[NA]Need Sawzall Primer[NA]

Let'sgoflying!

Let'sgoflying!

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Dave Taylor
I need a Sawzall.
For casual destruction.
Corded, I won't use it enough to mind a battery.
Are the blades of one model (same brand) compatible with those of another model?
Ie Makita 7B vs 16S (made up numbers; you get the idea)
Are the blades of one brand compatible with the blades of another brand?
ie Makita v PorterCable
This weekend I need to slit a 2x6 lengthwise, cutting through the 5.5" part, for example. (and the board is only accessible to a jigsaw-like tool.)
What other features do they offer?
What brand do you like?
 
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I have a Makita and a Dewalt. Blades are interchangeable. Any brand you're likely to find will work fine. If you like one brand better than another get what you're comfortable with. For my money I wouldn't buy another corded saw if a good battery model is available. The new 18v battery tools are awesome. I wish they came out 30 years earlier.
 
I have a Ryobi cordless and other brand blades work. I bought the Ryobi, because it uses the same batteries as all my other cordless tools (drills, impact driver, circular saw, etc.). That way, minding batteries is pretty easy, since they tend to see more use.
 
Went cordless for a boiler installation project 10 years ago. 18v Hitachi sawzall, circular saw, and hammer drill. Haven't looked back. Batteries are easy to manage....besides all my extension cords are at the hangar.
 
I hate Harbor Freight tools, but one time about 5 years ago, I needed a hammer drill for a one-time project. No way could I justify a Makita or similar. So I paid $19 for a hammer drill at HF. The masonry bits cost more than the drill, and I still have 3 our of 5 of them.

It actually completed the job and a year later I happened to need it again. It worked again, although a bit noisily. By the end of that job it was screeching and grinding and and smoking, and then quit. But I finished the job and I haven't needed it since.

If you are going to use it more than a few times, buy a good one. If not, then WHY buy a good one?
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
This weekend I need to slit a 2x6 lengthwise, cutting through the 5.5" part, for example. (and the board is only available to a jigsaw-like tool.)
Click to expand...

You needed to make a 1X6 and you thought the best way to do that was to saw a 2X6 lengthwise?? I think I'm missing something
 
I've been using my harbor freight corded one for quite a while. No doubt a makita is better but these are perfectly fine for someone not doing professional work.

Just buy quality blades, probably not at HF.
 
You can also rent a sawzall pretty cheap at many Home Depot stores.
 
Buy the correct blade and they're just the thing for pruning chores.
 
JOhnH said:
I hate Harbor Freight tools, but one time about 5 years ago, I needed a hammer drill for a one-time project. No way could I justify a Makita or similar. So I paid $19 for a hammer drill at HF. The masonry bits cost more than the drill, and I still have 3 our of 5 of them.

It actually completed the job and a year later I happened to need it again. It worked again, although a bit noisily. By the end of that job it was screeching and grinding and and smoking, and then quit. But I finished the job and I haven't needed it since.

If you are going to use it more than a few times, buy a good one. If not, then WHY buy a good one?
Click to expand...
You have a good point from an economic point of view...but each time I use one of the Hitachies I smile just a little bit. Very comfortable tools to use compared to the construction site stuff I used back in the 80's.
 
I have a Milwaukee corded. Thing's awesome. Got it at a pawn shop for $15.
 
wrbix said:
Buy the correct blade and they're just the thing for pruning chores.
Click to expand...
Buddy got an electric Stihl chainsaw for that. Tiny little thing, but works great.
 
Stewartb said:
For my money I wouldn't buy another corded saw if a good battery model is available.
Click to expand...

I am going to use it once, then it will sit on the shelf for 5 years. I don't think it will be as reliable a tool as a corded one after that period of time.

JCranford said:
You needed to make a 1X6 and you thought the best way to do that was to saw a 2X6 lengthwise?? I think I'm missing something
Click to expand...

I tried to explain in advance, "accessible" as I knew someone would query this. I am replacing a door. The framing needs to be trimmed back. No way to get in there without a jigsaw like tool. A router would take forever. A circular saw won't do it. Handsaw - dont have 2 hours to mess with it.

Jeff Oslick said:
You can also rent a sawzall pretty cheap at many Home Depot stores.
Click to expand...

Yabut I want one.

Thanks
 
Actually, the proper name for the tool under discussion is "The Electric Architect"
 
Corded. I have a Milwaukee. They are the original inventor of the "Sawzall", so I went with them when I bought one. Works great, blades are interchangeable with most brands, but don't count on the HF using compatible blades. That's where Harbor Freight gets you on some things, the sizes of the blades/cutting tools may have an oddball size which is tough to find anywhere but HF. I've only used the Sawzall twice since I bought it, but it worked great each time. Cut through doubled 2x4s with no issue at all.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
This weekend I need to slit a 2x6 lengthwise, cutting through the 5.5" part, for example. (and the board is only accessible to a jigsaw-like tool.)
Click to expand...

A sawzall will cut anything except a straight line.

It will cut through wiring and plumbing inside a wall like it isn't even there.

A Sawzall can quickly cut a wall open to make it easy to fix any severed wiring or plumbing.
 
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
A sawzall will cut anything except a straight line.

It will cut through wiring and plumbing inside a wall like it isn't even there.

A Sawzall can quickly cut a wall open to make it easy to fix any severed wiring or plumbing.
Click to expand...
In other words, with a sawzall, you can cut open a wall to fix the wiring and plumbing that you severed with your sawzall.
Unfortunately, that is often exactly what happens.
 
