7-1/4″ Circular Saw Head to Head |  2022

Legend has it that a Shaker Woman in Harvard Massachusetts named Tabitha Babbitt saw two men struggling with a pit saw and decided to come up with a better option, inspired by her spinning wheel. She made a smaller prototype and eventually the design was enlarged for use in sawmills to cut logs into dimensional lumber in sawmills around the end of the 18th-century.

In 1922 Raymond Dewalt invented the first radial arm saw an important step in bringing a smaller more readily usable saw into woodworking and carpentry shops.

Then in 1929 Art Emmons created the first portable handheld circular saw. Nearly 100 years later the circular saw is the most widely used saw, with use in industrial, commercial, residential, and DIY projects. In this head-to-head, we will crown one saw as the Best Cordless 7-1/4 Circular Saw.

In 2014, we conducted our first head-to-head comparison of the best cordless 18v circular saws and did it again in 2016. The Tool Box Buzz crew set out to run our second head-to-head on cordless circular saws in 2016, to see who had the best in the industry at that time. Here are those comparisons: 2014 H2H and our 2016 H2H.

7-1/4″ Cordless Circular Saw | Testing Format

For this Best Cordless 7-1/4″ Circular Saw evaluation, our team evaluated a total of  7 essential categories as detailed below. Each of the categories was ranked individually and a selection was used to declare the “Overall Best Cordless 7-1/4″ Circular Saw” based on the combined test results.

1. Accuracy / Line of Sight– The accuracy and line of sight of the saws was compared including the ability to follow a cut line
2. Performance [Power / Speed Test]-We looked at cutting speed through 2 stacked 3/4″ plywood sheets as an indicator of saw motor performance.
3. Features– An overall comparison of features and specifications.
4. Weight – We rank the tools’ weight as bare tools.
5. Noise – We used a decibel meter used to measure the tool under no load and under identical cutting load conditions.
6. Price– Price is always an important factor in determining which saw is best for a user. We’ve included the current pricing found online for each of the saws “as-tested,” at the time of publication.  Because we tested DIY and Pro grade tools we did not include the price ranking in our overall scoring.  
7. Best Value – Often times this category winner tends to resonate with most folks, as it identifies the saw tends to perform well in the tests, but feels good on the wallet.  

Cordless 7-1/4″ Circular Saw Specifications

We examined a total of ten saws from eight different manufacturers for this Head-2-Head. The following is a list of all the 7-1/4″ Circular Saws that the ToolBoxBuzz  crew examined in this Head-2-Head:

DEWALT – Model: DCS574B

• Volts: 20V
• No Load Speed: 5,500 RPMS
• Max Cut Depth at 90°: 2-9/16″
  
• Max Cut Depth at 45°: 2″
• Bevel Capacity: 57°
• Weight: 10.15 LBS
• Bare Tool Price: $179.00
• Mfg Link: Dewalt DCS574B

DEWALT – Model DCS578B Flexvolt

• Volts: 60V
• No Load Speed: 5,800 RPMS
• Max Cut Depth at 90°: 2-9/16″
  
• Max Cut Depth at 45°: 2″
• Bevel Capacity: 57°
• Weight: 10.2 LBS
• Bare Tool Price: $189.99
• Mfg Link: Dewalt DCS578B

Hilti – Model: SC30WR-22

• Volts: 22V
• No Load Speed: 4,700 RPMS
  
• Max Cut Depth at 90°: 2-5/8″
  
• Max Cut Depth at 45°: 2″
• Bevel Capacity: 50°
  
• Weight: 8.30 lbs
• Bare Tool Price: $279.00
• Mfg Link: Hilti SC30WR-22
  

Makita – Model: GSH02Z

• Volts: 40V
• No Load Speed: 6,000 RPMS
• Max Cut Depth at 90°: 2-3/8″
  
• Max Cut Depth at 45°: 1-11/16″
• Bevel Capacity: 56°
• Weight: 10.4 LBS
• Bare Tool Price: $339.00
• Mfg Link: Makita GSH02Z

Makita – Model: XSH07ZU

• Volts: 36V (x2 18v)
• No Load Speed: 6,000 RPMS
• Max Cut Depth at 90°: 2-5/8″
  
• Max Cut Depth at 45°: 1-13/16″
• Bevel Capacity: 56°
• Weight: 10.5 LBS
• Bare Tool Price: $289.00
• Mfg Link: Makita GSH07ZU

Metabo HPT – Model: C3607DAQ4

• Volts: 36V
• No Load Speed: 4,300 RPMS
• Max Cut Depth at 90°: 2-7/16″
  
• Max Cut Depth at 45°: 1-7/8″
• Bevel Capacity: 55°
• Weight: 9.7 LBS
• Bare Tool Price: $119.71
• Mfg Link: Metabo HPT C3607DAQ4

Milwaukee – Model: 2732-20

• Volts: 18V
• Load Speed: 5,800 RPMS
• Max Cut Depth at 90°: 2-1/2″
  
• Max Cut Depth at 45°: 1-7/8″
• Bevel Capacity: 50°
• Weight: 9.05 LBS
• Bare Tool Price: $219.00
• Mfg Link: Milwaukee 2732-20

Ridgid – Model: R8657B

• Volts: 18V
• No Load Speed: 5,400 RPMS
• Max Cut Depth at 90°:  2-9/16″
  
• Max Cut Depth at 45°:  1-7/8″
• Bevel Capacity: 56°
• Weight: 8.3LBS
• Bare Tool Price: $179.00
• Mfg Link: Ridgid R8657B

Ryobi – Model: PBLCS300B

• Volts: 18V
• No Load Speed: 4,300 RPMS
• Max Cut Depth at 90°:  2-7/16″
  
• Max Cut Depth at 45°: 1-3/4″
• Bevel Capacity:  56°
• Weight: 6.5 LBS
• Bare Tool Price: $99.00
• Mfg Link: Ryobi PBLCS300B

Kobalt – Model: KXCS 124B-03

• Volts: 24V
• No Load Speed: 5,500 RPMS
• Max Cut Depth at 90°: 2-1/2″
  
• Max Cut Depth at 45°: 1-3/4″
• Bevel Capacity: 56°
• Weight: 9.4 LBS
• Bare Tool Price: $149.00
• Mfg Link: Kobalt KXCS 124B

Milwaukee Saw Blades – Model 48-40

Prior to testing, all of the circular saws were supplied with task-specific, saw blades, we used:

• 40-teeth, 7’1/4″ Fine Finish blade, model 48-40-0726. $16.97
• 24-tooth 7-1/4″  Framing blade, 48-40-0720. $ 10.97

By using the Milwaukee saw blades, we kept the focus on the tools rather than the blades.

Controlling for blade variability allows our assessments to focus on the motor, battery, and electronics to gauge the performance of the saws. Also, to get all the saws close when it comes to batteries, we decided to compare all the saws with a 4.0 Ah to 6.0 Ah battery range.

The use of uniform blades throughout the testing helped to ensure consistency by removing an external testing variable.

We chose the Milwaukee blades for their better precision, cooler cuts, and longevity. We geek out on their Cobalt Infused Tungsten Carbide, laser Cut Vibration Slots to reduce wobble, and Anti-Friction Coating that prevents gumming. Plus the Milwaukee blades are a favorite because they’re priced right and reliable.

Accuracy Testing / Line of Sight  – Winner  Makita Saws, and  Metabo HPT

For our accuracy test, we had an experienced PRO user cut plywood using a straight edge guide with each saw, then rank the equipment depending on how well it performed. The saws were also verified for accuracy at their 90° and 45° factory bevel settings with testing equipment.

This test was performed by a single operator to keep the test standardization under control.  We also checked the scales and slots on the saw’s baseplate for accuracy. Ideally, these kerf slots line up with the cut on the motor side of the blade. This way the reference point is consistent and the only variable will be the offset between the plate of the blade and the teeth. When the saw plate scales are accurate, users can line up cuts for quick, accurate cuts, which can save a lot of time!

For the accuracy category each of the circular saws was ranked on accuracy in the following areas:

• Line of Sight
• Scale/slot accuracy
• Bevel accuracy when set to 45 degrees.
• Cross-cut accuracy with bevel set to 0 degrees (how perpendicular the cut is to the face of the work piece)

Performance Testing (Power/Speed)

The speed at which a circular saw can cut through a particular material is a factor of the blade shape (width, diameter, tooth count, and tooth shape), blade rotational speed, and horizontal force applied.  As a saw blade moves through the material, the saw motor will encounter a resistance that will require more torque and power to keep the blade spinning at its optimal speed.  As a blade edge dulls or too much horizontal force is applied, the saw blade rotational speed will begin to slow down.  A skilled user can usually tell when a saw is working too hard and knows to back off on how much force they are applying during a cut. A more powerful saw will be able to counteract these resistances better and ultimately be able to remove more material and cut faster.

To test the power and ultimately the speed of these saws the TBB crew needed to control as many of the cutting variables as we could.  We achieved this by using a standard blade across all the saws, using consistent high-quality plywood as our material, and controlling the horizontal force applied to the saw with a drop weight pulley system and a low friction rig.

Each saw was affixed to a Kreg Accu-cut sled for ultimate compatibility across all the manufacturers.  The Accu-cut track system was secured to our testing rig and an 8-foot section of a double layer of ¾” plywood was indexed underneath, resulting in an 8-foot rip of 1 ½” material.  A line was attached to the Accu-cut sled and fed through a series of low friction pullies and attached to an 8 lb weight.  This weight was raised to the ceiling in our shop and provided a consistent 8lb horizontal force to pull the saw through the cut.

Each saw was given three cuts through the material and the time of all the cuts was averaged and compared.  Electro-mechanical micro-switches were secured to the start and stop sections of the cutting rig.  The time automatically started as the saw began its cut and again automatically stopped as the sled reached the far end and the cut was finished.  This removed any bit of human error associated with a handheld stopwatch.

After each cut, the track system was cleaned of all sawdust and debris.  Before the first run of each saw the sled was lubricated with silicone spray and inspected to ensure a smooth low friction cut.

The more powerful saws were able to keep the rotational speed of the blade up, therefore, removing material more quickly and ultimately traveling faster across the rig and completing the cut in less time.  This setup allowed us to stress the saws in a non-abusive manner and provided enough of a performance spread that allowed us to rank them individually and determine which saw was the most powerful.

KREG Accu-Cut Aluminum Circular Saw Track

The KREG track system allows a user to make straight, accurate, splinter-free cuts with your circular saw, without having to spend a huge expense for a separate track saw.

The Accu-cut guides your circular saw along an aluminum track that keeps the saw moving in a straight line easily. The Accu-cut design makes it simple to set up by just aligning the track with your cut line. The track features an anti-slip coating to prevent slipping and an anti-chip feature to prevent splintered cuts. Plus, the track makes it easy to make straight cuts on sheets that don’t have a straight, flat edge. We found the Accu-cut track easy and intuitive to use, but robust enough for professionals.

What impressed me the most with the Kreg Accu-cut guides was how easily it allowed us to mount 18 different saws securely to it. That, and the fact that Kerg uses Phillips set screws to secure the track sections, – that’s pure genious ~ ROB

Performance Testing (Power/Speed)  – Winner DEWALT DCS578B

The FlexVolt saw crushed its competition on the performance sled with an average score of 18-seconds. Even without the electronic timer, the team noted this saw’s speed ripping through double-layered 3/4″ AC plywood.

When I pushed the FlexVolt saw hard I was able to rip a 69-inch LVL in 6.5 seconds with no bogging down – impressive! ~ ROB

Second place in the performance testing went to the Milwaukee M18 saw with an average score of 21.8 seconds. This saw eats double layered plywood for breakfast but when pushed hard through LVL we stalled it 4 times.

Milwaukee has always been conservative in its Red Lithium batteries and onboard electronics, like many manufacturers, they build in protections in the tool from overheating and draining the battery. We feel that the settings on this saw might be set too low.

Third place went to the new Ridgid saw with an average time of  22.1 seconds. This newly designed brushless saw performed well in this test. The team loved the power in our subjective LVL testing, plywood, and framing lumber cutting.

Ridgid tools are the hidden Gem of the tool industry – More pros need to try these tools out!  ~ SCOTT

Best  Cordless 7-1/4-inch Circular Saw Features – Winner Hilti

Circular saws are the workhorse of many job sites. They are synonymous with portable, fast and accurate field cuts. The flexibility and precision of this tool make it invaluable for the job site PRO.

It’s never easy to compare tool features from different brands, but the devil is in the details, thus a feature comparison is necessary.

The entire team used all of the tools in a variety of cutting configurations and tests [stringers, plywood, LVL KD lumber]  to rate six separate features on these saws on a scale of one to five. [With 1 being the best]

Features that we looked at:

• Blade Change | Spindle Lock
• Bevel
• Blade Depth
• Trigger | Grip
• Electric Brake
• Site line / Cut Scale

A new blade for your application is critical to ensure a quality cut and productivity on the job site. Changing a blade should be easy, safe, and convenient. We evaluated the blade change on the ten saws and although there were no clear standouts, there were a few distinctions that are worthy of note.

