A worm drive saw is a safe, accurate and essential carpentry tool. I carry my Skilsaw HD77M at all times, for use almost every day. Here is Rigid’s attempt to make a wormdrive…

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Description:

A heavy-duty 15 Amp Worm Drive motor speeds the saw blade at 4,400rpm. This Rigid Circular saw features a 51.5º bevel cut, a built-in hook to hang it on joist or workstand and a nice long (12′) Rigid-quality power cord.

Experience:
Breaking from the norm of posting solely tools I own, which not only gives me the opportunity to thoroughly examine a tool but also to develop a relationship with the manufacturer and their quirks – I don’t own the Rigid Worm Drive and after using one for a few weeks, I am content to never make that purchase.

I’ve spent over 20 years with a Model 77 in my right hand so I’m no stranger to the tool but it’s going to take a much better saw to change me.

An demonstration of the lickin’ and still tickin’ my Mod77′s can take was repeated over and over by installing a diamond blade, duct-taping a garden hose to the plate and cutting city sidewalks, terrazzo floors, granite, rebar and all… rip off the hose, wipe off some stone dust, put on a 24 tooth and start cutting 45º miters on the ends of trim boards. It’s an awesome and accurate beast which until using the Rigid, I never considered smooth.

Comments:
Really, a Rigid tool that’s not smooth? The orange wormdrive I’m using is rough and rattles loudly. It’s a coarse experience that I’ve not had with any of my beloved Rigid tools… and that’s not a short list of power tools at this point. In fact, though I’m not a huge fan of the orange equipment solely for the reason it’s made from and for the Home Depot, I not only have quite a few Rigid tools, I use them on a daily basis and tout their strengths, innovations and comfort to use.

I don’t like the Rigid Worm Drive because it rides like a Mustang. I don’t need to spend time with it to learn it’s advantages (beside not having to purchase a joist hook separately) before passing a callous brief because though comfortable to push with it’s big black handle the rough and rattle experience with this saw is unsettling.

Excitement, Look what I got! Four Ridgid Cordless Tools in one sack. It’s a pretty heavy sack at that and one that won’t zip closed with all the tools in it. A mega drill/driver, 6″ circular saw, reciprocating ‘saws all’ and a flashlight complete with two 24V LI batteries, charger and carry bag make up this 4-piece combo kit.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Tools included:

• R851150 1/2″ VSR Drill/Driver
• R855 6 1/2″ Circular Saw
• R854 Reciprocating Saw
• R859 Work Light
• 24v XLi Battery Charger
• (2) 24 volt Lithium-ion Batteries

Experience:

I like this tool combo so it’s ironic that while I’ve been putting off this lengthy review some of the tools are beginning to fail.

This Ridgid combo replaced my long-dead Dewalt combo. that was offered well before a “cordless” sawzall was available so the Ridgid would be my first cordless reciprocating saw. I have used it extensively along with all the tools in the bag over the past year.

I’m carrying the Ridgid Combo with me unless a job calls for more and I’ve gotten away with quite a few tasks without electricity.

• Cordless Drill/Driver
• Cordless Circular Saw
• Cordless Reciprocating Saw
• Cordless Illumination!

Plus, I’ve added Ridgid’s

• Cordless Planer
• Cordless Jigsaw

I keep a power inverter in the truck for battery charging.

Comments:

I’d like to say the Drill/Driver is as good as my little 15v Panasonic. Hahah, why do I like that wimpy panasonic?

I’d like to say the sawzall is as tough as my corded model. I’d like to say the Circular saw even comes close to a Saw Boss or that the flashlight is bright. Hmm… What can I say?

I can say that Ridgid makes tools that feel good in my hand. They are simple to adjust, with nice thick nobs and levers that operate smoothly. They are user-friendly and orange.

The Drill/Driver is heavy as hell with the 24V battery and it’s not small either. This is a framing, exterior heavy duty drill driver and I like it. It’s a little sloppy on fit and finish but it’s a brute and lasts long on the 24V… provided it’s not cold – more on that in a sec. I recently used this driver on slow speed hammer drill setting to drive in 1/4″ lags and an hour before to install #6 brass screws into fancy cabinet hinges. This is not a gentle driver.

The cordless circular saw is ok. At first I was excited because it outperforms my retired Dewalt but it’s really not all that impressive. A few sheets of plywood or a bunch of 2x and even the 24V battery is shot. It’s not the one for ripping 2x material unless it’s just one length and the other battery is charging but it is fantastic to have. I use it all the time for things like working on fence, out buildings, attics or basements without power and anywhere a couple of cuts will do.

The reciprocating saw got a lot of use over the year. That’s likely why three parts on mine are broken .. with an important pin lost. It still works. I know I should order the part before it doesn’t exist, since Ridgid has already replaced this model. The sawzall is important on my job. I’ve gotten away with a lot from this saw but let’s just say my opinion matches it’s strength.

