Power Saws Reviews

milwaukee sawzalls can be repaired and often for free! if your sawzall breaks send it to a milwaukee service center, not just any tool repair place, even if they are milwaukee cerified. often, milwaukee will repair it for free. milwaukee now has a 5 year warranty and that should cover damage under normal use repairs. repairs can be 80.00 to 100.00 dollars per repair. it's worth the shipping costs. sometimes there is a tool recall, see milwaukee's website or just email them. if this is the case, you'll get a new saw for free. milwaukke does stand behind their reputation. so don't just toss a dead tool; send it away to get it repaired.

I've owned my saw for about 4 yrs or so. I mostly cut metal daily with my Sawzall - The blades and saw get all sorts of severe abuse. I even use the orbital action on some of the metal cuts ( It clears out the chips ) I have not had any problems with it - the only thing I'd say would be nice to have is a variable stroke control. The milwaukee metal cutting "Torch" blades are worth the money because they last and are pretty tall allowing for straighter cuts. I've also cut out numerous not so small tree stumps( I'd call this a serious abuse of the saw), pruned and cut down trees with it and even used it to cut up a big piano and some oil burners.

Metaphorically speaking, of course. But no joke, this thing will tear into whatever you set in front of it. I've also got the 10 amp with trigger-controlled speed and no orbital. It's a great saw, but the orbital action combined with the dial-in speed control is a super-nice feature. If it gets bogged down, the clutch feature keeps you from burning it up. I've used this thing to take a kitchen down as well as cut the roof off a Honda. Heck, I've even pruned trees with it, cut up old gutters, and been tempted to carve the Thanksgiving turkey with it. It's just a danged ol good saw. A Hawg if there ever was one.

This saw has all the features you'd expect for $169.00
It is well balanced, has no vibration, has super easy blade change. The speed control knob at the back of the motor sets the maximum speed, the trigger varies the speed up to the maximum setting. This saw is a workhorse, never bogs down, regardless of the speed setting.

The only downside to this excellent saw is that, on cutting thick wood(1'-2"), the cut is skewed to the left a little. Different blades from other manufacturers don't seem to improve the problem.

I've owned a DeWalt jigsaw for over 10 years and never had a problem until recently, causing the need for a replacement. I purchsed the Bosch for its name and reviews. This saw works far better than any others I have used in the past. I used it to cut some steep angles and compund cuts on a 2x12 for a recent roof project. Very powerful and cuts through like butter. Highly recommend

The Bosch Jigsaw has exceeded my expectations. It has the power to cut thick hardwood but it has the control to make intricate cuts as well. The plastic shoe helps to keep from maring the surface of wood so the amount of necessary sanding is reduced. I expect this will be the last jigsaw I buy.

Everyone loves this saw, or so it seems from the reviews. I like this saw as well, I own it. I've had it for over a year and a half and I've cut everything from 1x4s to 6x6s, mostly for framing. I still think it lacks power compared to a worm drive, which isn't all that much more expensive. Here's what I'd like you to consider before buy a circular saw: try out a worm drive before buying anything. Brakes are a definate plus, for you don't want to slow down when you're on a roll and they make for a downright safer cut. Also consider the $60 Skil 13amp saw with a laser. Skil is a great name when it comes to circular saws, and what a great price. If you want to spend more look at the Skil worm drive saw. If you want to buy milwaukee, buy the version of this circular saw with a brake, you'll thank yourself later.

This saw pretty much rocks. I bought it to cut 1 1/4" flagstone. Just threw a diamond blade on this bad boy and the saw has so much power, it slices right threw it with no problems. So...buy it..it rocks.