Best Blade Change  – DEWALT

Nothing exciting came out of the blade change assessment. The key discriminator was the onboard storage of the wrench, and how quickly, and easily the arbor locked for blade changing.

All of the saws had onboard Allen keys with exception of the DEWALT, which uses an onboard angled wrench. During this evaluation, we noted three saws worthy of reporting to you.

1. Makita 36 v saw has a stiff arbor lock spring that we found difficult to actuate.
2. Bosch 18v tolerances on the blade guard are super tight making the blade change awkward
3. The two DEWALT saws had the most arbor lock detents [28] compared to the Milwaukee at 4- detents. The rest of the saws were between 4 to 12 detents.

Best Bevel – Tie: Hilti, Kobalt, Makita

As a remodeling carpenter, if I’m setting a circular saw bevel to 22.5, 45, or greater degrees, the scale is probably good enough for me. If I need a dead-on bevel, I’ll use a miter, table saw, or track-saw. That said, I’d like to operate a saw that has an accurate bevel scale, that I don’t have to work hard to set. A circular saw is a rough cutting saw where speed is everything. A bevel scale that allows users to quickly set and verify common bevel settings is the key performance indicator for this category.

The best beveling saws were the Hilti, Makita 36v and Kobalt. They all have knobs that control the positive stops at max bevel 45 and 22.5 degrees. The Hilti and Makita 36v had the best action selectors that were easy to use, set, and understand.

Most of the saws bevel past 45- degrees. The DEWALT saw bevels at 57-degrees. Hilti saw bevels at 50-degrees, the Kobalt at 55-degrees, and the Makita 36 volt bevels at 56- degrees.

The Hilti positive stops were “money,” the action really kills it.  It has a super solid build, with a stop knob on the bevel, and easy to see bevel and depth scales. ~ ETHAN

The Kobalt has a similar scale to the Milwaukee, a laser-etched scale screwed onto the tool, a large comfortable lever, and a surprisingly nice action, and detailing.

The Makita 40V and Metabo HPT have positive stops at 45- degrees with the lever option to go to max bevel [48 and 55 degrees].

The team really liked the Milwaukee scale but would like to see a stop at 45- degrees added.

For such a powerful and smooth cutting saw, with outstanding line of sight and scales, I don’t understand why this bevel does not have positive detents. I should not have to “hunt” for 45-degrees, Milwaukee should address this! ~ ROB

The Ryobi followed the pack with a simple, very basic, plastic scale, no one was impressed, and the bevel line-of-sight was underwhelming.

Best Blade Depth Adjustment – Tie: Hilti, Makita 40v

While the team feels that setting the depth of a circular saw is best done by setting the blade projection just past the depth of the material being cut, there is something to be said about a gauge that can quickly and accurately set the depth of the saw.

Precision in tooling and gauges simply carries through in overall tool quality and performance. The Hilti really stood out as a smooth adjusting tool.  Its a solid Build! ~ SCOTT

The Hilti and Makita 40-volt had the smoothest blades’ depth action and adjustment, with legible, accurate high contrast scales. In contrast, we found the Metabo HPT bevel action stiff and does not offer a depth scale.  We did note that the Metabo HPT does have a cast base plate with a machined edge on the blade side – which is a nice fit and finish detail.

Best Trigger | Grip – Hilti and Makita 36v and 40v

For a circular saw to have a good grip there must be sufficient friction between the user’s hand and the handle. This is more important when the user’s hand is sweaty. All of the saws had a non-slip, non-conductive, and compressible material for a grip.

When looking at the tool triggers we considered frequent movements of the index finger while operating the circular saw. We can all agree, that this movement should be comfortable.  For example; a longer trigger allows the use of two or three fingers to activate and could reduce discomfort, contrast that to pinch points between the trigger and housing which can be uncomfortable or cause hot spots.

The Hilti and both Makita saws have a comfortable grip, a smooth rounded trigger with excellent action, and no pinch points.

The DEWALT has a trigger guard and the trigger has a pinch point at the bottom of the trigger and tool housing. While many smaller hand users will pull the trigger higher, larger hand users will find this a pinch point situation.

The Milwaukee and Ryobi triggers require the most pull force, coupled with sharp edges resulting in trigger hotspots.

Best Site Lines – Winners DEWALT 20v Max DCS574W1 AND DEWALT FlexVolt DCS578B

The clipped guard on the DEWALT saws provided the best line of sight to where the blade meets wood.

Every saw has notches or marks on the front of the shoe to indicate where the blade is going to cut, but not all of them are intuitive, or easy to follow. So when it matters, looking for where the blade meets the wood, is the best way to verify that your cut is going to be where you want it.

Runtime, ergonomics, and power are all well and good but if you can’t see what you’re doing your accuracy and productivity will suffer. Not only that, but having to fold yourself in half to get that sight line to the blade will leave you with a very sore back at the end of the day!

Other Stand Out Features

There were a few stand-out features that affect performance, safety, and user experience.

Rafter Hooks

Most of the saws had 2×4 rafter hooks with the exception of Metabo HPT and Ryobi which did not have hooks. The two Makitas saws have a location to add on an optional hook, at an additional cost.

I can’t believe that Makita builds such an amazing saw and makes you buy the rafter hook as an accessory – come on Makita ~ WES

The Hilti rafter hook mounts on the top of the saw and can get in the way of a user actuating the safety switch. As a right-handed user, I would orient the hook far left and vis-versa for a left-handed user. No one on the team liked or appreciated the placement of the hook while using the saw.

Wow, for such a nicely built saw, they fell asleep at the wheel on the rafter hook ~ ETHAN

Dust Ports

The Hilti has a really nice integrated, swivel dust port with a wide chute orifice. Both Makita saws, Ridgid, and Milwaukee have dust ports.

One interesting observation on the Makita, and Rigid dust ports, if you look inside them, they have massive choke points where the dust point turns 90-degrees. This results in a much-reduced flow.

Blue Tooth Vacuum Activation

Both the Makita saws have the AWS system  (Auto-Start Wireless System) which is Bluetooth technology that enables wireless power-on/power-off with an AWS-equipped dust extractor. Makita AWS-equipped tools have a small wireless transmitter inserted into a handle on the tool. The transmitter can communicate with a Makita dust extractor also equipped with an AWS transmitter.

The AWS-equipped tool can also communicate with ANY corded dust extractor with an onboard AC outlet and the optional Makita AWS Universal Adaptor. The adapter has an AWS wireless transmitter and plugs into the dust extractor’s onboard AC outlet. The transmitter and adapter are optional and do cost more money but the convenience, long-term time savings, and efficiency make it an investment worth considering.

Silent Mode

Metabo HPT silent mode is an auto-sensing mode that reduces the blade RPM to 2,000 and then adjusts the RPM back up to the maximum 4,300 RPMs based on demand. There is a mode selector switch located below the trigger. This decreased blade speed produces less audible noise and is more pleasing to the ear. When the load on the tool grows, when Silent mode is selected, the motor switches from “Power” mode and then back to “Silent,” mode once the load drops.

Noise – Winner Metabo HPT

OSHA allows 8 hours of exposure for up to 90 dB, for exposures 95dB and greater, the exposure limits drop dramatically. Circular saws are LOUD, and hearing protection should be used at all times.

To test these saws in a consistent manner, we used a noise meter and measured the saw’s dB level under a no-load condition at a fixed distance roughly the spacing a user would have their ears.  Decibel measurements are relative to any environment and the important takeaway is that the saws were measured against each other in a consistent manner. We tested these saws in a no-load capacity, under load the saws are louder and the cutting material will dictate the noise level.

The quietest running saw was the Metabo HPT C3607DA.  The saw implements a soft start feature that reduces the spikes in activation noise and continued to produce less noise during a steady state. This saw was the quietest even with its novel “Silent Mode: feature switched off.

Price – Winner Ryobi

The cost of a tool can sometimes drive a purchase. We can all agree that cost is a critical consideration when purchasing tools,  especially for those of you just starting out in the trades. We also recognize that most contractors are brand loyal and will most likely stick to their existing battery platform rather than branching out and developing a new line of cordless tools.

The bulk of these saws may be found at your local big box stores, and almost all of them can be found online like ACME Tools.  At the time of this test, we had an advanced sample of the Hilti Nuron. It’s a brand new saw, and not readily available yet.

Below we’ve included the current pricing (at the time of publishing this article). Pricing is based on bare tools.

The best-priced is the Ryobi PBLCS300B, costing $99.00. This saw is only available at Home Depot. Ryobi positions itself as an affordable “pro-featured” tool brand and is attractively priced for DIYers, serious enthusiasts, and some pro users. Coming in just $20 more is the Metabo HPT, followed by the Kobalt at $50 more.

Highest Cost Saw

The Makita 40v XGT was the most expensive saw at the time of writing this article (model GSH02Z). The price of this saw is $339.00. It can be found on the websites of big box stores as well as ACME Tools, with a delivery period of roughly a week. This saw performed well in our testing and has an outstanding design fit and finish and some very nice features; such as a track-compatible base plate and excellent ergonomics, which contribute to its premium price.

Best Value Circular Saw | 2022 – Winner Metabo HPT

The best value category is a favorite for us, mostly because it crowns an outstanding performer at a reasonable cost. This category is where we directly compare price to performance. If you’re heavily invested in a tool platform or drink the green, yellow, blue, or red cool-aid you may not value this category, but it certainly caters to first-time or budget-conscious consumers, as well as, entry-level tradespeople.

The Metabo HPT saw scored middle of the pack in our evaluation with a perfect accuracy score and lower weight, which many on the team commented on. The Metabo HPT came in 2nd for the lowest price, selling as a bare tool at approximately $120. It also has some nice features, and was the quietest saw, even without using the Silent Mode.

Best 7-1/4″ Circular Saw 2022 – Winner DEWALT DCS578B

Choosing the best 7-1/4″ circular saw wasn’t simple, but we’re convinced we went through every point in our evaluation.  A product that is recognized best in class is one that outperforms competitors in the same category or segment. In comparison to their rivals, these items have the highest level of quality and/or utility.

Best 7-1/4″ Circular Saw Scoring Chart

The best 7-1/4″ circular saw winner was the DEWALT DCS578B. With exception of the weight category, this saw excelled in every test and assessment we put to it.  It is a fast-cutting, well-built, powerful saw with accurate settings and nice features.

The DEWALT is my favorite saw tested; its got power, not too heavy, is easy to adjust and is comfortable in my hand. ~ JEREMY

The new Hilti Nuron saw came in second crushing the evaluation of the features, and performing top 3-4 in the other categories.   While not available yet this saw is slated for a $279 MSRP.  Everyone on the team was excited about Hilti’s new innovation and performance.

The new Hilti engineering and fit and finish is well-done! I liked the bevel stop knob, legible and accurate scales, the 45-degree stop is nice too! Next stop for Hilit – a track-compatible saw. ~ ETHAN

As a company, Hilti has been slow to update its tools as evidenced by some of our past Head-to-Head tests. The Hilti saw was really well-balanced given its long length, super-solid build, was powerful, had smooth cutting, and had nice adjustments. Welcome back Hilti!

Third place went to BOTH Makita saws.  The Makita saws were an easy team favorite during testing with comments such as; smooth, decent power, felt great in the hands,

The Makita 36V saw is awesome. My first saw [31 years ago] was a Makita and this saw brings me right back. Its a smooth cutting saw with great features ~ ROB

The team really likes that the Makita 40V saw which offers track compatibility, it was seriously accurate in our testing, with outstanding features. When comparing the Makita 40v to the Makita 36V saw, the team felt that with exception of the 40v being more powerful, and the track option, no one felt that alone was enough difference to switch from the 18v [36v] platform to 40 volts.

Circular Saw Test Conclusion

In each of our Head-2-Head tests, we strive to provide you with the most detailed facts available. In order to give you the most comprehensive data possible, our ALL-Pro contractor team committed a substantial amount of time and effort to our Best 7-1/4″ Circular Saw Head-to-Head analysis.

These tests and evaluations are difficult and time-consuming, and ultimately we are limited in scope because we are not a professional testing organization with unlimited time to evaluate the tools. Our crew simply does not have the time to test these saws for extended periods and evaluate their durability, and we can’t possibly test every application for which they might be utilized.

So how did we get to our final rankings? After carefully studying all our data, we rank the saws accordingly. Some of these rankings may not be relevant to you. Perhaps you are only looking at power statistics or simply looking for cost, the best thing is, all our data is right there for you to pick and choose what you need.

You get to pick what information you want or do not want! We also understand that many tradespeople have invested a significant amount of money into a battery platform and staying with that brand is a huge consideration. Our goal was to provide you with the information needed to make your own choices.