The flashlight is outdated in this age of much brighter and more efficient LEDs. Imagine what we should have attached to those huge 24V batteries.

Ahh.. the Ridgid 24V Batteries: First I have say, I noticed that one battery costs $100. The combo kit came with two. That’s $200… so I got a charger, drill, flashlight and two saws for $200? I’ll say that a charging indicator on the battery and super-fast charging are fantastic!

The batteries hate the cold winters in New England. Mine did anyway. The both of my batteries couldn’t figure out whether they were charged or not. Sometimes a single cut would set the battery to dead but setting on the charger shows full after 10 seconds. Nothing I can do about the cold and never had this problem with the Porter-Cable drill/driver battery.

Summary:

Having all these tools cordless is liberating. Do I feel forced to stick with Ridgid’s cordless line since I’m already in this deep with 4 batteries and 6 tools? How do we end up with one over the other… My friend had this one, the tools were smooth. I liked the charge indicator and the tools seemed to last a long time on a single charge. I bought it and I’ve been happy to own a kit such as this. My suggestion would be to read up on these combos, consider what it means to have a half-dozen tools relying on a battery system. Research the batteries and if Ridgid batteries have the best record, go for it.

Links:
Ridgid X3 R963 5 Piece 18v Lithium-ion Combo Kit
Ridgid R964- 4 piece 18 volt Lithium Ion Combo Kit

Ridgid 24V 1-Hour Lithium-Ion Battery Charger 140315001
RIDGID 24V/18V Max Select XLi Lithium-Ion Hammer Drill

With it’s 15 Amp, 120V motor spinning a 7 1/4″ diamond-arbor blade at 4,600 RPM the Skil Model 77M weighs in at 14lbs. This saw has been my right hand so many times it has become an extension of my arm.

Features:

• 13 amp motor, 4,400 RPM
• Light magnesium housing provides durability – 3-pounds Lighter than the HD77
• Precision machined worm drive gears for maximum power
• Includes saw, blade, blade wrench
• 7-3/4-inches; 14-pounds; 1-year warranty

Experience:
From my very first job as a carpenter to my jobsites 20 years later the Skilsaw Mod. 77 is the only circular saw I use. Through thick and thin this saw has cut it all from framing to trim, from plywood to timber, from steel plates to concrete pads. This saw truly is an extension of my arm. Of course, cutting overhead with a 15lb. saw will give you a sore arm after a while.

I was trained in carpentry in California. I don’t know how a single state could claim the fame of the model 77 but even now when I boast about the wormdrive people ask if I’ve come from California. I just can’t understand circular saw people. I’ll never switch, I can’t drive one for $h*T and they kickback in the most unreliable way.

According to OSHA rules General Contractors in Calif. have to provide safety meetings on a regular basis. On one of my first commercial jobs safety was no joke and our meeting agenda included tool lectures, like how the wormdrive Skilsaw is safer than a circular saw by design. I guess the advantages of this saw were ingrained in me from the start but the saw has really stuck it out and I know I can rely on it to function for an extraordinarily long time.

Ironically just after the safety meeting I learned how you can duct-tape a garden hose to the front of the saw and cut concrete slabs. I don’t think they teach that one in school but I used it many times in such a way. It would be impossible to count the rafters, stringers, studs, sheathing or floorboard in construction and demolition that even one of my Skilsaws has sliced through!

Comments:
The chord may break loose after dropping the saw from the roof by it’s chord so many times, easily replaced. I don’t have any complaints about this saw. I like both the heavier and not-much-noticeably lighter SHD77M. I’ve learned to do just about anything with this saw but in all my years, unlike some, I have never pinned the guard back on my saws!

My first Skilsaw was stolen. It’s replacement I gave away when I bought a new one. The next three various Skil Model 77′s that I bought are still put to work around the year, despite New England temps. Not one has died on the job.

Own it, it’s the best. The Skilsaw Model 77 is indispensable and the quintessential carpenter’s saw.

Links:

Skilsaw Model HD77 at Skiltools.com

Skilsaw Model HD77M at Skiltools.com (Product Data)

Skil HD77M 7-1/4″ Magnesium Worm Drive Circular Saw Skilsaw on Amazon.com

Skil SHD77M 15 amp 7-1/4-inch Mag Worm Drive Saw at Amazon.com (where I got mine)

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Oddest thing happened while writing this blog: I had the page open for the Mag 77 at the Manufacturer’s website but didn’t finish making my article. When I went back to get the link to the Model 77, the page was down. Apparently Skil, a subsidiary of Bosch, let their domain name expire!

skiltools.com

Expired - Renew Now!

