Review: Porter Cable Heavy Duty Circular Saw

Some circular saws put more emphasis on the weight of the tool than the features it can provide. Other models tend to focus on the cutting action of the saw without giving any regard to the user and how they feel. The Porter Cable heavy-duty circular saw isn’t the lightest tool you’ll use at over 11 pounds, but the 5,600 maximum RPM from the 15-amp motor will keep you productive all day long.

You will want to take the cutting capacity into account before choosing this saw. At a 45-degree cut, this model features a maximum depth of 1 13/16 inches, which is not as deep as comparable models in this category.

What Makes the Porter Cable Heavy Duty Circular Saw Stand Out?

In a word: torque. Thanks to the stamped steel shoe of this circular saw, you’re given an optimal line of sight that gives you an accurate cut every single time. It also features a metal upper and lower blade guard so that you don’t have to worry about cracking or fracturing when you’re in the middle of a cut.

The design is also well-balanced, so you won’t feel over-tired when using this circular saw despite its hefty weight, just like our experience with another heavyweight, the Bosch CS10.

This allowed us to create a smooth, clean cut every single time over a wide variety of different woods. It performed slightly better on soft woods than hardwoods, but with a little extra patience, the end result was always the same.

We had no problems with splintering when using it on plywood of differing thicknesses either. We had some extra heat on the blade when cutting through 3/4-inch plywood, but this didn’t cause the cut to burn at all. Just take your time when going through a tougher piece of wood, up your tooth count on the blade, and this circular saw will help you to be good to go.

What Could Be Improved with the Porter Cable Heavy Duty Circular Saw?

Our only real complaint is the length of the cord that comes with this particular Porter Cable circular saw. It’s just 6.5 feet in length, so your working area will be somewhat limited. You definitely do not want to use an extension cord with this saw because it will lower your RPMs dramatically. Even when we used a commercial-grade extension cord, the RPMs dropped by over 1,000.

You also won’t get a true 90-degree angle with this circular saw. This is because of how the frame interacts with the blade and your working piece.

Conclusion

At this price, you’re getting a pretty good deal on the Porter Cable heavy duty circular saw. It does an excellent job for rough cutting and some bevel work. If you need a full 90-degree cut, you might want to look at some other models before this one. A Porter-Cable circular saw is a perfect circular saw for home use.

For any other purpose, this saw goes above and beyond our expectations and we believe it will do the same for you as well. If you need something more portable then try a good top rated cordless circular saw which can be used when traveling. 

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