20 Best Tools For Cutting Wood (2023 Updated)

This is a gorgeous handsaw, aesthetically pleasing, well-made and comfortable in the hand. (A fellow with esp. large hands might find the handle fit a bit tight. ) But it took me 8-10 minutes to make a simple cut thru a piece of 1×3.

Why? Turns out it only cuts on the pull, or draw, stroke. I could scarcely move the blade forward unless it was not touching the wood. Pull, lift and move forward, pull, lift and move forward. Maybe I’m doing something wrong, but I’m used to handsaws cutting back and forth, back and forth.

But it does cut beautifully on the pull stroke!.

Lovely small handsaw. The steel used for the blade is top notch. The handle is what I call a hybrid were you have an outer plastic grip covering a nice wooden handle making it very very comfortable to use.

This specific saw from Irwin I found was only available from the USA and not Europe which is a shame as it’s a much better product than the available Euro model. Hense due to the quality I decided to buy and import from the USA.

Really recommend this so much I purchased a 24″ version fine cut saw as well.

I use these small saws mainly to top small trees around my property. This usually involves me climbing a ladder and hanging onto the tree with one hand while working the saw with the other, so I need a saw to get the job done quickly and without binding and causing me to work harder than I should.

In the course of normal wear, I find I need to replace these types of saws about once every 5 or 6 years. This will be my third. My first was the Stanley and it worked well, but I find the deep cutouts of the Irwin make for a faster cut.

This is the second one of these I have bought; why would I do that? The first one showed me how very good it is to have a vacuum port, especially in remodel work. It stopped right there. My hand size is xl.

Even so, I found it almost impossible to make horizontal cuts, especially down low, because of the difficulty in depressing the safety button and the on switch at the same time. I’m sure the testing of this unit before going to market was not as rigorous as, say at Sears Test Base.

The engineers and technicians there would have rejected the tool as rubbish. One cannot safely coordinate and control those two switches except using the upright stance and grip shown in the product photos.

It is light, makes fast work cutting light materials, and has good adjustment features, if you’re standing at the work and cutting straight away from yourself. Any other positioning produces bad cuts and dangerous positioning of the hands because of the safety button.

The danger comes in attempting an awkward cut and having the safety switch prevent continuous running. This stops the blade and usually causes the blade to pinch when one is trying to negotiate the grip on the two switches; the mechanical interlock safety, and the electrical trigger.

During these pinches the saw will kick back,also dangerous. If all of the cutting to be done was standing at the work, any number of other saws would be just fine, including a worm drive. This brings up the question of handedness.

The Rockwell could be handier for lefties, but the grip around the drive components is just as cumbersome for left or right. Other tools seldom have this cumbersome grip burdened further by having to actuate, in sequence, the safety and then “on”.

The safety switches I’ve run across on the other popular brands do not present these problems. Also,using it left handed, the blade is hard to see. We used to get paid to produce these evaluations. A reasonable fix would be to have the safety and trigger directly apposed; top and bottom.

Then anyone that could grip around the neck of this saw could use it in almost any position. Better yet, have both be electrical wired in series so that the hand would have to be fully engaged in order to switch it “on”.

It’s my opinion that this product will produce more liability than it would without the safety. Interesting, because the safety is a mechanical interlock which can easily be defeated. I’m thinking all of this is probably moot as this product is becoming unpopular, and there is a noticeable uptick in Ebay and ‘clearance’ sales of the unit.

I don’t like to review tools too early in the usage cycle since I can’t really comment on durability over time since I’ve only owned it for a little while. I’ll leave that to others who have used one for years.

I think the ‘bottom line’ question for a lot of people is “should I buy one of those little handheld circular saws when I already have a big one”. Depending on the work you’re doing, the answer may be a strong yes.

This tool does not replace a chop saw or a larger circular saw and nobody is suggesting that. If you need to make a lot of production cuts or you need to cut heavier material, those tools have earned their place in the lineup.

Where this tool shines brightest is when you need to make a field cut in some kind of odd position that requires the smaller, one-handed design. In our case, our home was impacted by Hurricane Matthew and invited in the Atlantic Ocean for a couple hours.

The result was short of a total gut rehab but it was a fairly major renovation that required a lot of retrofitting, of cutting out ‘bad’ material to be replaced by new, etc, all of it in weird positions.