(Michelles husband John using her account)
I bought this saw about a year ago and I absolutly love it! At the time I bought it I was doing a lot of plywood underlayment in a condo developement and the Ryobi saw I was using was on its way out. I decided that I was going to spend the money and get the best saw I could. I did a lot of research and spent a lot of time in Home Depot feeling out which saw was the most comfortable in my hand (I`m not a big guy and I have smallish hands)Especialy important to my was the space between the front grip and the gaurd tab since I do a lot of plunge cuts and didn`t feel safe having to stretch to hold the gaurd up. I also tried out other folks saws on jobsites to see how I liked the way they worked. The Milwaukee and the Rigid were the best fit. The DeWalt was too big a stretch. I just plain didn`t like the Hitachi, Porter Cable, and Bosch. Given my experience with Rigid tools it was an easy choice from there. I`m glad I made the call I did. This is a great saw. Sturdy, comfortable, easy to use, and powerfull! Everyone whose tried it agrees, even the guy I work with whose a die hard DeWalt fan! Although I`m primarily a trim carpenter, I do some decks, some renovations, some underlayment, and other odds and ends too. I love using this saw and reach for it every chance I get. I also like the tilt lock handle and use it a lot even though I didn`t figure I would when I bought the saw. All in all, I would recomend this saw to anyone.

I am a handy man by trade. So I am not really into a lot of finish work but this is a great dual purpose saw. Its not too heavy being over the age of 65 weight is a definite consideration. Easy to use and the laser is great. I am getting used to pushing the saw blade in versus pulling it out toward me as on my old Dewalt. I like the slide feature as well. I found the reviews to be a big help. Enjoy the saw. Price was excellent as a fifty dollar discount was available at the time. Worth every penny.

The saw is excellent but don't fall for the rebate tool offer from hitachi, whatever it is (I was to receive finish nailer)or drill they just won't send it without repeated correspondence.

I purchased this saw through Amazon after about a week of comparison shopping and reading the reviews on this site. I just want to thank everyone that took the time to express their thoughts on this product. I am a general contractor, I do residential remodeling and finish work on new construction. I have used this saw on the job for three days, so far and I am very impressed. I would recommend this saw to anyone that is in the market to buy a saw with these features.

This is a good bandsaw for the price. But it comes with a really useless blade. Blade tensioning broke after only a few months so I can no longer adjust the tension on the blade, rendering the saw somewhat useless. Not a bad saw for basic work but for cutting big or heavy things, the motor is underpowered.

I bought mine last fall. It arrived promptly, and was easy to assemble...with one exception. The holes in the table, to support the front fence support were drilled, but not threaded. Someone at the factory didn't tap the threads. It was easy to do myself, and after a few minutes I was able to complete the assembly. That's why only 4 stars. Otherwise it would get 5.

Assembly was a piece of cake. The upper part was very heavy for one person to lift onto the base, and I didn't have anyone to help. So I came up with an alternative. I assembled it on the floor...laying horizontal. Then, I was able to tilt it up from the floor by myself.

Alignment was perfect out of the box. I did, of course, have to adjust the guide bearings, and tension the blade.

The stand is indeed very stable. But I needed mobility, so installed wheels instead the normal feet. The saw is very top heavy, and even with good quality wheels, it can be pretty scary when when rolling across the shop floor. The best way is the push or pull it from the lowest part of the base that is comfortable...not from any part of the saw itself.

The only change I would like to see in the saw is a paddle type off switch. The push buttons are fine, and are high quality, but I would prefer a paddle that I could hit easily.

I too ordered a riser block at a later date. While not a standard part of this bandsaw, it is a very common add-on, and well worth the money.

I am very pleased with mine. It is one of the most popular bandsaws out there for a number of very good reasons...including price and quality.

All I can say is WOW! I ordered this saw on a Saturday evening and by that Wednesday, it was in my shop.

I did weeks of research and looked at a lot of 14" Bandsaws before purchasing this one and I am very satisfied. It is well made and for the price, you cannot beat this saw.

Assembly was easy. The saw was ready to cut in about 2-hours after unpacking it.

The day after I received the saw, I received a small package from Grizzly. It was a free �" Timberwolf Blade.

Next time I need anything for my shop I'll go to Grizzly first.

This saw is great, I've never been able to make a jig saw follow a line until now. I never realized how much a sturdy, heavy saw would help. My only complaint is that the removing and replacing the t-shank blade is a bit awkward, but I suppose they designed it the way they did to so the body of the saw won't stick out too far past the blade when you move the foot back.

