Getting accustomed to a worm drive saw
Hello all
I am in the process of tearing out and reframing all the interior, some exterior load bearing walls including sheathing and installing new siding and adding larger windows on a 60’s single story ranch home ( professionally engineered and permitted of course.) Quite a daunting task for this “first timer”.
I started out using a cheap low budget Skil sidewinder and I became very comfortable using this “blade on the right side”type saw.Aside from every thing I’ve read, I never had a hard time viewing my cut line, but it was always somewhat of a struggle to get a perfectly square cut when cutting 2x and 4x stock.I’m not yet proficient at cutting by sight, so I always use my speed square and a pencil mark to guide my saw.(to confirm I’m cutting straight and square)
I use a speed square to adjust my blade 90 degrees square to the saws foot base/table (if you will).I even went so far as to reset the internal bushings which support the arbor itself to eliminate all side thrust movement. And the foot base was also a little out of parallel to the blade. Alas I was able to cut relatively accurate with this saw,and in the end I used it with a masonry blade to cut stucco and a concrete slab.
I decided it was time for a professional quality saw so I purchased a new 15 amp SHD77M worm drive saw and have since collected several older 77 skils and one Bosch 1677MD.(I like these 75 year old engineered beasts,what can I say?) But I find getting used to the blade on the left side of the saw, with the heavy motor and the “wide side” of the foot plate resting on the waste side of the cut, and the narrow side of the foot plate resting on the supported end of the cut, being some what of a challenge to get a perfectly square cut, particularly at the end of the cut, when the weight of the saw looses it’s support from the falling waste side of the cut. Trying as I might,to catch and maintain the saw level.
What is the correct technique to counteract this effect and get a nice square cut?And over all cutting correctly with a worm drive saw?I have watched other pro’s including Larry Haun’s videos.( I understand positioning the work on an incline to allow the the saws weight to take effect and squaring the saws foot to the far edge of the board in cutting by sight ) These guy’s use these saws so effortlessly.Unfortuneately I have never heard or watched him (Larry Haun)touch on some of these finer points in using these saws. Any advise ?
Replies
Practice until the saw becomes an extension of your arm.
That is the only way I figured it out anyway.
Yup, ya get used to it. I usually put the weight on the left side (short 1 1/2" side) of the baseplate). Well, I mean I kinda focus my attention to the left. You know, a Zen energy thing, Vulcan mind meld kinda stuff..................Well, what Dovetail said.
Edited 8/14/2009 10:32 am by kenhill3
You could also get a slightly lighter saw, like the Rigid.
Tu stultus es
Rebuilding my home in Cypress, CA
Also a CRX fanatic!
Look, just send me to my drawer. This whole talking-to-you thing is like double punishment.
I've always thought that the accepted method for using a worm drive was to hold the board in your left hand, with the board also resting on you bent right leg.
Then, with the saw in the right hand, cut.
Let's not forget that this is a framing saw, and you're not making Church pews.
The biggest thing is to cut the board from the "other" side. If you were cutting a 2x4 with the "good" side to the left, walk around the board and have the "good' side to the right of the worm drive saw. That is what is the hardest part to remember. The worm drives also excel at sheet goods. Again, work in the oppisite direction that you used with the "side-winder" saw.
Only problem with your method is that your free hand can't hold the board. Nor can you put a knee on the board to hold it. I suppose you can use clamps. (Nor can you use a speed square to guide the saw bed.)
Edited 8/14/2009 2:27 pm ET by Danno
Just as one works from the "other side of the board", use your hands the same way. Your right hand holds the good side of the board, and you just let the scrap fall away. Use your left hand to move the saw through the cut. One "trick" I used when cutting 2x4s, tip the 2x up and let the saw run "down-hill" through the cut. It lets the weight of the saw work for you.
If I were left handed, that'd be what I'd do. I am reluctant to hold a machine that can cut me badly with my weak hand. Guess we all have different ways of doing things.
The weight of the saw will rest on the "good"part of the wood as the scrap falls away. Place the saw on the wood, adjust for for cut and let the weight of the saw going "down-hill" help make the cut. The "weak" hand merely guides the saw through the cut, the board supports the saw, and your "strong hand" keeps the board in place. When the cut is done, stop the saw, lower the board back down, and THEN move the saw away. A speed-square can also be used this way, with your "strong hand" holding both the wood and the square in place.
