Power Saws Reviews

My first chain saw!
I am 5'2" and 110lbs.
This saw is light enough for me to put to use,
I am amazed how fast I can get finished with
readiness for the winter.

RECEIVED AS ADVERTISED

I have owned several of these saws for business, no other small saw perfoms so well. Quick, efficient cutting capability...moving at 5,500 feet per minute it is simply the fastest electric chainsaw on the market. Lightweight, easy to reach oiler...quiet (well, in comparison to my big saws!)
A great choice for the home or business.

Well first of all the fence is junk,or at least for my uses, and the blade is too, as noted by the previous review. But dont get me wrong, this is a vey good saw,but it could be better. The refinement is not as high as compared to the bigfoot.The saw works well though, but if your welling to sacrifice a few inches and dollars id saw get the bigfoot, but all in all this is a fine machine but could be better.

This is the beam saw. Perfect cuts in 6x stock slow, but steady must use carbide blade. The steel blade that comes with it makes a handy wall decoration thats about it. The competition? Prazi? well if you like chainsaw finish on your house go for it. you could probably put a beaver in a harness and get a smoother result.

This is one cool tool. It has plenty of power for cutting whatever you want to. I bought the carbide blade for it and found it much better as expected. I think Makita should include this with the price we pay for the saw. The one they put on it at the factory is a joke. They know it's not good enough and you'll be back for the cabide blade. Oh well. That's how it works. Other than that the saw is great. If you are wondering about the amp rating on the motor, don't. It has plenty of juice for deep cutting. The brake is phenomenal ! It stops the blade right now and you'd better be holding on tight or it may jump out of your hands. If you need this kind of cutting capacity , you can't go wrong with this unit

I have had this saw (older model) for over 10 years now and i never regreted buying it. I am a finish carpenter and i don't use this everday but for once a week i need it - it has always been there and never let me down. i needed to buy another one for my other crew and didn't hesitate buy this newer model.

The best sawzall I have ever used..I've owned this saw since 1996, never had a problem, other than the powercord had to be replaced..It outcuts all the competion, and I highly recomend it to any tradesman, or DYI.

This is a great tool; one I don't know how I did without for all these years puttering around the house. With the proper blade, this saw does it all!

I give this saw five stars now considering all factors and leaving some emotion out. I bought the saw because of space constraints in my shop trying to handle and cut large panels on my table saw without any help. That, and at the time I was getting ready to start on my kitchen cabinets.

I set the saw up and added my additional options of wheels, stand, extensions and Quick-stop guage. Probably due to something during shipping, my saw would not cut a straight line. It was off by nearly 3/32" over a 48" cut (I cannot believe Safety Speed Cut would crate it up and ship it when it was off by that much). After making the first few test cuts, I thought I was going to have to cut pieces oversized and then trim to square on the table saw, but after reading the manual and making some adjustments this was not the case.

So here is why I still gave it five stars.

The instruction manual was very thorough and clearly explained how to check for square if your cuts were off. They walk you through every possible option and even explain how to make up a large tri-square to dial the saw back into square. After making up the large tri-square (at some additional expense) the saw was very easy to adjust and before long I had the saw cutting square straight pieces for my cabinets.

This saw makes handling large plywood sheets easy, and with less effort and fatigue compared with a table saw, you can have 10 sheets cut down to size in no time at all. The optional Quick-stop guage makes repetitive cuts quick and accurate - great for cabinet sides, backs etc.

So, other than a slight initial alignment problem, the saw has been one of the best additions to my shop. I am considering adding the dust collection option in the future and my only observation there is that it is a fairly high dollar option ($347) for something so necessary. In my opinion, this should be standard on all of the saws instead of an accessory.

Another plus in choosing this saw over a 3HP cabinet saw is that you can use standard 110V power versus adding a 220V circuit for your cabinet saw.