This was purchased later into the project, I wish I had purchased it earlier. It was very helpful, not to mention that as the project progressed, it became the handy grab-and-go saw for making quick cuts on all sorts of stuff, from plywood to trim.

I give this 4 stars of 5 because I can’t attest to its long term durability but presuming this tool holds up, it’s a 5 star unit. On a home building or major renovation project, I wouldn’t be without a chop saw, I wouldn’t be without a full size circular saw and now that I’ve used this, I wouldn’t be without one of these, either.

Rockwell’s Compact Circular Saw has its pluses & minuses. It has a nice long electrical cord; I have used it many times without using an extension cord. The depth and angle adjustment are simple and easy to use.

When holding the Compact Circular Saw, it seems heavy for its size and solidly build; that being said, when I turn off my saw, as it is spinning down, it makes loud and disturbing noises, like metal clanging or bearings flying around inside the motor.

However, it continues to work and works well. (I will keep using it until it flies apart. ) On the minus side, how cheap can Rockwell be; for a hundred dollars, they give you a cardboard box to store your Compact Circular Saw.

The thing I dislike most about the Compact Circular Saw is the safety/on-off switch. My hand is of average to large size. I have found it difficult to turn on the Compact Circular Saw on while wearing leather gloves; it is hard to grip and turn on the safety switch.

I can manage without gloves but I rather wear gloves while the saw blade is spinning. The Compact Circular Saw has its place but it is no replacement for a 7 ¼ inch saw. I own both the Rockwell Jaw Horse and the Rockwell Oscillating Multi Tool each of which I would rate five stars.

However, the Compact Circular Saw is just mediocre, deserving a three or at best a four star rating.

I Use this cutter for small wood crafting, basswood, balsa, craft wood, dowels, wood that is soft and easy to cut. The tool itself is extremely solid and well made, its on the heavy side. I have small female hands so it’s a little harder for me to get a good grip to close / cut intended wood.

The measurements / angle guide it great for when specific cuts are needed. However my biggest complaint is that these “cutters” Are not sharp at all! I thought it was me, user error but my husband tried them and said the same thing.

We tried to sharpen them and that helped a little. If I can’t get a solid cut then I just use this tool to score each side for the accurate measurements, deep groove mark with this tool, flip wood over, do the same then finish it thru with a craft saw or knife because if you try to cut something thru and force it to cut, I notice that the wood will split, splinter, crack or cut jagged pieces.

Better to notch both sides then cut properly. Overall it’s good quality just not sharp like you’d think a cutter would be but it fits my needs either way!.

I invested in 6 EASY CUTTERS for my classroom. Precise cuts prevent waste and the EASY CUTTER delivers straight cuts and angled cuts with an easy to read built in protracter, allowing easy mittered corners.

After a short safety lesson I gave an EASY CUTTER to each workstation. Students in grades 9-12 were eager to try the new EASY CUTTERS out and after one class period of trying out cuts my students were ready to build their take on a tiny house.

I admit my first experience with this wasn’t super great. I haven’t had an opportunity to reread the directions, but I had some difficulty with it. I have small hands with some arthritis, so I know that’s part of it, but I’m really counting on it to help me work on my dollhouses.

but so far, it’s not what I was hoping for. I do, though, intend to continue using it until we like each other.

Would give it five starts, but laser is not powered by electrical cord. Laser has separate battery with on/off switch. You HAVE to remember to turn it off after every use or else you kill the battery in no time.

The battery died after one work session, because I left the switch in the on position. The circular saw blade was not perfectly perpendicular to the base plate. I took a square to verify it and it was off.

I had to make a few adjustments with a file to correct it. Worked fine in the project. The case is awesome and has storage for blades. Cord is long enough. For 65 bucks out the door it’s worth it.

Used it for a couple of small projects, the blade didn’t last long, cut a few pin nails on a used piece of lumber and the blade dulled faster than you could snap your fingers. Lol Bought a good carbide tip blade and was impressed with my saw.

Love the saw, the blade was a disappointment. Love my saw!.

I found it a bit heavy and not enough power for my needs. It struggled a bit to cut 3/8 from a door bottom. I think it would be better for less mass to cut thru. Im sure it will work for my future needs.

The price is very good and I do like the WEN products.

