Have any longtime Mag 77 users tried the new version? How does it compare to the older version?
Locally, I can get one that is “Made in China” or one that is “Assembled in USA” (not made in USA). Does that even mean anything anymore?
Thoughts?
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Replies
shameless bump.
shame on you
when you are up to yur knees in gators, make gatorade
At the time it was shameless, but now I'm really ashamed. I'm gonna have to call a shrink in the morning to help me deal with this burning, shameful shame. The shrink will probably charge me more than I would have spent to just buy the new saw and try it myself!=====Zippy=====
not to mention the bump went out with disco
when you are up to yur knees in gators, make gatorade
The handle on my first 77 was steel, that's how long I've been using them.
Switched to Mags when they came out and the last one we bought, maybe 6 months ago, had an improved blade guard design...a better table and maybe it came with a rafter hook already on it? Is that the one you mean?
If it is, I like it. A lot.
I think that's the one. Fine Homebuilding gave it a best overall early last year, but I was wondering if veteran users thought of it as a refinement/improvement on the original or a step down.=====Zippy=====
Tim Huler gave the Rigid wormdrive high marks a couple years ago so we bought one of those a few months ago, too. I haven't used it very much, and I don't know how it will stand the test of time, but I like the feel of it.
The blade guard design is a huge improvement on the new Mags. We have used rafter hooks on our worms for years, but it saves a few bucks that they now come with one. I liked the flat table on the old Mags, but the new one seems to ride just fine against a framing square or straight edge so I'm happy with that change, too.
Wish they could improve the slide ability of the depth locking mechanism and angle locking arc. Same old same old, there. All in all though, when you consider the abuse those tools take, they are a great value.
Been a little while now, but a few months ago, Lowes was clearing out Mag77's for $75 new in the box.Founud me one that was still a USA model.INfact, they were clearing out all the pro worm-drives, the Dewalt Hypoid saw, the original 77 and the Mag 77.These days, all the 77's and Mag77's you'll find are the made in China versions.Julian
I think they need to improve the angle adjustment. It's always a chore to get it all the way to 45. I used a friends Rigid and it had a much better design and it was very easy to turn to a 45. Seemed like a heavier saw.John
I like my Ridgid worm alot. My boss has the older 77, and I almost talked him out of it. I bought the Ridgid and used my sidewinder one last time and then sold it. I'll never look back.
An east coast guy worked on one of my jobs and swore by his Milwaukee sidewinder. We had a straight cutting competition, he lost.
Had some Canuck framers here and all they use are Makita hypoids. They couldn't get used to the Skil and cut the cords off both my mag saws the first day. Nothing I havent done myself!
I've had four Skil 77's over the last 33 years. The first two got stolen and I'm still using the two mag saws, one for nasty work like cutting concrete and demo.
The newer one has a better guard.
OB
Uhler with a U :-)
I replaced the baseplate on mine for $25 last spring after 3 years of use. It is still going strong. Its my everyday saw.
I have a new Makita that I only use on projects that need perfect accuracy, so its been in the garage for a year :-)
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From Bernies
"Uhuler"?
Jim, do you have any trouble with 'blodgett'?
I did when it was "O'blodgett". I never could remember if it had the apostrophe or not. It's much simpler now. I hardly ever get it wrong anymore.
I understand. Myself, never had a problem with 'HILL'.
I'm just messing with you. Only one U though. I'm told its either German (Prussian) Czech or Polish. Most of the time I feel Polish :-)
"I'm just messing with you."
Yeah, I know. I was just messing back. I take it as a challenge to use dry wit without the emoticons to let people know. Guess it didn't go over that well that time.
You planning on coming over the Bridge for The Great Northwest Fest this summer? Hoping to meet in person and shake your hand. You're doing a great job writing for JLC. (no dry wit intended).
It went over fine. I've been told my wit is dry as dirt. Which was a complement :-) I guess.
I don't know about the fest. When is it?
When is it?...when IS it?
I THINK it's the second weekend in August. Now I have to go check. It's been so long since I talked about it I forgot myself.
You guys ever buy those aluminum pump jacks?
Yeah, it's the weekend of August 8th. Got a bunch of rooms reserved at the motel in Yelm and everything. Got to go watch Wonderland.
Jim,
We didn't buy the pump jacks. We did what we could off ladder jacks, then on the back used pipe staging to get up to the gable. In the old days I'd have been man enough to walk the plank, but I'm scared in my old married age (I'm 31 now).
On the side I thought'd we'd really need it, we got the forklift it with only minor cosemetic damage to the neighbors landscaping :-)
About the fest, I'd love to come but I have a good excuse. My wife and her parents and I will be in Europe. 1 week in Vienna, then some time in Italy and then Switzerland. We cannont wait. Maybe next year though. Or we can meet up at JLC next year.
Vienna is nice. Kathy and I visited our son and his soon to be wife there a few years ago. I'm not big on northern Europe, but I was impressed with Vienna.
for what its worth i switched to the bosche worm drive and havent looked back.all of the mags i had that skinny table went south on me now they are relagated to concrete and demo.i felt the review in fhb was way biased but that is just my 2 cents
noah
My skill 77 is actually an old rockwell before skil took them over. Aluminum or maybe magnesium cased number. When the switch goes out you get a jolt, not a piece of plastic on the beast.
ML