The circular saw. One of the very first DIY tools you’ll buy, and one you’ll use for the rest of your DIY life. But how do you know which one to buy? Today we’re going to take a closer look at the two circular saws now available from HART, explain the differences, and help you make the right choice. So put down the rest of your tools, it’s time for a maker break.
These two saws look VERY similar for a reason. They both do the exact same thing. But some of the layout, capabilities, and specs are different, and each one has a reason. Let’s start with the most obvious, the size of the blade.
This saw uses a 6 ½” blade, and this one uses a 7 ¼”. You’d think that a ¾” difference wouldn’t matter much, but it does. The 6.5 will cut up to 2 1/16”, while the 7 ¼” cuts up to 2 ⅜”.
Minor sure, but it’s when you tilt them into 45 degree angles, that the 7 ¼” can do something the 6.5 can’t. Cut through a 2×4.
Of course more capacity, typically means more weight. With the largest HART battery attached, the 4.0, the 6.5 weighs in at 6lbs 8oz, while the 7 ¼” is 8lbs. That’s almost exactly 1.5 lbs more, which may not sound like much, but you can feel the difference when you pick these guys up.
Now weight and capacity are normally the only real differences, but in HART’s case, there are a few more notable changes. This 7 ¼ just came out this year, and features their Brushless motor. A brushless motor doesn’t require any maintenance, it’s more powerful, and more efficient, which means you’ll get more run time out of a battery.
After using both, my instincts would be to tell you to only buy the 7 ¼”. But the truth is, we used the 6.5 for over a year here on Maker Break, putting it to work every single week. And never once did we find ourselves wishing it was more powerful. So while I’m addicted to the new 7 ¼”, the 6.5 is still a very capable saw, and it costs a lot less.
As I record this, the 7 ¼” is $128 for the bare tool, while the 6.5 is only $69. That’s a crazy good deal.
But there’s one other thing we haven’t addressed. You may or may not have noticed that the blades are on opposite sides of the saw. The 6.5 is a traditional left size saw, while the new Brushless 7 ¼” is on the right, sometimes called a sidewinder. Now I’m not going to get into the never ending fight over which is best, but I’ll tell you this. I’m right handed. So my instincts are to grab the pistol grip with my right hand. But after using the sidewinder setup, I was easily able to adapt, simply by putting my left hand on the trigger, and driving the saw with my right hand on the front grip. For me, both setups are easy to use, they may just take a bit of practice.
Whether you buy HART or another brand of circular saw, the choice between 6.5 and 7 ¼ saw comes down to this. If you need the capacity, and can handle the extra weight, get the 7 ¼. But if size and weight are a roadblock for you, a 6.5 can still get the vast majority of the job done.
If you have any questions about either of these saws, or circular saws in general, just ask them below, and I’d be happy to answer them for you. I want to thank HART for sending these two examples to us, and for reminding us that we can make anything, if we do it with HART. Alright guys, breaks over, go make something.