I think your advise is counter intuitive, and will end up with allot of cuts that are 1/16 to 1/8" (depending on the blade kerf) short. With your method you need to keep the chalkline to the hidden (by the blade)side of the cut if to get the right leingth. To paraphrase an earlier post
the wisdom of keeping your Zen focus on the short side of the foot is the "Tao of the Worm-drive" ; )Thanks CraigEdited 8/14/2009 5:17 pm ET by chairmon
Edited 8/14/2009 5:17 pm ET by chairmon
Step two was to align the saw with the cut. If you also use a "speed square" as a guide, you just let the guide "guide" you through the cut, but , when you line up for the cutyou CAN look at the line. look around at the front, there should be a "notch" that shows the "cut-line" on the shoe of the saw.
First practice holding the saw level while you cut. Take a scrap of 2x4 and cut 1/4" slices off the right hand end until your arm muscles remember the correct counterbalancing force. Watch the foot-to-wood area.
Cutting square: It depends on the application; for framing with 2x4 studs and blocking inside the framing I will freehand cut to square, to about +-1/16" in 3 1/2", otherwise I'll mark a line.
With a piece of sheet goods and a framing/roofing square, practice eyeing the angle made by the long blade of a square and the edge of the material until you think it's square, mark that line, then double check with the square. When you think you've got it, cut some more 2x4s by eying the angle between the foot and the material. Check every few cuts for true square.
Following the line: Align the blade and the guide notch at the front of the foot with the line to get started, then use the notch to follow the line. Note that you may have to use the center of the notch or one side of it to keep the blade where you want it in relation to the line.
SamT
Thank you every one for all your super fast replies.really appreciate it.I've been going alone on this issue for some time now.
So SamT it really does become a matter of mucsle "feel" and control ?
Is it still the the best approch for most "right handers"like my self to hold the "good"side of the board with my left hand and cut and control the saw with my right?
I have also tried holding the board and my speed square in my left hand while cutting with my right but this gets to be rather cumbersome holding and controling too many things at once.
Or like Danno pointed out, I have also tried cutting from the other side of the board, meaning, having the "wide part"of the saw base on the "good"side of the board but then I completely lose sight of my cut line.
Another reply was that this is framing and not building church pew's. This can be a true and a valid statement ,but in my experience for example, cutting cripples for under a window sill where your bottom plate is a bit wavy due to sitting on a wavy concrete slab,but by not acheiveing a pretty precise cut might make the difference between the cripple sliding in with a nice slight drag or having to hit it in with a hammer and distorting the level of the window sill.
Another suggested maybe going to a lighter worm drive like a Rigid .When I first started looking at worm drives, I went to a professional lumber yard (not Lowes or HD) They had all the"Big foot" saws, the 8 1/4" skil's the standard HD77 and the Magnisium or "Mag 77" (if you will).The saleman said he sold more of the least expensive standard HD77's than even the lighter "Mag 77's and he said most pro's prefer the added weight of the standard saw,he said it adds to the stability of the saw and makes cutting a tad easier.
I suppose you know this already, and maybe worm drives don't kick back, but never put any part of your body you'd like to keep in one piece and without big gaping wounds behind the saw!
I suppose the advice to use the saw in left hand and hold board and speed square in the right is the way to go. I guess I'm already ruined for life and will always use a sidewinder, in my right hand.
Well maybe Porter Cable's got it right,They make both right and left blade "side-winder" versions.
Guess it comes down to what you're most comfortable with.
Guess I'm a gluten for punishment and maybe a bit of a "macho"factor in there too.
But worm drives do have a more substantial feel to them and they seem to run a bit quitter.
And they are the saw that built the west coast.(sorry, just had to throw that in there.)
FWIW... Porter Cable used to make a worm drive in both LEFT and right hand versions as well, and it was available in 7 1/4 and 6 1/2" blades. I had several employees who were left handed and used them. I owned one of them for awhile but never did use it myself so gave it to a young lefty to keep.
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
Following the saw's recommended bolt-tightening procedure when attaching a blade will go a long way in preventing dangerous kick-back.
Amen to that brother...don't over tighten.
