My first exposure to battery-powered saws was the sound of one of unknown lineage struggling to get through some 1×6 pine in the lumber barn at Marine Home Center. I always carried a hand saw with me when choosing trim stock, and the sound of a dying saw did little to make me consider the supposed convenience of power. Every time I saw someone trying to cut with a cordless, it seemed like it was one battery for one board. Then I got Milwaukee’s M18 Fuel™ 6½” saw as part of their 6-tool combo kit and have not used my corded saw since.

M18 Fuel™ 6½" Circular Saw

M18 Fuel™ 6½” Circular Saw

My Milwaukee saw is used nearly every day, from rough-cutting trim stock to small framing jobs, and I like it more each time.  It makes short work of 2x framing stock just as it does a poplar 1″x4″. The blade visibility is very good, although after 40 years of using saws with the blades on the right-hand side, I needed an adjustment period. (I never did like using my father’s worm-drive saws, reputable and durable as they were.) It didn’t take long to get comfortable with the left- mounted blade and I now consider myself to be ambidextrous. A lot of my comfort using this saw comes from the relationship between the handle and the table. It’s just as comfortable with the table dropped to make ½” cuts as it is when set for full depth cutting. I can’t say the same for my corded saw which feels like you might go over the handlebars when the table is down to the tips of the teeth. If I do have a complaint, it’s that the thumb safety is an awkward reach, although I admit that I never thought about it when using the saw today.

The LED does a good job to light the way, although it seems to have blinded my iPhone.

The LED does a good job to light the way, although it seems to have blinded my iPhone.

While I think the M18 Fuel™ is good anywhere you need a circular saw, it’s particularly useful for hit-and -run tasks like cutting these particle board storage shelves. No need for bringing an extension cord or looking for an electrical outlet. The power is impressive, both steady and long lasting.

It also looks cool, which counts!

It also looks cool, which counts!

We aren’t likely to give up our corded saws (yet) when we need to cut a hundred rafters, but we would all be well-served to have one of these on hand.

Now to get my hands on the new 7¼” model!

-dvl