-dry
2X6 material. The Freud blade certainly helps but there is no doubt that the
Ridgid R3210 has lots of power available.
Also surprising was how smooth this saw is in operation. I expected a
little more vibration considering the amount of power worm gears generate at
the
blade but not so. The worm gears work very smoothly and quietly.
The handles are nicely shaped, easy to hold and comfortable with gloves on.
Cuts were made at several of the bevel markings and found to be very
precise. The depth of cut scale indicating the amount of blade exposed below
the
shoe is equally accurate and very handy when cutting too deeply can be a
problem.
The rather narrow shape of a worm drive saw took surprising little time
to get used to. Before long I was making accurate cuts with confidence, even
long rips using only a snapped chalk line for guidance.
At 15 lbs, the Ridgid R3210 is not light but it does not feel heavy in
use. The weight distribution along with the size and position of the handles
make
the Ridgid R3210 surprisingly easy to control and comfortable to use.
Conclusions
If power, accuracy and durability are important, take a look at the
Ridgid R3210.
Second Review.
Porter Cable MAG423 Circular Saw
Light and Loaded
Porter Cable's venerable PC 743K, 7 ¼" circular saw had been one of the
best values in power saws for years. The MAG423 left-bladed (MAG324 -
right-bladed)
arrives in the marketplace with a slew of updated features, and a few brand
new ones that are sure to be useful to virtually any woodworker, hobbyist or
professional.
Though Porter Cable may have designed the MAG423 with the construction
industry in mind, everyone else from the basic homeowner to dedicated
woodworkers
will appreciate its accuracy, ease of use and versatility.
Initial Observations
Despite being loaded with new features and technology, the MAG423
retains
the classic Porter Cable look of solid quality. The logo treatment on the
blade
guard has a retro look that belies the advanced concepts around which the
MAG423 is based.
The MAG423 feels very good in the hand, well balanced and comfortable.
Weighing a trim 9.6 lbs, this is an easy saw to hustle around a job site or
wood
shop.
mag423/exhstopnt
The positionable dust port is very handy and works great. Shoot the dust
back into the guard housing to be dumped at the rear or aim it where you
want it.
The controls are logically placed, easy to get to and function as
expected. Markings are clear, easy to read and just as easy to set
accurately. Fit,
finish and manufacturing quality are all up to the high standards we have
come to expect from Porter Cable.
Features
While it may have been tempting to re-invent the circular saw, it
appears
that Porter Cable took the widespread customer support of the 743 model to
heart, revising many of the base mechanics and then adding the new
technologies to that package. Most of the new features appear designed to
enhance ease-of-use
and accuracy.
Plenty of Power
A very stout 15-amp motor spins the blade at 5800 RPM. Though capable of
powering a reasonably sharp blade through thick stock with ease, the motor
is
surprisingly smooth and quiet. If this motor is not strong enough for the
task, a much larger - and stationary - machine is required.
More industrious users may notice that there are no motor brush access
ports on the MAG423. Porter Cable recommends having an authorized service
center
handle that inspection and related parts replacement after approximately 100
hours of use. If you consider the actual amount of time the saw is in
operation
to cut a slice off of a 4X8-foot sheet of plywood, the frequency of this
maintenance procedure works out to close to never for those who actually
stay
on top of brushes. I suspect for the vast majority of users who have never
seen motor brushes and are in no hurry to do so now, this is a moot point.
Forget
I mentioned it.
No-Tools Blade Change
mag423/bldlvrt
Changing blades is fast, easy and tool-less on the Mag423. This ingenious
system seems to hold the blade very securely.
If you managed to squeeze a little extra break time on the job site out
of having to "find" a wrench to change circle saw blades, the MAG423
probably
isn't for you. A new no-tools blade changing system not only eliminates the
wrench, but also the skinned knuckles that often immediately followed that
wrench slipping.