Thank you for following along with this Head-2-Head article and if you have a moment, please check out our other Head-to-Head Tests.

Best 7-1/4″ Circular Saw for 2022 | Video Review

Best Cordless 7-1/4 Circular Saw is a post from Tool Box Buzz

2020 Holiday Tool Gift Guide

Every year we put out a holiday tool gift guide to help you pick out a gift for that hard to buy for tradesperson in your life or maybe a gift for yourself. All of the tools in this year’s guide are ones that are in my job site kit or in my shop. I can personally recommend all of these because I use them regularly.

Tool Gift Guide Stocking Stuffers

Milwaukee Tool Fastback 2 pack

What’s to say about these knives? I’ve been using them for years both on the jobsite and in the shop. One of them, either the compact or normal fastback is always on me and sometimes I’m even carrying two. Now you or your loved one can get in on the action with this great deal from Home Depot for under $15.

Stanley Fatmax 2 pack

Here’s another sweetheart of a deal from Home Depot. This time it’s 2 for 1 on the perennial best tape measure. Just $20 is all you need for this one. At this price, buy one for yourself and one for your loved one.

Stanley  6-Way Screwdriver

I love this screwdriver. It isn’t one of those fancy 800 in 1 drivers but what’s great about it is that it has the two Philips sizes (#1 and 2) on opposite ends of one bit and the two standard sizes on opposite ends of the other bit. I love these so much that I own 3. Under $5 at ACME Tools.

Gearwrench Micro

I bought this last year as a stocking stuffer for my then 6 year old son (on a recommendation from my buddy Stuart). It’s a good quality, compact kit with most of the sizes you may need around your house. It is especially useful on knockdown furniture. I bought it for him but I borrow it so much that I should just get my own… and you should too! Just over $16 on Amazon.

Bosch GLM50C LDM

When laser distance measures first came out, I didn’t think they were all that useful outside of estimating. Now I use them quite frequently just to do quick material calculations, or sqft measurements, or heights, or any other measurement that’s longer than my tape. Stan reviewed it a couple years ago and it’s still a great tool. On sale now at ACME Tools for just under $100. 

Measurements can be directly imported into a phone/tablet app for quick layouts

Stiletto 10oz Hammer

Up until this point, all the tools in the gift guide have been on sale or some kind of special holiday deal. Not so much with this hammer, it’s listed at the normal price. So why am I including it? Because it’s the best hammer I’ve ever swung. Sure a hammer’s greatness is pretty subjective based on how it feels to the user but it was our best pick for our finish hammer head to head a few years ago with 6 of 7 of us picking it over the rest of the field. You can get it for about $85 at ACME.

My trusty hammer is a little worse for wear but it stills bangs nails like a champ

Tool Gift Guide – Under $100 Gifts

Kindling Cracker

This cool little tool is something I bought for my dad as a gift a couple years ago. It’s a dead-simple piece of cast iron that you put small logs on top of and whack them with a hammer to get small pieces of kindling. No moving parts and it’s fun to boot! $90 at ACME

Metabo HPT 10″ Miter Saw

Are you or a loved one in need of a miter saw to finish off that honey-do list? Every year ACME has a honey of a deal on this Metabo HPT 10″ miter saw. Is it the greatest miter saw on the planet? No but the price is fantastic for a decent little saw. Don’t believe me? Check out the price and reviews at the following link. $89 at ACME.

Dewalt 20V Blower

I’ve had this blower a couple seasons now and while it’s similar to other blowers on the market, the concentrator nozzle is what makes this one special. Usually this model is around $140. At only $99 at ACME, this is a screaming deal.

Cordless Inflator

Battery-powered inflators have been out for almost a decade on the RYOBI One+ platform. It wasn’t until a couple years ago the Milwaukee and Dewalt also released inflators of their own. An inflator isn’t an everyday tool so get the one that goes with your current battery platform. Either Ryobi ($49 bare tool), Milwaukee ($99 w/battery and charger), or Dewalt ($99 bare tool).

Milwaukee USB Rechargeable Headlamp

As a commercial carpenter, I’m often in low light job sites. One of my most used tools is my hard hat headlamp. It’s usb rechargeable so I just plug in my hardhat to my truck at the end of every day so that it’s ready to go for the next day. I like the milwaukee one not only for the rechargeability but the attachment system is second to none. At 475 lumens, it’s no slouch in the light output either. Home Depot has a screaming deal right now for the headlamp and an additional battery for under $60.

Gearwrench 20pc SAE/Metric Ratcheting Wrenches

Gearwrench was the first company to develop ratcheting wrenches and this 20pc set is about the easiest way to get your hands on them. I’ve bought this set twice over the last couple years. Once for myself and then a set for my dad because I liked mine so much. Ohio Power Tool has a great deal on these wrenches at just over $55.

Here is my wrench drawer with part of the Gearwrench set

Tool Gift Guide – Over $100 Gifts

Milwaukee Packout

I use Packout every day. Almost all of my tools that I bring to the jobsite are in a packout box, bag, or container. Milwaukee was later than some brands to the party but they’ve been blowing the rest out of the water with the shear number of options in the lineup. The gateway for most is the three case stack. If you don’t want to wait, head to your local Home Depot and pick up the stack for $197 plus tax. Otherwise you can grab it at ACME for similar price and free shipping.

The three box stack is a gateway drug to all the other great SKUs in the Packout line, like these bags

Dewalt Tough System 2.0

If your loved one has a penchant for the color yellow instead of red, take a look at the all new Dewalt Tough System 2.0. They took many of the things that frustrated users with the original and fixed them all the while keeping the new ones backwards compatible. A three box stack is similarly priced to the Milwaukee around $200 but is currently $179 at ACME Tools.

Gen 1 can click right onto the 2.0 boxes

Makita Rear-handle Circular Saw

Beast is the word that best describes this saw. Gobs of power, so much so that you may think it’s corded. With the ability to cut through 3x material in one pass, this saw is sure to be a hit with the tradesperson in your life. Right now you can get the saw with 2 additional batteries too so that means you get the saw, charger, a bag, and 4 batteries for $249 at ACME.

Milwaukee Mid-Torque

As Goldilocks said, “This one is just right.” The same is true for the Milwaukee Mid-Torque impact wrench. It has just the right amount of power and finesse for most fasteners. Lug nuts and automotive bolts to lag bolts and screw anchors in concrete. The version I have is gen 1 and it has 600 ft/lbs of nut busting torque. As a bare tool it is $199 at ACME. There’s also a newer version that just came out but that one is $40 more for only 50 ft/lbs of additional torque. Dewalt and Makita both have mid torque offerings as well and they seem really nice but I’ve only used them at media events.

My wrench and ratchet packout box. Mid-Torque is upper right.

Makita Couple Shaft

Hands down the best attachment system I’ve ever used and it appeals to most users because it comes in either gas or battery powerheads and about every attachment imaginable is available for this system. This isn’t something you’re probably going to gift someone (unless you’re married to them and get to benefit from it) but maybe it’s a gift you buy yourself this holiday season. Check out all the options at ACME.

Couple Shaft powerheads are available as X2 battery or 4-stroke gas

2020 Holiday Tool Gift Guide is a post from Tool Box Buzz

Best Cordless 1/2″ Hammer Drill – Head -to-Head

Arguably the most used tool of any trade and probably the most common power tool among homeowners and DIYer’s the ½” cordless drill is as common as it is useful, and versatile. The pistol grip cordless drill was developed by Black and Decker in 1961, but didn’t see consumer use until much later. Since then many manufacturers have contributed to the design and improvements by incorporating lithium ion batteries, hammer drill functionality, and most recently, brushless motors.

For this head-to-head we’ve asked 12 manufacturers to send us their top-of-the-line 18 to 22 volt ½” hammer drill drivers. We asked manufacturers to keep their batteries in the 6.0 Ah range.

The Tool Box Buzz Crew put these drills through the paces with a battery of tough tests to see which is fastest, has the longest run-time, the best ergonomics, and the most power in day-to-day jobsite use.

Hammer Drill Line-Up and Specifications

The 1/2″ Cordless Hammer Drill line-up for our Head-to-Head evaluation includes 12 drills. Below are links to the drills along with basic specifications for each drill:

• Bosch HDH183-B24″ Bosch CORE18V Brushless Brute Tough Hammer Drill/Driver 
  • 18V Li-Ion
  • 6.3 Ah Battery Pack
  • 2 Speed Gear Box: 0-500 RPM, 0-2,100 RPM
  • 0-31,500 BPM
• Craftsman CMCD721D2 V20* Brushless Hammer Drill Kit
  • 20V MAX Li-Ion (18V nominal)
  • 4.0 Ah Battery Pack
  • 2 Speed Gear Box: 0-600 RPM, 0-2,100 RPM
  • 0-35,700 BPM
• DEWALT DCD996P2 20V MAX* XR® Lithium Ion Brushless 3-Speed Hammer-Drill Kit
  • 20V MAX Li-Ion (18V nominal)
  • 5.0 Ah Battery Pack
  • 3 Speed Gear Box: 0-450 RPM, 0-1,300 RPM, and 0-2,000 RPM
  • 0-38,250 BPM
• Festool 574708 Cordless Percussion Hammer Drill PDC
  • 18V Li-Ion
  • 5.2 Ah Battery Pack
  • 4 Speed Gear Box: 0-500 RPM, 0-900 RPM, 0-1,900 RPM, and 0-4,000 RPM
  • 0-76,000 BPM
• Hilti SF 6H-A22 22-Volt 5.1AAh battery. 1/2 in. Cordless Hammer Drill Driver SF 6H
  • 22V Li-Ion (21.6V nominal)
  • 5.2 Ah Battery Pack
  • 2 Speed Gear Box: 0-480 RPM, 0-1,600 RPM
  • 0-22,800 BPM
• Hitachi DV18DBL2 18V  Cordless 1/2″ Hammer Drill Kit
  • 18V Li-Ion
  • 6.0 Ah Battery Pack
  • 2 Speed Gear Box: 0-400 RPM, 0-1,800 RPM
  • 0-27,000 BPM
• Kobalt KHD 1524B-03 1/2-in 24-Volt  Cordless Hammer Drill
  • 24V Li-Ion (21.6V nominal)
  • 5.0 Ah Battery Pack
  • 2 Speed Gear Box: 0-500 RPM, 0-2,000 RPM
• Makita XPH07 18V LXT BL Hammer Drill Kit 
  • 18V Li-Ion
  • 5.0 Ah Battery Pack
  • 2 Speed Gear Box: 0-550 RPM, 0-2,100 RPM
  • 0-31,500 BPM
• Metabo BS 18 LTX-3 BL Q I 18V 5.5Ah LiHD. 3-Speed Hammer Drill/Driver 5.2Ah Kit
  • NOTE: We requested the Hammer Drill version, they sent this version by mistake.
  • 18V Li-Ion
  • 5.5 Ah Battery Pack
  • 2 Speed Gear Box: 0-500 RPM, 0-2,050 RPM and 0-3,800 RPM
• Milwaukee 2804-20 M18 Fuel 18-Volt  1/2 in. Hammer Drill Driver Kit 
  • 18V Li-Ion
  • 5.0 Ah Battery Pack
  • 2 Speed Gear Box: 0-550 RPM, 0-2,000 RPM
  • 0-30,000 BPM
• Ridgid R8611506B 18-Volt  1/2 in. 6.0Ah Hyper-Octane Cordless Brushless Compact Hammer Drill Kit
  • 18V Li-Ion
  • 6.0 Ah Battery Pack
  • 2 Speed Gear Box: 0-550 RPM, 0-2,000 RPM
  • 0-31,000 BPM
• Ryobi P1813 18-Volt ONE+ Cordless Brushless Hammer Drill/Driver
  • 18V Li-Ion
  • 6.0 Ah Battery Pack
  • 2 Speed Gear Box: 0-410 RPM, 0-1,800 RPM
  • 0-23,000 BPM

Hammer Drill Test Criteria

When we decide to do a head-to-head test for power tools, we strive to make these tests as fair as possible. That means we ensure we use the same accessories, average out multiple tests, design tests that have repeatable results, and eliminate the human error when possible. The toughest decision is deciding what our test evaluation criteria will be. There are endless testing situations for any tool so we discuss the tool in question and try to develop tests that users can relate to.

For this head-to-head we decided to focus mostly on productivity. In order to do that, we looked at several common uses for hammer drills, along with the speed and endurance in which they operate. The tasks in these tests are common tasks that our crew or sub-contractors perform on a regular basis, so we feel our selection of tests offer a great indication of how productive these tools can be. We believed these tests would provide a good comparison of relative performance to one another.

