# worm drive saws



## PZA (Sep 25, 2011)

i was looking at the worm drive circular saws you roofing guys use in usa, and simply they just dont selll them in the uk, it doesnt surprise me as ive never seen one in apart from the net, but im wondering why that is cos looking at them they look like they could be quite comfortable to use with the handle more to the rear (we call regular circular saws here 'skil saw', after the brand (even tho its not the most prominent now), you seem to call them sidewinders if ive guessed right?)

im wondering if theres anybody in australia on here could tell if they use wormdrive saws there? as im emmigrating in the near future and will be replacing all my power tools as my 110v stuff is useless there (they use 240 on site with rcd breakers)

amazingly makita dont even seem to do one, the only worm drives i can see online is dewalt and skil 77er or whatever its called..


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## WildWill (Jun 6, 2008)

Makita does the hypoid saw.


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## PZA (Sep 25, 2011)

ahh i see it..(only on usa amazon  

so whats the difference, just the name?


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## WildWill (Jun 6, 2008)

The Hypoid is a different type of gear then the worm.

Worm Gear









Hypoid Gear


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## WildWill (Jun 6, 2008)

This is a good thread to read, just be sure you get to the end of the thread.

http://www.contractortalk.com/f40/trying-out-new-dewalt-worm-drive-99898/


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## PZA (Sep 25, 2011)

cool ill start on that tommorow..so apart from bevelling the opposite hand whats the deal with the worm drive from a regular circ saw..?


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## WildWill (Jun 6, 2008)

Well, one thing nice about them is that the blade is more in line with you hand/arm and not so far out on the side. Also they are, or at least can be, very durable. I have had my Skil77 for ~25 years and it still runs strong. Also for the skil and like models such as the bosch they make several attachments to give the tool more versatility. 

I know my 77 is very front heavy, but that is how I like it. Many people that are not used to it don't like that aspect.


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## Hardly Working (Apr 7, 2005)

I just did a Google search and thought Bosch would have made one being from Germany but the worm drive is N America only. They have no plans as of 7/20/2011 to produce one. To bad everybody likes a new toy every now and then.


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## parkers5150 (Dec 5, 2008)

I've been building with wormdrives (Skil) for over twenty five years. I live in California and around here it is THE saw! anyone who has shown up on a job with a "sidewinder" (sidewinder is the term for saws other than wormdrives) has never made the cut. Now i'm not dicounting anyones skilsets and definately not gonna get into a pissing match but as far as durability, torque, production performance... the wormdrive is unmatched!!!


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## EmmCeeDee (May 23, 2010)

In the US worm drives are a west coast thing. I have never seen one on a jobsite on the east. Those who prefer them swear by the power aned torque. I learned to cut with a sidewinder, so I may not know what I am missing.


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## badwood (May 4, 2011)

EmmCeeDee said:


> In the US worm drives are a west coast thing. I have never seen one on a jobsite on the east. Those who prefer them swear by the power aned torque. I learned to cut with a sidewinder, so I may not know what I am missing.


you are not missing much the only real up side to worm drives is that they don't kick-back as much and it's easier to see the blade and where you are cutting the down side is they are heavy compared to most sidewinders and they usually cost more.


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## Starvin Marvin (Aug 20, 2011)

The makita hypoid saw is the perfect saw for an all-around carpenter. All the benefits of the worm drive, without the boat-anchor weight.

Once you get used to it, you can't go back to the "top-handles". The visibility and the balance can't be beat.

Mine is about 20 years old (model 5077b) and still chewing through wood like there's no end in sight.

But I'm partial to Makita. Most of my tools are Makita and over 20 years old. I can't kill them. :thumbsup:


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## PZA (Sep 25, 2011)

so i been doing a little reading, went over that post you guys linked..seems it is just the gearing which defines the handle location and provides more power but at slower revs, whats funny though is how one is one left handed and the other right, youd think they might make the two different saws in either hand maybe.. anyway im guessing these wormdrive saws are a usa only thing as i cant see them producing a 240v model for the australia market not sure what voltage other parts of the world use but i only see 110v, i might be wrong but i think its just 1 more thing you guys do differently to everybody else 

to be honest after reading these two links im gonna post here below im not too bothered i cant get one as im lefthanded anyway, would of been nice to try one though..when i do rebuy ill go for the 7,1/4 as im growing a bit tired of the weight of my 9,1/4 makita onehanded, perfect as it has been i think ill evolve&get by with the smalller regular size even if they always did feel a bit lightweight power wise to me

check out these links, one is an article on the worm drive by larry haun!

http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/7905/worm-drives-vs-sidewinders-a-conversation-with-larry-haun

http://www.ehow.co.uk/about_5762359_worm-saw-vs_-circular-saw.html

i thought skil was dutch, when i was looking around i see that they are now being distributed with bosch in the uk now..couldnt actually find a site for them here just in usa