On the MAG423 you depress the shaft-lock button, slide the spring-loaded
lever out from the retaining nut and twist it loose. The nut and a special
washer
beneath it with interlocking serrations make this finger operation possible
and secure. The washer has a squared hole that fits over a similarly shaped
shoulder on the blade shaft that further prevents the assembly from spinning
loose.
This system is easy to use and simple enough to make one wonder why it
took so long to reach the mainstream tool market. The important thing is it
is
here, it works and we can stop putting our knuckles at risk.
New Blade Design
The new Razor blade design cuts cleanly and appears to last a long time.
The MAG423 came with a 20-tooth, 7 ¼" version of Porter Cable's new
Razor line of saw blades. Aside from some very cool screen printing, the
Razor blades
feature C3 tungsten carbide tips, one of the best carbide variations for
cutting wood. C3 carbide not only takes a very sharp edge, it tends to
retain
that sharpness longer than most other carbide formulas.
The Razor also has multiple tooth designs on each blade, grouped in
segments. One design is meant for fast cutting and the other smooth cutting.
The blade
body that supports the carbide tips is precision laser cut and hardened to
increase rigidity, a property that also helps produce smoother cuts.
Porter Cable claims this combination cuts 1 ½-times faster and doubles the
lifespan of their nearest competitor. After using the MAG423 in my shop, I
see
nothing that suggests they are stretching the point with those claims.
Cool Shoe
mag423/hghtadjt
The bevel (Top) and cut depth (Bottom) adjusters are easy to use and well
marked. They are also very accurate.
The rugged, cast magnesium shoe is 6 ½"-wide and 12"-long with 3/8"-tall
sides all the way around to insure solid control when guided by a fence. To
keep things simple when clamping a guide fence in place, the shoe extends 1
½" to the left side of the blade and 5" to the right providing
easy-to-remember
offsets.
The front edge of the shoe has a pair of "sighting" notches, one used with
the blade in the "zero" position and another that indicates the cut line
with
the shoe at 45-degrees of bevel. Both notches are properly placed,
corresponding very closely with the actual blade path.
The bevel and depth adjustments have new over-sized levers that are easy to
operate even with work gloves on. Both the bevel and depth scales are
cast-in
making them easy to read.
The bevel scale has a range of 0 to 50-degrees with an adjustable zero and a
positive stop at 45-degrees. To get above 45-degrees, the locking handle has
to be lifted in the slot slightly to access the additional travel. This
ingenious mechanism allows fast setting to the more common 45-degree angle
but
lets the operator access the additional bevel for when cheating a miter is
necessary to fit trim around those "other than 90-degree" corners.
The cutting depth can be adjusted infinitely from zero to a maximum depth of
2 5/16" at 0-degrees. At 45-degrees the MAG423 is capable of a cutting depth
of 1 13/16".
Both the bevel and depth adjusters feature large handles that make positive
locking effortless. The handles are also positioned and sized for easy
operation
with gloves.
Guard the Sharp Stuff
The all-magnesium blade guard incorporates a unique dust control system
that is effective with or without a vacuum system attached. A new built-in
positionable
outlet lets you direct sawdust through the guard housing for discharge at
the rear or it can be aimed in the best available direction within in a
205-degree
arc. Porter Cable offers an accessory for connecting the outlet port to a
dust collection system.
The lower guard is fully retractable using a large handle that keeps
your
fingers far away from the blade. The nose of the lower guard has a downward
spur that helps keep the guard from catching on slightly irregular surfaces
below the shoe.
Getting a Grip
The handles are nicely designed and very comfortable when used left or
right-handed.
Even the handles have been massaged so you won't need one after using
the
MAG423 all day. Both grips are shaped and sized nicely to be comfortable to
bare or gloved hands. The grips are shaped so that they are comfortable
using the saw right or left-handed. The primary grip has a soft rubber
insert that
extends over the contact area that absorbs the vibrations of the blade
against the wood. The rubber insert also has a non-slip quality that gives a
solid
feel of control.
