the best skilsaw circular saws

Skilsaw made circular saws portable when they invented the first portable ones. Before then, they were large, stationary and not very affordable for simple weekend warriors. Since then, many other Power Tool Companies such as Dewalt, Makita, Bosch, Milwaukee and Craftsman have also had their version of the same tool. Before them all, Skilsaw circular saws were the first.

Since it was founded in 1924, Skilsaw have been making different models of circular saws such as the Model 77 and the Model 87. Till date, they’re still in the business and theirs are some of the best in the market, recommended by professional craftsmen and builders in the construction industry.

Whether you want a saw for cutting sheet goods, framing lumber, thick beams for timber framing and even concrete, there’s a Skilsaw circular saw for you.

There are two main types to choose from. Sidewinders which are smaller, more compact and lighter, ideal for overhead applications on the jobsite and for DIY projects at home.

The second type are Worm drive models which uses a worm gear to increase the torque for cutting thicker and harder materials, they’re more expensive and usually the model for professional crafts like cutting framing lumber and beams.

Here in this article, I’ve listed some of the best models available today, whether you’re looking for a worm gear driven model or a sidewinder.

1. Skil TRUEHVL Cordless Worm Drive 7-1/4 Inch Circular Saw – Best Cordless Jobsite Saw

Skil TRUEHVL cordless worm drive circular saw

If you want a circular saw you can take with you anywhere without worrying about electricity to get it running, then this Skil TRUEHVL worm drive saw is one of the best options out there to go for.

It combines performance, durability and portability, making it one of the most suitable pick for jobsite conditions.

Build Quality:

Talking about durability or build quality, the Skil TRUEHVL body is crafted from magnesium components, making it not only durable but also lightweight.

Performance:

As for performance, the TRUEHVL is a worm drive saw equipped with a brushless motor with a no-load speed of 5800 rpm, which not only produces more torque for carrying out straight, accurate cuts through hardwood, but also reduces battery consumption.

With it, you can carry out up to 425 cuts per every single charge of the battery.

Ease of Use:

The Skil TRUEHVL is cordless, which makes it very convenient to use in any situation both in the workshop and on the jobsite, without dragging any wires along with you.

An integrated dust extraction port ensures you can connect a shop vac if you want, and keep a clean work station.

The handle is well molded and rubberized for user comfort and easy handling.

Battery

For cordless tool, battery life is very important. That’s why the Skil TRUEHVL battery design makes it one of the best in the market. The battery cells are design to maximize hit dissipation, and each cell is wrapped with a cooling material that regulates the temperature of the battery, thus extending the overall battery life.

Charging the battery takes approximately 1 hour, and it takes up to 425 cuts before it needs to be recharged again.

Capacity:

The Skil TRUEHVL worm drive circular saw comes equipped with a 7-1/4 inch blade. It can make straight 90 degree cuts up to 2-3/8 in depth, and 45 degree bevel cuts at 1-15/16 inches in depth.

Cons:

It’s heavier than most sidewinder circular saws, so if you’re coming from a sidewinder, you’ll find this significantly heavier. However, it gets the job done better, cuts smoother even through hardwood.

The price is also on the high side, costing over 500 bucks. This here is not a cheap Skilsaw circular saw. If you’re looking for something budget-friendly, this is not the one.

2. Skilsaw OUTLAW SPT78MMC-01 – Best For Metal Cutting

Skilsaw OUTLAW SPT78MMC-01

Apart from cutting wood and non-ferrous metals, some circular saws like this Skilsaw OUTLAW are also designed to cut steel.

The Skilsaw OUTLAW is an 8 inch worm drive saw specifically designed to go above the norm and cut hard materials like steel. I guess that’s why it’s called “OUTLAW”.

Build Quality:

Designed to cut the strongest building materials, you can be sure that the Skilsaw OUTLAW was certainly built to last and withstand rough handling and jobsite conditions.

The all magnesium gear housing construction ensures it will not break, bend or get damaged even if it falls down. Although these tools are not meant to be abused, the sturdy construction ensures the OUTLAW is able to withstand any job thrown at it.

It comes equipped with a 42 teeth carbide-tipped blade, which is not the best quality but it gets the job done, even reducing the amount of sparks produced during cuts.

But if you really want to push this saw to the limit and see what it’s really capable of, remove the stock blade that came with it and install a metal cutting Diablo blade.

Performance:

The Skilsaw metal cutting circular saw comes equipped with a dual-field 15 amp motor which produces more power for making cuts.

Combine that with the worm gearing, the torque produced at the spinning blade allows the user to cut materials with ease. Whether you’re cutting through tubings, metal plates or even angle iron, this will cut through any framing metal easily.

It’s equipped with a relatively large chip tray which holds most of the chips produced during the cut, so you can keep a clean work area, and be able to empty it out later for disposal.

For those carrying out metal framing projects, this is one of the best metal cutting circular saws to get.

Capacity:

This saw is in no way small. In fact, with an 8 inch blade, it’s bigger than most circular saws you might have come across. The 8 inch blade is capable of producing a maximum 90 degree cut depth of 2-3/4 inches.

Cons:

The shoe plate that comes with it is made of stainless steel, which is quite flexible, and might bend if it falls hardly on the ground.

It’s very powerful, but I’ll only recommend it for cutting only framing metal. If you’re carrying out some fabrication projects that requires you to cut really thick metal plates, round bars, and thick steel beams, this might not be the ideal cutting tool for it.