This is just an absolutely fine product. The difference between this and cheaper jig saws is like night and day. Be sure to get an assortment of metal, wood and specialty blades and this saw will do just about anything.

Whether ripping straight lines through plywood or making intricate scroll cuts, this jigsaw performs flawlessly. The quality is apparent just by holding it your hand- it's one of those tools that will probably outlive it's owner... Knocking it because of the country of origin is a philosophical/political argument and says nothing about the actual quality of the tool. Bosch's industry best 3 year warranty and the positive comments from people who have actually used it speaks volumes though.

Great saw. I'm a righty and really like the left hand blade for visibility (especially cutting sheets). But what really sold me on this saw was the "feel". You can't pick this out from a spec sheet but you know it when you use the tool. Let me say that I'm normally a HUGE Milwaukee fan, so that's the first place I went when I needed a new saw. They looked great and had some nice features but then I tried one. For me, the grip and balance of the Porter Cable felt a lot better.

I also picked up a dust bag and was surprised at how well it worked. It's a little annoying hanging out there but it really catches a lot of dust (nice for working inside people's houses).

SAW - I bought this saw for building decks and doing residential remodeling. It has proven to be up to the task --- lightweight, powerful, and makes accurate cuts because I can see the blade's alignment with each cut. Overall, I agree with all the other positive reviews of the saw, so no need to repeat.

CASE - The reason I'm writing this review is that some other reviewers have commented about the case, that it's too small and doesn't have room for accessories like extra blades, the rip fence, and the dust bag... I say, please take another look. The folks at Porter Cable didn't make a great saw, only to have a mental lapse when designing the case. Perhaps the case design is just a bit too clever, and the otherwise great manual didn't give any clues as to how to get everything to fit. So, here goes:

Let's assume you have the saw, along with an extra blade or two, the rip fence, and the dust bag, all out of the case. Here's how to get them to easily fit:

1) Blades - Notice the small post in the bottom of the case. It's 5/8" dia., just like it should be for blades, and about 1/3" tall --- good for storing at least two blades. Put the blades on the post.

2) Saw - Put the saw in its normal place, sitting on the left and right "ramps" in the case bottom. Now, the saw holds the blades in place, so they can't get tossed around in there and nick the power cord.

3) Stuff the power cord into the space behind the hand grip of the saw, and to the right of the motor housing.

4) Rip fence - Place the rip fence horizontally across the motor housing, with the "T" end to the left, and the long bar toward the power cord. It's okay if one of the ends at the "T" points upward, because the lid has clearance for it when it's closed.

5) Dust bag - Roll up the bag aound its internal wire frame, just like rolling up a windowshade. Then place the bag in the case, right along the front edge of the saw, between the case handle and the blade arbor. Orient the elbow end of the bag toward the left, so that it "turns the corner" around the dust chute end of the saw. Finally, the right end of the wire frame will need to be "tucked" into place inside the rim of the case bottom (bends the wire just slightly; don't worry, it snaps right back).

6) Close the case lid. If everything is in place, nothing binds at all as the lid closes.

Well, if it sounds complicated, just do it once; it isn't. -Took me less than 20 seconds on my first try, and I wasn't even hurrying.

True, it would be nice if the case came with metal latches like Porter-Cable's Tiger Saw case. But, if the plastic latches ever break, I'll just cut them away and put metal latches on the case from a hardware store.

I like the high impact plastic case better than a metal one, because it absorbs shock better if dropped, and doesn't scratch up my truck bed and tool box, which would then begin rusting. Though I have the largest WeatherGuard saddle-style box, there's still only so much room in there, so the compact case helps.

Also, the storage of the blade wrench in the saw's handle is a nice touch.

Bottom line - The P-C 743K saw and case have been refined to near perfection, especially for the money, which is why I give them 5 stars.

The Porter Cable 743K is the best circular saw on the market.

The main thing that sets this saw apart from the rest is the magnesium plate. Pick up any other brand and you'll find the bases are usually warped (even if they aren't, just one drop and they will be). The porter cable bases are straight everytime and are stronger than any other brand. The porter cable bases also slide accross materials very smoothly, other brands often catch on imperfections in the wood, not the porter cable.

