After a recent unfortunate experience with a B&Q Performance Pro
circular saw, I'm in need of a replacement. It'll mostly be used for
typical home stuff - ripping sheets of plywood, chipboard, MDF,
occasional lengths of 2x4 etc. but I'd like something that handles
well and provides an accurate cut.

I don't want to pay the earth and buy something so over-the-top that
it would be like driving a Ferrari to Tescos every day to pick up the
shopping, but by the same token I don't want to get something too
cheap and nasty (like the B&Q crap that managed to die after about 18
months of occasional light use), and I've settled on a budget of
(approx) £100 inc delivery

I seem to be favouring the Makita 5704RK which I've managed to find
on-line for just under £84 inc delivery (or the 5703RK if I can find
it within budget), but thought that I'd just ask if there is any
reason to avoid these models or if there's something better out there
that I'm missing.

All advice gratefully received.

Perry

Whilst many manufacturers also have a "budget" range, Makita don't. A
common expression is "Mak don't make junk"

"Perry (News)" wrote in message
...
After a recent unfortunate experience with a B&Q Performance Pro
circular saw, I'm in need of a replacement.

I have had a couple of PP items and find that they do go wrong after
occasional use but if you know a bit about repairing things it is usually
something as easy as replacing a faulty set of brushes or repairing a loose
or broken wire to the switch. I have been impressed with what you get for
what it costs for PP tools but you have to realise that the build
quality(assembly) is not going to be great. I would love a full set of top
brand tools but can't justify having £1000+ worth of tools just sitting
about for the odd job.

"Perry (News)" wrote in message
...
After a recent unfortunate experience with a B&Q Performance Pro
circular saw, I'm in need of a replacement. It'll mostly be used for
typical home stuff - ripping sheets of plywood, chipboard, MDF,
occasional lengths of 2x4 etc. but I'd like something that handles
well and provides an accurate cut.

I don't want to pay the earth and buy something so over-the-top that
it would be like driving a Ferrari to Tescos every day to pick up the
shopping, but by the same token I don't want to get something too
cheap and nasty (like the B&Q crap that managed to die after about 18
months of occasional light use), and I've settled on a budget of
(approx) £100 inc delivery

I seem to be favouring the Makita 5704RK which I've managed to find
on-line for just under £84 inc delivery (or the 5703RK if I can find
it within budget), but thought that I'd just ask if there is any
reason to avoid these models or if there's something better out there
that I'm missing.

All advice gratefully received.

Perry


I have a 5704RK which is very solidly built and accurate. No extras or
frills - even the carrying case is cheap flimsy plastic - but the tool
itself is fine.

On Mon, 16 Apr 2007 10:52:34 +0100, "Me" waxed lyrical
about:

"Perry (News)" wrote in message
.. .
After a recent unfortunate experience with a B&Q Performance Pro
circular saw, I'm in need of a replacement.

I have had a couple of PP items and find that they do go wrong after
occasional use but if you know a bit about repairing things it is usually
something as easy as replacing a faulty set of brushes or repairing a loose
or broken wire to the switch. I have been impressed with what you get for
what it costs for PP tools but you have to realise that the build
quality(assembly) is not going to be great. I would love a full set of top
brand tools but can't justify having £1000+ worth of tools just sitting
about for the odd job.


It was a bit worse than a simple wire fault, the motor decided to sh*t
itself in the middle of cutting a short section of chipboard - bits of
plastic flew out of the ventilation slots on the motor housing, the
whole thing jammed solid, kicked hard in my hands and died. All this
happened so fast that I didn't even have time to release the trigger.
Bit frightening and a hell of an adrenaline rush. I had a quick look
at the motor afterwards and it was a mess - looked as though one of
the motor coils had burst open, don't know if this was cause or effect
though.

When I got it I didn't want to spend too much as I wasn't sure how
much I'd use a circular saw, but it's turned into another 'buy cheap,
buy twice' experience. I've found that it's been useful enough that
I'm willing to spend enough on the replacement to get something that
will last

Perry

wrote:

Whilst many manufacturers also have a "budget" range, Makita don't.

