# Circular Saw: Skilsaw vs Milwaukee



## Beowulf (Feb 26, 2008)

I am looking to purchase a new circular saw. All Skills I have used were very old sidewinders and worked flawlessly. The Milwaukees have all been tilt-lok versions and have done everything I've needed without issue.

The two saws I have narrowed it down to are the Skil SPT67WM-22 and the Milwuakee 6390-20.

Thoughts on either of these. It seems the Skil only has a depth @90 of 2", while everything else is around 2.5". Has this been an issue for anyone? However, the Skil goes up to 56degree bevel. Not sure how that benefits me as I've never made a cut with a circular saw more than 45deg. 










http://www.skilsaw.com/product-spt67wm22/

or








https://www.milwaukeetool.com/power-tools/corded/6390-21[GP][/GP]


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## mikeswoods (Oct 11, 2008)

After using a worm drive, will you be happy with a saw that has the blade on the right?

I know I hate using them.


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## Warren (Feb 19, 2005)

We have used those Milwaukee tilts since they came out. I have had other saws that beveled past 50 degrees. Not really much use for a circ saw to bevel that far.


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## Beowulf (Feb 26, 2008)

I've never used a worm drive saw. Plus, all the direct drives I've used were right hand version.


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

You would be laughed off a job if you showed up with a sidewinder homeowner type saw.....

worm drives is all that is out here.....


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## Xtrememtnbiker (Jun 9, 2013)

griz said:


> You would be laughed off a job if you showed up with a sidewinder homeowner type saw.....
> 
> 
> 
> worm drives is all that is out here.....



HD by me now has one worm drive on the shelf.

Must be the homeowner saw of the east coast... :laughing:


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## EricBrancard (Jun 8, 2012)

griz said:


> You would be laughed off a job if you showed up with a sidewinder homeowner type saw.....
> 
> worm drives is all that is out here.....


It's a regional thing. Neither type of saw is better than the other. My uncle moved to Cali in the 70s and learned to frame out there. He used a worm drive. Everyone else back here uses a sidewinder.


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

Xtrememtnbiker said:


> HD by me now has one worm drive on the shelf.
> 
> Must be the homeowner saw of the east coast... : laughing:


Well they do cater to the HO crowd.....

90% of pro guys out here use Skil 77.


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## Warren (Feb 19, 2005)

Most worm guys have never given a sidewinder a chance. I used a worm for a full year. I see no benefits to using one. Slower and heavier is all you get with one.


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

Warren said:


> Most worm guys have never given a sidewinder a chance. I used a worm for a full year. I see no benefits to using one. Slower and heavier is all you get with one.


Warren, definitely a regional thing.

Trim guys, floor guys have the small sidewinders.

Framing crews nothing but worm drives.

Personally, I can not cut with a sidewinder, I've tried....


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## EricBrancard (Jun 8, 2012)

Beowulf said:


> I am looking to purchase a new circular saw. All Skills I have used were very old sidewinders and worked flawlessly. The Milwaukees have all been tilt-lok versions and have done everything I've needed without issue.
> 
> The two saws I have narrowed it down to are the Skil SPT67WM-22 and the Milwuakee 6390-20.
> 
> Thoughts on either of these. It seems the Skil only has a depth @90 of 2", while everything else is around 2.5". Has this been an issue for anyone? However, the Skil goes up to 56degree bevel. Not sure how that benefits me as I've never made a cut with a circular saw more than 45deg.


What made you narrow it down to these two?

If I were to narrow it down, it's the Makita 5007MG or the DeWalt DWE575SB. I've used the Makita and mainly it's big brother the 5008 for years and decided to give the DeWalt a chance over the past few weeks. The blade guard on the DeWalt is better than any circ saw I've ever used. I can start a cut at virtually any angle without having to manually pull back the guard.


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## Agility (Nov 29, 2013)

*Circular Saw: Skilsaw Vs Milwaukee*

I'm also curious as to how you narrowed it down. I'm a big fan of the Makita 5008MGA.

Not only have I never used a worm drive, I've never even seen one in use. Thrown in the back of a truck maybe, but I can't recall ever watching a guy use one. I've been keeping my eye out since I joined CT.


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## Beowulf (Feb 26, 2008)

griz,

It is interesting that you mention only worms on the site. For whatever reason, all the crews I've worked with or even seen working on new builds around where I live in Colorado all seem to be using sidewinders. Sadly, they are usually even lower end models. I guess they just use them until they die and then get a new ones. For the guys that at least buy something a little better it has always been the Milwaukee 6390. I feel the regional thing is spot on. Guys just start adopting what someone else had that works and soon a region is running similar stuff.

