# Sidewinder vs. worm drive



## phaelax (Dec 24, 2018)

Hearing that worm drive circular saws had more torque (i needed to cut granite and it was an excuse to buy another tool), I decided to buy a makita from home depot after the skillsaw was out of stock at menards. I'll never go back to my other saw! It cuts so much easier than my other saws. Yes it's a bit heavier but I can still manage it one-handed. I use it a lot with my my kreg accu-cut track (which I have mixed opinions about). The guard feels a bit sticky and there's sideways pull when you first kick it on, but other than that its been a great saw so far. At $180, it was worth it.


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## Rebelwork (Jan 15, 2012)

I use a Milwaukee worm drive to cut stone...


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## shoot summ (Feb 21, 2014)

phaelax said:


> Hearing that worm drive circular saws had more torque (i needed to cut granite and it was an excuse to buy another tool), I decided to buy a makita from home depot after the skillsaw was out of stock at menards. I'll never go back to my other saw! It cuts so much easier than my other saws. Yes it's a bit heavier but I can still manage it one-handed. I use it a lot with my my kreg accu-cut track (which I have mixed opinions about). The guard feels a bit sticky and there's sideways pull when you first kick it on, but other than that its been a great saw so far. At $180, it was worth it.


Define cut granite? A slab?

If so cutting dry is a mess, an angle grinder will work for cuts that don't have to be precise, or pretty(cut outs, etc). I have one of these and it works great. They are no longer available through Skil, but Dewalt and others make a similar unit.


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## pellikan64 (Dec 15, 2021)

I have the Skil Sidewinder. I don't cut granite though. I gotta say I'm pretty satisfied with it. Of course, my previous saw was a circa 1950s Craftsman.


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## phaelax (Dec 24, 2018)

I tore out a bar that was in the basement of the house I bought last year and was left with an 8' granite countertop. I'm cutting it down into two 3' pieces for some built-ins I'm doing for my gf's house. I used my 4" grinder at first but that was taking too long. I'll need to cut some cinderblock in the future anyway so it was handy just to go get a 7" diamond blade. And yea dry is definitely a mess. I got one cut pretty easily, but I'll probably grab a spray bottle with some water when I cut the next. I'll mostly cut wood with it, but the granite was the first thing I used it for.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

Any stone product is very abrasive and "may" damage bearings. My first attempt at cutting 1" marble, around 1963, with my old Skil 8 1/4" sidewinder resulted in a seized saw and it needed to go back to Skil for a factory rebuild. It is still working to this day. For cutting stone, you really want a water cooled saw with a diamond blade like for tile. Mine have a garden hose connection. Home Depot was closing them out for $50.00,each, so I got two made by Workforce.



shoot summ said:


> Define cut granite? A slab?
> So, if cutting dry is a mess, an angle grinder will work for cuts that don't have to be precise, or pretty(cut outs, etc). I have one of these and it works great. *They are no longer available through Skil, but Dewalt* and others make a similar unit.
> View attachment 436430



Worm drives are not typically one handed saws, just too heavy for normal people, but OK for Gorilla types, I guess.
I own a Black and Decker and a Craftsman, made by Black and Decker ? They are great when you can rest the saw's base on the surface you are cutting. As far as more torque yes, but I think at the price of less blade RPMs?

I could be wrong about that. NOPE:








Worm drive vs regular circular saw


If you are searching for a regular circular saw, you might be pondering whether to purchase a standard form or a worm drive model, however, what’s the distinction? What makes a worm drive saw…




roboticsandautomationnews.com




Regular circular saws have an RPM of 6,000 or higher while worm drive saws have an RPM of *not more than 4,500*. This difference of RPM is however balanced when it comes to torque. Worm drive saws offer more durability and power because they have larger teeth which have a more loading capacity than regular circular saws.