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Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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Experience: I have used a saw boss for over 20 years. I can’t remember when I purchased the 6″ Porter-Cable saw I have these days but it’s cut a lot of plywood. This little saw excels at ripping sheets of 1/2″ for roofing or sheathing and I keep it for just such an application. My Porter-Cable 345 Saw Boss has ripped countless pieces of plywood and the occasional 2x.

Comments: It’s been around for a long time and that should say something for the P-C Saw Boss. Mine doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. The fence is a good one. I’m not a fan of circular saws. I was raised on the wormdrive Skilsaw but I can still drive this little Porter-Cable accurately.

Links:
Model 345 at Porter-Cable (Product Data)

Porter-Cable 345 Saw Boss at Amazon.com (good pricing)
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I’m going to have to speak frankly about my foray into owning Festool because the tools are incredibly expensive. Until recently, I’d answer questions of ‘switching over’ with a barrage of expletives. An $800 router? A $625 circular saw? A cordless screwgun for $500. Who the F is going to pay $500 for a screwgun? My Panasonic drives screws and it was expensive to me at $230. Is there sanity behind the maddening prices of Festools? 

Further frustration will arise when you’ve got $2k+ into your complicated new matching table, fence, saw and vacuum system and some little screw keeps coming loose on every pass. You’d figure if you’re going to pay for the absolute ‘best’ then it had better be absolutely perfect! I will attest that very few tools are “perfect” and you may still face demons after paying for Festool quality.

It’s still just moving a tool over your material; same old, same old, right? Can’t I clamp a 4′ level to a sheet of ply, score the line and pass my crappy little Porter-Cable Saw Boss cross-grain to achieve the same cut in a fraction of the time it takes to set up a Festool plywood cutting system and all for less than $200? Almost.

In my direct experience the process is usually defined by the desired result.

As a carpenter of 20 years, my level of perfection hasn’t suffered for lack of Festool. Through hundreds of built-ins, shelving, end panels and more panels, I have provided consistent quality woodwork using ‘contractor grade’ tools. A bit of care, the proper blade and a little know-how will get fine results.

As a cabinet maker though, the ability to produce and reproduce precision is a feat of craftsmanship. Festool takes some of the manship out of the craft. You pay, you set it up and you cut; the result is damn near perfect every time. (and dust-free!)

I used a Festool system to cut custom, sequence-matched, 3/4″ plywood. I was making reproduction Frank Lloyd Wright furniture with exposed edges. The cuts were all beveled and the pieces were trapezoidal. The plywood was very expensive leaving little room for error. Each cut with the TS 55 EQ was finish quality; crisp, clean, smooth and straight. (and dust-free!)

Recently there was the cabinet I built to house an LCD TV on a remote-controlled lift. It was tall and thin and open at the top. Installing fixtures, switches and components later on required an unusually short screw driver OR the incredibly flexible $500 Festool C12 kit which is $300 more than a DEWALT DW960K or Makita DA312DWD for the same task but If I can start and screw in 20 screws by hand with a 4″ screw driver in about 20 minutes, then how much does the Festool C12 really cost if I can put in the same 20 screws in less than 5 minutes? The C12 is more versatile than both my Makita right-angle and any of my drill/drivers combined for cabinet work. I’m not going to drive decking screws with some fancy pants $500 drill. Application specific.

How many times have I taped off a portion of someone’s living quarters to rout a dado, cut a board, sand a panel or complete some dusty task with minimal invasion?

I guess what I’m getting at is: It’s not everyday that I need a Festool’s inherit qualities. But like I said, The process is usually defined by the desired result. If it’s a shelf in a shed, use a Skilsaw but if you fortunately find yourself restoring the plywood kitchen counters in Philip Johnson’s Glass House then you are going to need to come up with a not-so-simple arrangement or buy Festool.

If it costs me $100 to in labor and materials to protect a client’s master bedroom from my router, then how much does the $800 Festool router really cost?

I don’t know if I can charge more because my tools are connected to a HEPA Vac. but I am hoping that my future clients will pass on the good word that my work reflects the precision machinery I use, I left no dust and I finished in remarkable time. There is a lot to be said in favor of Festool’s effective dust control and therefore, my first Festool step toward my future woodworking begins with the CT33 Dust Extractor.

Who the F would pay $500 for a screwgun? I guess I will. I am contently hoping to own the C12 one day soon but I currently have 5 drill/drivers so my next Festool will be a sander, then their rabbeting planer with near total chip extraction. Can you imagine planing a slab without 4″ of sawdust on the floor afterward? I’m waiting on choosing a guided saw due to recent competition costing considerably less.

Cost of the Festool ETS 150/5 R.O. Sander – $285
Cost of the Festool TF 75 EQ Circular Saw – $625
Cost of the Festool OF 2200 Router – $800
Health benefits of Dust Extraction in the small home woodshop. priceless.

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