TLDR Review: SKIL Skilsaw Circular Saw
Verdict
The SKIL SPT70V-11 is honestly a crosscutting powerhouse—it delivers impressive accuracy and power in a lightweight package that's genuinely pleasant to use. The downside? It's not designed for ripping, and reviewers flagged serious issues like a dangerously overheating gearbox and underwhelming rip cut performance that made this task a real struggle. If your primary use is crosscutting thick hardwoods, this is a solid choice; if you're planning serious ripping work, you'd be better served looking at a different model.
- Top pro:
- Excellent crosscutting performance that handles thick hardwood and dense materials like Douglas Fir with ease
- Top con:
- Rip cutting performance is weak—reviewers noted the motor lacks sufficient power for ripping tasks and the included blade isn't ideal for this work, sometimes requiring heavy-duty extension cords and workpiece wedges to prevent blade pinching
Pros
- •Excellent crosscutting performance that handles thick hardwood and dense materials like Douglas Fir with ease
- •Remarkably lightweight and manageable for its size—reviewers praised its comfort even for one-handed operation
- •Superior base plate and shoe design keeps the blade precisely square with accuracy within 1/32" of cut line
- •Delivers substantial power capable of cutting through 6x6 posts in a single pass
- •Smart design features that prevent tipping and lock the saw securely in place
- •Includes a quality combo blade
- •Comes with a helpful stand/base for equipment maintenance
Cons
- •Rip cutting performance is weak—reviewers noted the motor lacks sufficient power for ripping tasks and the included blade isn't ideal for this work, sometimes requiring heavy-duty extension cords and workpiece wedges to prevent blade pinching
- •Gearbox runs dangerously hot during ripping operations, reaching temperatures that can cause burns on contact
- •Motor produces a noticeable odor during operation
- •Shallow minimum depth of cut (under 2.5") limits your ability to make multiple-pass cuts on thinner materials
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How we researched this
About this review: it summarizes the professional reviews and customer ratings ShopSavvy collected for this product, alongside prices from ShopSavvy's price data.
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