I use my saw for precise rips and crosscuts (because I can't fit a table saw in my shop) so I need accurate and consistant cuts, this saw comes through everytime. I recommend buying a clampdown fence if you'll be doing a lot of rips and bevels that require table saw like accuracy, plus it's nice for routing and a host of other uses.

My only minor gripe is not with the tool itself. The case pretty lame. It's fine if you just want to store the tool in a safe place, but if you're doing any job-site toating you might want to invest in something that can fit your saw and it's accessories (like another blade) into one case.

I also recommend getting a Freud Diablo 40 tooth blade if you care about making clean cuts. The blade that mine came with is not bad, I use it to cut joists, decking, sheets, or whatever else that doesn't need a super clean cut. Freud makes my favorite blades and this one cuts like butter. It's also got thin kerfs (though it's still very very strong) so it takes less of your wood with it. Perfect match for this saw, rips purple heart and iron wood with ease.

I'd recommend looking at the 347K as well to see which side you like the blade on better. I thought that I wanted the blade right at first but after cutting a while with both (my work buddies happen to have both models, lucky me) I found that the blade left was actually better for a right hander like me.

The bottom line is you can't get a better saw for the money. This tool will be around as long as you're a woodworker (not sure how long if you're a serious framer, but I suspect it would last as long as any saw (including worm-drives) that you can buy). I got mind for ... $$ dollars at Home Depot (20% of all tools christmas sale) and it the best money I ever spent. Buy this saw. Five Stars.

Great service by Amazon. They sent a replacement for the first saw, 2nd day delivery, no charge, return shipping paid, no problems.

Both saws had the exact same problem: the fixed detent place was off for both 45s and the 90. No way to adjust this problem, so I took the plate completely off on the replacement saw, and am using an Incra Guaranteed Square and an Incra Guaranteed 45 to set the saw. Tollerances on the Incra are guaranteed at an amazing .0001 along the entire blade. Didn't even try the blade that came with the machine. Instead am using a Freud 96T Ultimate Cutoff blade. Kind of a pain to set the saw each time, but I use it to cut picture frames, and they must be perfect. Too bad the company can't make the plate to exacting standards. I really would have liked to have used the maching and not set it each time. But it's okay. With the plate missing, it sets with twist of the wrist of the handle without messing with holding down the detent stop.

Otherwise great saw. Starts up without a bang like my old Ridged. Lasers are parallel and adjust nicely for the new blade. Real satisified now. Again, thank you Amazon for the service.

Great cutting saw, the twin lasers make lining up and cutting a snap! I put a diablo 80-tooth finish blade on my Delta Mitre saw to cut some moulding, and was amazed at the cut, incredibly smooth and very easy to line up quickly with the laser system. Changing both the mitre and the bevel was a snap. Great saw. I have not tried the stock blade, since I was doing finish work I wanted a higher tooth-count blade, so I cannot comment on the stock blade.

I can't say anything bad about this saw. The lasers are a dream. I want lasers on everything now. The only thing I have to deal with is its right side laser gets obscured by dust after a couple hundred cuts. This, of course, is easily rectified by simply sticking your finger up there while the saw is plugged in - ha! Caught you sleeping! Practice safety on the job! Unplug your saw to clean the laser lens with a soft artist's brush, and this saw will keep you smiling. Safety first!

the motor is junk. less than three years with light use, two run capacitors it funally quit working. no other motor fits. Ok I will buy one from jet what other choice do I have. The next problem is a new motor is 6 weeks on back order. Must be going through a lot of them. I cant wait to much business will be lost. so i took the leeson motor off my planer made an adapter plate at the local welding shop and reamed the pulley to fit the leeson motor. LASTJET TOOL I OR ANY ONE I KNOW WILL EVER BUY

I bought my saw in March 2003. It has not had heavy usage. I think the overall quality of the saw is good (flat table, fence in line out of the crate, vibration practically non-existant, large handwheels, good fit and finish and good power).

