The SKIL PWRCore 20 Cordless Circular Saw is a 6-1/2 inch cordless circular saw that includes a 4.0 Ah lithium battery and charger. Also included in the box are an extension to allow the attachment of a vacuum cleaner hose (attaches to the saw with the included extra screw) as well as manuals. SKIL Power Tools is a Chinese-owned company based in Naperville, Illinois. They focus on making a large variety of consumer-grade tools including cordless drills/drivers, belt sanders, and routers, in addition to circular saws.
The saw comes with an LED light that shines on the blade and the work surface to help when cutting in low light situations. The LED will also blink when the saw/battery is overloaded, too hot, or almost out of charge.
The included 20V 4.0 Ah lithium battery charges quickly, though note that while the marketing text says “CHARGES IN 5 MINUTES—Automatic PWR Jump charges the battery in just 5 minutes,” the manual says “the charger charges a fully-depleted 2.0Ah battery pack to approximately 25% capacity in 5 minutes.” The charger has charging and battery defect indicator lights. In use I found the charger to be functional but the charger fan is noisy.
The saw does not arrive with the blade mounted on the saw. On a holder attached to the saw there is a hex key to install/remove the blade. The 6-1/2 inch blade diameter gives a cutting depth at 90 degrees of 2-13/32 inches and a cutting depth at 45 degrees of 1-11/16 inches. The depth-of-cut adjustment lever allows you to set the cutting depth before you begin cutting.
The saw has a bevel adjustment knob for setting the cutting angle (0 to 50 degrees). Once the cutting depth and cutting angle have been set, the saw is ready to cut. For safety reasons there is a lock-off button that must be depressed before the trigger switch is squeezed, though once the motor is running you do not need to keep holding in the lock-off button to cut with the saw.
The foot of the saw is marked with cutting guide measurements, including two notches–one for 90 degree vertical cuts and one for 45 degree bevel cuts. The foot also allows the attachment of a rip fence for making accurate long or wide cuts, though that accessory is not included.
All in all I am very happy with the SKIL PWRCore 20 Cordless Circular Saw. For taking care of projects around the farm this saw is ideal because it is lightweight and cordless. Cuts made with the saw were accurate, made easier because the dust was automatically blown from the cut line. The brushless motor worked efficiently and the electric brake quickly stopped the blade from spinning after each cut. Also, the saw in general feels well-balanced and well-made, and the battery allows you to make a lot of cuts before needing a recharge. You can get the same saw for less money if you give up the fast charging and accept the smaller 2.0Ah battery, but I preferred to have these options, which allows for longer work durations. Either way, for around-the-home or yard projects that don’t need deeper cuts, this compact saw is great.
- Pricing and Availability on Amazon: SKIL PWRCore 20 Cordless Circular Saw
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