Dry cut saw

[mrblaine]

I have no idea how this compares to my Makita but if you are planning on getting into a dry cut, this one seems cheap enough to dip a toe in.
https://www.jbtools.com/skil-skil-1...110121397&mc_cid=9700d14ca1&mc_eid=d0de558eec

 

[TJ4Jim]

I have no idea how this compares to my Makita but if you are planning on getting into a dry cut, this one seems cheap enough to dip a toe in.
https://www.jbtools.com/skil-skil-1...110121397&mc_cid=9700d14ca1&mc_eid=d0de558eec

I have a new Skil 16" beam saw and it's a quality piece of machinery.

 

[mrblaine]

I have a new Skil 16" beam saw and it's a quality piece of machinery.

As it should be since that is pretty much their specialty. Dry cut saws on the other hand can be done very poorly as anyone who has compared a Dewalt to a Makita can attest to. I have and I would buy a new Makita before I would even buy a blade for a free Dewalt.

 

[sab]

Well, I bit. I've bought from JBTools several times over the years, and they are not scammers, so there is that. At the price listed (about the cheapest dry cut I've ever seen), with free shipping, it's worth the risk. I have a Makita abrasive chop saw that's been my go to for about 15 years, and I've wanted to add a dry cut saw to the shop. Hopefully, Skilsaw makes as good a dry cut saw as their bread-and-butter products. I'll provide feedback as I get it and try it.

 

[Mike_H]

This is tempting, even though I don't cut much steel. When I do, though, I use a grinder and always wish for a better method, or I have to go somewhere and use a bandsaw.

 

[ColoJeep]

Well, I bit. I've bought from JBTools several times over the years, and they are not scammers, so there is that. At the price listed (about the cheapest dry cut I've ever seen), with free shipping, it's worth the risk. I have a Makita abrasive chop saw that's been my go to for about 15 years, and I've wanted to add a dry cut saw to the shop. Hopefully, Skilsaw makes as good a dry cut saw as their bread-and-butter products. I'll provide feedback as I get it and try it.

I've found my SKIL MAG 77 wormdrive to be a more reliable , more comfortable saw than Makita's weird ass Hypoid design . That said , I love the reliability and compfort of Makita's 4 1/2 " angle grinder. I'm curious to see what you think.

 

[mrblaine]

Well, I bit. I've bought from JBTools several times over the years, and they are not scammers, so there is that. At the price listed (about the cheapest dry cut I've ever seen), with free shipping, it's worth the risk. I have a Makita abrasive chop saw that's been my go to for about 15 years, and I've wanted to add a dry cut saw to the shop. Hopefully, Skilsaw makes as good a dry cut saw as their bread-and-butter products. I'll provide feedback as I get it and try it.

Save yourself the time and trouble of testing different blades. Just get the Diablo. New, they are equivalent to blades costing 5-6 times as much. After some use, they still cut as well as the high dollar stuff and they last almost as long as some and a lot longer than others. If someone knows of a better value in that type blade, I'm all ears.

The only thing they don't really excel at and the same is true for others, is cutting bar stock laying flat. Seems obvious right? Except that when you are cutting thick wall square tube, you are cutting the section on the table as bar stock laying flat. All blades struggle with that part, some more than others. Diablo is about in the middle. The other time you will run into the same problem is angle cuts on steel angle. If one face is upright, the other is flat on the table.

 

[mrblaine]

This is tempting, even though I don't cut much steel. When I do, though, I use a grinder and always wish for a better method, or I have to go somewhere and use a bandsaw.

It is like most things, if it is a quality saw and I see no reason why it shouldn't be, the first time you make a cut that needs to be precise and critical, you'll hate yourself for not having one years ago. There is a lot of value in being able to shorten a piece of material by 1/16" and not have the blade walk out of the cut.

 

[Mike_H]

It is like most things, if it is a quality saw and I see no reason why it shouldn't be, the first time you make a cut that needs to be precise and critical, you'll hate yourself for not having one years ago. There is a lot of value in being able to shorten a piece of material by 1/16" and not have the blade walk out of the cut.

probably like cutting a piece of trim on a nice compound miter saw vs trying to do that same cut with a miter box and hand saw...

 

[Mike_H]

I bought one. I have a probable deck project coming up next summer and I think I want to create railings from steel. This will aid in that project!

 

[sab]

Save yourself the time and trouble of testing different blades. Just get the Diablo.

Good news - it comes with a Diablo blade:

 

[mrblaine]

Good news - it comes with a Diablo blade:
View attachment 543472

I'm aware, but I know you, just because that one works, doesn't mean you'll get another one just like it.

 

[Mike_H]

I'm aware, but I know you, just because that one works, doesn't mean you'll get another one just like it.

If its not broke, it doesn't have enough features, yet!

 

[Irun]

This has been on my short list of tools and I bit as well. A 10$ coupon helped, a little. The blade on its own looks to be roughly $50!

Coupon Code = M1T478Y2BG1

 

[mrblaine]

This has been on my short list of tools and I bit as well. A 10$ coupon helped, a little. The blade on its own looks to be roughly $50!

Coupon Code = M1T478Y2BG1

https://carbideprocessors.com/heavy...7-kerf-1-arbor-mtcg-grind-tenryu-hmc-30554dx/

 

[JMT]

I bought one. I have a probable deck project coming up next summer and I think I want to create railings from steel. This will aid in that project!

That’s a very good excuse for getting this saw. I’m thinking of doing a deck with steel railings next summer too. I literally sat my foot up on one of the wood rails a couple weeks ago and it broke free from one post.

 

[DuckNut]

I seldom use metal. But when I do I have an old Craftsman miter saw that I use. I hook up a speed controller to it and slow that motor way down. Works good enough for me once every 2 years.

 

[Mike_H]

I used the new skilsaw this weekend and it’s SO MUCH BETTER than any way I’ve previously had to cut metal. Well worth the 200 bucks.

Good surface finish…means the speed it right and the chip evacuation is good

And the chips themselves look good. Brown and purple. Means the heat is in them and not the workpiece.

I was honestly a little concerned about the blade and the fact they say the teeth are cermet. Cermet is VERY hard, and very, very brittle. But, it works…and well. We’ll see how long the saw lasts long term. The frame itself is just stamped steel and the motor doesn’t come up to speed smoothly. For what I need though, I’m sure it will serve its purpose just fine

 

[sab]

I haven't tried mine, yet. It's nice to know it was worth the price!

 

[freedom_in_4low]

this is what I use:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Evoluti...d-Multi-Material-28-T-Blade-R255SMS/310500941

It's a 10" that runs at 2500rpm, so the tip speed is about 20% higher than the one in the OP and about half of what you'd see in something like a Dewalt used for wood. I don't know much about saw blades and I'm not a trim carpenter so I don't know what sacrifices I might be making there but it cuts wood and steel both well enough for my uses.

I use this blade when cutting steel:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Evoluti...d-Steel-Cutting-Saw-Blade-10BLADEST/204302797
but next time I need one I'll probably look at diablo.

I don't cut steel enough to need dedicated wood and steel saws, and I had a big stair rail project that called for a lot of miters and bevels so this one made sense.