Makita 5402NA Video

A post I've been wanting to do for a while has been about Makita's 5402NA. This is a huge circular saw that is for timbers and beams. But, since I didn't feel I could do justice for it with words, I finally decided I should do it with a Makita 5402NA video.

If you don't subscribe to our power tool podcast, now would be a good time to do so. I have videos scheduled to come out Wednesday each week for a while. There's some good stuff coming up.

Skilsaw Rebates - $20 from Skil on some great saws

What's even better than getting a great saw at a great price? How about $20 back by mail? From March 2nd to May 31 (2006, of course), Skil is sending $20 back for every HD77M and HD77 you decide to buy, with no limits on the quantity listed on the rebate form. That's an awesome deal if you're looking for a Skilsaw!

What makes this a good Skilsaw for a beginner?

If you've ever worked with any sort of a circular saw, you know that handle placement can be a big deal. If you're not used to a circular saw at all, having the blade on the left side instead of the right allows a right handed person to see the cut without leaning over the saw. By placing the handle behind the tool, Skil has also managed to create a saw that you're pushing through the material instead of guiding from the top. By moving the handle out of the way, you can see more of the material you're cutting and less of the back of your hand. The results tend to be straighter cuts. Beginner and tradesmen alike can appreciate that.

What makes this a good Skilsaw for a contractor?

Skil uses a "Worm Drive" to create a drive mechanism that not only has more power, but also has a longer life than standard "spur" gears. The "Worm" style has more teeth constantly in contact, which creates very little play in the mechanism and a smoother, more consistent spinning motion for the blade. By having gear reduction, the torque is also greatly increased without requiring a much more expensive motor. Less play in the gearing leads to less wear. The end result of using a worm drive is a much more solid gearing mechanism creating a more powerful, longer lasting saw - great for any contractor. If you depend on your saw to make a living, you'll appreciate the accuracy and the longer duty cycle.

Which one should I get?

Between the HD77M and HD77, there isn't all that much difference. Basically, the only difference is that the "M" means Magnesium, which is a stronger metal that is also lighter weight. For a homeowner looking for a quality saw, either would be fine. For a contractor that is going to be using it quite often, the lighter saw and stronger housing will be very appreciated.

Want to play and learn more?

We have an online demo of the HD77M available if you'd like to play with it a bit. You can magnify the saw, spin it to see all sides and learn about all of the features that make it a great saw. Just visit the HD77M Skilsaw page and click on the "Product Demo" button just above the picture. It's vendor supplied, so there isn't a whole lot of explanation of the features, but it's still a fun toy. Enjoy.

When a circular saw warrants a name change

Lets face it : most circular saws are less than interesting. They basically cut straight lines across materials, and they all do it in pretty much the same manner. Spin a blade, cut along a line. However, the Festool TS55EQ is much different. In fact, it is so different that it warrants a different name.

Visible Differences
The first thing I noticed is that the blade is covered a bit more than normal. They also always picture it with the guide rail and the vacuum hose attached. But those differences aren't enough to warrant changing the name. Sure, it has some nice stuff with the guide system that is accurate regardless of the angle of the cut. Sure, the dustless cutting system is nice. But that's not the real change. Someone might also notice that there is a knife blade right behind the saw blade. More on that in a bit.

Plunge Cutting
Festool calls this saw a plunge cut saw, and for good reason. This particular saw is capable of doing "Plunge Cuts". As I mentioned in my simple overview of routers, plunge means you start above the material and drop down into it to begin a cut somewhere other than an edge. The knife blade will retract automatically when doing a plunge cut, then drop down into the cut slot as you begin doing a cut. The knife blade is to prevent the saw blade from getting pinched as you move along a longer cut. Older models required removing the knife for plunges, but this time around it is spring loaded.

Where Would I Plunge?
At first, this was a "Cool" type of a change to me, but I couldn't think of a use. Of course, there are lots of uses. If, for example, I need to cut a window out of a cover (I do this for car audio on a regular basis), I don't need to use a jigsaw and hope to get a straight cut. I can plunge this saw instead and use the guide to get a perfectly straight cut, all without the need to pre-drill anything. Anywhere that a straight cut is desired that doesn't go all the way to the edge is a perfect spot for this saw.

I Want It!
Knowing how much of a pain using a jigsaw for the straight line is, I really want one of these saws. Once again, I don't do it enough that I can warrant spending the money, but the saw is just unique enough that it's on my wish list. Of course, it still works exactly like a circular saw when you need to use it that way (with the additional function of the spreader knife), but plunging with a circular saw is just way too cool for a geek to miss.