If you want more performance out of it though, try upgrading the blade that came with it, and you’ll see much improvement in the cuts.

3. Skilsaw SPT70V-11 Super SAWSQUATCH Worm Drive (Largest Circular Saw) – Best For Cutting Beams – Timber Framing

skilsaw SAWSQUATCH worm drive circular saw

We figured, if we’re going to review Skilsaw circular saws, why not start with the largest of them all? The Skilsaw SPT70V-11 Super SAWSQUATCH.

It’s a worm drive unit that comes equipped with a blade that is 16-5/16 inches in size, and boasts a 6-1/4 inch cut capacity. Read that again.

This is a beast, it’s the biggest meant for the toughest and largest jobs you can ever hope to tackle with a circular saw, such as cutting thick beams for timber framing projects.

It has almost all its components made of magnesium metal which makes it very lightweight compared to its huge size. The magnesium construction also makes it very strong and durable.

The Skilsaw SPT70V-11 comes equipped with a 15 AMP Dual-Field motor that keeps the it running cool and efficiently.

An inbuilt electric brake quickly stops the blade once you’re through cutting with it, which is a very good safety feature to have in a machine of this size.

The Skilsaw SPT70V-11 Super SAWSQUATCH is one with an unusual size. It’s meant for the biggest of boards, and the toughest of projects.

With a 6-1/4 inch cutting depth capacity, you can bring out some of your thickest lumber, even lay sheet goods on top of sheet goods, this blade will go through them all at time.

4. Skilsaw SPT70WM-01 10-1/4 SAWSQUATCH Worm Drive Circular Saw – Best For Framing

skilsaw spt70wm-01 SAWSQUATCH circular saw

With the Skilsaw SPT70WM-01 SAWSQUATCH worm drive circular saw, you can cut 4x lumber easily in one pass.

It comes equipped with a 15 Amp dual field motor which powers the worm gearing allowing you to cut relentlessly whether you’re in the workshop or on the jobsite.

The 15 Amp motor not only powers the blade but also keeps it cooler as you cut with the saw, making the blade last longer as a result.

Cut any kind of lumber with it, including LVL, PSL, pine and glulam. It’s a true worm drive saw that produces all the torque you need to make the most difficult cuts on the jobsite with ease.

The all magnesium construction screams quality and durability. Meaning you’ll be cutting with it for a very long time without getting damage, plus it’s as lightweight as any machine of this size can ever be.

Related: The 10 Best Compound Miter Saws in 2022

5. Skilsaw SPT77WML-01 7-1/4 Inch Circular Saw

skilsaw spt77wml-01

Another Skilsaw circular saw you want to take a look at is the SPT77WML-01 worm drive model. It’s smaller compared to the ones we reviewed earlier but it’s a beast on its own.

It’s a saw designed with framers in mind. The all magnesium construction makes it very lightweight and durable, weighing just 11.6 lbs.

The SPT77WML-01 Skilsaw circular saw comes equipped with a 7-1/4 inch blade with a capacity to cut up to a depth of 2-3/8 inches.

A maximum bevel of 53 degrees with stops at 0 degrees and 45 degrees ensures you can make different types of cuts with it.

Like I said earlier, it’s a saw built with framers in mind. You’ll get years of service from this whether you work day-in-day-out on a busy jobsite.

6. Skilsaw SOUTHPAW SPT67M8-01 Left Blade Sidewinder

skilsaw southpaw spt67m8-01 sidewinder circular saw

Enough said about Skilsaw worm drive circular saws, if you need a Skilsaw sidewinder model, then this SOUTHPAW SPT67M8-01 left blade or left hand circular saw will definitely meet your needs, especially if you’re a leftie.

It’s a left hand or left blade circular saw which means you have more visibility of the blade and cutline when you’re cutting with it.

The Southpaw SPT67M8-01 sidewinder comes equipped with a 7-1/4 inch blade and has a cutting depth of 2-7/16 inches when cutting at 90 degrees.

It has a 56 degree bevel capacity and features positive stops at 0 and 45 degrees respectively.

It’s a saw you can use to cut both hard and engineered wood for applications like decking, framing, ceiling and siding.

Like the previous saws in this list, this mode is also made of magnesium metal, which means it’s very lightweight. You can get a lot of cuts carried out without feeling the weight in your hands. It’s made by Skil, hence you can be sure of many years of service from this Southpaw  SPT67M8-01 model.

Related: The Best Scroll Saws for Cutting Complex Curves and Patterns

7. Skil 5280-01 7-1/4 Inch Sidewinder With Single Beam Laser Guide

skil 5280-01 circular saw

If you’re looking for a very affordable but quality Skilsaw circular saw, then you should definitely go for this one.

The SKil 5280-01 is a wallet-friendly circular saw best for DIY enthusiasts and weekend warriors to carry out their woodworking projects without investing too much on one tool.

Although the Skil 5280-01 is not very expensive, it does not lack in quality and user-friendly features. The saw comes equipped with a single beam laser guide to help you make straight and accurate cuts easily.

A dust blower helps keep the line of cut free from sawdust allowing you to see your cut line and improve your accuracy.

The Skil 5280-01 circular saw comes equipped with a 15 amp motor and a 7-1/4 inch sized carbide tipped blade for making cuts.

If you ever need to change the blade that came with it, the spindle lock allows you to lock the arbor in place, allowing you to swap blades without breaking a sweat.

With a bevel capacity of 51 degrees, you can make bevel cuts even at extreme angles with this model.

Sharing is caring!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *