My crews and subs make their livings using these tools too.
Over the last 30 plus years as a general contractor, I’ve been making my living using these tools at jobsites day in and day out. Or you might want to know if the tool can hold up to daily use and abuse like it is subjected to in the actual real world. I guess maybe there is some value in knowing that a brand new tool with a brand new blade was able to cut 143 2 x 4s before the tester person’s arm got tired, but you might want to know how well that tool performs after it’s a few years old. And because they’ve spent all that time, you therefore should trust them to recommend the best worm drive saw. I always chuckle when I see the websites with the reviews of tools when they say “we spent over 20 hours evaluating these tools, trying to simulate real word conditions in our test lab” and that is somehow supposed to convince you that that makes them some kind of authority on the subject. The lightest worm drive saw on the market even comes with an on-tool multi-function wrench for blade changes and brush and oil maintenance. It’s 7 ¼” blade can bevel up to 53 degrees, allowing you to make complex compound miter cuts on rafters and other framing materials. It’s powerful 15-amp motor and 5,300 RPMs can power through virtually any material. The SPT77WML-01 is in fact the lightest worm drive saw on the market, and after buying one of these a few years ago, I can tell you that it instantly replaced my old favorite because the lighter weight makes it easy to use it all day long without getting fatigued. The table and housing are made out of magnesium which significantly reduces the weight down to 11.5 pounds as compared to the hefty 14.2 pounds of the old model. It’s basically the same saw as my trusty old 77 that I bought 30 years ago (still going strong BTW)- same power, same ruggedness and dependability, but all in a lighter weight version.
The best of the best is the SKILSAW SPT77WML-01. *I hope you’ll love the products I recommend! Just so you know, Plumb and Lined may collect a share of sales or other compensation from some of the links on this page. For the life of me, I can’t figure out why anyone thought it would be a good idea to put the blade on the right side on the saw like on a typical sidewinder- It ranks right up there with the slot headed screw as one of the most counter intuitive designs of all time. Worm drive circular saws all have the blade on the left side of the saw, so if you are right handed like me, you can easily see the cut line. And with the handle farther back, you can better resist kickback. They have the most power and torque due to the spiral gear that transfers power to the blade more efficiently than a sidewinder. If I could only have one circular saw, it’d be a worm drive. Or if you are in the market for a cordless model, check out my comparisons of the best cordless circular saws here. If you’re looking for a traditional sidewinder, click here for my best circular saw review. In this review, we’re going to look at different brands and models of worm drive saws to help you make the right choice.
Circular saws are capable of cutting lumber, plywood, steel, masonry and even granite when setup with the appropriate blade. But seriously, a circular saw is one of those tools that everyone has to have. There’s something dangerous about an active circular saw, but I just can’t put my finger on it.