JOhnH said:
In other words, with a sawzall, you can cut open a wall to fix the wiring and plumbing that you severed with your sawzall.
Unfortunately, that is often exactly what happens.
Click to expand...
How do you think I know that?
 
JOhnH said:
In other words, with a sawzall, you can cut open a wall to fix the wiring and plumbing that you severed with your sawzall.
Unfortunately, that is often exactly what happens.
Click to expand...
TINS - not a direct sawzall story but a behind the sheetrock story.
New homeowner wife unit wants something hung in bathroom. Happy homeowner whips out stud finder, wood screw and drill driver. Homeowner locates "stud" and proceeds to drive wood screw. Wonders why water is running all over while running for the shut-off. Calls plumber. Plumber applies sawzall to wood screw site in bathroom. You guessed it, happy homeowner centerpunched a copper water line with the wood screw. Plumber was real nice about it, fixed the leak and said welcome to Colorado then walked out without invoicing.

No, happy homeowner was not 6PC.
 
Aw man, I coulda gone all day without the vision of a Sawzall in the hands of 6PC!
Now I gotta go drink to forget.
 
Neighbor across the street came home to a wet dining room. He said a nail in a chair rail punctured a water line and all was well until the nail eventually rusted away and unplugged the hole.

One time I was cutting away drywall with a jab saw and I caught myself just before I cut the electrical going to a box on the opposite side of the wall. That would have been interesting.
 
As soon as I saw that you're not gonna be using it professionally or for a huge project - DING ! The Harbor Freight light went off.
 
Art VanDelay said:
As soon as I saw that you're not gonna be using it professionally or for a huge project - DING ! The Harbor Freight light went off.
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I agree with Art, I bought my sawzall from HF for a project and it's worked well when I've needed it. I think it was $25.
 
JOhnH said:
... If you are going to use it more than a few times, buy a good one. If not, then WHY buy a good one?
Click to expand...
Because every time I buy a junk tool I end up regretting it. Good tools simply work better and, because they work better, I can do better work. This also applies to blades.

"Do not buy junk tools." I have learned that lesson more times than I can remember but I still re-learn it due to a stupid purchase every year or two.

To save money, buy a Makita, Milwaukee, or other quality saw on CraigsList. You will probably get a bunch of blades included.
 
HF is ok for one time / low time use tools. I needed to drill a drain plate at the bottom of a pool, so I bought an HF pneumatic drill, put on some scuba gear and drilled out the drain plate. It worked great... one time. I am glad I didn't spend more than $20 on it.
 
I have three full size recips, all DeWalt. One is corded which hasn't been out of the box in years. Two are 18XRP rechargeables (I used to have two houses which means I have two of just about anything). As pointed out, the blades are interchangeable across brands. I use Bosch or Dewalt. Unless you're cutting through dirt or other trash, don't bother with the offname blades.

I also have a Milwaukee Hacksall. It takes a recip blade but is a much smaller unit. Great for cutting things like pipe in tight spaces.

Sawzall is Milwaukee's trademark.

I also have a cute little foldilng saw (non-powered) that takes a recip blade.
 
Dewalt wireless li-ion 20V, based the nature of the use of the tool it's quite nice to not have a cord on a sawzall, also the dewalt can have the blade installed normally or rotated 90 degrees.
 
I have a Milwaukee that I bought when I think they were still the only ones making reciprocating saws. Still works great.
 
I've got a 10 year old DeWalt corded one. You can put anybody's blades in it. You can face the cutting side in any one of the four cardinal directions relative to the tool (which is handy). I bought it when in the midst of an addition and remodel on the house. I grew up doing construction and I still had no idea how useful that saw would be. I keep an assortment of blades with it and it comes out all the time.

I went corded then, and I'd still be tempted to now. I love my Makita cordless drill & impact driver, but the tools outlast the batteries and something just galls me about spending more for new batteries than a new set of tools with the batteries,

John
 
I heard a saying that seems like good advice:

"If you buy a tool from Harbor Freight that requires safety glasses, for the love of all that is holy do not buy your safety glasses from Harbor Freight."
 
Chip Sylverne said:
I have a Milwaukee corded. Thing's awesome. Got it at a pawn shop for $15.
Click to expand...

So that is where my Milwaukee reciprocating saw went! :) I loaned mine to a guy that I trusted and he never returned it. That was over 25 years ago.

When I needed one (first time in 25 years), my son recommended Harbor Freight. I bought one of their el cheapos, and it worked great for my project of putting in an exterior door. It cut through the old nails like butter, and I was able to use it to cut a header that needed to be removed. I think it is a great value for an occasional user.
 
Cordless is great if you're using it frequently, and have other tools that use the same battery packs. Cordless tools suck if you have to have separate batteries and chargers to maintain, especially for infrequently used tools. Also, I prefer corded tools when I'm doing work that requires to tool to be operating for more than a minute at a time.

Ex: just drilled 1/2" holes 12" deep into railroad ties. I have an 18V DeWalt that will do it, but I broke out the corded Craftsman drill instead, because I didn't want to burn up a cordless drill and go through batteries every 6-8 holes. Right tool for the right job. I've got a HF oscillating cutoff tool that works fine the 2-3 times a year I use it. If I were using it monthly or weekly, I wouldn't have bought one from HF.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
you have not lived til you have done that with a gas line.
I was 17. No flames or explosion.
Click to expand...
Oh hell, I've vented 20 MMscf/d on an ESD. No biggie...it does make a little bit of noise...gas is my middle name...I've had wells on fire, i've been on fire...all in a day's work
 
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