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## loneframer (Feb 13, 2009)

PZA said:


> to be honest after reading these two links im gonna post here below im not too bothered i cant get one as im lefthanded anyway, would of been nice to try one though..when i do rebuy ill go for the 7,1/4 as im growing a bit tired of the weight of my 9,1/4 makita onehanded, perfect as it has been i think ill evolve&get by with the smalller regular size even if they always did feel a bit lightweight power wise to me


Trust me, I'm left handed and would rather use the worm drive any day of the week. All the right handers swear it's a right handed saw, but as a left handed guy, I prefer a saw that doesn't fill my pouch with dust and has a very visible sight line while cutting bevels. I also like the wide part of the table resting on the work piece while my right hand is holding onto the work piece.

The top handle is better suited for two hand operation for a left hander, as the blade is completely obscured while using the left hand on the top handle for control.

My final argument is that the arbor bolt is a left handed thread.:whistling


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## Paulie (Feb 11, 2009)

I've gotten used to this one. Tears up anything I throw at it. I have one complaint tho, since it has a long narrow foot, it tends to roll when setting it down. Other than that I love it.


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## PZA (Sep 25, 2011)

loneframer said:


> Trust me, I'm left handed and would rather use the worm drive any day of the week. All the right handers swear it's a right handed saw, but as a left handed guy, I prefer a saw that doesn't fill my pouch with dust and has a very visible sight line while cutting bevels. I also like the wide part of the table resting on the work piece while my right hand is holding onto the work piece.
> 
> The top handle is better suited for two hand operation for a left hander, as the blade is completely obscured while using the left hand on the top handle for control.
> 
> My final argument is that the arbor bolt is a left handed thread.:whistling


haha &yeah that makes sense but untill im told otherwise im convinced they only come in 110v so even if i bought one from america next year in oz it will be no use to me...

dont you think its funny though how they dont make them handed, esp as you seem to see people having one of each for roofing, actually if the sidewinder was around first its pretty strange that that isnt the other way around seeing as everything else is!


how do you go on cutting opposite cuts then on rafters? do you have one of each type set up like some or do you make do with one?


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## loneframer (Feb 13, 2009)

PZA said:


> haha &yeah that makes sense but untill im told otherwise im convinced they only come in 110v so even if i bought one from america next year in oz it will be no use to me...
> 
> dont you think its funny though how they dont make them handed, esp as you seem to see people having one of each for roofing, actually if the sidewinder was around first its pretty strange that that isnt the other way around seeing as everything else is!
> 
> ...


Actually, Skil, although under a different name originally, invented the power saw. This is one article on the matter, but there is plenty to be read.:thumbsup:

http://www.skiltools.com/en/AboutUs/SkilHeritage/

I always have a left and right saw on the job when it's time to hand cut a roof. Sometimes you just have to have the reverse bevel.

Porter Cable actually has a matched set of left and right bladed saws. I have the left, but not the right. I also have 4 Skil 77s, as well as an 8 1/4" DeWalt sidewinder and 2 cordless circular saws, an 18 Volt Ridgid and an old 12 Volt DeWalt.

I've buried the DW Hypoid framing saw and (2) 7 1/4" DW sidewinders, as well as a PC left blade framer and a Craftsman worm drive.

I have never killed a Skil 77. All of mine are at least 7 years old. Not exactly sure how old the first one I bought is.:laughing:


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## PZA (Sep 25, 2011)

ahh yeah i knew skil was the first.. thats why we call all circ's here (sidewinders) skil saws...... but i didnt know it was a wormdrive model...

actually i probably had seen it, but didnt realize they were still a current item as we dont have them here, until i started looking at sites like this, etc, usually here on the few traditional roofs that still get build or old houses extended to, you find guys using large double bevel compound mitre saws to do the cuts..

it kinda makes sense now for the first to be right handed, interesting then that they made the sidewinder opposite.


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## loneframer (Feb 13, 2009)

PZA said:


> ahh yeah i knew skil was the first.. thats why we call all circ's here (sidewinders) skil saws...... but i didnt know it was a wormdrive model...
> 
> actually i probably had seen it, but didnt realize they were still a current item as we dont have them here, until i started looking at sites like this, etc, usually here on the few traditional roofs that still get build or old houses extended to, you find guys using large double bevel compound mitre saws to do the cuts..
> 
> it kinda makes sense now for the first to be right handed, interesting then that they made the sidewinder opposite.


My personal opinion is the wormdrive is a left handed saw and just happened to be built that way because that's the direction the motor turned in the dough mixer they pirated to build it out of.


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## PZA (Sep 25, 2011)

haha when i bought a new estwing the other month, the guy in the shop tried telling me they are cast, handed slightly! i wasnt having it, he looked at it from the back and said yeah its a right handed one, just as i was at the desk paying for it, then i told him i was left handed hahah


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