Ive always used the direct drive circular saws. I was watching a guy
building a home and he had a rather large saw which was a lot heavier
than my saws and a lot longer. His was a Skil brand. I asked him about
it and he said it's a worm gear saw, which is why it's larger and
heavier. He said he's had it for years and it's a good saw. It has a
metal housing rather than all the new plastic ones, so I know that makes
it heavier.

I looked online and found some similar looking saws. Even used ones on
places like ebay are much more expensive than the standard direct drive
ones.

Is there some advantage to the worm drive types over the common saws?
Most of them online say they are 15A, so the motor must be a lot larger.
My direct drive ones are about 10A.

So if there is an advantage, what is it?

On Thu, 23 Aug 2018 03:39:44 -0500, wrote:

Ive always used the direct drive circular saws. I was watching a guy
building a home and he had a rather large saw which was a lot heavier
than my saws and a lot longer. His was a Skil brand. I asked him about
it and he said it's a worm gear saw, which is why it's larger and
heavier. He said he's had it for years and it's a good saw. It has a
metal housing rather than all the new plastic ones, so I know that makes
it heavier.

I looked online and found some similar looking saws. Even used ones on
places like ebay are much more expensive than the standard direct drive
ones.

Is there some advantage to the worm drive types over the common saws?
Most of them online say they are 15A, so the motor must be a lot larger.
My direct drive ones are about 10A.

So if there is an advantage, what is it?

Yes there is an advantage in framing wood construction. Used all day,
every day, for months or years. A DIY circ saw, direct drive is not
the better tool in routine construction needs. We used one to frame my
patio cover.

I paid $100 for a "worn drive" Bosch. It was only used to construct a
work bench. The guy was about to die, money to bury in KY was most
important to him.

Worn drive saws require 'oil changes', at least mine does.

On 8/23/2018 12:58 PM, Oren wrote:
On Thu, 23 Aug 2018 03:39:44 -0500, wrote:

Ive always used the direct drive circular saws. I was watching a guy
building a home and he had a rather large saw which was a lot heavier
than my saws and a lot longer. His was a Skil brand. I asked him about
it and he said it's a worm gear saw, which is why it's larger and
heavier.


So if there is an advantage, what is it?

Yes there is an advantage in framing wood construction. Used all day,
every day, for months or years. A DIY circ saw, direct drive is not
the better tool in routine construction needs. We used one to frame my
patio cover.

I read sometime back that on the west coast the majority of framers use
worm drive, much less on the east coast. We tend to use what we grow up
with I guess.

On Thu, 23 Aug 2018 09:58:44 -0700, Oren wrote in


So if there is an advantage, what is it?

I would guess that the worm-gear drive can deliver more torque to the
blade for a given size motor.
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Email list-server groups and USENET are like having all of those
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On 8/23/2018 3:39 AM, wrote:
....

So if there is an advantage, what is it?

You've outlined one for serious work, power and especially much more torque.

If righthanded, the blade is on left so see it directly to follow cut line.

Longer frame and handle directly behind instead of on top is both more
ergonomic and lends to easier control, particularly for longer rip cuts.

Weight is both plus/minus -- if orient piece as many framers do with
boot, saw runs downhill and weight helps. If trimming overhead or must
support, it can be hindrance. One does have to get used to a 12 (mag)
to 15-lb saw vs 8-10 for most sidewinders.

As somebody else noted, they're a professional's saw; the average DIY'er
will probably be more satisfied more of the time with sidewinder.

Another noted, they are particularly prominent on the west coast; while
in VA I don't think I saw a one on a job site other than mine that I
took with me when I moved. It was a real novelty.

--

In alt.home.repair, on Thu, 23 Aug 2018 13:53:45 -0400, Ed Pawlowski
wrote:

On 8/23/2018 12:58 PM, Oren wrote:
On Thu, 23 Aug 2018 03:39:44 -0500, wrote:

Ive always used the direct drive circular saws. I was watching a guy
building a home and he had a rather large saw which was a lot heavier
than my saws and a lot longer. His was a Skil brand. I asked him about
it and he said it's a worm gear saw, which is why it's larger and
heavier.


So if there is an advantage, what is it?

Yes there is an advantage in framing wood construction. Used all day,
every day, for months or years. A DIY circ saw, direct drive is not
the better tool in routine construction needs. We used one to frame my
patio cover.

I read sometime back that on the west coast the majority of framers use
worm drive, much less on the east coast. We tend to use what we grow up
with I guess.

The circular saw worm grows originally in the Sagarro cactus, and its
range spreads with time, but slowly. Only a mile or two a year. If
worms are found in east coast circular saws it's because vegetables
traveling by freight train got infected and they got to the east coast
that way.

On Thu, 23 Aug 2018 13:18:30 -0500, CRNG
wrote:

On Thu, 23 Aug 2018 09:58:44 -0700, Oren wrote in


So if there is an advantage, what is it?

I would guess that the worm-gear drive can deliver more torque to the
blade for a given size motor.

Plus. The gear box is oil lubricated.

On 8/23/2018 2:25 PM, dpb wrote:
On 8/23/2018 3:39 AM, wrote:
...

So if there is an advantage, what is it?

You've outlined one for serious work, power and especially much more
torque.

If righthanded, the blade is on left so see it directly to follow cut line.

Longer frame and handle directly behind instead of on top is both more
ergonomic and lends to easier control, particularly for longer rip cuts.

Weight is both plus/minus -- if orient piece as many framers do with
boot, saw runs downhill and weight helps.Â* If trimming overhead or must
support, it can be hindrance.Â* One does have to get used to a 12 (mag)
to 15-lb saw vs 8-10 for most sidewinders.

As somebody else noted, they're a professional's saw; the average DIY'er
will probably be more satisfied more of the time with sidewinder.

Another noted, they are particularly prominent on the west coast; while
in VA I don't think I saw a one on a job site other than mine that I
took with me when I moved.Â* It was a real novelty.

--

Weight means a lot more when you are older. I have a framing hammer
that I practically never use because it is heavier. It did come in
handy the other day but thankfully I did not have to hammer a lot of nails.