The motor is the exception to the quality. It is cheaply made and failed in the middle of a project. I replaced the start capacitor (it had overheated and was leaking oil) and upon startup, the motor lost rpm, stopped and completely blew out the replacement start capacitor. The motor is out of warranty and I found out the windings were charred and shorted out. Needs a new motor. Found out that there were no gaskets on the motor end caps or anywhere else that I could find allowing sawdust to penetrate the motor (so much for TEFC). This can lead to premature failure but I don't know if that was the direct cause of my motors failure. I didn't expect it to last forever but 2 1/2 years of light use shouldn't cause failure. I have other machines that are 30 to 40 years old that have had much more extensive use and the motors are still good.

I will not be buying my replacement motor from Jet!

One other mild complaint... the dust collection box could be better designed to channel the sawdust down to the collection port. It just stacks up inside the cabinet and needs perodic cleaning. A minor inconvenience.

Would give it five stars if not for the poor motor quality.

I replaced a 15 year old Craftsman contractors saw that I had tweaked and adjusted until I thought it was as good as it could be. I had replaced the belt with a link belt, the pulleys with a set a friend had machined, and added the trunnion adjuster from In-Line Industries. I was satisfied with the results until...

The delivery of my new Jet was prompt and courteous. The trucking company scheduled delivery for 1:oo pm, and I was called by the driver 3 times before the delivery to update me on the schedule. There was no charge for a lift gate, he backed the truck up my drive, put the box on a palette jack a placed in the garage exactly where I wanted it.

Unpacking was uneventful. My son and I slid the saw off of the plate and onto the Jet mobile base. From that point, it took about an hour and a half to finish the assembly. Everything lined up and the fit and finish was perfect. Included inside the base was a spec sheet showing run out, blade alignment to miter slot, RPM and max height. All of these were far better than the accepted range.

I then thru on a Freud combo blade and did so test cuts. Like the preverbal hot knife thru butter. Didn't have a nickle in my pocket to test vibration, so I used a dime instead. Balanced it, and then cut a piece of 4/4 oak without knocking it over.

I have since been building shop cabinets with 3/4 melamine. The 50 inch fence is great for those large, heavy sheets.

This is the third Jet tool I have purchased. Additionally I have the 6 inch jointer and a 16 inch band saw. While these machines are not Powermatic and Laguna, they still have the best quality for the dollar available today.

For a used, reconditioned unit, it's a mighty fine saw. Too bad it was advertised as new, and too bad there is no mentioned of "reconditioned" except when it arrives on the doorstep in a box marked "reconditioned" and you see the wear & tear on the unit.

So, BUYER BEWARE ! Amazon is not selling a new unit. These are old, used, good condition reconditioned saws, which are fine, but worth $$$ less than Amazon is selling them for....

USED ..... RECONDITIONED ..... NOT NEW !!!

POORLY SHIPPED ! The very heavy saw was just thrown into a big box with a bunch of air filled packing cushions. It is no wonder that many people have noted damage to their saws in the other reviews. So, again, WARNING WARNING BUYER BEWARE !!!

And AMAZON, I thought your standards were higher.

I purchased the Makita LS1212 two years ago. Since then, I have cut hundreds of board feet of various types and this saw is the best I've ever used. I still haven't replaced the blade and after all this use, it still cuts like new! If your in the market for a fine cutting machine, don't hesitate buying the Makita LS1212! You will not regret it, by no means.

I had been waiting to purchase this saw from Amazon for about two years. The saw is wonderful (I have used a friend's LS1212 several times because my chop saw is an 8" and cutting crown molding on a small saw is a real pain). Just before Christmas I priced this saw again from Amazon ($579.00 on December 23, 2004) which was comparable to the prices from all of the other discount tool sources.

Today the price for the LS1212 had risen to $699.95 on the Amazon web site - that is a $121 increase in one week! Needless to say I went to another discounters web site and purchased the saw for last week's price of $579.00.

I don't understand a 10% price increase (in one week) on this saw (from the largest tool discounter in the world) but I suggest that if you are looking to purchase the LS1212 you might want to shop around.