Great product, good price, lightweight and very easy to handle. This tool cuts wood like cutting cheese. The blades are so sharp and its ideal for small projects that require precision cutting without ripping the edges.

I enjoyed it so much because it is so easy to use and doesnt tire your arms. I recommend this pull saw to anyone looking for a quality tool.

This is a great little saw if you prefer a pull saw for woodworking. Works really well and is easy to control while cutting .

This is a great saw. I never used one before, but now it is my go to saw. It cuts great with little effort. I would buy this saw again.

Wish we would have had this saw years ago as it would have made a lot of renovation projects a lot easier! The saw is very powerful (it plugs in so no worries of batteries running down). The saw is designed that when we ripped a narrow piece of OSB board it had the smoothest splinter-free cut I’ve ever seen for a circular saw.

LOVE the attachable dust bag for mess-free cutting and keeping sawdust out of the air. Adjustment tools store right into the handle of the saw. The saw can be adjusted to a tilted position to allow for bevel cuts.

We love the guide track that is designed to go with this saw. It prevents kickback. The guide has a grippy bottom to it that holds to the board and doesn’t slide around. This takes the guesswork out of cutting a long straight line.

I’ve watched my grandfather and dad over the years use a variety of word working saws and assist my husband with renovation projects we have done a lot of measuring and re-measuring to ensure a straight line.

If we would have had this saw years ago it would have made a lot of projects easier. Even though I don’t operate saws often I found it easy to use and maneuver. My husband and I are very impressed with this kit and look forward to using it for all our upcoming projects! Oh, and the saw came with a very roomy and handy bag for storage and transportation! Love the quality of everything that came with the kit.

VERY well made! Would highly recommend it, told a friend about it and he’s been asking to borrow it already!.

This track saw system works like the high priced saws at a price I could afford. Accurate, clean cuts. Dust collection using the bag is great. Fills fast though so you need to empty it often. When using vacuum dust collection, I’m really impressed.

Bought the additional track to rip a full eight feet. Had to buy the connection bars separate. Kreg missed the mark on this. Should have been included with the extra track. One other issue is that the set screws for the track connectors are a different size (smaller) than the other screws used on the saw.

No place to store the extra wrench. I’ll eventually drill out a tap the connectors so I can use set screws that use the same size as the wrench stored in the saw handle. Stupid design mistake on Kreg’s part.

Other than those very minor issues, the track saw and the track is great.

I have used several different chop saws, most using friction blades to cut ferrous metals. I needed a saw for home use, and tried to get off cheap by using one from Harbor Freight. That turned out to be a mistake, and caused me to rethink my use of the saw.

I wanted one that could cut aluminum, brass, as well as steel. The friction blades are only usable on steel. I have always had good service from DeWalt tools, and I decided to give this saw a try. I have been very pleased with this saw.

And I have noted that there are some significant quality differences between this saw and others. First, the table is very stiff. It is made from two layers of steel stampings that are nested together and (i think) welded into a single base.

It is incredibly rigid and does not flex even when cutting large and long materials. I noticed that there is a cover over the blade under the table as well, so the blade is not exposed even under the table.

Nice safety touch. Second, the blade guard retracts easily and smoothly as you lower the saw. The lesser quality saws felt clunky in this aspect, but this saw is smooth and effortless. The blade guard is easy to retract when the saw is wide open to change the blade.

One nice little feature that I haven’t seen on any other saw is a small flap, or cover, over the bolt that you have to push open to get the wrench on the Allen screw. This appears to be spring loaded and would likely push the wrench out of the Allen screw in the event you forgot to remove it.

Not sure if that’s what it’s for, but it seems likely. Also, I noticed that when locked closed, the blade guard is also locked and there is no way to accidentally get to the blade. Third, the motor is smooth and powerful.

The saw starts and runs easily, and doesnt sound like an old thrashing machine. The motor is more than powerful enough to easily cut through large steel angles, tubes, channels, and flats. Fourth, the motor attaches to the base using a very strong and beefy aluminum casting that houses the spring and pivot, as well as a pin to lock the saw in the closed position.

This aluminum housing is attached to the base using two large Allen cap screws and two 1/4″ dowel pins to ensure alignment. The only downside I can see is the fence system is a little strange. It locks easily, and is easy to re-position for different depths or angles of cuts.