""So SamT it really does become a matter of mucsle "feel" and control ?Is it still the the best approch for most "right handers"like my self to hold the "good"side of the board with my left hand and cut and control the saw with my right?"" Not SamT. But yes it is. Zen is a good phrase for it... become one with the tool... Blade is always in easy line of sight and you can track the cut by watching the blade, not the guide. I use my left foot to prop up a board, keep a stance that has my left foot out in front, my right foot to the rear ( this keeps my right leg back away from the cut line of the saw in case of kickback) and try always to bring the cord around my back so it doesn't get dragged into the blade .
I use my left hand to grasp the board just to the side of my foot( doesn't matter which , whats comfortable), grasp it it align it tilt nearly vertically along the cut line so it is at a angle that matches the plane of the length of the sole plate of the saw when you are holding the saw at almost full arm extension and in a relaxed ( By this I mean you are comfortable , not straining to adjust the saw to the board) grip).
Gently let the weight of the saw "drop" the blade into the wood and just apply enough pressure to keep it going on and through. Some counterclockwise pressure is needed on the saw handle to counteract the weight of the unsupported saw at the end of the cut. Take the time to watch a pro for a little while and simply observe. Keep practicing.
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
>>So SamT it really does become a matter of mucsle "feel" and control ?
>>Is it still the the best approch for most "right handers"like my self to hold the "good"side of the board with my left hand and cut and control the saw with my right?
See Dovetail's answer, but I will emphasize that you should keep that razor sharp, 24 tooth, 3/4hp, semi-tame eating machine in your strongest hand. Trust me! You would really prefer that the fingers on your "weak" hand are an 1/8" short than your "strong" hands' fingers.
>>I have also tried holding the board and my speed square in my left hand while cutting with my right but this gets to be rather cumbersome holding and controling too many things at once.
That's a way advanced course. I'll do it when I've a lot of gotta-be-square cuts and I've clamped the work down or it's a small piece that has to be both handheld and cut really square.
Give yourself a couple of years of production custom framing before you try learning that.
>>Another reply was that this is framing and not building church pew's. This can be a true and a valid statement ,but in my experience for example,
With a standard 1/8" thick set of teeth you've got a +0/0" or - 1/8" to play with while still eating the entire pencil line. for most semi critical framing, just "Eating the line" will be plenty tight and leave the work just short enough to slip comfortable in.
When you start getting really critical, like less than 1/32", you can worry about "Leave the line," "Take the line," and "Split the line." SamT
I posted on this very board being new to using a wormdrive a few months ago, after several months of everyday use it has become much, much easier and more natural. I've started getting nice straight freehand rips and controlling it to make 2X cuts freehand has gotten much easier.I still try not to cut letting the saw's weight sit on the waste side as I'm not that advanced yet.As for weight, I have a 1950's era Skil model 825 that can use 8 1/4" blades, far heavier than the HD77s ...it gets used hard on the job everyday.
My dad had one of those 40s or 50s era Skil 8-1/4" worm drives. The thing had enough power to drive a small car, but was HEAVY.
It got stolen one day.
I still don't miss it.
I also have'nt seen any thing in writing in regards to having the sides of a worm drive saws base plate in perfect parallel alignment to the sides of the cutting blade, is this mostly due to how the saw is normally used in professional settings in as much as pro's do not normally rely on aligning devices such as speed squares or similar devices to acheive their cutting goals?
""....is this mostly due to how the saw is normally used in professional settings in as much as pro's do not normally rely on aligning devices such as speed squares or similar devices to achieve their cutting goals?"" I would say that is a fair assessment of the facts.
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
I have several Skil 77s, but I also have a Skil 6&1/2" worm drive, that looks and feels the same, but lighter. I like it a lot. I have never figured out how anyone could use those backwards saws with the motor on the wrong side! - Huck (a left coaster)<!----><!----><!----><!---->
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Edited 8/15/2009 2:55 am by Huck
Again I'de like to thank every one for your replies,I'm even a bit floored by the responce.Lots of helpfull people here.
Some of us have time available to post here because of the, ah, wonderful state of the building industry right now.View Image
"....pro's do not normally rely on aligning devices such as speed squares or similar devices..."If by pro, you mean professional framers (guys who only frame new houses) then you are probably correct.If by pro, you mean professional carpenters (guys who build anything with wood) then you are absolutely wrong. I am a professional remodeler and I couldn't imagine making cuts without square marks [nor using a wormy saw]. I measure and mark square because I will likely be the one drywalling and trimming. If I were just there to slap studs in a wall then I guess I would just do it all by eye.I still don't understand why so many like wormys? I see them as old technology that some carpenters are afraid to let go of. You guys still baloon framing and hand banging all your nails too? I've been eyeballin' that new Ridgid Fuego 6-1/4" saw (the lighter the better for me). If there were a good saw that would fit in my toolbelt, I'd be using that.DC
I still don't understand why so many like wormys? I see them as old technology that some carpenters are afraid to let go of. You guys still baloon framing and hand banging all your nails too?
What a bunch of hooey.View Image bakersfieldremodel.com
I still don't understand why so many like wormys?
Perhaps it's the allure of buying one saw per decade vs one per year.SamT
I don't think that argument holds up. My P-C sidewinder is at least 10 years old, and I've got other sidewinders at least twice that old. I've got a really old P-C of my dad's, from the 50s, that still works just fine. Granted it doesn't get used much anymore.
If you buy professional grade tools, and at least try to take care of them, they'll all last a long time.
"Perhaps it's the allure of buying one saw per decade vs one per year."I would rather buy one saw per year than buy a new elbow when I'm 40.DCEDIT: I am a pro remodeler and my Mil sidewinder has got to be at least 5-8 years old. Although I keep it in a case when not being used, I don't baby it on the job. It cost me a whole $150; a whopping $30/yr or less. Not bad considering I need to keep an equipment overhead of around $50k.If you are a pro framer (just a framer) who probably carries an overhead of about $5 but the circ saw is your main weapon, now how is $150 a year really hurting your bottom line? You get a new saw every year instead of an old heavy beat up one. How often you buy boots? Trucks? Tool belts? I don't think it is necessary for all tools to last forever; especially if it's a tool you use everyday.
Edited 8/17/2009 2:08 pm ET by Dreamcatcher
I'm a carpenter.SamT
I started as a framer and learned the technique of working with a worm drive saw and its particular set of characteristics when I was very young by watching masters like larry haun and will holladay. ( I apprenticed in the same local as holladay just a couple of years behind him)
The sidewinders are a different animal with a different set of characteristics.
I think it is fair to say that both have advantages and disadvantages, and that each requires some time to master.
I consider myself a master with the saw, and I don't think that there are many who watch me work that don't want to be able to use the tool with the same degree of proficiency and production.
I have also worked on the east coast and seen men exhibit the same amount of skill and production, albeit using different technique, with the sidewinder, although I have yet to see them cut a let in brace on framed wall on the ground, or cut the tops on a rake wall's studs after it is nailed to the bottom plate and the cut lines are marked with a snap line.
I like having a sidewinder in the tool box, there are times when the blade on the wrong side comes in handy, but I'm gonna dance with who brung me.
After quite some time performing repetitive tasks it is amazing how good you can get at cutting a perfectly square line with only a crows foot mark for an end length. I am sure I am not the only "rough" framer that makes pretty clean and accurate cuts with only a mark for length.
I am not just a "framer" but try to do the work efficiently without sacrificing quality. Good craftsmanship usually saves time for subsequent steps so it pays to not just slap it up.
Well put - us leftcoasters all knew that... and now, thanks to you, (hopefully) he does too!View Image bakersfieldremodel.com
Welcome to the dark side, use the force wisely my son. I learned to frame out in Idaho in the mid 70's. Now when I show up on a job on the East Coast, I get varying comments on it. My answer is "It's a man's saw". Follow the good advise of previous posters. One other thing is to set the depth an 1/8 or so below the work, less binding. There are many tricks and techniques, that can be aquired with experience, ie ripping 2x stock without saw horses (advanced class)
"Shawdow boxing the appoclipse and wandering the land"
Wier/Barlow
I learned how to frame in the tracts of southern california beginning my apprenticeship in the late 70's.
The technique the pro's use is to work on the ground to start with, and you pick up the board with your left hand and cradle it with your toe/shin.
You will spend a lot of time in this position and it takes some getting used to, you have to keep your knees bent and you have to have the back for it.
But that is the "easy" way to keep the board at about a 45 degree angle/incline (as larry haun describes) and then let gravity and the saw work for you instead of fighting it.
Once you have the technique down it is very much a matter of just keeping the saw flat in the same plane and on the line as it slides down the board.
As others have said you don't want to be in the way if it should kick back, but I am right on top of it with the saw and the cut basically between my legs. I am very aware and concentrating on where the saw is and what I am doing. You may want to try youtube for some examples of what you might want to try.
You will get use to the torque twist of the saw when you pull the trigger and naturally brace your arm-hand against the force' then you might get a hold of an old makita where the motor rotes in the opposite direction and it will be hard to naturally control the saw
Old Makitas... Yea.. thumb biters......
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
"it's heavy" "blade on the wrong side" "can bind" "torque twist" "thumb biter"Wow, the way you guys talk about these saws...I can't imagine why everyone WOULDN'T want to use one everyday.:-PThey are good for cutting through junk that I wouldn't want my real saw to cut through. Shingles/nails/concrete. Oh and they usually have a bigger blade don't they? I recall using a worm to cut PT posts in just 2 cuts (or 2 then twist the center, I forget).I still don't see the real appeal to use an awkward/heavy saw everyday. Work is hard enough. I would say there are more advantages to using lighter/faster sidewinders.Nothing against you old guys.....you have your ways.DC
Faster? no.
What you talkin bout Willis?Worms average 4500 rpmSW's are around 6000 rpmDC
IND47 stole my answer! Not including myself in this- You just can't compare a Cali.
framing crew with wormdrives to anybody else. I started framing out west so I learned on a worm, but it has mostly
been form work that has kept me using it. Standing in a hole, cutting roughcut you can't beat it.
"it's heavy" (Unbalanced and awkward) "blade on the wrong side" "can bind" You are of course referring to the sidewinders with those comments. To those who were used to the other worm drives the Makita, when it first came out, had an unusual torque that took some getting used. Once guys owned them for awhile there was no issue.
As I said earlier, it is all a matter of taste. For me after forty years of handling worm drives a side winder is a struggle to control. Blade size is the same unless you are using a 5 1/2 sidewinder or the 3" Makita.
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
I would say there are more advantages to using lighter/faster sidewinders.
Try eating Wheaties for breakfast, and lay off the Hostess Twinkies. Nothing against you youngsters, stick with this business long enough, and you'll learn eventually!
-------
edited to add: I 'm just kidding. If you can't handle a worm drive, or feel frightened by its torque, its best to steer clear. They can be dangerous in the wrong hands. Stick with what you can handle comfortably. To each his own.
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Edited 8/19/2009 10:03 pm by Huck
I don't think the sidewinders are faster. They may spin faster but I don't think they cut faster.
Many times at work the fastest way is not the easiest way. If you are doing it for a lifelong career and you think of it as a marathon and not a sprint you are probably a lot smarter to use the lighter saw, and work on tables and sawhorses and not on the ground.
But if you are talking fast as in production framing, like a contest you might see in a loggers competition except for framers, lets say for example building a rake wall I don't think a guy using a sidewinder has a chance, even if he is competing against an "old guy"!
I'd take that bet.
To late they're already done.
You think the sidewinder would be faster than the wormdrive to end cut the studs at the top with the correct angle for a rake wall?
Maybe it would if you were just making all the cuts on a stack of lumber on saw horses,
but if you frame the wall on the ground by nailing long enough studs to the bottom plate then measuring and marking short then long then short points (this contest has a rake wall with high point in center)
then snapping a chalk line to mark the tops of the studs with the correct angle and length, then working your way across with the saw lifting top of stud from ground just enough to make cut...
I think a worm is faster, especially if you back cut the studs on the way down the rake. I don't think I've ever seen that done with a sidewinder, maybe it would be possible for a left hander?
My position in this discussion continues to be that both tools have their advantages.
Both require slightly different techniques, an experienced framer with a good back using the techniques that work for framing on the ground is hard to beat speed wise, and can still be first quality framing.
Now that I'm a little older and wiser it seems maybe smarter to not work on the ground so much and set up a cutting table with sawhorses. Your back will thank you when you are one of the "old guys". In that application the sidewinder I think has the advantage. Remember the marathon is won by finishing strong, not going out fast.