If you work with large sheets often, I highly recommend this saw especially if you have a smaller shop. If you have room to spare, you might consider the H-4 saw which is what I originally wanted but could not get into my shop.

I have found this saw to be very accurate, and easy to use. I have owned it for about a year, and use it far more than I though I would. It makes it very easy to cut a 4 x 8 sheet of plywood. It is however not very portable. I ussually measure up what I need to cut at the job site, and take the work to my shop.

This is a scaled down version of the panel saws used at most lumberyards and home centers. I have had mime for about a year and really depend on it now. Before, I had to struggle with large sheets on the table saw, which usually required the help of a second person. Now, I can manage these easily by myself. The saw was delivered factory adjusted for precision cuts. I highly recommend purchasing the optional wheels, extensions and stand unless you plan on mounting it in a permanent location. I use mine in the garage and wheel it out when weather permits. On the downside, the material rollers are made of plastic and could presumably break if a heavy sheet such as melamine was to drop on them. Also, it is sometimes difficult to switch the saw from crosscut to rip mode as sawdust particles build up between the rotating plates causing them to bind. I have tried silicone spray in this area but it doesn't seem to last. Overall however, I feel this was an excellent investment.

I have been using mostly to keep my miter slots and table saw fence well lubricated. It does an excellent job.

It looks like a denser version of petroleum jelly and a little goes a long way. This one quart will last me most of the year, if not longer.

You should be able to use it in most any application that requires lubrication. Its also touted as a rust protectant, but I've been using the Boeshield Rust Prevention product for that.

A little dab will do ya. Go ahead and try it.

It has been a constant uphill battle to keep the cast iton surfaces of my tools (my table saw, band saw, sander, scrollsaw and jointer) from rust. It is just too humid down here in Houston, Texas.

To use this product, I did a thorough surface preparation (sanding and buffing), then wiped a coat of the Slipit on the cleaned surface, and voila, I have no rust for the months. I still keep my fingers crossed, but it seems that now and then by wiping on a very thin coat, I manage to keep the cast iron surface of my tools slick and free of rust. It is also economical since the quart of Slipit does go a long way. Give it a try.

This is slick stuff. It applies like a thin car wax, and looks kind of like petrolium jelly. It does not seem to leave any residue, and also seems to remove some of the oxidation on iron surfaces. It applies very easy, and once it's wiped dry, the surface stays slick for quite a while. I find it makes jointing easier, since I can concentrate on holding the piece against the fence and not be struggling to slide it forward. I haven't noticed it leaving anything on the wood. It would probably work well on saw blades too, but I havn't tried that.

I agree with the last reviewer from Centreville - this is one heck of a bargain, and let's face it, this grade of tool is pricey enough for the home handyman. Like a lot of people I did my research on cordless 14.4V drills and decided that any of the recent ones - Bosch, Makita, DeWalt, Milwaukee etc. would have been OK for what I wanted - a deck building tool. At one local store I was advised to get a Makita 12V impact driver for about $220, but then the additional chuck for drilling would have put the price over what I wanted to pay. I'm glad I resisted and got a drill / driver. Anyway, more research on this particular out-of-production-combination (the 3660CK) reveals that the drill has been replaced by the 2 new tough series (Brute and Compact). If one does the detailed comparison, the 3660K drill in this set has almost identical specs to the new Brute tough - except for some metal casing - which alone is about $190. The newer drills don't add any useful features to what the 3660K has. The saw is still being sold as a combo with the new Compact tough 14.4V drill and retails also for $190. With the Amazon discount I paid $195 for both - with free shipping - which can't be beat I think.

As far as performance etc., I find the 5.3 lb drill to be the heavy end of what is comfortable for me as a handyman, but it is very well balanced. One thing that surprised me was that the variable speed trigger gives you a lot of control over slow drilling - you don't have to run it with a lot of torque if you don't want (the clutch setting notwithstanding). The saw was an added bonus, but already I have been impressed with how smooth and easy it is to use.