Reasons for these two models.
-Used the Milwaukee many times and seems to do everything I need
-The Skil I was not originally interested in until I saw this Magnesium version.
-I don't have any experience with the Makita, Bosch, Porter models. (maybe I need to look more closely at them)


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## VinylHanger (Jul 14, 2011)

I have a PC sidewinder. It has a laser and everything. I always make sure no one is looking when I pull it out. :laughing:

Actually, I use it for cutting out windows and on my cut table. The laser on the cut table is cool. Other than that, I couldn't cut a straight line with it if my life depended on it. I have a left handed version somewhere, that one I like better.


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

I never saw anyone use a sidewinder on a job until I framed in Florida in 1989. I couldn't get it to work for me right. 

Now days I can use anything. I frame with the milwaukee cordless. I have both saws with the blades opposite of each other. I love them little saws. Could never use it back in my production days though.


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## Youngin' (Sep 16, 2012)

Nothing but sidewinders here, even among the framing crews. I've never used a worm drive but I wouldn't be opposed to learning to use them.


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## EthanB (Sep 28, 2011)

I've never had any use for a wormdrive other than the left side blade. My arms are long enough that I can crosscut a sheet in one pass. I'm regularly doing plunge cuts where the wormdrive would be too long and the weight would play hell on my wrists.

I have been using the Milwaukee TiltLok for over a decade and it's a really good, solid, saw. I just purchased the DeWalt DWE575SB for my FIL and then for myself this year. It's also a good saw, very light and the brake is really handy. The guard is a little tightly sprung, for my taste, so it's a PITA when cutting things that require a lot of precision as the tension will sometimes pull it a bit off when the guard starts to engage.


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## Framer87 (Dec 27, 2014)

First of all I can assure you that the magnesium skilsaw cuts all of 2 1/2". It's prob at 45 degree that it cuts 2" . we have one and cut 2x plus floor sheathing all the time for ra's. Also if I were picking saws I'd prob look at the dewalt, It's very light as and the guard never really binds on angled cuts. The new model however is not as durable as the old dw368 model, those are indestructible.


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## BNL Builders (Jul 17, 2013)

VinylHanger said:


> I have a PC sidewinder. It has a laser and everything. I always make sure no one is looking when I pull it out. :laughing:
> 
> Actually, I use it for cutting out windows and on my cut table. The laser on the cut table is cool. Other than that, I couldn't cut a straight line with it if my life depended on it. I have a left handed version somewhere, that one I like better.


I have a sidewinder with a laser I use on my siding table also. For framing we always use the skil worm drive


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## pritch (Nov 2, 2008)

I own a Makita worm drive, but most are Skil, as been mentioned. I don't know if one is better than the other, but I've always had the impression that Milwaukee tools are heavier than the other brands. The only Milwaukee saw I have now is my porta-band


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## RobertCDF (Aug 18, 2005)

Beowulf said:


> griz,
> 
> It is interesting that you mention only worms on the site. For whatever reason, all the crews I've worked with or even seen working on new builds around where I live in Colorado all seem to be using sidewinders. Sadly, they are usually even lower end models. I guess they just use them until they die and then get a new ones. For the guys that at least buy something a little better it has always been the Milwaukee 6390. I feel the regional thing is spot on. Guys just start adopting what someone else had that works and soon a region is running similar stuff.
> 
> ...


When I framed full time (in Colorado) we laughed guys off the site that had side winders, it was all worm drive. But the framing has changed a lot around here, I'd have to learn a new language to walk on site and I've walked through many a house and the workmanship is nothing like framing used to be.


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## Warren (Feb 19, 2005)

jetdawg said:


> I can attest, we fix several 77s a month. I think we got two sidewinders ever and they were homeowners. Not worth fixing we told them, throw them into the trash. Same thing when ridgid or ryobi home depot garbage. Porter cable is fixable (as far as nailers) but they're a joke. Last week had two guys come in with identical guns with identical problems both 2 minutes apart from each other while the first guy was describing his problem :biggrin:


I have used a lot of sidewinders in 30 plus years. Never once have I owned one, nor had one on site where the motor burned up. I have replaced just as many parts on my worm as any other saw. Handle (dropped), brushes, triggers etc.