However, the alignment of the fence to the blade pretty much requires the use of a square any time you loosen the clamp if you need to hold precise angles. There is an adjustable protractor gauge that you can adjust for square.

The downside is that it has an etched line that you need to eyeball even with the side if the slot in the base. A more repeatable and precise angle adjustment would have been nice. I’m not too worried about it, because for structural parts the angles are close enough.

For materials I’m going to turn in the lathe or mill, I would cut them oversize and machine down to a much higher precision anyway.

I’ve been looking at metal cutoff/chop saws for a long time. I’ve looked at the friction cutoff and carbide blades. I tried several saws, much cheaper and also much less quality. This is by far the best saw I’ve tried, and I love it.

I decided to go with the carbide blade because I wanted to cut aluminum, brass, and steel. The motor is very strong, the blade cuts like a hot knife through butter, and the base is very stiff. The vise is good, better than any others.

The motor is attached to a very strong aluminum casting that contains the spring and pivot. There is a sliding pin that locks the motor down in a closed position for carrying or storage. The aluminum casting is attached to the base with two large cap screws, and aligned using two hardened steel dowel pins.

This means that the saw is accurately aligned to the table and wont shift over time, even if the cap screws loosen up a little bit. There is also a guard over the blade under the table so there is no accidental contact with the blade.

When closed, the cover locks closed as well and you cant open it to access the blade. You have to open the saw up all the way to access the blade. Lots of nice little safety items added to this saw. I would recommend this saw over any others that I have tried.

I’ve used it for cutting steel for several cabinet and shop fixtures, and aluminum bar and tube stock for several machining projects. It has been a dream to use, and I expect it to last me a long, long time.

This saw replaces an abrasive saw that I have used for a long time. The Dewalt cuts steel like butter. The cuts are very accurate once you get the fence where you want it. But therein is the reason that I only gave it three stars.

The fence adjustment is difficult and slow. It binds while adjusting requiring a lot of time back and forth with the Allen wrench and the locking lever. I make a lot of angled cuts, so the fence problem is a real pain.

I will take the fence mechanism apart shortly and lubricate it to see if that helps. I will edit this review to let you know if that solved the binding problem. EDIT: I have discovered what causes the binding.

There is a pin on the fence mechanism described as spring-loaded pin, (Item E, Fig. 11 of the users manual. ) If this pin is engaged in hole F, Fig. 11 then the fence binds when attempting to adjust the fence angle.

I disengaged this pin and then the fence angle was adjustable with no binding problem. The fence remained solidly fixed in position without the pin. Because the pin is described as further securing the fence position you should use your own discretion about disabling it.

My sister got this tool out and it was used for the first time. She set it by the guide and cut the ends off some long shelves we had. She said it did a good job and is not nearly as big, heavy and clunky as a regular size circular saw.

One of these days I’ll try it myself.

Great saw. I have already a big table saw. But I needed this saw for small projects. For example, for a birdhouse, small shelf, etc.

I am not a DYI guy, however since my purchase of this item I have done quite a few DYI projects. It’s perfect for those small jobs.

Works great to cut up branches , used it to cut birch branches for xmas decorations

So yes it is very fast. Quite aggressive and very sharp teeth and I like that they are hardened even though that means they can’t be sharpened. It should stay sharp a long time and it does dull you can get a new one for less than the cost of having it professionally sharpened.

That being said, even using it carefully, it leaves a pretty rough edge. The first photo is one of the first cuts with the brand new Irwin saw. The second is with my old, much used, occasionally abused, Shark pull saw.

The Irwin has 11 teeth per inch and the Shark has 10 where they aren’t broken. Granted, pull saws have thinner blades than pushers, and the Irwin did go through the 2×2 in about two thirds the time it took the pull saw but the Shark WAS old rusty and dull.

The Irwin would be a great saw to keep in your box for quick cuts in a variety of materials and that’s how I will use it but for nicer work the advantage of the speed might be lost to the extra work needed to fit pieces properly.

I watched the video, and it is true, this saw will not bend, and ‘gall’ when sawing wood. I use it with the mitre box on trim and the wood does not ‘fray’ cuts clean. Must be the design of the blade and the angle of the handle grip that makes it so easy.