The on/off trigger switch is shielded in an opening that, while large enough
to be accessed with gloves on, protects the switch to help prevent
accidental
starts. The spring-loaded switch has a pull-through detent that, while easy
to operate, provides more than ample warning that you are starting the saw.
Storage Case
The case does a good job of protecting your investment.
To protect the MAG423 from all the bad things that can happen to it when
not in use, Porter Cable sends along a rugged blow-molded plastic case.
Aside
from securing the saw safely, there is also a place for the instruction
manual so you can find it later.
In The Shop
All of the new features, engineering and the new blade look very nice
but
are meaningful only if the package actually works when put to the wood. And
work it does!
Regardless of the type of wood being cut, the MAG423 handles easily and
predictably. The motor and blade combination sliced through everything I
could find
with ease. Even 2 ¼"-thick cherry had no distinguishable effect on motor
speed as long as I did not get foolish with the feed rate.
The Mag423 performed great in every test I could think of. Notice how
effective the dust port is. Even when not hooked up to a vac, you can shoot
it where
you want it!
The large baseplate follows clamp-on guides accurately. Its alignment to
the blade is very precise which means the saw does not tend to wander away
from
the guide. Even with the saw at a 45-degree bevel, the baseplate helps keep
the saw stable and on line. Visibility of the blade path is very good and
combined
with the superior handling means it is very easy to follow layout lines
accurately.
I did not hook the dust port to a collection system but considering the
amount of debris being emitted, I suspect it would work very well. Just
being able
to aim the dust in an out-of-the-way direction is itself a big help. The
area surrounding the cut line stays reasonably clear, allowing most cuts to
be
completed without having to stop to clear dust from the area manually.
The cut quality from the Razor blade is first rate. The sawn edges are very
clean and there is surprisingly little chipping along the corners of the
cut.
Though I cut a considerable amount of wood with the included blade, there
has been no evident degradation of its performance.
Third Review
Porter Cable #743K 7 ¼" Blade-Left Circular Saw
A More than Worthy Woodworking Tool
Cutting large pieces of sheet stock, or long boards on even the best
table saw can be a difficult and occasionally dangerous task. Add the
all-too-common
lack of space many home-based woodworkers deal with and it's obvious that an
alternative way to deal with this and other tasks is needed.
The hand-held circular saw may not be commonly considered a woodworking
tool, but it has its place in most of our shops. For reducing large sheet
stock
to more manageable sizes, the circular saw represents a cost efficient
solution that can be applied to other tasks around the shop as well.
Overview
The left-mounted blade initially piqued my interest in the Porter Cable
model 743K 7 ¼" circular saw (PC 743K) but I found there is much more to
like
about this tool. Outward appearances suggest the PC 743K is a well-made
tool, as I have come to expect from Porter Cable. The fit and finish are
first
rate and give the impression of durability, not flash. All of the user
The handles are very well designed for comfort and control.
features appear nicely laid out and easy to access.
Note: Porter Cable also offers a right-mounted blade version, #347K, usually
at the same price.
Handles
From the first time I used the PC 743K, it was apparent that the Porter
Cable designers and engineers had done their homework on this tool. It felt
very
well balanced in my hand and combined with the position and shape of the
handles makes operating the PC 743K comfortable and predictable, which
translates
into accuracy.
The trigger-style switch built into the primary handle has a very
positive feel that leaves no doubt you are about to engage the motor. A
small consideration
perhaps, but considering the capabilities of the saw, a nice safety feature.
Adjustable Baseplate
pc743krvu/pc743bldhgtadjt
(Top) Angles are a snap to cut, and lock in. Also, notice the positionable
dust port.
(Bottom) Depth of cut is controlled by a flip of the locking lever.
An important feature of the PC 743K is the 12 3/16"-long by 6 5/8"-wide
cast magnesium base plate. That size provides easy-to-use dimensions when
guiding
this saw with a temporary fence. The base extends 1 ½" from the blade on the
left side and 5" on the right with the blade at 90-degrees. The sides of the
baseplate are square and 3/8" tall allowing solid control when following a
guide fence. To keep the baseplate and blade aligned, the PC 743K features a
substantial steel mounting system.