In short, this deal won't last forever, and there's little reason to prefer the two newer Bosch models that don't come with the saw (unless you plan on frequently dropping them from the roof). Like the other reviewer, I find the case is too big for everyday use, and I suppose I'll now get the flashlight as well for $20. Would I buy this again - you bet!

I needed to replace my 8 or so year old Bosch 12v drill, and naturally considered Bosch again due to the fantastic experience I had with the 12v. I considered DeWalt and Makita, which I'm sure would have been good, but ultimately went with this Bosch kit for the amazing price. Just the saw alone is $180, the new Compact Tough 14.4v drill is about $140, so for $200 ($220 minus $20 rebate) this kit was a steal!! The drill isn't much heavier than my 12v, and it is significantly more powerful, I from 250 to 425 inlb of torque. I drilled a 1/2" speed bore longways (the 5-1/2" way) through a 2x6 on high speed setting and it flew through, probably just as fast as my 6 amp DeWalt electric. I then cut the 2x6 with the fantastic 14.4v saw, and it went through just as easily as my 12 amp Skil electric. Both the drill and the saw have a fantastic feel to them, they fit my hands well and feel top-notch quality. I can't get over the saw, everything about it says quality - including the very nice flip-up exhaust port for your shop vac.

The good? Price, performance, feel, quality, reliability if its even close to my previous 12v. Which still works fine, by the way, but one of the batteries is bad.

Bad? The case is too big. It is designed to hold drill, saw, charger, rip fence, drill handle, owners manual, and cordless light (guess I will have to get one of those now.) I wish it had a separate case for the drill and saw, since I rarely need to carry the saw anywhere.

This set is one HEavy-Duty drill and saw. Not for a weak person to use. Gets the job done without a hassle. I love the carbide tipped blade.

So far I like everything about this saw.. I purchased it to resaw birdseye maple.. which it does VERY well... Its some tough wood.. but the 1 1/2 horse motor doesnt miss a beat. The fence isn't exceptional, but is certainly sufficient...I will certainly add additional Delta tools to my shop.. ...

I used this bandsaw quite extensively in the last few days since receiving it, and it resaws tall boards of oak and mohagany like a hot knife through butter. Lots of power! This package comes with the riser block, and you will have to disassemble the saw to put it on, but it's not hard to do. This is my only beef, and it's not with the saw. Delta packages this as a "Limited Edition" with value added accesories, i.e the riser block, the 1/2 wide 105" blade, the fence, etc... Well one of the "value added" accessories is the 28-964 Platinum Pro Blade and comes already on the saw. I am sure that it is a fine blade, but the problem comes when you add the riser block (the only reason why you would order the B model), the blade won't fit because it's not 105" long! What a crock! Come on Delta that is pretty cheesey, and the only stain on an otherwise fine "Limited Edition" Outside of that you can't go wrong with this tool if you need to do accurate resaw work on thick and tall hardwoods. I also ordered Carter's Bandsaw bearings. Order those too you won't regret it. I immediately put them on the saw, and they are a big part of the saw's accuracy. I never even used the "blocks" that came with the saw.

I used this bandsaw quite extensively in the last few days since receiving it, and it resaws tall boards of oak and mohagany like a hot knife through butter. Lots of power! This package comes with the riser block, and you will have to disassemble the saw to put it on, but it's not hard to do. This is my only beef, and it's not with the saw. Delta packages this as a "Limited Edition" with value added accesories, i.e the riser block, the 1/2 wide 105" blade, the fence, etc... Well one of the "value added" accessories is the 28-964 Platinum Pro Blade and comes already on the saw. I am sure that it is a fine blade, but the problem comes when you add the riser block (the only reason why you would order the B model), the blade won't fit because it's not 105" long! What a crock! Come on Delta that is pretty cheesey, and the only stain on an otherwise fine "Limited Edition" Outside of that you can't go wrong with this tool if you need to do accurate resaw work on thick and tall hardwoods. I also ordered Carter's Bandsaw bearings. Order those too you won't regret it. I immediately put them on the saw, and they are a big part of the saw's accuracy. I never even used the "blocks" that came with the saw.