These are crazy sharp. I love it. No more toy saws for me. Usually I don’t bother getting my power saw out anymore. I don’t think they can be resharpened, so use them carefully.

I have owned the Makita 16 inch circular saw for several years and I hate it! It’s poorly balanced, under powered, has severe torque on start up, safety start button is a PIA, the blade is ridiculously expensive and as a right side blade saw, it sucks for right handed carpenters! Now, you would think I would have enough sense to never buy another Makita circular saw? I own several Makita tools and overall, I like the brand quality.

So, I figured I would give the 10 1/4 a shot? Results? Same issues as the 16 inch saw, just not nearly as heavy! I’ve been a carpenter/custom home builder for 46 years. I have 2 Skilsaws that are over 30 years old and still rock! Bottom line.

I returned the Makita and bought the Skilsaw Sasquatch!. couldn’t be happier!.

This is perfect for cutting 100mm KingSpan. It cuts straight and saves so much time from using a saw. Much bigger than i expected but easy enough to maneuver and use. Very Powerful, i got the 240v one.

No battery one available as of yet.

If you want a big one this is the boy for you !!!! Very powerful cuts through solid worktop like butter adjustable depth cut all what you. Need and more only disappointment I have is that it did not come with a case !!!.

I have owned and used my Versacut for a little under a year and a half and it along with my BladeRunner X2 saw has proven to be one of the most important tools I own. I know some say it cannot replace a 7-1/4 inch circular saw because it cannot cut 2 x 4s, but try safely plunge cutting into a shed roof with a standard 7-1/4 inch circular saw without damaging the rafters and studs and without kickback.

The ability to easily make plunge cuts even in the middle of stock is great. Also, it will cut sheets of plywood, trim boards, etc. which make up the typical stock sizes I deal with. The assortment of blades it comes with is also very handy.

I was finishing a tile countertop when my tile saw stopped working. Fortunately I had my Versacut with me which allowed me to finish the job by using the dry cut tile blade that came with it. Also, I really like the fact that it weighs less than half the weight of my 7 1/4 inch circular saw.

This, along with my cordless drill, hammer, level and BladeRunner X2 is a tool I always carry with me.

This is a useful tool as it pertains to lighter jobs. Some full-sized circulars wont cut precisely straight lines and theyre typically heavier and more durable. That said, it took me some practice to get this to cut straight.

You have to view where the blade actually hits your material before starting your cut, then take note of where your guides are at that point. Once youve done that a few times, you can become pretty consistent with your cuts and get what youd expect.

Otherwise, the saw seemed to cut a bit to the left of the line when I just trusted the guide. The laser seemed slightly off, which becomes a problem for longer cuts. I turned it off because I couldnt see drawn lines with it on.

with adequate power, longer cuts through thicker materials meant I was more likely to burn the blade. Carefully backing out or lifting out of the cut and resuming did help, but the lighter, smaller blades made long cuts more difficult than Id have liked.

Overall, a good tool for lighter work and short straight cuts.

I finally got my order delivered yesterday. Since this saw has received a lot of positive reviews, plus holiday offer, so I have it as one of my collections for future use. Did an very brief test cut this morning, everything looks great and works great! Wood blade brought very clean cut.

Have not tested yet the tile and metal cut as i don’t have any scraps on hand. Well, these are the features and good reasons i bought it as for some small works you know for household some time, you don’t have to look around finding different saws anyway.

Tried the laser guide, well, it’s good than nothing, but if you use it under enough light, then it shows not strong enough though. there is just a little defect, however, there are some rusty spots found on the cutting guide front and back, turned the increments into fussy and uncleared.

If the design includes a rubber power cord clip may top up the satisfaction, i’d suggest. Otherwise, this is a good and worth buy, and more important is a good toy for myself to play around, haha 🙂 cheers!.

This thing works great and makes minimal mess when attached to a dust extractor. Very easy to learn to use and depth can be set to cut drywall out over studs without damaging studs which is very helpful.

Nice clean cuts. Just make sure you don’t hit a hidden fastener with your blade while cutting over studs, but that is user error and only happened once, I swear. Overall, best way to cut drywall period.