Head-to-Head Testing Stations

• Performance Drilling Sled:  7/8” x 18” auger bit drilled thru 6” of framing lumber.
• 3/8″ x 6″ TimberLOKs – Average Drive Time to install 6 fasteners in framing lumber.
•  2-9/16 Self-feeding Bit– Average Drive Time to drill 6 holes in framing lumber.
• 3/16 Masonry Bit – Average time to drill 6 holes [preset depth] into precast concrete.
• Ergonomics and features – This is a round table discussion with the entire crew to develop the rankings.

Performance Sled – Auger Bit Drilling – Winner Bosch

When we begin to pull together our Head-To-Head tool tests, we always try to figure out how to make the tests consistent, repeatable and fair. Often, we figure out how to take the human variable out of a test. We do not want the reader/viewer to wonder if the results of a given test results are due to one of the crew pushing with a different force, or simply being stronger than another crew member.

In the current head-to-head, we discussed how we would test the endurance and performance of the ½” drills by drilling repeated holes with a 7/8” auger bit through a series of four 2×4’s until the drill could no longer bore holes. We knew that the drills would be capable of many dozen holes with each battery charge. This meant that we needed to have a way to hold the drills firmly in place for a long period (in fact, the drill that performed the longest time drilled for about 20 minutes.)

We finally settled on a horizontal sled to hold the drill on its side. The drill was mounted in a fixture and the horizontal movement was provided by a 22 inch set of ball bearing drawer slides. We created the drilling force by a hanging 22 pound weight and transferring the force to pull the front of the sled by using small aircraft cable and a set of pulleys.

We recognized the importance of designing the drill mounts to have the auger bit horizontal and 90 degrees to the wood. The resistance would be substantially greater if the auger went into the wood at an angle in either the horizontal or vertical direction. We also took on the challenge of creating a fixture that would be flexible enough to accommodate the unique shape of each particular drill and allow the jig sufficient movement to position the auger correctly.

The drills were placed in the jig and the adjustments made to level the auger bit. We used Titan rubber straps to secure the drills in the jig and to hold them securely in place. The jig worked very well as we tested 12 drills and on the day of the test, we drilled over 603 holes with the jig.

Performance Sled Results

As you can see above in the chart of results Bosch came in first followed by Metabo, and Ridgid and Ryobi tied for third. The most important/realistic result is comparing number of holes drilled per watt-hour. By using watt-hour (total battery pack energy) we level the field for both voltage and amp-hours. Note that the asterisk in the chart are explained in the next section of the article.

Watt-Hours is calculated by multiplying the voltage (actual voltage, not the MAX that some companies advertise) by the battery pack Amp-Hours. This calculation allows us to compare the total energy available to do the work based on both the voltage and size of the battery pack (amp-hours). For example, the Bosch we tested used a 6.3 Ah battery pack running 18 volts. The Watt-Hours is equal to 6.3 Ah multiplied by 18 volts for a total of 113.4 watt-hours.

The Bosch drilled 0.71 holes per watt-hour, followed by Metabo at 0.61 holes per watt-hour and RIDGID at 0.55 holes per watt-hour. In this particular test Bosch was more than twice as efficient at drilling these large holes than Makita at 0.32 holes per watt-hour.

The Bosch ran the longest total time out of all the drills but was the slowest. It drilled for 19.7 minutes, 4 minutes longer than the next best drill, and completed 80 holes. It out-drilled the next highest drill by 20 holes.

Motor Shutdowns

During the auger test, four of the drills shut down after drilling a few holes.  In the chart above (Holes/Watt-Hour)  the drills that shut down during the test are noted with an (*) after their name on the x-axis. When this happened we had to cut off the zip tie and cycle the trigger.  All four tools had sufficient battery charge remaining and all turned back on immediately so we reapplied a new zip tie and continued drilling.

Looking at the data for the auger test the following happened:

• DEWALT shut down 4 times (not including the final shut down)
• Makita shut down 5 times (not including the final shut down)
• Hitachi shut down 1 time (not including the final shut down)
• Craftsman shut down 3 times (not including the final shut down)

After discussing the issue with some of the manufacturers this is most likely caused by one of several factors including high current tripping (most of the drills have electronics that prevent overloading), overheating in the electronics, or voltage drops in the battery pack that are too great to meet the demand of the tool. While this can be quite annoying for the user it’s an important safety factor to protect the tool and prevent damage.

We did not penalize the scoring on these four drill since none of them finished in the top 5 for this test.  However, we do feel readers should be aware that some of the drills had this issue, and some were able to do this difficult test with no shut downs. Because these drills didn’t finish in the top of the test results any penalties to the scoring would have been insignificant in the final rankings.

This could be a BIG deal, for guys in the field, as no one wants a drill to shut down, even if it starts again on a quick reset.

6” TimberLOK Installation Speed Test – Winner Milwaukee

This test was performed using 6-inch TimberLOK fasteners into framing lumber. With today’s advancements in engineered lumber TimberLOK fasteners have become standard on almost all wood framed projects. Examples include timber frame connections, truss tie-downs, and seismic restraints.

This is a task that we feel many of our readers do on a regular basis and it highlights a task that can benefit from improved speed of installation combined with torque resulting in productivity gains. We decided to run these tests with human operators, to get a better feel for the tools torque, and overall ergonomics.

We set the drills on their fastest speed, and had the same users do this test for all the drills to minimize any chance of time being affected by a different user. We swapped out users and retested, taking the average time for all users.

Note: Festool and Metabo were unable to complete this test using their top speed setting. Festool was able to do it in speed 3 (out of 4 available), and Metabo was done using speed 2 (out of 3 available).

The following chart shows the results of this test:

TimberLOK Screw Test Results

The Milwaukee averaged six fasteners in 17.6 seconds and finished in first place. It beat out a win over the Metabo by 1/10th of a second, which came in at 17.7 seconds. Third was the DEWALT at 18.0 seconds.  Clearly the data shows a close race for this application. It should be noted that for this test some of the drills were able to drill on their higher speed settings which shows their power and ultimately resulted in faster drilling times.

The MILWAUKEE packs a vicious punch for such a small drill! ~ Stan Durlacher

2-9/16” Self-Feeding Bit Drilling Speed Test – Winner Milwaukee

Remodelers, plumbers, electricians and mechanical contractors drill large diameter holes in wood every day. So this large diameter drilling test offers a glimpse at productivity on a strenuous torque demanding task. For this test we wanted to see who can drill the holes the fastest, so each drill was set to it’s highest speed, if it couldn’t do the 6 holes in high speed, we lowered the speed until the drill could do the holes. Obviously drills that have enough power to drill a hole this size in the higher speeds are far more productive. Each drill used a new DEWALT 2-9/16” self-feeding bit.

We had the same users do this test for all the drills, to minimize any chance of time being affected by a different user. We then swapped out users, and retested, taking the average time for all users.

The following chart shows the results of this test:

Self-Feeding Drill Bit Results

This test really showed which tools have significant power to handle high demand tasks.  While it was a speed test, we want to note that ONLY four of these tools could complete this test in speed 2, all the others had to perform in their lowest speed 1 setting. Milwaukee, Ridgid, DEWALT and Festool were able to do the test in Speed 2.

The MILWAUKEE didn’t give a damn.  It just flew through that test (2-9/16″ self feed in high gear). That drill was like “Hold my beer, man. Let’s do this!” ~ Ethan Bickford

The top three drills stood apart with their performance. The Milwaukee was an absolute beast in this test, and averaged 19.2 seconds to drill six 2-9/16″ holes. The Ridgid was a close second at 19.6 seconds followed by the DEWALT at 22.0 seconds.  Impressive performance to say the least!

The RIDGID never ceases to amaze me, they are the hidden gem in the tool industry! ~ Rob Robillard

3/16” Masonry Bit Drilling Speed Test – Winner Festool

This task simulates installing Tapcon concrete screws. We used a 3/16″ masonry bit to simulate a 1/4″ Tapcon installation, typical in residential construction and remodeling. We did the test on a section of steam-cured precast concrete curbing.

We took the average time to drill six 3/16” holes 2” deep by the same user. The following chart shows the results of this test:

Concrete Drilling Speed Test Results

The Festool was by far the fastest drill in this test, coming in at 28.3 seconds, 6.4 seconds faster than the DEWALT, and 10.8 seconds faster the third place Hitachi.

Note – Unfortunately the Metabo unit that was send to us was NOT a hammer drill unit, we missed it on initial unboxing, and we were not able to use this drill in this test. So we had to rank it last in this category, which no doubt hurt it’s final ranking in the head-2-head.

Festool is often categorized as primarily a woodworker tool. Festool did not carry this stigma during this concrete testing! The Festool PDC killed the concrete test. Festool is known for making very high quality long lasting tools with some unique features. The Festool PDC is no different, one of our testers said that you can feel the difference between the Festool PDC and the other drills in the test “it’s like driving a Cadillac.”

Ergonomics – Winner Festool

The last part of our evaluation included ergonomics and features. For this evaluation the TBB team evaluated all of the hammer drills used during the testing. With everyone on the team using drills differently throughout or normal work day, this was a great way to develop a consensus on which tools we felt were the most comfortable for users.

That Festool is SMOOTH in your hands! ~ ROB

Ergonomics is the most difficult evaluation we ever do because it’s such a subjective process.These companies have all invested a lot of time, money and research into designing their tools to provide superior balance and ergonomics. These efforts can be seen in the time and effort they spend making their tool handles comfortable. Achieving that sweet-spot or immediately noticed “ergonomic feel” is the goal!

As always, the DEWALT felt the most comfortable in my hands. We always say this but they have one of the best grips. ~ Mike Valente

We evaluated several items, such as, the size of the hammer drill, weight, balance, grip comfort, LED lighting and switches.

DEWALT has the nicest grip and best ergonomics hands down and their three-way switch for the LED is what puts it above the rest! ~ Scott Arnold

For this evaluation there were six reviewers with input and feedback for each of the tools. Each tool was graded and rated on a 1-3-5 score, with 1 as the lowest and 5 the best score. We held the 5 score for the tool that was truly outstanding in that category. It’s important to note that these are premium drills and as a result are competing in a tight category.

Ergonomics Results

Festool First Place

The Festool is well-made comfortable drill coming in at 5.5lbs. The team felt that the Festool had an excellent drill rotation switch. The clutch and speed controls are on top of the drill and easy to access. The belt clips (there is one on each side both integral to the drill base) flip out of the way when not in use and are non-marring.

The FESTOOL belt clip is unique, convenient, always there, no tools required, and non-marring. ~ Mike Hopp

Festool stood alone with the best switch set up, and its side handle is well thought-out and durable. It is also one of two drills in the test [Metabo was the other] with a quick release interchangeable chuck. The right angle chuck (available in a kit or separately) is very handy and helps out in those tight spots.

FESTOOL is smooth as butter but expensive as gold! ~ Scott Arnold

Makita Second Place

Like Festool, the ease to operate the drill rotation on the Makita was superior. It too has an excellent side handle and the team felt that it’s battery removal switch and indexing was superior. The team marked the Makita low on its side handle adjustment, which probably kept it from taking first place.

Bosch and Hilti [3rd Place Tie]

The team felt that both the Bosch and Hilti had excellent side handles and their battery removal switch and indexing was superior. The Bosch was marked down on its switch placement and ease of use. The team did not favor the Hilti’s drill rotation switch and its ease of use.

The RIDGID has the only truly shadow-less LED light I’ve ever seen on a cordless drill ~ Ethan Bickford

Features – Winners Bosch and Festool Tied

We evaluated LED light, clutches, chuck, fit and finish, battery gauges, lanyard and belt clips in this category. We used the same ranking scale as the ergonomics section for consistency.

The team felt unanimous that the Bosch and Festool both excelled in the features category. These drills fit and finish were impressive, the battery gauge, chuck, clutch and LEDs were also excellent.

BOSCH and HILTI  hit it out of the park with their side handle designs and ease of adjustment for the Pro tradesman ~ Todd Fratzel 

DEWALT and Milwaukee tied for second place. Both drills performed well in this category, the biggest stand out for the DEWALT was how incredibly bright its LED was, and the fact that you can select low-medium-high speeds. The team was equally impressed with the Milwaukee’s chuck, as it was amazingly smooth to operate.

The BOSCH drill is like having a BMW in your hand. Incredibly well made and exceptional quality. ~ Stan Durlacher

Rounding out the top three was a tie, between Kobalt and Ridgid with features the team felt stood out from the remaining drills.

Price – Winner Ryobi

Below we’ve included the current pricing (at the time of publishing this article). The lowest price isn’t always the best in our opinion, we’re always looking for the best value.  We ranked each drill based on its lowest price, but its important to keep in mind the value proposition.

Our theory is that many of these drills are so close in performance that the highest priced tool does not always mean the best tool, same goes for the lowest price. Its a fact that if a lesser priced tool can solve the same problem, and do the same job, isn’t that better?

It’s always hard to compare the pricing of cordless tools especially when each manufacturer packages them differently with kits, bare tools, and then varying size batteries. We show the prices of the tools that we tested, that means if the tool did not come as a kit we priced the bare tool, batteries and charger separately.