I've had my Delta 33-890 12" Radial Arm Saw for almost a year and a half now and I'm just as happy with it as I was back in March of 2002. Not being a "professional" woodworker, the [money] price tag was a tough pill to swallow, but one look at Delta's 10" saw (the arm height adjustment on top of the column? whats up with that?) or the Craftsman 10" saw, made the decision much easier. The 10" saws are toys, mostly plastic, with a flimsy, cheap feel to them; perfect for the weekend warrior who needs to crosscut some pine 1Xs. (I suppose, in a perfect world, Delta would make a 10" saw with the same quality as the 12" model...I want the 12" QUALITY, more than I need the 12" CAPACITY). The 33-890 12" Saw is very solid, well constructed, all steel or cast iron. My unit had a shipping weight of 320 lbs (everything...including the skid it was on) and it's definately a two person job to set up. Since my saw is part of an 18 ft. custom made saw table, incorporating my Delta mitre saw, I didn't use the legs that came with the saw, but they were very well made and appeared quite robust. I would say it took 3 hours to fully unpack and adjust the saw before use. All adjustments turned out to be dead on right out of the box, except for the 4 point levelling of the table. The manual is well written and easy to understand. The blade that comes with the saw is a bit cheesy, but not bad to start with. I'm currently using a Freud blade. All in all, this is an excellent piece of equipment and a pleasure to use. The action of the saw is smooth as silk and the 2hp motor is very capable. It's a saw that the experienced hobbyist can grow into, and worth every penny. I would highly recommend that you look at the 10" saws and see how cheap they feel.....you'll want the 12" saw...I guarantee!

This is an excellent saw! It has a very heavy duty frame and leg assembly. Very sturdy throughout. All cuts are precise once all setup adjustments are made. The motor has more than enough power for cutting dado's or making thick cuts. 10" saws look delicate next to it. It's made in the USA, exhibiting excellent quality throughout. The only saw that might be better, would be one made by the "Original Saw Company", and you will spend alot more. For the money, this saw is hard to beat. No complaints here. I'm very happy with my purchase.

I replaced my "antique" radial arm with the Delta 33-890. What a difference! I build furniture, and I had trouble with my old one staying square. The Delta is built like a tank and after initial setup and adjustment I've never adjusted anything and it's always dead square. It has plenty of power to crosscut 3" thick White Oak planks. I rip on a tablesaw so I can't say how it does in that operation. The only complaint about the saw is the steel blade provided with the saw. It seems to me that for the money this machine costs, they could send a carbide tipped blade. I put a Forrest WW1, (12" 60T) blade on my saw and this is the best crosscut saw I've used.

I bought the cheaper version of this (green HF one). Given my research has shown Powertwist is generaly better quality but functionally the same as the green ones, I think the cost increase equals things out pretty much. I am throwing up this review as I regularly use amazon for research and wish someone had "spilled the beans" for me before my purchase.

I proactively bought the link v-belt to replace my relatively new belts in my jointer, table saw and drill press. Given the cost and hindsight being 20-20 I probably would have waited til my "regular" v-belts wore out.

First off, I was getting terrible results until I found out that the "T end" of the links needs to trail in the rotation of the belt. Given proper installation, I can do the penny balance trick on my table saw turnng it on and off.

I really do not understand all the superman-like transformations people are describing. The noise level is not radically different and my machines were not vibrating that much to begin with. Maybe there is significant benefit to smaller contractor style tools, but on larger, properly tuned gear (250lb and up range) I think the difference is probably not worth the cost of proactive replacement. There are much better upgrades that can be had in the woodshop for power tools.