It is better than a utility knife, oscillating tool and rotary cutout tools like RotoZips or the like. Also, least messy, too. Would recommend to anyone with much drywall cutting in their future.

i love it. The vacuum hook-up works great. Well balanced. My only complaint is. When you cut sheetrock for a repair you typically want to cut so you split on a stud. doing so you will undoubtedly hit some screws.

it doesn’t take many to make the blade very dull. New blades are expensive and not readily available (must be ordered online). This has led to tool not being used as much as wanted.

This drywall saw is a game changer. Hook up a heap vacuum and you can cut drywall with no mess. Makes demo a cinch and intricate holes easy. Blade depth is adjustable. I have used to cut outlet holes, ceiling holes for hood vents, demo and much more.

Best tool buy of the year!.

Lets just say my Makita chop saw I got sometime back in the early 1970s,, was still working. A little loose in the bearings, and on its 3rd set of motor brushes, and its seen hell. Cut more metal than I care to remember.

Problem was,, somehow it got driven over and broke off the plastic handle. We held a nice service for it as it served us well all the years I have ran my farm repair shop. I have tried other brands,, some of them claim to be American made but turned out to be junk.

All my right angle grinders,, drills,, impacts,, and saws are all Makita brand. Most of them I cant remember how long ago I got them. But they always work,,, and work well. Might cost a little more but when the life span is looked at in decades and not months.

Who’s counting. Daniel,,, AKA Sodbust.

Haven’t had to file or grind burs off anything yet, even threaded rod. Early days, but hoping the blade will last a good while. Chose this over the DeWalt offering for the cast base, rather than stamped base of the DeWalt, which has mixed reviews on stability/accuracy.

N. B. At the time of writing, there is a specification error/typo. The blade speed is listed as 300 RPM, but is actually 1300 RPM & the wattage is listed as 900 W, but should be more like 1900 W. hopefully someone can get these changed.

It’s too soon for any long term opinion, but when I took this washer out of the box, I thought there must have been a mistake, as it was so tiny. Once I assembled it and connected it up I was delighted at the power of this unit.

It’s a great piece of kit. The only downside is that it could be with rather longer mains cable and hose. Otherwise it’s all good and the price is great too.

This is a fantastic jab saw. My favorite part of it is the handle – very ergonomic. You can use this without cramping up your hand. I also like the handle material. It is not quite soft, but not hard either – slip resistant without being squishy.

Perfect! Stanley got it right on this one. All the features you could want – triple ground teeth, a hardened tip for punching through drywall, and holes for expelling the sawdust from the kerf. This is a must for plumbing, electrical, drywall.

An essential must have tool that belongs on every tool belt. If I were to offer any criticism at all it would be the lack of a snap on sheath / blade guard because this thing is wickedly sharp right out of the package.

You may want to split a piece of pex tubing or something to put over the edge. Great saw.

Used only once so far to cut a hole in a lathe and plaster ceiling to fit a brace for a chandelier. Blade quite stiff and sharp and with the fatter handle made the job easier without too much mess. It would be perfect for plasterboard.

Scabbard essential for personal protection and blade itself.

This is a sturdy well built little Saw. Made in France. Great little Saw for the price. Real nice comfortable slip resistant handle. Very sharp point plunges through drywall without too much effort. Especially great for small jobs where you want to keep power tools to a minimum, but this Saw would certainly have a place on larger jobs too.

I had no problem getting the saw to stay on my pencil line as I was cutting. The packaging shows various materials that the saw can cut, but I’m not exactly sure what all the materials are. Perhaps in the future, Stanley might want to describe what the materials are with some words along with the pictures.

Used these mini hacksaws for years more robust than certain reputable brands and feel good in the hand. Good price and quick delivery.

Unlike many previous junior hacksaws, this one actually holds the blade taught and straight. I do a lot of different types of model building, this is a really useful addition to the tool kit.

It’s Eclipse! What more need I say. This make was part of my tool collection over 50 years ago.

bought some compact laminate worktop. was told difficult to cut and fit and quoted £1k for fitting! though supplier said can be diy fitted. YouTube to the rescue and plunge saws came up. went for the Makita SP6000J1 Plunge Saw & 2 x 1.

4m Rail – 230V. lovely box, bag for rails would have been nice. Set up the worktops and sheeted out the room due to the dust cutting this laminate kicks out. plugged our vacuum in the port and crossed our fingers and cut.

slowly and carefully along the rail. All I can say is that the cut was smooth and clean and perfectly straight. something I could not have done with just a circular saw. dust extraction was very good but you still get a reasonable amount across the worktop you have to sweep/ vacuum off.