The Ryobi  came as a kit with 4.0 Ah batteries, however they sent us 6.0 Ah batteries in order to be competitive in this testing. As tested, the price came to $268.00. [18-Volt ONE+ Cordless Brushless Hammer Drill/Driver, with (2) 6.0 Ah Battery, Charger, and Bag]

The 1/2-in 24-Volt Kobalt with [2] 5.0Ah batteries came in at $284.00 and the Makita kit just a dollar more.

Overall Best Hammer Drill – Winner Milwaukee

These tests and evaluations are very difficult, take a lot of time, and ultimately limited in scope as we’re not a professional testing company and we’ve got limited time to evaluate the tools. We cannot do longer term testing that would shed light on durability and we can’t possibly test every application that you might use of one of these drills for.

However, we feel comfortable that all the hammer drills in this Head-to-Head are good tools and our testing helps bring to light pros and cons for each. In order to choose the BEST ½” cordless hammer drill, all seven [7] evaluated categories were  scored and ranked 1 through 12, to define the winner. We then tallied those category numbers to come up with a total number. The lower the number the better.

Milwaukee

The Milwaukee’s’ small package certainly had a big impact, and surprised many of us. This drill came in first on the LedgerLok and Speedbore test – with the fastest drilling and fastening speeds. It has a great price, with decent features, and it’s a drill that commanded a big presence in these tests and impressed the team. Overall this hammer drill shined in combined speed and torque which we feel makes it the king of hammer drills in this evaluation.

DEWALT

The DEWALT, another impressive drill, missed the first place rank by one-point. A solid drill, the DEWALT came in 2nd, 3rd or 4th place in almost every category, with the exception of the auger bit test. It’s a well-priced, durable drill with an LED work light to be envious of.

Makita

Third place went to Makita. The Makita was the sleeper of this Head-to-Head. While it performed poorly in in the auger test with 0.32 holes per watt-hour, it flew in under the radar everywhere else coming in at 3rd or 4th place in almost every other test. When you consider the pricing, along with the performance, we feel the Makita is an outstanding value at $285.00 which includes two 6.0 Ah battery packs and comes in a hard tool case.

That MAKITA is ALWAYS right there, it’s the “Sleeper of the testing!” ~ Rob Robillard

Final Thoughts – Cordless Hammer Drills

For many users, the decision on which 1/2″ Hammer Drill they should buy will likely be based on the battery platform they own. The bottom line is this, almost all of these 1/2″ hammer drills are capable of performing most medium duty drilling and driving tasks.

Ultimately everyone needs to choose a tool based on their specific needs, uses, and budget. With all the data above we feel confident that you can make a better educated decision when you buy your next 1/2″ hammer drill.

~ the #TBBCrew

Best 1/2″ Drill Video Review

Best Cordless 1/2″ Hammer Drill is a post from Tool Box Buzz

Hitachi CS51EAP 50.1CC 20-Inch Rear Handle Chainsaw with PureFire Engine

Hitachi CS51EAP 50cc Chainsaw

4/5

Manufacturer: Hitachi
Model number: CS51EAP
Power source: Gas PureFire Engine
Motor size: 50cc

Specs

• Engine Displacement – 50.1 cc
• Max Power – 3.5 HP
• Bar Mounting Studs – 2
• Bar & Chain Length – 20” (.325” pitch)
• Power Head Weight – 11.5 lbs
• Fuel Tank Capacity – 17.9 oz
• Oil Tank Capacity – 9.1 oz
• Power Source – 50:1 Mixed Gas
• Warranty- 7-Yr Consumer, 2-Yr Commercial, 1-Yr Rental

Features

Anti Vibration System

The Hitachi CS51EAP comes with a steel spring type anti vibration system. This system works really well absorbing the majority of vibration during use resulting in less fatigue and a more pleasurable experience in general.

Side Access Chain Tensioner

A side access chain tensioner allows easy chain tightening without removing the chain cover. Extremely useful when wearing gloves, this makes quick and cleaner work adjusting the chain.

Adjustable Oiler

An automatic bar/chain oiler is included that allows the user to adjust the flow of oil to keep the bar and chain cool.

Toolless Caps

Both the bar/chain oil and fuel caps are toolless. While they do offer a slot for a screwdriver or “scrench”, it is nice to not need one. The air filter cap is also toolless offering quick change ability in the field.

Primer Bulb and Auto-Return Choke

While several other companies are getting rid of their primer bulbs for ease of use, I am still a fan. I often run my saws completely out of gas to avoid interrupting my workflow. Without the primer bulbs, hot restarts are just not as easy as they should be. The auto-return choke helps with usability with automatically releasing the choke when the trigger is pulled. This helps with flooding issues and just makes it easier for the user.

Decompression Valve

A surprising feature on this saw is the decompression valve. While this feature is common on more powerful saws, it is not widely seen on a saw this size and definitely not at this price point. Basically, larger chainsaws can build up a lot of compression while running. When restarting, they maintain that compression and can be an a bear to turn over. This has broken countless ropes on older models. While it isn’t overly necessary on a saw of this size, I found myself using the feature more often than not and can only imagine it will decrease repairs.

Ergonomics

The saw feels pretty good in hand and is well balanced. It was slightly heavier than I originally imagined, but I never felt that it was uncomfortable for me to use.

The anti-vibration system on this saw lends itself to a little bit of a “cheap” feel due to the movement between the handle and bar. This being said, the anti-vibe does work well and I haven’t had any issues with the connection between the two.

I also found the handle to be a little on the small side for me. This is just personal preference, but I do not have the largest hands in the world. I like a more substantial grip on my saws.

Performance

After using this saw for months now, I can honestly say that I am very impressed with how it runs. It has good power for its’ size and features an Oregon bar and chain. With this saw, and other OPE I currently own, the PureFire engine is remarkable and starting up. Within 2-3 pulls, the engine is fired up and running smoothly. Every time. Hot starts have alway been one pull. There is nothing more frustrating than getting into the woods to do some work only to have to work on the saw to get it to run. This engine is as easy as it gets.

Improvements

While this saw has many great points, there are a couple of small issues I think Hitachi could address. As I mentioned earlier, I think the handle is too thin. I also wish there could be a compromise with their anti-vibration system and the play between the bar and the handle. I couldn’t shake this feeling that it was just a bit cheaply made. Again, the system worked well, I just didn’t like the feel.

One of my main complaints was the chain lock on cover. Several times I found myself accidentally engaging the lock while it was off which was difficult to disengage and impossible to reinstall without doing so.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I think Hitachi has made a really nice saw for avid homeowner and farm use. With a price tag right around $300, the features on this saw are those seen on a saw costing much more. All of this is backed with one of the best warranties in the industry. The power is adequate and the engine is fantastic. While you may give up a little on power and build quality to professional saws, you will be hard to match the performance to value of this one.

If you are a homeowner looking for something a little bigger, or a professional looking for a feature-rich backup that won’t bankrupt you, I suggest you give this saw a shot.

Hitachi 50cc Chainsaw Review is a post from Tool Box Buzz

Hitachi EC28M Ultra Quiet Compressor Review

Back in February of 2018, we attended a media event for Hitachi Power Tools. It was during this event that we first got a chance to try out the MultiVolt tools as well as learn about the name change to Metabo HPT. At this event we also got to try the new Hitachi EC28M ultra-quiet air compressor.

Features and Specifications

•  Ultra-quiet operation at only 59 dB’s
•  Motor overload protection
•  1/4″ quick coupler
•  Rubber suction feet absorb shock, reduce vibration and minimize crawling
•  Steel roll cage with rubber grip protects all critical components and provides comfort during transport
•  Small footprint and light at 25 lbs
•  Integrated regulator and gauges on front of unit
• Oil-less motor for maintenance free operation
• 1/4 turn ball valve for easy emptying of tank
• Capacity: 1 gal.
• Air Delivery: 1.3 scfm @ 40 psi and .8 scfm @ 90 psi

Hitachi EC28M Is Quiet

I’m pretty sure the M in the model number stands for mouse as in this thing is quiet as a church mouse. When I first got this tool and set it up in my shop to build some cabinets, I plugged it in and flipped on the switch. I didn’t hear anything out of it, I thought it was broken. The music was on in the shop, not overly loud, but loud enough that the compressor couldn’t be heard. Squelched the tunes to see what was going on but this little guy was just purring along. I couldn’t believe it. I kept the tunes off the rest of the day and couldn’t get over the quietness of this unit.

Perfect For Occupied Spaces

At 59 dB, the quietness of the compressor is the showstopper but it isn’t a one trick pony. The other feature that makes it fantastic for occupied spaces is its suction cup-like rubber feet. When you set the compressor down on a hard floor, the suction cups settle in and keep it planted. It doesn’t walk around leaving black streaks or bump into and mar up walls and trim like some other compressors.

Suction cups keep it planted

Small And Compact

Out of the box I was really surprised at how small this unit is. With the small size comes low weight too. Just over 25 pounds to be exact. This makes it easy to lift and carry with one hand. I’m a one man crew (most days) and it’s really easy to lift in and out of the truck and into the job site.

At only 1 gallon, it’s really meant for one guy trimming. It will run bigger nailers like a framing gun but will only get about 8-10 shots before it needs to cycle.

Where To Buy

The Hitachi EC28M can be found at ACME Tool for Just $159. That’s pretty reasonable considering this compressor.

Hitachi EC28M Ultra Quiet Compressor Review is a post from Tool Box Buzz

Best Portable Jobsite Table Saw

One of the most widely used power tools for carpenters is the table saw. For carpenters that don’t work exclusively in the shop a portable jobsite table saw is essential. For this Head-to-Head we’re focusing on corded portable 10″ jobsite table saws. We are not including cordless table saws in this test as we plan on doing another head-to-head exclusively for cordless table saws later this year as several are available now.

Portable Table Saw Lineup

This portable jobsite table saw head-to-head includes 8 saws from; Bosch, Delta, DEWALT, Hitachi, Makita, Ridgid, SawStop and Skilsaw. Originally, we had also to include Ryobi as a budget friendly option for DIY’ers or guys just starting in the trades. However, we were not able to adapt that saw to our testing rigs so we pulled it from the testing (you may see some photos with the saw but again we’re not including it in the results).

• Bosch Model 4100-09 10 In. Worksite Table Saw with Gravity-Rise Wheeled Stand
• Delta Model 36-6022 Portable Table Saw with Stand
• DEWALT Model DWE7491RS 10″ Jobsite Table Saw 32 – 1/2″ Rip Capacity, and a Rolling Stand
• Hitachi Model C10RJ 10″ Jobsite Table Saw w Fold Roll Stand
• Makita Model 2705X1 10” Contractor Table Saw with Portable Stand
• Ridgid Model R4513 Heavy Duty 10 in. Portable Table Saw With Stand
• SawStop Model JSS-MCA Jobsite Table Saw
• Skilsaw Model SPT99-12 10″ Heavy Duty Worm Drive Table Saw

Table Saw Evaluation Format

Once again our team has put some serious time and effort into our Head-to-Head evaluation to bring you the most comprehensive information available. For this evaluation, we broke things into several categories including: Precision & Accuracy, Performance (power), Price, and Ergonomics. For each of these categories we’ll rank the saws and at the end we’ll name the Best Portable Jobsite Table Saw based on all the results combined.

• Precision & Accuracy – In this category we evaluated the accuracy of the table saws straight out of the box, and how easy it is to make calibration adjustments. We also discuss the quality of the fence system as it relates to ripping accurate cuts.
• Performance – The performance evaluation took a very deep dive into the power of the saw motors and how well the saws managed different ripping materials including plywood, pressure treated Southern Yellow Pine 5/4 decking and Mahogany 5/4 decking. We measured saw RPM’s and Amps for each of the cutting materials under constant feed rates.
• Price – Price is always an important factor in determining which saw is best for a user. We’ve included the current pricing found online for each of the saws at the time of publication.
• Ergonomics – Ergonomics are really important to users and an important category to consider when purchasing any power tool. In addition to traditional ergonomics, we also included functionality in this category.

Portable Jobsite Table Saw Features

Before we present the testing results, it’s helpful to set the stage by listing all the features and specifications for comparison. All 8 of these jobsite table saws are similar in size and capacity. Each of the saws uses a 10 inch blade, 15 amp motor and they are all able to use a dado set. Specific differences in the saws are listed below.