Exceeded even my heightened expectations. I don't know what mad man or woman thought this would be the best solution, but it is astonishing. Don't read any farther, just click Buy Now!

I had looked around for a belt to fit my table saw motor replacement and found Power Twist V-belt would fit the bill nicely.
I didn't know exactly what fixed belt size would fit the motors pulley, the Power Twist offered the best solution. Grizzly's offered the best price on this item as I shopped around.

I had to play around with the links to understand how the loop link ends closed, as the instructions and pictures were not that informative. This variable sized link belt worked great on the new table saw replacement motor pulley. Slippage nill, and vibration undectable. Just be sure to orient the belt arrows to the direction of pulley turn.

After reading all the positive reviews on this saw and the positive experience I have with the Craftsman 3.5 HP electric chain saw (34116), I decide to buy this electric chainsaw instead of an 18" gas powered model. The Craftsman has been used to fell pines and poplars as large as 12" in diameter with no problem and I have had it for over three years and it has cut a lot of trees.

Well, I have to send this one back to Amazon today. To Amazon's credit, it allowed me to return but this one should never been shipped out.

The box on this saw was opened already because the box staples were all missing. Plus, there was the word "oilll" on the box. Apparently Amazon decided to ship me an opened (maybe defective) unit. This might be due to the fact that they only had a few in stock.

I immediately contacted Amazon. The service was excellent. A replacement one was ordered for me and I was asked to send back this one. However, the replacement was not ready to ship because of "change of suppliers". I cancelled the replacement order, figuring I would give this one a try. If it works, then I will keep it. If not, I will return.

So I put oil in the saw and tried a few cuts. Not to my surprise, the automatic oiler on the saw did not pump any oil. The chain and bar stayed very dry. I then ran it in high speed for about another minute and it was still dry. The saw, however, sound very powerful. It is a bit heavier than my Craftsman 34116.

I really have mixed feeling on this order after many many orders from Amazon. I am also looking to buy an air compressor/nailer kit. In reading some of the feedbacks, there were users complaining Amazon shipping opened units. As I said Amazon should have never shipped this one out as it was apparently defective. However, its service in dealing with the issue was excellent. So overall, I will give this a two star rating because of the excellent after problem service.

My purchasing experience has been VERY good - the Poulan chain saw arrived quickly and I was using it in about 15 minutes - just had to read a few things to make sure I was doing it right. Put some oil in it and went to work. The saw is very powerful. I was quite pleased - plenty good for all of my around the house needs.

I originally bought the Poulan Pro 42 CC 18" Gas Chainsaw but after reading the reviews here I took it back without even taking it out of the case and bought this one instead. I am very glad I did. I only need a chainsaw for around the house to cut fallen trees or the odd job. So the idea of keeping a can of mixed gas and oil didn't appeal to me. Not to mention the saw would sit on the shelf for months at a time between uses and I didn't care for the starting problems or engine repairs of a gas chainsaw. However I was worried that this electric chainsaw would not be powerful enough. I had 2 fallen trees with a bases of about 15 inches that I needed to cut into firewood immediately. This chainsaw performed perfectly. I realize that it was new so the chain was nice and sharp but it still had no problem cutting through everything quickly. I loved being able to start it and stop it at will without the hassle of priming a gas engine or overheating problems or running out of gas or messing with the choke. I stopped whenever I felt like it and came in the house for a drink of water. Went right back out and with just a squeeze of the trigger was back to cutting again. I have a perfectly cut half cord of firewood in just a few hours. Amazon delivered the saw to my doorstep in 7 days with the free shipping. The saw did not come with a case or chain oil so I had to make a quick run to the store for some oil. I was happy to see that the saw used almost a quart of chain oil for the 2 trees. This told me that chain stayed nice and wet. Afterwards I spent about 10 minutes cleaning the saw back up like new and put it back on my shelf for the next time. It only took removing the two lugs and the chain and bar came right off for cleanup. Nice job Poulan.