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## Beowulf (Feb 26, 2008)

I just went and checked out the Skil and the Mikita 5007MG at HD. The Skil impressed me as the the fit and finish. I was impressed with the mostly metal construction. Everything felt very solid and the adjustments were smooth. I did not like the placement of the onboard tool in the foot, but I don't think it will get in the way. 

Sadly, the Makita on display looked like it had been placed in a cement mixer. The front handle was broken off. The motor cover was broken. The bevel lever was so bent that you could not loose the plate. Truly a sad example for Makita and sad that HD would display something like that.

I really like keeping my tools in a case. Unfortunately, the Skil is does not come with one.


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## Defenestrate (Aug 13, 2015)

hdavis said:


> Everybody knows blades designed for worm drives are different from blades designed for sidewinders, right?


Depends on the worm drive... both my makitas (hypoid, if you want to split hairs, but wormdrive) take a blade with a normal 5/8" hole. And blades that have the regular hole with the diamond knockout are readily available, if that's all your saw will take.


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## TempestV (Feb 3, 2007)

The only 7 1/4" blades that you can buy around here have a round hole with a diamond knockout.


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## jetdawg (Apr 9, 2015)

One particular model of diablo blade only comes in diamond shape.


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## EricBrancard (Jun 8, 2012)

jetdawg said:


> One particular model of diablo blade only comes in diamond shape.


And the label faces out on a left sided saw.


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

Defenestrate said:


> Depends on the worm drive... both my makitas (hypoid, if you want to split hairs, but wormdrive) take a blade with a normal 5/8" hole. And blades that have the regular hole with the diamond knockout are readily available, if that's all your saw will take.


Every blade is designed to work best at a particular RPM for a given use. A blade that's the cat's *ss for a worm drive may be so so on a sidewinder.


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## superseal (Feb 4, 2009)

Imagine what a 16" worm drive beam saw would look like...and weigh 

They tend to give me tennis elbow although good for gang cuts, sheathing, leverage cutting and when you truly need diesel power...which is rarely needed for me.

I got a old 77, a couple of 7 1/4" corded Milwaukees and a 10 1/4" which bares the same name. 

I like my little 6 1/2" fuel whenever possible.


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## TempestV (Feb 3, 2007)

superseal said:


> Imagine what a 16" worm drive beam saw would look like...and weigh


I have a Mall 12" wormdrive with the blade on the right, it weighs 36 lbs.

but why stop at 16", here is a 20" wormdrive:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/150407011187?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT


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## superseal (Feb 4, 2009)

TempestV said:


> I have a Mall 12" wormdrive with the blade on the right, it weighs 36 lbs.
> 
> but why stop at 16", here is a 20" wormdrive:
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/150407011187?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT


That's got earthquake country written all over it...gnarly dado for all the strapping I suppose. Hope I never have to use anything remotely close to that thing.


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/150407011187?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

That's a gang saw for gang cutting birds mouth's across many rafters ganged up. It was used back in the day on the large tracts.


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## asevereid (Jan 30, 2012)

I want both of those saws.


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

Here's a pic

Looks like the blade changes out and can be used to cut the plumb cut across multiple rafters as well.


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## Youngin' (Sep 16, 2012)

IN-SANE.

I wanna use it.


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## TempestV (Feb 3, 2007)

I found that set on ebay years ago, and saved the listing in my watched items, just to see if anyone would ever spend the $5000 for those two saws. As you can see, they are still for sale.


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

TempestV said:


> I found that set on ebay years ago, and saved the listing in my watched items, just to see if anyone would ever spend the $5000 for those two saws. As you can see, they are still for sale.


Nice find!


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

Californiadecks said:


> Here's a pic
> 
> Looks like the blade changes out and can be used to cut the plumb cut across multiple rafters as well.


Those saws were fairly common in the Sacramento area in the 70's.

I was told there was a local machine shop that put them out.

They were a among a piece framers prized possessions....


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

griz said:


> Those saws were fairly common in the Sacramento area in the 70's.
> 
> I was told there was a local machine shop that put them out.
> 
> They were a among a piece framers prized possessions....


Yep, I think it would be a little frowned upon these days. OSHA would have a field day!


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## EricBrancard (Jun 8, 2012)

Californiadecks said:


> http://www.ebay.com/itm/150407011187?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT
> 
> That's a gang saw for gang cutting birds mouth's across many rafters ganged up. It was used back in the day on the large tracts.


I wonder if they used that same type of saw for let-in bracing?


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