I have been attributing my inability to get a square edge cut on
panels using a circular saw to poor technique, lousy blade, sunspots,
phase of the moon...and the big one - just not enough attention to
adjustment. Well, I'm starting a cabinet project using plywood and
damn it, these edges need to be RIGHT! I have two circular saws, one
of which I mistakenly assumed to be good quality because it belonged
to my grandfather who (almost) always bought professional quality
tools. The other is a nondescript Ryobi that was in my wife's garage
when we first met.

Anyway, after an entire morning screwing around with these two saws, I
figured out that the shoes on both of them were absolutely worthless,
flexing around like cardboard. I have several cabinet projects in the
works, and just not enough room to set my table saw up for 4 x 8 sheet
stock, so armed with that justification and about $100 in Borg gift
cards, off I went to get a real saw.

I was pleased to find that they had the Skil Mag 77, and right along
side it was an obvious copy by Ridgid. The Ridgid looked very good,
and more ergonomic. The scales on the Ridgid were more granular and
much easier to read, and the clamp levers were rubberized and much
more comfortable to operate. The Skil was just more "industrial" and
about $20 more.

I went with the name and the history and came home with the Skil. It
was less than I expected at $189. Spent 15 minutes checking the
adjustment and making one cut with the blade going the wrong way (you
know, that left-hand, worm drive thing) and after reversing the blade
went to town on my $60 a sheet plywood. BEAUTIFUL! Cuts like a dream
and perfectly square edges.


WOOHOO! Highest recommendation for this tool. I'd bet the Ridgid is
very good too.

Tom