My favorite side winders are a pair of Porter Cable 7 1/4" 315's. I built a lot of revonavtions with those and they are like new today.
My last 7 1/4" circ saw was the mag base Milwaukee, a great saw on Amazon. Probably won't see a lot of use though.
I did get a worm drive trim saw a, 4 1/2" PC off Ebay because I've always wanted one.
My 18 V Dewalt trim saws get a lot of use because they are so handy, no cords.
Circular saws are like routers, one ain't enough and 10 may be too many?
I've always wanted a 10 1/4" Milwaukee .........


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## shoot summ (Feb 21, 2014)

phaelax said:


> I tore out a bar that was in the basement of the house I bought last year and was left with an 8' granite countertop. I'm cutting it down into two 3' pieces for some built-ins I'm doing for my gf's house. I used my 4" grinder at first but that was taking too long. I'll need to cut some cinderblock in the future anyway so it was handy just to go get a 7" diamond blade. And yea dry is definitely a mess. I got one cut pretty easily, but I'll probably grab a spray bottle with some water when I cut the next. I'll mostly cut wood with it, but the granite was the first thing I used it for.


Cutting stone takes a long time regardless of what you use.

I cut cinder block dry with an angle grinder and diamond blade.

Try a (soaking)wet grouting sponge instead a spray bottle.

I cut and edged a piece of Travertine a few years ago for a cabinet my wife painted.


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## NoThankyou (Mar 21, 2018)

About 40 plus years ago, I bought a Skil worm drive saw, $109 IIRC. In 2005 we were doing some remodeling. One of the framing carpenters saw the saw and said, "The only person that you will ever sell that saw is to me. Under penalty of eternity in hell." We both laughed. A couple of years ago I was talking with the General Contractor that did the remodel. He told me that the saw is probably worth close to $400.


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## NoThankyou (Mar 21, 2018)

There is one thing that I have observed in the Sidewinder vs. Worm drive battle. It is observation and not scientific at all. 
The East Coast seems to like sidewinders, while the West Coast seems to like worm drives. 

As I said NOT SCIENTIFIC and just an observation.


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## DrRobert (Apr 27, 2015)

Because the blade is on the left?

I bought the B/D in 1985. Never seen a circ saw with height adjustment straight up and down. Might be the last decent tool they made before being engulfed by brand killing Stanley.

The PC is almost as old. Very handy little saw but 6” blades are pricey. Notice the difference in handle ergonomics between BD and PC? Another reason people worm drives are better.

Both appear to be MUSA, too.


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## B Coll (Nov 2, 2019)

phaelax said:


> Hearing that worm drive circular saws had more torque (i needed to cut granite and it was an excuse to buy another tool), I decided to buy a makita from home depot after the skillsaw was out of stock at menards. I'll never go back to my other saw! It cuts so much easier than my other saws. Yes it's a bit heavier but I can still manage it one-handed. I use it a lot with my my kreg accu-cut track (which I have mixed opinions about). The guard feels a bit sticky and there's sideways pull when you first kick it on, but other than that its been a great saw so far. At $180, it was worth it.


When I had my construction business I had a couple Makita's. I believe they called them Hypoid saws. Your are certainly correct about the side twist when you turn them on. I initially purchased them for cutting through roofs and demolition. They quickly became my go to saw for framing. There was just something very comfortable about them, at least for me. I bet I bought them around 30 years ago. I still have one, my son has the other and they are still going.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

DrRobert said:


> Because the blade is on the left?
> 
> I bought the B/D in 1985. * Never seen a circ saw with height adjustment straight up and down. * Might be the last decent tool they made before being engulfed by brand killing Stanley.
> 
> ...


The Porter Cable 315 series saws used the vertical height adjustment which I like also. I have 3 of them, two 7 1/4's and an 8 1/4".
The little PC Saw Boss is a 6 1/2" light weight saw, that was normally my "go to" saw for breaking down 4 X 8 sheets.
However, since the 18 V battery powered saws have just about taken over, I find the lack of a cord much more convenient these days.


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