Pro Tool Reviews: If you don’t need all the power the Skil 20V Brushless Circular Saw affords for $186.98, their smaller saw might fit the bill. The Skil 12V Brushless Circular Saw presents a great compromise on both power and price for those looking for a compact saw. If you’re not familiar with Skil, they provide some excellent values in cordless power tools. If their 20V brushless saw pits itself against mainstream corded framers, the 12V model tackles consumer expectations. The Skil CR541802 circular saw kit costs less than $140 with 4Ah battery and PWRJump charger. That’s almost $50 less than you’ll pay for their 20V version.
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Any time I see battery powered tool reviews I get momentarily excited that we are one step closer to fully battery operated tools. Although that is most likely decades away (at least for tools that will actually compare to their 120V counterparts), these battery operated saws still hold their own in my opinion. For me, aside from the cordless drill, I've found that the circular saw benefits the most by using a battery during production work. This is mostly due to the uses I've found for the circular saw, since most of the time I've been fortunate enough to be near a table saw, miter saw, or panel saw. Without the cord, the circular saw becomes much easier and safer to use for quick cuts to size or adjustments during a load in. In particular, you loose the risk of the cord getting caught or tripped on, jerking the already dangerous saw in a potentially hazardous direction. This lightweight version could be extremely useful to have on hand in the theater since it does give you that level of flexibility, but I'm not sure I would say it is a scene shop essential. Particularly in our shop, with the overhead power supplies the cord issue is less of an issue (although not eliminated).
Any time I see battery powered tool reviews I get momentarily excited that we are one step closer to fully battery operated tools. Although that is most likely decades away (at least for tools that will actually compare to their 120V counterparts), these battery operated saws still hold their own in my opinion. For me, aside from the cordless drill, I've found that the circular saw benefits the most by using a battery during production work. This is mostly due to the uses I've found for the circular saw, since most of the time I've been fortunate enough to be near a table saw, miter saw, or panel saw. Without the cord, the circular saw becomes much easier and safer to use for quick cuts to size or adjustments during a load in. In particular, you loose the risk of the cord getting caught or tripped on, jerking the already dangerous saw in a potentially hazardous direction. This lightweight version could be extremely useful to have on hand in the theater since it does give you that level of flexibility, but I'm not sure I would say it is a scene shop essential. Particularly in our shop, with the overhead power supplies the cord issue is less of an issue (although not eliminated).
12v tools are in such an interesting spot to me as they should be right at what the everyday homeowner is looking for although more and more I see people still recommending to just go with their 16 or 18 volt counter parts so that you can keep battery expandability in play. I always thought Milwakee’s combo charger for 12v and 16v was a bit of a cop out. But introducing a line of tools that carries more then just your average drill driver at this 12v range may finally be an option for homeowners looking for smaller and less pricey tools that they don’t need all the time but need particular things when they do. This battery wave of tools is here and we are as close to ever to being fully cordless. Working this summer at an outdoor theatre I was apart of a team that first hand built with no power cords aside from routers, compressor, and a table saw and for our level of work there were definite options for cordless in all of those. The homeowner level tools isn’t necessarily limited in their tool selection but these new battery options are becoming better and better with each addition.
I love seeing new 12 volt tools! My first screw guns were both 12 volt, and serve me incredibly well. Although I have recently upgraded to the 18 volt line from the same manufacturer (Milwaukee), I think those 12 volt tools are still indispensable. Tools in this power category are general useful for DIY and hobbyist work, as opposed to professional - grade tools. They have enough power for smaller projects or minor renovations, but probably will not carry you through a day in the shop. That said, a great selling point for 12 volt tools is their price relative to the beefier power tool families. Especially with continual upgrades to batteries and power efficiency, I would not be surprised to see 12 volt tools break out of their niche and into the larger professional tool market. I love working without being tethered by power cords, and innovations in tool lineups are making working cordless easier every day!
To me, this is a tough decision to make between the benefits of corded versus battery circle saws. I really feel like most shops should have a corded saw for the majority of their shoop work, but having a battery powered one around is extremely useful tool. If a shop could only afford one or the other, I would definitely say go with the corded one. This is just a tool I want to be able to work with for a long time without any worry about losing power. It just is more convenient to me, and well worth the “annoyance” of a cord which really is not that big of a deal. Now for a bigger theater, I would definitely think they should have at least one of each, and having a little one like this around for quick jobs on load in or even build would be super useful.
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