Replies

1. 
   Denvergenrl | Apr 15, 2003 03:14am | #1

   Boy Frank, you are one of the greatest thinkers of all time. Milwuakee is the only way to go, here in Vancouver...

2. 
   Timuhler | Apr 15, 2003 03:37am | #2

   Frank,

   There are saw reviews at http://www.toolsofthetrade.net.  They compared all the wormdrives and the newer DeWalt won out.  We have three of those saws and we all like them.

   If you are bent on Skil, then buy the new Bosch wormdrive.  It's a little spendy, but they've improved on the Skil (Bosch owns Skil).  It has a 15 amp instead of 13 amp motor.  It's as light as the Mag.  It has a rafter hook, and a guard that doesn't catch so easily.  It is better made than the Mag.  We have one of these saws.  I got it at the JLC LIVE! in Vegas because it was such a good deal.  That is the saw that stays in the truck and only comes out when we are trimming a porch or cutting rafters.

   Either the DeWalt or the Bosch is the way to go.

1. 
   fdampier5 | Apr 15, 2003 03:46am | #3

   around here the vast majority of builders own the Mag 77. (which I own)  I can't believe what a great saw it is..  I can rip white oak full depth with it and it doesn't bog down,,  (in fact on the twenty four foot long 12"x12" white oak timber I made four full length full depth rip cuts and it never heated up or bogged down once.  I can't imagine a worse test of a saw..

     one nice feature no-one seems to mention is the ease it will stay on a line..   I'm a terrible sawer.. normally when I cut it looks like a scallop as I weave my way around the line..  with the mag I've been able to rival my table saw..  In fact I ave a brand new cabinate saw that I've owned for many months and I have yet to feel the need to connect it.  It's that easy to saw a straight line!

1. 
   KenHill3 | Apr 15, 2003 04:20am | #4

   Another vote for the Bosch 'improved Mag 77'. IMHO the best framing saw there is.

   Ken Hill

1. 
   Houghton123 | Apr 15, 2003 05:54am | #5

   Depends on how you use your saw.  I don't swing a hammer for a living, and maybe I'd see it differently if I did (or if I had more upper body strength instead of being an office-bound wimp during the week), but I find worm drive saws darned difficult for remodeling, which is how I spend my weekends (all on my own house).  A sidewinder allows you to do those siding cutouts and similar awkward cuts far more easily than a worm drive.  Maybe it's how I grew up -- I was down at my parents' house a weekend or so ago, and got out my Dad's old Skil sidewinder.  I can't count the number of times I held a board while he cut it with that little saw.

3. 
   kaufman | Apr 15, 2003 06:16am | #6

   My opinion is that Bosch bought out skil so they could own the design of the greatest saw ever made......the mag 77. Bosch's remakes of the design are also top notch.

   But if you got forearms like Popeye skil has an 8 12 inch worm drive that cuts a 60 degree bevel. my dad has had one for over a decade and it sees day in and day out use and abuse, i've never bogged it down or stopped the blade in anything!

4. 
   Ariza | Apr 15, 2003 06:26am | #7

   It is by far the most common one out here on the west coast. I have only used a couple of other worm drives. The Makita is lighter and not as well made . Also the makita has (or did in the past) way too much torque at start up and when it stops. It causes it to kick to the side each time you pull and let off of the trigger which makes it a dangerous saw. Some of the other ones that I've seen look like they were copies of the Skill just a different color. the Milwhakee may be a good one, a lot of there other tools are great. Dewalts 7 1/2" cicular saw is kind of comfortable and light wieght but I don't think it is worm drive and it is a very different design if you are used to the Skill, but I like it.   

5. 
   KARLSTER | Apr 15, 2003 07:36am | #8

   I think those steering you away from the milwaukee are giving good advice. 

   That said I use a milwaukee converted to a track saw for cutting slabs and it is almost impossible to kill.  It will run for hours on end without a rest and it is typically covered with water and slurry.  I put hundreds of hours on it and all I do is change the oil every few blades and the brushes very rarely. 

   If durability of the motor is essential it is good but otherwise get the others for user friendliness.

   karl

6. 
   NOTRIX1 | Apr 15, 2003 06:20pm | #9

   Hi,

   I'm still using the Skill "vanilla" 77 as it's all I ever used. Found a brand new one for $75 recently so I'll be using that for a while.

   As an aside note; I was doing a deomlition last week and had to cut dozens of boards down to fit in my truck. I hadn't expected this and just grabbed all my tools the 77 included but I had forgotten I had put on a real nice Tenryu(?) blade that cost about $20 ,40t I think. I had reserved this for more finish type ripping I had only used it on 3/4 material before. But had to use what I had. This blade cut every board like butter! Even buried cuts on a 4x4 it zipped through. A little pricey but I may consider leaving it on for a while it was that much of a difference.

   See ya,

   N