Which Circular Saw for 65mm oak?

[willmarsh]

I've been browsing this site for a good couple of months after buying my first "project" house and only now have a question that I haven't been able to find an answer to!

I am looking to spend around £100 on a circular saw and have 3 in mind:
Dewalt DW365 (£111)
Skil 5866 (£90)
Wickes professional 1400W (£85)

The first job for it will probably be the toughest since I'm making a solid oak fireplace so require full depth of cut (65mm) in oak...

Does anyone have any experience/recommendation for any of these 3 saws or any other contenders? Thanks in advance

 

[r896neo]

hey i recently made some furniture out 2" oak which is pretty much the same as what your looking at. My makita 5704RK laughed in its face both across the grain and ripping along the length. If you dont buy a dewalt/ makita, i'd recommend adding a new blade into the budget.

 

[Hitachimad]

For that sort of price, your looking at 190 diameter bladed saws....

If it was 60mm, it have no hesitation in recomending the Hitachi, a kick ass 1700w motor. Cut depth though is stated to be 60mm, but does cut a couple of mm more.

 

[Deluks]

I have the Wickes model, it can take a pounding. I second the bit about the blade though, a brand new good quality blade will make all the difference.

 

[willmarsh]

Thanks for the advice, any suggestions on a good quality blade to suit the wickes model? I hadn't found the makita though r896neo, have you had it for a while - as in has it been reliable - the wickes comes with a 5yr warranty and the dewalt 3 yrs but think makita are only 1 year...peace of mind I guess

 

[Paul Barker]

I don't know if I'm up to date on this but out of that choice in quality I would prefer makita then dewalt then wicks.

I always loose the receiot so the warrantie is worthless, and also in my hands only the makita would survive, though I use a hilti circular saw myself.

 

[Doctor Drivel]

I have the Wickes model, it can take a pounding. I second the bit about the blade though, a brand new good quality blade will make all the difference.

I think the Wickes model is made by Kress,. If so I would buy that. Not all Wickes pro range (grey) are made by Kress. You can ask at the desk and they will tell you where it is made or who makes it. A look through the Kress web site will reveal a lot. The Wickes pro SDS drills are made by Kress as is the 15.6v high torque drill with an angle conversion (great drill).

 

[2scoops0406]

Dr D, you you work for Kress by any chance I have to say that I've read some not so flattering comments about their Pro range, but to be fair I've personally not used them.

 

[willmarsh]

Dr, in all honesty I haven't heard of Kress and a google search reveals very little. I did find a rather "interesting" duo saw which is a circular saw with chainsaw attachment

...but thats rather off topic and looks quite a handfull!!

Have you/anyone else used kress tools or got experience of their quality?

The wickes model does look suspiciously similar to the kress HKS 1400 and the specs are identical. In this case would the recommendation still to upgrade the blade - though I guess that wickes may well have changed it for a different type.

Kress

Wickes

[/img]

 

[Deluks]

Yes, that's the one. I bought mine secondhand, it was battered then and had a Kress blade installed, which was by then blunt. I swapped it out and the new blade made all the difference. Currently using a trend blade, can't remember which one, which was about £10 new on eBay

I would also concur with Paul, your warranty will be useless without the receipt

 

[Doctor Drivel]

Dr D, you you work for Kress by any chance I have to say that I've read some not so flattering comments about their Pro range, but to be fair I've personally not used them.

I have had good experiences with Kress then Wickes rebadged Kress drills. Not all Wickes Pro is Kress. As I said find out.

IMO, the Wickes SDS is as good, if not better, than a Makita. It is a proven design and quality been around for way over 10 years.

 

[^woody^]

I like that Kress chain saw attachment. Any idea of availability or does it just fit the Kress circular?

 

[Doctor Drivel]

Dr, in all honesty I haven't heard of Kress and a google search reveals very little.

http://www.kress-elektrik.de/en/

They are a quality German maker. They sold in the UK under Kress and their agents were B&J Power who were national and went bust. They haven't a new agent and just re-badge under the Wickes name. They also rebadge a lot of US Cable Porter too (Norm & Abe)

As I said , find out if a Wickes Pro tools is made by Kress. Wickes don't have the Lion batteries.

Here is the drill/driver also an angle drill also sold by Wickes:

The same by Wickes. Wickes don't advertise it as an angle driil attachment and the staff tend not to know anything about the drill. A great buy.

The saw, which appears to be a Kress:
Wickes:

Kress:

.

 

[r896neo]

Hey, no need to worry about a warrenty on a makita saw. it will last forever. well i'm sure there are exceptions but all their site stuff is pretty bomb proof.

 

[willmarsh]

thanks for all the advice, after a rather unhelpful discussion with wickes - yes it is a Kress tool but now distributed by Draper and the warranty only covers "manufacturing defects" whatever than means...I have decided that the makita 5704 is the one for me. I toyed with the extra £40 for the Hitachi C7BU2 with the brake function but unless anyone strongly recommends this as a feature I think its the makita...Cheers