The PC 743K features healthy cut depths of 2 5/16" at 90-degrees and 1
13/16" at 45-degrees. An easy-to-read angle scale is cast into the baseplate
with
a human-sized knob used to lock the setting. Adjustable stops at 90 and 45
degrees are provided allowing those positions to be fine-tuned should they
ever
need it. The baseplate has maximum angle range of 93 to 48-degrees.
Depth-of-cut is set using a simple lever lock located at the rear of the
blade guard housing. Flip it up, set the desired depth and push the lever
down
into the locked position.
Blade Guards
The fixed upper portion of the blade guard system is cast metal and
features a dust port with a spring-loaded auto-closing ejection port. An
included
bent tube
A lip catches the work and retracts the lower guard automatically.
fits securely into the port and allows the operator to direct a surprising
portion of the sawdust generated wherever desired. Porter Cable offers an
accessory
connector for this dust ejection system for hooking it to a dust collector
system.
The retractable portion of the blade guard has a large operating handle
that keeps your fingers far from the blade when holding the guard partially
open
is necessary. The leading edge of the guard has a lip that helps it make
contact with the material being cut to insure automatic retraction in most
situations.
Blade and Power
The powerful motor is contained in an appropriately tough-looking housing.
The included 7 ¼", 18-tooth, carbide-tipped RiptideTM blade (5/8" arbor)
is spun at 5,800 RPM (no load) by the super-strong 15 amp motor. The motor
is
equipped with ball and needle bearings throughout for maximum durability and
smooth operation.
Blade changing is made easy by a finger-operated spindle lock. A stamped
steel blade wrench (1/2" hex) is included and stored in the handle.
Power is fed to the saw through a heavy gauge 10-foot-long, polarized
two-pronged power cord.
Included Case
Many power tools come with a case of some sort but Porter Cable chose to
provide a very good quality case with the PC 743K. The physical design of a
circle saw makes it all but impossible to transport without risking damage
or knocking it out of alignment.
The PC 743K case looks rather basic but handles the most important job
very well; protecting the saw. I do not take my PC 743K on the road often,
but
even in the shop, the case is nice to have for storing the saw safely and
keeping it clean.
Impressions
The cast magnesium base makes this saw easy and accurate to use.
The PC 743K has proven itself to be a very useful tool in my shop. I
have
yet to replace the included RiptideTM blade despite having cut up many
sheets
of plywood and rough-cutting lots of board stock. It continues to cut
cleanly and without effort so I leave it alone!
Despite its power, the PC 743K is easy to handle, a quality that makes
it
very accurate and safer to use. Even when cutting 4 by 4" post stock it
powered
right through it even with the blade fully buried during the first cut.
The PC 743K proves that solid construction and an array of innovative
features can be packed into a very trim 10-¾ lb. package. With a street
price of
$120 to $130, the PC 743K represents the quality we want at a reasonable
price.
Dislikes
Picky I know, but the included blade wrench sucks. It's a standard 1/2" head
(left-hand thread) so you already have a good wrench to use in it's place.
The stamped steel blade wrench. I realize this is standard fare with
most
power tools these days but that does not mean I have to like it. The
combination
of relatively thin stamped material and a rather short length make it
uncomfortable to use. The short length is probably an engineering ploy to
save us
from ourselves. By limiting length, they limit how much torque we can apply
to the blade bolt.
If you have a regular ½" wrench or socket, use that instead. Just use
your head when tightening the bolt; you want to retain the blade, not strip
the
hole or bolt.
Nearly all woodworkers need a circle saw to handle the odd jobs not
suited to our larger equipment, and to reduce material to more useable
dimensions.
If you are shopping for a new circular saw, give the Porter Cable 743K a
hard look. I believe this is an investment that will pay dividends for many
years
to come.
--
Blue skies.
Dan Rossi
Carnegie Mellon University.
E-Mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Tel: (412) 268-9081
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