• Bosch 4100-09
  • Weight: 112 lbs (w/ stand)
  • MAX no Load Speed: 3,650 rpm
  • Dept of Cut at 90 Deg.: 3-1/8″
  • Depth of Cut at 45 Deg.: 2-1/2″
  • MAX Rip Cut to Right of Blade: 25″
  • MAX Dado Cut Width: 13/16″
  • Traditional sliding fence.
• Delta 36-6022
  • Weight: 92 lbs (w/ stand)
  • MAX no Load Speed: 5,000 rpm
  • Dept of Cut at 90 Deg.: 3-1/2″
  • Depth of Cut at 45 Deg.: 2-1/2″
  • MAX Rip Cut to Right of Blade: 30″
  • MAX Dado Cut Width: 13/16″
  • Traditional sliding fence
• DEWALT DWE7491RS
  • Weight: 90 lbs (w/ stand)
  • MAX no Load Speed: 4,800 rpm
  • Dept of Cut at 90 Deg.: 3-1/8″
  • Depth of Cut at 45 Deg.: 2-1/4″
  • MAX Rip Cut to Right of Blade: 32-1/2″
  • MAX Dado Cut Width: 13/16″
  • Rack and pinion fence
• Hitachi C10RJ
  • Weight: 96 lbs (w/ stand)
  • MAX no Load Speed: 4,500 rpm
  • Dept of Cut at 90 Deg.: 3-1/8″
  • Depth of Cut at 45 Deg.: 2-1/4″
  • MAX Rip Cut to Right of Blade: 35″
  • MAX Dado Cut Width: 13/16″
  • Rack and pinion fence
• Makita 2705X1
  • Weight: 114 lbs (w/ stand)
  • MAX no Load Speed: 4,800 rpm
  • Dept of Cut at 90 Deg.: 3-5/8″
  • Depth of Cut at 45 Deg.: 2-1/2″
  • MAX Rip Cut to Right of Blade: 25″
  • MAX Dado Cut Width: 13/16″
  • Traditional sliding fence
• Ridgid R4513
  • Weight: 80 lbs (w/ stand)
  • MAX no Load Speed: 5,000 rpm
  • Dept of Cut at 90 Deg.: 3-1/2″
  • Depth of Cut at 45 Deg.: 2-1/2″
  • MAX Rip Cut to Right of Blade: 25″
  • MAX Dado Cut Width: 3/4″
  • Traditional sliding fence
• SawStop JSS-MCA
  • Weight: 108 lbs (w/ stand)
  • MAX no Load Speed: 4,000 rpm
  • Dept of Cut at 90 Deg.: 3-1/8″
  • Depth of Cut at 45 Deg.: 2-1/8″
  • MAX Rip Cut to Right of Blade: 25-1/2″
  • MAX Dado Cut Width: 13/16″
  • Traditional sliding fence
  • Safety: Flesh Sensing Technology exclusive to SawStop
• SkilSaw SPT99-12
  • Weight: 98 lbs (w/ stand)
  • MAX no Load Speed: 5,000 rpm
  • Dept of Cut at 90 Deg.: 3-5/8″
  • Depth of Cut at 45 Deg.: 2-3/10″
  • MAX Rip Cut to Right of Blade: 30-1/2″
  • MAX Dado Cut Width: “13/16″, but presently comes with an insert that only allows 1/2
  • Rack and pinion fence

One of the things we looked at was the ease of assembly out of the box. We had the same person assemble each of the saws and timed the assembly to see if there are any significant differences between the models. The assembly time for the saws ranged from 21 minutes to 48 minutes. While some stands required more than twice the time, we felt the assembly time was not a significant enough factor to change someone’s mind on which saw to purchase.

We also did some testing of dust collection to see if there were any significant differences between the saws. We attached a Bosch dust extractor to each saw and measured the weight of dust collected for a fixed number of cuts. The bottom line is with a good dust extractor attached there was negligible difference between the saws.

Lastly, we spent some time evaluating the fences. Overwhelmingly the crew really likes the rack and pinion fences that DEWALT, Hitachi and SkilSaw have on their saws. Rack and pinion fences are quicker to adjust, hold in place better during cuts, and provide better accuracy.

Portable Jobsite Table Saw Precision & Accuracy

In the commercial construction business, we typically buy a job site saw for each project and use it up during the course of an 18-month job. When these saws hit the site, they are unboxed, assembled and immediately put into use. We rip stacks and stacks of sheet goods with these saws and the tolerances of the cut materials are not very critical. However, that example represents the portable saw use within our commercial crews’ business.

What if a contractor uses their job site saw for high quality built-ins or high tolerance finished cuts? In that case, saw accuracy is critical for that work. In this use case, if the saw is immediately put into use, success depends upon the out-of-the-box accuracy from the manufacturer. The quality of the cuts and more importantly the potential safety of the operator is going to be a function of the as-shipped accuracy of the saw from the manufacturer.

TBB compared the relative accuracy of the test saws as soon as we assembled and set them up. How would the saws in the TBB Head To Head test compare to each other? We measured the manufactured tolerances and found out. We analyzed the data from the tests and ranked these saws for as-built accuracy.

What and How We Measured

To assess the manufactured accuracy of the eight saws, TBB looked at six areas to measure and compare: Table Flatness, Accuracy of 45 Deg. Stop, Accuracy of 90 Deg. Stop, Blade Parallel to Miter Slot, Fence Parallel to Miter Slot, and Blade Runout.

Table Flatness

We evaluated the flatness of the table by measuring the flatness by placing the edge of a precision ground flat bar across the table and placed feeler gauges in any gaps to measure any difference between the ground bar and the table. TBB took measurements in four directions. As the operator faces the saw, we measured the flatness at the arbor from front-to-rear; we measured the left-to right flatness at the arbor; we measured the flatness from the upper left-to-lower right table corners; and, finally, we measured the upper right-to-lower left flatness between the corners.

We compiled this set of data and created a ranked set of results by assigning a 1-2-3 rating to the relative values of the test measurements. Then we ranked the saws for overall as-manufactured table flatness. As a point of interest, a typical sheet of copy paper is approximately .004 inches thick. Flatness measurements varied from 0.0 to .09 inches.

All of the data for the table saw flatness can be found here. The overall ranking of the table saw flatness is in the following table:

Accuracy of 45 Deg. Stop

TBB measured the accuracy of the factory-set 45 degree stop by using a Wixey WR365 digital inclinometer. This device has an accuracy of 0.1 degree. We placed the Wixey gauge on the table and calibrated the inclinometer to the table by zeroing out the gauge. After that calibration, the measurements shown on the gauge give a result that is relative to the saw table. We attached the gauge to the blade and used the saw mechanism to adjust the blade incline to the point at which the blade or trunnion hit the factory-set 45 degree stop and recorded the measurement. TBB ran the test twice to ensure the repeatability of the measurement. In every case, the result came out to within 0.1 degree of the prior test.

As you can see below most of the saws were fairly close to 45 degrees right out of the box, but you’ll want to do some calibration if you plan on doing some finish work. SawStop was perfect out of the  box and Makita, Hitachi and SkilSaw were very close with only a 0.1 degree deviation. Ridgid was almost a full degree off from the 45 stop.

Accuracy of Vertical 90 Deg. Stop

TBB measured the accuracy of the factory-set 90 degree stop by using a Wixey WR365 digital inclinometer. This device has an accuracy of 0.1 degree. We placed the Wixey gauge on the table and calibrated the inclinometer to the table by zeroing out the gauge. After that calibration, the measurements give a result that is relative to the saw table. We moved the blade to an approximate position of 70 degrees off vertical. TBB attached the gauge to the blade and used the saw mechanism to adjust the blade incline to the point at which the blade or trunnion hit the factory-set 90 degree vertical stop and recorded the measurement. TBB ran the test twice to ensure the repeatability of the measurement. In every case, the result came out to within 0.1 degree of the prior test.

The results are shown below for the accuracy of the 90 degree stop. For this evaluation both the SawStop and Ridgid were perfect at 90 degrees, Makita, Bosch and DEWALT were also only off by a small amount at 0.1 degrees. The Hitachi, Delta and SkilSaw could use some calibration.

Blade Parallel to Miter Slot

TBB used an iGauging 35-125-4 digital dial indicator to measure the accuracy of the blade position to the table miter slot. This instrument has an accuracy of .0005 inches. As part of the table saw set-up, TBB installed a new Diablo blade in each saw and these never-before-used blades were used in the measurement test. To ensure that any wobble in the blade did not enter into the test results, TBB marked a single tooth as the reference point for the measurement. The blade position was moved to the front of the saw to allow the iGauging dial indicator to hit the tooth immediately behind the carbide tooth, The iGauging dial indicator was calibrated and the indicator had a reading of zero.

We rotated the blade to the rear of the saw to enable the dial indicator to contact the same location of the same tooth behind the carbide portion. We positioned the dial indicator to the rear of the saw placed onto the blade and the reading recorded. If the blade and the miter slot were closer together at the rear of the saw, the dial indicator has a negative reading. If the blade and the miter slot were father apart at the rear of the saw, the dial indicator showed a positive reading.

The results for the blade parallel to the miter slot are shown below. Again the SawStop had a perfect reading right out of the box and the Ridgid needs some extra calibration in order to get the blade more parallel to the miter slot.

Saw Fence Parallel to Miter Slot

The accuracy and safety of any given saw is dependent upon the blade being parallel to the rip fence. Since we tested the amount of difference in parallelism between the saw blade and the miter slot in the previous test, we need only to see if the miter slot is parallel to the rip fence to see if the saw has a parallel relationship between the blade and the rip fence.

TBB used the same iGauging 35-125-4 digital dial indicator to measure the accuracy of the as-delivered factory fence to the table miter slot. We started by placing the fence in a locked position about 1” away from the blade on the opposite side from the miter slot. We adjusted the throw of the dial indicator so that we took the readings on the indicator, as before, in the middle of the indicator’s range of movement.

We calibrated the iGauging dial indicator to a zero reading at the operator’s end of the rip fence so that we started out with a reading of zero. Next, we positioned the dial indicator to the rear of the saw placed onto the rip fence and took the reading.

If the fence and the miter slot were closer together at the rear of the saw, the dial indicator has a negative reading. If the blade and the miter slot were father apart at the rear of the saw, the dial indicator showed a positive reading. A negative reading meant that the materials being cut might be subject to being pinched and a kick back more likely to occur.

Remembering that a sheet of paper is approximately 0.004″ thick, the results show that the Hitachi and Skilsaw factory settings need some adjustment for better accuracy.

Blade Runout

One term you may hear when reading about table saw accuracy is blade runout. Runout is a term that describes whether or how much the outside edge of a saw blade wobbles while being held by the motor shaft. Sometimes, operators measure runout by using a saw blade. In that case, the very use of a saw blade presumes that the specific blade is perfect or nearly perfect in its flatness. Using a saw blade that has any warping will not give a clear indication of blade runout.

To ensure that our runout measurements were accurate, TBB used a Freud calibration plate. Freud manufactures this ground stainless steel plate to a tolerance of ± .0005 inches in flatness across the plate. While TBB does not have a means to measure the accuracy of this specification, we did put this calibration plate on top of a polished granite calibration table and could not shine a light under any portion of the plate or slip the 0.001 feeler gauge under the edge.

We used the Freud calibration plate on each of the test saws to measure runout. We removed the new Diablo blade, installed the calibration plate, and raised the trunnion to its maximum vertical adjustment. Before measuring the runout, we placed a black mark on the calibration plate to give a consistent starting position for the runout test. The same iGauging dial indicator provided the test measurements, only this time, the units were set to read out in mm. TBB noticed that in the initial saws, the movements were sufficiently small to need the smaller metric units.

TBB placed the dial indicator on the starting position of the calibration disk and calibrated that position on the dial indicator to a reading of zero. We were very careful to rotate the calibration plate by using the outside rim so as not to impart any side-to-side force on the plate that might introduce errors into the measurements.

While we rotated the plate, we recorded the maximum reading on the dial indicator. We validated each maximum reading by running the test for a second time and noting that the readings were consistent. TBB also noted that as we performed these tests on all eight saws, the maximum readings occurred at different parts of the plate along its rotation. Because the max readings were in different and discrete parts of the calibration plate, TBB had a very high level of confidence in the flatness of the calibration plate, itself.

As you can see above the runout ranges from 0.00079 for the DEWALT and SawStop all the way up to 0.0126 for the SkilSaw. Typically values below 0.005″ are considered very good. Both the Bosch and SkilSaw are in a range that needs further evaluation especially if the saw is to be used for finish work.

Precision Summary – Winner SawStop JSS-MCA

From the data of the six individual tests above, we compiled a summary ranking for the overall winner of the as-built accuracy. The ranking for the summary follows:

The winner for the as-built precision and accuracy is SawStop, followed by Makita in second and Bosch and DEWALT tied for third.

We took the time to measure the as-built accuracy of these table saws. Why?

As we said in the beginning of this section, many of these saws will be used, right out of the box, for rough cutting materials and the fine accuracy may not matter so much in that application. If this is the case for a saw, the quality of the cuts and more importantly, the potential safety of the operator is going to be a function of the as-shipped accuracy of the saw from the manufacturer. So, TBB wanted to see how the various saws compared right out of the box. The results are in and, as a group, these eight saws measured up quite well for out-of-the-box accuracy.