Well they do, its called Maktec and its orange ;-)



--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
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| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

Perry (News) wrote:

I seem to be favouring the Makita 5704RK which I've managed to find
on-line for just under £84 inc delivery (or the 5703RK if I can find
it within budget), but thought that I'd just ask if there is any
reason to avoid these models or if there's something better out there
that I'm missing.

Most Makitas have a cast sole plate, which is very good - it helps the
rigidity and accuracy greatly. You may want to have a look to see if any
of the Hitachi ones fit your requirements as well. They I would say are
equal in quality.

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

On 16 Apr 2007 02:44:19 -0700 wrote :
Whilst many manufacturers also have a "budget" range, Makita don't.
A common expression is "Mak don't make junk"

D and M Tools right here sell "Maktec by Makita". But "budget" in the
sense of lower cost rather than PP prices admittedly.

--
Tony Bryer SDA UK 'Software to build on' http://www.sda.co.uk

On Mon, 16 Apr 2007 10:15:59 GMT, "rrh" mused:


"Perry (News)" wrote in message
.. .
After a recent unfortunate experience with a B&Q Performance Pro
circular saw, I'm in need of a replacement. It'll mostly be used for
typical home stuff - ripping sheets of plywood, chipboard, MDF,
occasional lengths of 2x4 etc. but I'd like something that handles
well and provides an accurate cut.

I don't want to pay the earth and buy something so over-the-top that
it would be like driving a Ferrari to Tescos every day to pick up the
shopping, but by the same token I don't want to get something too
cheap and nasty (like the B&Q crap that managed to die after about 18
months of occasional light use), and I've settled on a budget of
(approx) £100 inc delivery

I seem to be favouring the Makita 5704RK which I've managed to find
on-line for just under £84 inc delivery (or the 5703RK if I can find
it within budget), but thought that I'd just ask if there is any
reason to avoid these models or if there's something better out there
that I'm missing.

All advice gratefully received.

Perry


I have a 5704RK which is very solidly built and accurate. No extras or
frills - even the carrying case is cheap flimsy plastic - but the tool
itself is fine.

Same here. I've used mine heavily over the last few years for cutting
worktops, flooring, sheet materials and it has had reasonable abuse.
The case has even been known to be used as an ad-hoc workbench,
trestle, step stool. Both are still fine and, AFAICT, are in the same
condition bar a few scratches as the day they were bought.
--
Regards,
Stuart.

In message , "Perry (News)"
writes
After a recent unfortunate experience with a B&Q Performance Pro
circular saw, I'm in need of a replacement. It'll mostly be used for
typical home stuff - ripping sheets of plywood, chipboard, MDF,
occasional lengths of 2x4 etc. but I'd like something that handles
well and provides an accurate cut.

I don't want to pay the earth and buy something so over-the-top that
it would be like driving a Ferrari to Tescos every day to pick up the
shopping, but by the same token I don't want to get something too
cheap and nasty (like the B&Q crap that managed to die after about 18
months of occasional light use), and I've settled on a budget of
(approx) £100 inc delivery

I seem to be favouring the Makita 5704RK which I've managed to find
on-line for just under £84 inc delivery (or the 5703RK if I can find
it within budget), but thought that I'd just ask if there is any
reason to avoid these models or if there's something better out there
that I'm missing.

All advice gratefully received.

Perry


I love mine.


--
Mark Roberts

Thanks for all the comments and advice, seems that most agreed that
Makita is the way to go.

As it happens, on my way home from the station I pass a big old house
that's being converted to flats and they were working late yesterday,
so I thought I'd be a cheeky bugger and pop my head in to ask their
opinion. One of the guys had a 5703 which he recommended highly, I had
a quick fiddle and I liked the feel of it too. I've already had my
hands on a 5704 and the 5703 felt a bit more comfortable.

So I've bitten the bullet and ordered a 5703RK, I found one at £111
inc delivery, slightly over the £100 I originally budgeted - but the
only reason for setting a budget is so that you can be creative in
finding excuses to blow it :-)

Thanks again

Perry