In all that you just said, the only advantage when using a worm that I could possibly think is that maybe since the saw is longer it makes bending over to cut slightly easier.Otherwise, how is it faster? I can do all that you just described using a sidewinder. The only difference is that my cuts are cleaner because of increased RPM and my back hurts less because of my saw weighs less. What fantastic magic does the extra weight have? Being old/used to/very good/very fast with a certain saw can be said for either saw... probably even some old coot out there who'd claim his handsaw is faster (and he still probably catches heck from some guy with an axe!).I am in no way convinced that the two are interchangeable or equal. Worms are old tech, Sidewinders are new tech. DC
Nonsense. Using a wormdrive is so easy, even a caveman could do it!
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Caveman... sorta just made my point.DC
You're sharp! Help yourself to as much rope as you want! (heeheehee)View Image bakersfieldremodel.com
I'm not sure you can say old tech vs new tech when you are referring to tools that have remained basically unchanged for more than 60 years.Craig
True, but Black & Decker WAS selling both a sidewinder AND a worm-drive type of saws back in the 40s ( that is 1943, to you kids out there) the only change has been the the material used in the "shell" the motor sets in.
Skil corp was doing the same.
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
Yes, I'll take that bet.
Lets up the ante. After the studs are cut, lets also notch for the sub rake and drop the sub rake into the studs enough to make the sheathing run over it. There were many times when I had to do that for various reasons.
After a decade or so of cutting studs like that, I decided that I really didnt like picking up the studs off the deck. Why? Because ever so slightly, it opend the joint at the bottom of the stud at the bottom plate. Also, it wasn't an effective way to cut cripple studs that might be toenailed to a header only a few inche or feet away. By lifting up on these parts, it would tear away the stud from the header. Because of these issues, I moved on from the slow approach that you are describing.
The point is, for every "problem", there is a solution. Sometimes it involves useing different tools or techniques. Always keep in mind that if you are using one technique, someone has tried it and improved on it.
I won't/can't comment about wormdrives because I've never used one. Well, I did pick one up once and pull the trigger. It just wasn't anything that seemed useful to me, given my evolution with the sidewinder. Every process that I engaged in with a sidewinder was designed specifically with the sidewinder (right blade, right handed). Because of that, no other saw would work. I'm sure that same statement applies for you.
This is basically a Ford vs Chevy discussion and there will always be both.
But....don't be too quick to bet the farm.
The Final Answer:
Wormdrives taste great!
Sidewinders are less filling!SamTA Pragmatic Classical Liberal, aka Libertarian.
I'm always right! Except when I'm not.
So now what? Nails vs screws?
Ok.
I'll take 20d spikes and you take 1" piffins.SamTA Pragmatic Classical Liberal, aka Libertarian.
I'm always right! Except when I'm not.
So now what? Nails vs screws?
uh, trucks vs. vans?
Bosch vs. DeWalt?
classifieds vs. ServiceMagic?
cut-and-stack vs. truss?
speed square vs. framing square?
bid vs. t&m?
Step right up, ladies and gennamen, put on a pair of gloves and step into the ring!
View Image bakersfieldremodel.com
Put me down for:
Sidewinder
Screws
Vans
Bosch
Classifieds
Cut
Speed square
BidThese are easy picks...got any more?DC
you got 5 out of 8 correct! Advance to the next level...View Image bakersfieldremodel.com
Shut up man! Frenchy and xxxpaul are going to get all wound up and the rest of us are getting hammered.
<<Shut up man! Frenchy and xxxpaul are going to get all wound up and the rest of us are getting hammered.>> Ah, come on there's nothing going on since the swaying structure
thread was shut down.
Well, even the politics are kinda flaming out now. It could be time for some more nailscrew threads. Hang on. The screwy guys usually lose out after a pounding discussion.
I cut trim with my worm drive and big timbers with my sidewinder:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzecgPNpsOE
What is wrong with some of these girly-men? Heck, I'm a girl and I have never had any trouble with my wormdrive. Of course, to be honest, I have never had to run it above my shoulder height. Being of slight frame (5'7", 130lb, bony shoulders), I doubt I could do that.
I always felt like the weight of the saw was helpful. Trust me, when you are a girl, you have to figure out different methods for getting things done using gravity, leverage, and balance, to make up for less strength.