It should be noted that all of the saws were adjusted after the accuracy evaluation prior to the performance testing. With the exception of blade runout the other adjustments can be made to dial in the saws.

Portable Jobsite Table Saw Performance

For this portion of the testing and evaluation we used three different materials (3/4″ AC Plywood, 5/4 Mahogany Decking, and 5/4 Pressure Treated Southern Yellow Pine Decking) while measuring the saw blade RPM, and the saw motor AMP draw. To compare the saws we’re looking for how much blade speed each saw has under load, and also how much the amp draw increases under load. Think about it like driving a car, a more powerful car will not drop as much speed going up a hill and the engine won’t work as hard.

We also measured the decibels during the test. We are including in our ergonomics section.

Blade Speed (RPM)

The first measurements we looked at with the performance testing was blade speed cutting all three of the test materials. This tests gives us a relative comparison of how much blade speed reduction the motors have under different loading conditions. In our opinion this gives us an idea of how strong the motor/gear box combination is for each saw. For each test we also recorded the “no-load” speed to capture the relative drop in rpm in the blade speed while cutting wood. We used our as-measured no-load speeds instead of the published values from the manufacturers.

In order to measure the blade speed we used a digital laser non-contact tachometer. A piece of reflective tape was adhered to each saw blade just behind the carbide tooth, so that the tape would be just above the top of the wood cutting surface, allowing us to capture the blade speed during the cuts. We used a power-feeder to ensure that all the material was pushed through each saw at the same feed rate. In the photo above you can see our test set-up with the power feeder, a decibel meter to the left, the digital tachometer in the center, and the amp meter on the right. If you look really closely at the saw blade, the piece of reflective tape is to the left side of the blade near the power feeder.

Above are the results for RPM Blade Speed while cutting 3/4″ plywood. In the left column is the no-load blade speed and the right column is the lowest recorded blade speed during the cut. The drop in blade speed is fairly small ranging from 6% for Hitachi and Ridgid, 7% for Makita and SawStop, 9% Bosch, 11% DEWALT, 14% SkilSaw, and 24% for the Delta.

In the next test we measured blade speed cutting 2x pressure treated Southern Yellow Pine decking. In this test the lowest blade speed drop was 11% for the SawStop, 15% SkilSaw, 23% DEWALT and Makita, 27% Ridgid, 29% Bosch, 31% Delta, and 33% for Hitachi.

The last test was using 5/4 Mahogany Decking. This was an even more extreme test with the lowest blade speed drop going to SawStop at 22%,  24% Makita, 25% Bosch and Ridgid, 27% DEWALT, 28% SkilSaw, 33% Delta and 41% Hitachi.

Saw Blade Speed (RPM) Summary: The table saw with the lowest average drop in blade speed for each of the tests we performed was the SawStop. Coming in second place was the Makita followed by Ridgid in third, Bosch and DEWALT in fourth, SkilSaw in fifth, Hitachi in sixth, and Delta in seventh place.

Motor AMP Draw

Another indication of how hard a table saw is working is monitoring the amperage (AMP) draw under loading conditions. We measured the amp draw for each saw using all three materials again at the same time we were recording RPMs. The first graph below shows the amp draw for each saw cutting plywood compared to the no-load amp draw. The white bar on the left indicates the no load amps and the colored bar on the right shows the maximum amp draw during the cut.

For this test the SkilSaw had the lowest increase in amp draw at 5% followed closely by Hitachi at 6%. The rest of the saws had fairly significant increases in amp draw with DEWALT at 32%, Delta at 42%, Bosch at 55%, Makita at 61%, SawStop at 79% and Ridgid at 120%.

The next graph includes the results from the pressure treated framing lumber.

For this test SkilSaw finished in first with the lowest increased amp draw of 14%, followed by Hitachi at 58%, DEWALT at 77%, SawStop at 110%, Makita at 119%, Delta at 146%, Ridgid at 184% and Bosch at 196%.

The next graph includes the results from the 5/4 Mahogany decking.

Again we saw the SkilSaw record the lowest increased amp draw at 59% followed by Hitachi at 86%, DEWALT at 103%, SawStop at 110%, Makita at 129%, Delta at 135%, Ridgid at 157% and Bosch at 169%.

Performance Summary – Winner Skilsaw SPT99-12

We took all of the data from the RPM and AMP measurements and added them to come up with the final performance rankings. For each saw we added up the total percentage decrease in RPM’s (for each material type) and added that to the total percentage increase in AMP’s (for each material type). This gives us a relative comparison of each saw over all 6 sets of data.

The best overall performance in our testing was the Skilsaw SPT99-12. The Skilsaw was described by many of the TBB crew as a beast and the data reinforces that. Regardless of the type of material the Skilsaw SPT99-12 offered the lowest drop in RPM’s and the lowest increase in AMP draw. Following in second place is the Hitachi C10RJ and the DEWALT DWE7491RS in third place.

Portable Jobsite Table Saw Price

Below we’ve included the current pricing (at the time of publishing this article). Pricing includes the cost of the stand and ranges from a low of $349 for the Hitachi to a high of $1,299 for the SawStop. The lowest price isn’t always the best in our opinion, we’re looking for the best value.  The Hitachi is an incredible deal at $349 and our top pick for price and value for a saw that has lots of power, a rack & pinion fence, and a solid stand.

Another really nice value is the Ridgid that’s currently selling for $399 including the stand. Lastly, it’s hard to ignore the $499 price tag on the DEWALT which is a great contractor grade saw with great features, a great fence, and a really good stand.

Price Summary – Winner Hitachi C10RJ

Portable Jobsite Table Saw Ergonomics

Ergonomics is the science of designing and producing tools that improve a worker’s efficiency while reducing discomfort, fatigue, and risk of injury. Ergonomically enhanced tools can include helpful features such as angled handles, riving knives, safety switches, and non-slip coatings. Whether you’re shopping for ergonomic tools or just trying to select the right one for the job from an existing collection, the key things to consider are whether or not the tool eases your work and prevents you from straining in ways that could lead to injury. Ergonomic guidelines in tool design can help maximize human performance on the job by making the job easier for the worker, improving safety and decreasing injuries.

For this ergonomic section, we considered the following factors, rating them 1 thru 3. [1 being best]

• Weight (Tool and Stand)
• Power Switch location
• Accessory Storage
• Fence
• Adjustments of Riving Knife
• Guard
• Stand
• Ascending Stairs
• Stand Leg Adjust
• Height
• Decibels

Below is a graph showing the weights of all the table saws including their stands. The saws/stands range from 80 lbs with the Ridgid up to 114 lbs for the Makita.

Below is a graph showing the average measured decibels for the saws (for each of the materials we tested). As you can see the saws range from 93.7 db to 97.9 db. OSHA allows 8 hours of exposure for up to 90 db, from 95 db up the exposure limits start dropping quickly starting at 4 hrs for 95 db so clearly these saws all need hearing protection. The Makita was given the best score of 1 as it was considerably quieter than the remaining. DEWALT and Delta were ranked worse with a score of 3, while the remaining were ranked as a 2.

Our TBB crew all helped rank each of the table saws for the ergonomics categories that we defined. Below is a table showing the ranking for each category and the final ranking. An interesting note about the stand height. The crew felt they were all decent heights but the Makita offers several heights which is a really nice feature!

Ergonomics Summary – Winners DEWALT DWE7491RS and Makita 2705X1

The DEWALT and Makita finished in first for our ergonomic rankings followed by a tie for second between Hitachi and Skilsaw and a tie for third place by Bosch and Ridgid. Both the DEWALT and Makita built their saw with the professional contractor in mind. Overall the entire crew really likes the saws with a rack-and-pinion fence system and the large wheels on the Skilsaw were also a big favorite.

Best Portable Jobsite Table Saw – Winner Hitachi C10RJ

Choosing the best portable jobsite table saw wasn’t an easy task but we’re confident we’ve done a thorough evaluation. In a very close race for the best table saw Hitachi beat out the DEWALT which came in second place followed by Skilsaw in third and Makita in fourth. It’s very interesting that the Hitachi and DEWALT look extremely similar. Hitachi edged out the DEWALT in performance and price resulting in the final scores. Skilsaw beat out Makita for the 3rd place only slightly and that result is really a function of pricing.

It’s interesting to note that if pricing was taken out of this evaluation the ranking would have been: DEWALT in first, Makita in second, Hitachi, Skilsaw and SawStop tied for third, Bosch in fourth, Delta in fifth and Ridgid in sixth place. But at the end of the day price is certainly a factor. What we didn’t do in our evaluation is any long term testing to look at durability which ultimately could affect your purchase decision as well.

We really should point out a big deal here and that’s the SawStop. It’s hard to put a price on safety and while the SawStop costs more than 3 times what the Hitachi costs it does offer safety that no other saw in test can offer. For those that can afford the additional cost that feature alone may tip the scales for you. Regardless of price SawStop came in 5th place for the categories we evaluated.

Final Thoughts

These tests and evaluations are very difficult, take a lot of time, and ultimately limited in scope as we’re not a professional testing company and we’ve got limited time to evaluate the tools. We cannot do longer term testing that would shed light on durability and we can’t possibly test every application that you might use of one of these saws for. However, we feel comfortable that all the table saws in this Head-to-Head are good saws and our testing helps bring to light pros and cons for each saw.

Ultimately everyone needs to choose a tool based on their specific needs, uses, and budget. With all the data above we’re very confident that all of you can make a better educated decision when you buy your next portable jobsite table saw.

Best Portable Jobsite Table Saw Head-2-Head Video Review

Best Portable Jobsite Table Saw – Head-To-Head is a post from Tool Box Buzz

Hitachi NP18DSAL 23-Gauge Cordless Pin Nailer Review

Pin nailers, like the Hitachi NP18DSAL 23-Gauge Cordless Pin Nailer are an exciting new addition to the market. Pin nailers are the smallest of finish nailers available, utilizing ultra-thin 23-gauge pins. The fasteners range in sizes from 3/8” to 2,” are headless, and result in the least visible hole of all fasteners.

Pin nails are GREAT for holding two pieces of wood that have been freshly glued together during the cure time. Their small size, and no-head design make them a fantastic fastener for small, delicate molding, interior millwork, and cabinetry.  In the shop I also use pin nails over double sided when template routing and jig making.

We took a close look at the Hitachi NP18DSAL 23-Gauge Cordless Pin Nailer.

Hitachi 18 V Cordless Pin Nailer

The Hitachi NP18DSAL 23-Gauge Cordless Pin Nailer is powered by a lightweight, compact 3.0Ah Lithium Ion battery. It has a built-in counterweight designed to eliminate recoil, which also reduces the force needed to actuate the tool.

Hitachi Pin Nailer Features

• Low battery charge indicator
• Tool-less depth of drive adjustment
• Dry-fire lockout
• Integrated belt hook
• Ergonomic soft grip handle
• LED light
• Tool on/off switch
• Body rubber bumpers

Runtime

The 3.0 Ah battery takes approximately 45-minutes to fully charge a depleted battery. As for runtime, this is not a heavy use tool. We used the tool for over a month without charging. Hitachi says this pin nailer is capable of driving up to 3,000 headless pins per charge.

Fastener Length

The Hitachi NP18DSAL 23-Gauge Cordless Pin Nailer drives pins from 5/8″ to 1-3/8″ in length and can be used to produce nearly invisible holes for a variety of applications including cabinets, paneling, delicate molding and small trim parts.

This pin nailer accepts 1 strip of pin nails [100 pins] and can handle the following fastener lengths:

• 5/8”
• ¾”
• 1”
• 1-3/16”
• 1-3/8”

Hitachi Pin Nailer Weight

At 4.4 pounds the Hitachi NP18DSAL 23-Gauge Cordless Pin Nailer is slightly heavier than their pneumatic counterparts, they save weight on the total package since you no longer need to lug around your compressor.

The tool itself measures 9-5/8” x 8-15/16” x 3-9/32”.

LED Light and Battery Gauge

Located on the control panel is an LED switch. This light can be turned on or off by pressing the button. If you leave the LED light on, it will automatically turn itself off after 5 minutes to conserve battery charge.

On-Board Safe-Guard Diagnostics

The battery gauge also doubles as a diagnostic meter, allowing you to protect the electronics of the tool. If the tool is overloaded the battery gauge will flash on and off, 1-second each indicating a driver blade issue.

A second diagnostic warning shows a rapid ½ second on and off flashing which indicates that the tool is overheated and needs to cool down

Dry fire Lock Out

The pin nailer is equipped with a dry fire lock out which activates when the nailer is at 20 or fewer pins in the magazine.

Depth of Drive Adjustment

The fastener depth of drive is adjusted by rotating an adjustment knob near the nose of the tool. The knob works well and is easy to operate and will modifies the depth of fastener by 0.75mm each time the it is rotated.

Line of Sight

The Hitachi NP18DSAL 23-Gauge Cordless Pin Nailer has excellent line of sight.  We found that this smaller nose design allows the tool to fit into tighter spaces.