The laminate is 12. 5mm thick but setting the depth to 12. 5mm+ doesn’t cut to this depth which was annoying unless I was doing something wrong. Seems to have slight sideways play perhaps. overall a worthy, powerful machine which makes straight clean, perfect cuts that need little finishing.

just get the length of rail that suits what you’re cutting (longer if doing something like furniture).

I have used the makita plunge saw and guide rails for around a month and cut down 8 18mm full ply sheets so far. Cuts are very clean and can be achieved to 1 mm accuracy. It is worth acquiring a few more items to make the system complete.

A 1 metre guide rail is much easier for narrower cuts. Makita make a great case to protect the guide rails and rail clamps are recommended to prevent rail slippage when your cut length is 500 mm or less.

Also I found that the black rubber strip on the rail which forms the cut edge is trimmed by the first few cuts so watch this when aligning the rails during this time. Also worth checking squareness of the sawblade as mine required adjustment – easy to achieve good accuracy.

I can also recommend the axminster workshop saw horses with a couple of lengths of 4×2 joist to provide the perfect platform for this saw.

Once calibrated the Makita is a high performing saw with just the right features at a very reasonable price and I highly recommend it. Out of the box the guide rail was flawless but the saw needed calibrating.

Initially, the base plate was not flat and the blade was not square to the base plate (toe-in was perfect though). That was corrected by adjusting the 90 deg set screw(s) on the bottom of the base plate.

NB: LOOSEN THE FRONT AND REAR BEVEL CLAMPS before adjusting the set screw(s) then re-tighten those clamps otherwise the set screw(s) will just push up the area around the set screw and contort the base.

Also you will need to fully plunge the blade to check squareness of the blade with the base plate with a square. To do that make a small hook with a stiff wire (coat hanger) to hold the saw in the plunge position by hooking the wire around the depth stop and plunge pin.

The operator’s manual doesn’t tell you any of this but the repair manual does! Once these adjustments are made the saw works beautifully. Weirdly, my first real cut was a 48 degree bevel edge cut. Perfect the first time and I really appreciated that additional rail clamp anti-tipping feature on the saw for that.

Dust collection (especially after taping over the gap on the side) is excellent as is the greatly reduced noise compared to any other saw I have used. I only wish Makita would do better at factory calibration and calibration instructions in the manual.

I also suspect that the saw may have been properly calibrated at the factory but the bevel clamping knobs were either inappropriately adjusted relative to each other or shifted position during shipping.

So Makita also needs to better stabilize the saw for shipping which is rather loose in the case.

After buying my woodturning tool for this cutter, I made a lot of items from just one cutting head. Great product, I will buy more in the future. Here is just one of my items sold.

I make my own tools. These cutters work great. I’ve turned over 100 bowls with them

For the price, the quality of the blade and handle were a surprise how well it was put together. It cuts great, just the right size for both my wife and myself to use. The teeth on the blade were sharp, made easy work of the lumber need to be cut.

Extremely economical hand saw. Good size for general home use. So far it has worked well for me. Time will tell how durable it is but seems well made. I’m happy with it. I recommend if you need a general handsaw without spending a fortune.

Been using it to cut some wooden planks and boards and MDF. It’s not more nor less good than any cheap hand saw. It gives a feel of quality, and it will probably do the job in years to come. For an amateur.

A professional/skilled worker would probably go up a level or two. Unfortunately the handle is too small for my hand, and my hands are no bigger than average. I will recommend that you really try to hold the saw before buying it.

If the handle doesn’t give room for your hand I would look for a bigger one. Entirely my fault that I didn’t “try it on” before I bought it, so to give this product three instead of four stars might be a little unfair.

I’ve already found another saw that I’m going to buy. At Harbor Freight, of course. Bang for the buck, service and support at its best. That’s why!.

I like how the saw can be used to cut metal and wood, however, the weight and switch is a problem. I saw other reviews with the same comment before I purchased the saw. They were correct. The saw will cut small pieces of wood, but hard to cut a large piece of plywood.

The blade guard will not lift and you have to manually lift and push the switch at the same time to get the saw cutting. I have not cut metal so far. I can use this for certain projects but not as a circular saw.