Nice to see you back Sam.
darcy
Work for the greatest vital intensity - the greatest solidity and aesthetic reality. Finally, eleminate everything non-essential. Reduce to the absolute essence. ~ F.C. Trucksess
I would agree with that assessment, the weight of a worm drive is an advantage if used correctly.
I think it best to use good ergonomic positioning/posture regardless of size or strength. I don't care how big your shoulders are you are much stronger when you bend your knees and use the large muscles of your glutes and thighs to do the work.
"are you are much stronger when you bend your knees and use the large muscles of your glutes and thighs to do the work."
Honey, does this make my butt look big?
*Sorry, I just couldn't resist!*
Work for the greatest vital intensity - the greatest solidity and aesthetic reality. Finally, eleminate everything non-essential. Reduce to the absolute essence. ~ F.C. Trucksess
The correct answer is NO!
Thats my story and I'm sticking to it.
Lol, good answer.
Work for the greatest vital intensity - the greatest solidity and aesthetic reality. Finally, eleminate everything non-essential. Reduce to the absolute essence. ~ F.C. Trucksess
"You cut like a girl!"
"You cut like a girl!"
I'm quite sure that I do!
Work for the greatest vital intensity - the greatest solidity and aesthetic reality. Finally, eleminate everything non-essential. Reduce to the absolute essence. ~ F.C. Trucksess
That same principle applies to a sidewinder. Let gravity assist you.
I did in fact use the sidewinder in vertical, overhead, horizontal, and any combination thereof on a very regular basis.
I would be interested to know how you have speeded up or improved upon my slow approach.
I had a job once a long time ago where I did nothing but frame rake walls every day for 6 months.
I didn't even have to raise my walls, the crew that stood the offsite built square walls did that. Fremont California circa 1985.
There were only 4 or 5 floor plans so to keep from going insane I tried every different method I could think of and timed them all to determine which was faster trying very hard to exert the same amount of effort with each different method.
I think anybody that is smart can watch and tweak and improve a little here and there, but I also think I pretty much did that on rakes. If you can improve it my hats off to you.
I'd be glad to share with you if you are open minded. My "solution" is certainly unconventional but it works. I've built at least a couple hundred of those things and I never stopped trying to save a few seconds.
If memory serves correct the torque reaction on the early makita is when you release the trigger and the brake comes on, it did take a little while to get used to it.
Gravity is your friend with a worm drive.
I've used 'em but I don't own them.
The light little Makita 7.25" with the little LED light is my latest love. I have the PC that has the reverse side that I use in combo with the Makita for when I cut stringers...just cut a set yesterday in fact.
I understand the appeal of the worm drive but it's not what I learned on or ever owned.
"Any advise "
Maybe add a rope and you'll have a nice anchor?
use it as a down payment on a good sidewinder...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
dovetail's "practice........" and Jer's "gravity is your friend" is good advice as any. I'm a relative newcomer to worm drives ; it does take some getting used to after decades of sidewinders but I'm a convert. I have the Bosch 1677MD and love it. My previous experience with a worm drive wasn't a positive one .....company I was working for sent me out on a punch list with an 8 1/4" Skil w/ a dull blade. Would have been better off with an ax.
"There can be no doubt that Socialism is inseparably interwoven with totalitarianism and the abject worship of the state…Socialism is in its essence an attack not only on British enterprise, but upon the right of ordinary men and women to breathe freely without having a harsh, clammy, clumsy tyrannical hand clasped across their mouth and nostrils" -Winston Churchill
It's a freaking saw. Pick it up and cut the board. How difficult can you make it? I don't care who makes it or which side the blade is on, they all cut wood.Saws, just like the fastest super computers in the world, are only as good as the information put into them.It's not too late, it's never too late.
It's a freaking saw. Pick it up and cut the board.
Ah, yes, Carpentry 101, chapter one. I remember it now!View Image bakersfieldremodel.com
He's trying to become one with his worm. Be patient.
I was afraid that you would read my post. You, knowing my love of Festool, could really throw the,"it's a freaking saw" thing in my face.It's not too late, it's never too late.
Waste side to the left and measure from the left! It works 50% of the time, by then you should be good enough either way.
Edited 8/15/2009 9:49 pm by woodway