Additionally, two no mar tips come with the tool:

• groove driving tip [Moldings]
• Flat driving Tip [suitable for driving into softer materials like Cedar]

The no mar tip stores and recesses into the magazine area of the tool.

No Contact Tip

The small pointed nose of the tool features a “no-push,” work contact safety tip that reduces marring on your trim and delicate mill work.

The hype on the  no-push contact tip is that it allows for quick and accurate nail placement without separate contact trip. The micro-nose design eliminates the need to push against the work surface to actuate the nailer, allowing users to fit into narrow spaces with an 60% smaller nose footprint.

Basically it gets you precise accuracy and that sure gets our attention. There is nothing more annoying than using a nailer that puts a fastener in a location different than where you thought it was going to go. I can think of a dozen times where I wanted to smash my brad nailer with my hammer after I blew apart a trim return or nailed it and the trim part moved on me.

Using the Hitachi Pin Nailer

We enjoyed using the Hitachi pin nailer. Once you get past the increased weight, not having to deal with a hose is a plus. The nailer did not mis-fire or jamb during our 2-month testing. We used it to trim out a large remodel, kitchen and 3 bathrooms.

Improvements

The pin nailer comes with an Allen wrench [stored on magazine] that is needed to remove the nose of the tool to get to the driver blade, or to remove jammed pins, adhesive, fragments or splinters in the driver blade guide groove. We’d like to see Hitachi utilize a tool less design.

Overall Impression

Hitachi has been stepping up their game lately. Most notably is their Triple hammer, table saw, cordless framing nailer and now this 23-guage pin nailer. The TBB crew is impressed and is watching Hitachi closely.

Cost

This pin nailer costs approximately $279.00 online – check it out!

Hitachi’s Name Change

As you may have heard, Hitachi Power Tools announced they are changing their name to Metabo HPT next year. Just so you know- same tools, new name, that’s it. This cordless nailer isn’t changing other than the name printed on the side.

They will be servicing and honoring all warranties on Hitachi products so it really doesn’t matter which one you have- they are one in the same. If you have questions- check out their website or message me below and I will ask Hitachi Power Tools myself!

Hitachi NP18DSAL 23-Gauge Cordless Pin Nailer is a post from Tool Box Buzz

Metabo HPT

Last month when we traveled to visit the folks at Hitachi Power Tools they made a big announcement that we couldn’t share until today. Hitachi Power Tools is breaking away from the Hitachi Group and renaming themselves to Metabo HPT.

Last year Hitachi bought the German tool company Metabo which left many of us wondering how the acquisition would fit into their current plans. Now we’ve got a much better vision of where things are headed. In the coming months the former Hitachi Power Tool products will start transitioning to the Metabo HPT brand. The tools will be exactly the same, just a new name on them.

At the same time, Metabo tools will remain Metabo with no significant changes forecast in the near future.

The big benefit here is it appears that Metabo HPT will have far more freedom to develop and market new products with this announcement. It’s clear from the announcement of their MultiVolt platform and what we saw last year with Triple Hammer that this new group is prepared to make much bigger investments in developing new products and focusing on quality.

The official Press Release

Hitachi Power Tools Renames to Metabo HPT in North America

BRASELTON, GA. (March 12, 2018) – Hitachi Power Tools today announced a name change from Hitachi Power Tools to Metabo HPT for its full line of power tools, fasteners, accessories and outdoor power equipment products for North America. The transition will start from September 2018 with the launch of MultiVolt, while the majority of products will changeover after December 2018.

“The legacy of our brand has been built over many decades and will exceed all expectations as our name changes to Metabo HPT,” said Joe Leffler, Sr. Vice President of Sales, Marketing, General Management & Board Member, Hitachi Power Tools. “Nothing will change about our brand except the name.”

Products will retain current brand identity: same color, same model numbers, same warranties and the same battery interchangeability. They will be made by the same people, in the same factories, with the same specifications and focus on innovation that customers have come to expect.

All products will continue to be covered and supported by the same industry leading warranties and service. Hitachi Power Tools products will be interchangeable with Metabo HPT products, and Metabo HPT products will be interchangeable with Hitachi Power Tool products.

Metabo HPT packaging and signage at point of sale during the transition will feature both names and logos to clearly communicate the changeover from Hitachi Power Tools. At a glance, customers will easily understand that this is the same brand just under the new name, Metabo HPT.

Metabo HPT – Hitachi Power Tools Announces Name Change is a post from Tool Box Buzz

Hitachi 3-1/2” NR1890DC and NR1890DR Brushless Framing Nailer Review

Hitachi 3-1/2” Brushless Framing Nailer

4.5/5

Manufacturer: Hitachi
Model number: NR1890DC and NR1890DR
Price: $399.00 usd
Power source: 18v Lithium Ion
Weight: 106/10.8 lbs.

I recently got to try out the new battery-powered brushless framing nailers from Hitachi that aim to marriage the portability of cordless with the performance of pneumatics.

Pneumatic nailers have always been one of those tools I dreaded getting out of the trailer. Grabbing a heavy compressor, nailer, unrolling the hose and then repeating to pick up, always seemed like way too much work, and time, for smaller jobs.

Cordless, gas-powered nailers, have helped bridge this gap for years. They too, however, have drawbacks. Slower firing speeds, regular maintenance and the cost of gas cartridges all added to a less than desirable experience.

With recent innovations in battery-powered tools, we are closer than ever to a true, pneumatic replacement. So far, Hitachi is the closest.

There are currently only a few options on the market for battery-only framing nailers. The Hitachi NR1890DR is one of them, and can handle 2” to 3-1/2 plastic-collated 21-degree, clipped or  full-head, framing nail. Hitachi also makes the a nailer that will install 30-degree paper-collated nails.

Air Spring Drive System

These Hitachi nailers are equipped with an Air Spring Drive System that uses compressed air in a sealed cylinder to fire the nail.

Here’s how it works:

The unit is filled at the factory to 72 PSI with the piston is in the lowered position. Once the tool is turned on, the brushless motor drives piston so that it compresses the air into the cylinder. This creates almost 120 PSI.

When the trigger is actuated, compressed air is released, driving the piston down, resulting in the firing pin striking the nail at the same force as a pneumatic. Utilizing this sealed compressed results in zero ramp up time, and allows you to install up to 2 nails driven per second.

The cool thing, is that the nailer is always “at-the-ready.”   Meaning when you fire the nailer, the fastener is installed with zero lag, and the piston is immediately reset.

The recoil feels like a pneumatic nailer. This cordless nailer is ideal for all construction framing applications but is particularly useful for punch-out work on a jobsite for quick in-and-out operation with minimal hassle and professional results.

Specifications

• Fasteners:                       Paper and Plastic Strip Framing Nails
• Fastener Length:            2″- 3-1/2″
• Fastener Diameter:       .113 to .131″
• Fastener Head:             Clipped and Offset Round / Round
• Magazine Capacity:      47 / 37
• Magazine Angle:           30 degrees / 21 degrees
• Battery Type:                18V Lithium Ion
• Battery Amp Hour:        Compact 3.0Ah
• Bactery Indicator:          Yes-On-Tool
• Depth of Drive:              Tool-less
• Motor Type:                   Brushless
• Driving Speed:               Up to 2 Nails/Sec
• Nails per Charge:          Up to 400
• Firing Modes:                Sequential/Bump
• Weight w /battery:        10.8 / 10.6lbs
• Tool Warranty:              Lifetime Lithium Ion
• Battery Warranty:         2-Year Lithium Ion
• Charger Warranty:        1-Year
• Rafter hook:                  Yes

Ergonomics

The Hitachi NR1890DC and NR1890DR both come with the nailer; a new, svelte 3.0 Ah battery; charger; safety glasses and a bag to house everything.

Admittedly, the nailers seemed a bit heavier than their pneumatic cousins, but were very well balanced and the ergonomics felt great (After using the nailers, the weight was a non-issue for me). Right away you notice the control panel located just below the handle. The easy to find controls were fantastic, and I will cover this more in-depth later in the article.

The construction, although mainly plastic, seems well made. All of the parts had tight tolerances and the overall construction just felt solid.

Control Panel

Located directly below the handle is the control panel. Within the panel, you can power on the tool, change the firing actuation from sequential to contact (bump) fire, and check the remaining battery life. The intuitive controls make everything extremely easy to use and operate.

To power-up and off the NR1890DC and NR1890DR, you simply press the power button for a second or two and you are ready to build something.

A single push of the selective actuation button lets you toggle between sequential and bump fire methods. This feature, in particular, is so easy that it helps you forget the days of complicated firing mode changes. I found this also added to the safety of the gun. Whereas the more experienced carpenters on my crew all preferred the bump-fire mode, I’ve had several, very green, apprentices help that were not ready. To be able to switch between the two so effortlessly helped ease frustration for some and possibly dangerous results for others.

Rafter Hook

Both the NR1890DC and NR1890DR come equipped with a rafter hook. The 4-1/2” hook swivels out of the way when not in use and can be mounted on either side to accommodate right and left-handed users. Until recently, Hitachi has never included rafter hooks on their nailers due to liability issues. I personally believe all nailers should include rafter hooks and truly appreciate the effort Hitachi has made to include them on their nailers. However, I found this particular hook to be somewhat obtrusive and awkward.

Tool-less Depth of Drive

Another feature that I believe should be included in all nailers is a depth of drive adjustment. This particular version is tool-less which is an added benefit. This allows you to adjust the depth the nailer drives the fastener depending the species and density of the materials preventing over-driving and nails left “proud” of the surface.

Safety – Automatic Power-Off

An automatic power shut down is included to increase battery life and user safety. After 30 minutes of inactivity, the Hitachi NR1890DC and NR1890DR shut down automatically. This has taken a bit of getting used to, but the overall positives far outweigh the negatives.

Dry-Fire Lockout System

In addition to the automatic power-off, Hitachi has included a dry-fire lockout system.

On either tool, you’ll only get one strip of nails loaded at one time. When the last nail is fired, the tool has dry fire lockout to let you know you need to reload.

Trigger Lock

The final safety feature is the side mounted trigger lock. Much like a gun safety, once this trigger lock is engaged, the nailer trigger will not pull. This is particularly useful if you have little ones around that you do not want to accidentally engage the nailer.We never used it – just took battery out.

RunTime

Hitachi claims their cordless framing nailers can drive as many as 400 nails on a single charge with the included compact 3.0Ah battery.

We used the tool for several months on an interior partition framing remodel and were able to get about half a day of heavy framing, and full days on lighter days.

Overall Impression

After using both Hitachi framing nailers for several months, we can confidently say that Hitachi has introduced a tool that is going to revolutionize the market. While not a true replacement for pneumatic nailers, particularly on a production framing site, my crew and I found ourselves, more often than not, grabbing these nailers for many tasks.

Nailing hand cut jack rafters and bird-mouth notches, where hoses are notorious for getting snagged, are where these nailers really shined. As far as punch-list items and small framing remodels, the Hitachi nailers can completely replace pneumatic.

As local code dictates, we loved having the option of a full-head nailer.

We can, without hesitation, recommend this nailer to any framer or user that wants a portable, powerful nailer with a battery platform than doesn’t take an arm and leg in which to get invested.

 Warranty

Hitachi has also included a lifetime warranty on their nailers, a two year warranty on their VERY reasonably priced batteries and a one year warranty on the charger.

Hitachi 3-1/2″ Cordless Framing Nailer Review

Hitachi 18v Brushless Framing Nailer is a post from Tool Box Buzz

Hitachi MultiVolt Cordless Tools

We recently visited the Hitachi Power Tools in Atlanta, GA and got our hands on some exciting new cordless MultiVolt tools that are rolling out later this year in September. MultiVolt will be somewhat similar to what DEWALT is doing with FlexVolt in the sense that Hitachi’s MultiVolt can be either 36V or 18V depending on the tool it’s attached to.

What’s really exciting about this release is how similar the size of their existing 18V packs compared to the new 36V MultiVolt packs. The height of the packs is nearly identical, while the width is slightly larger, these new packs will fit into older 18V tools providing much longer run time and additional power. The new packs that are coming out will use the newest 21700 lithium-ion cells, with the larger packs using 10 cells for 144 watt hours. We’ve heard rumor that Milwaukee will also be moving to these cells soon as well.

Much like FlexVolt, these packs can either put out 36 volts at 4 amp hours, or it can be used as an 18 volt pack with 8.0 amp hours. These new packs will be backward compatible allowing them to run older 18V Hitachi tools, giving them much longer run times. It’s worth noting, that the older 18V packs will NOT be able to work with new new MultiVolt tools however.

These new batteries should be available in September 2018 and the 36V (4.0 Ah, or 18V 8.0 Ah) packs will retain around $100.

Hitachi MultiVolt Tools Being Released is a post from Tool Box Buzz