Devin, who previously sent in a tip about the new Ridgid Stealth Force Impulse Driver, discovered another new Ridgid 18V cordless tool that caught us by surprise – a new 7-1/4″ brushless circular saw!
In just a couple of short months, Ridgid went from having zero brushless tools, to offering a brushless hammer drill and impact driver, and Hyperdrive brushless nailers. And now, they’re coming out with a full-size brushless saw.
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We know absolutely nothing about the new Ridgid 18V brushless circular saw. Well, almost nothing – there are a couple of things we can tell from just this image. We know that it has a 7-1/4″ blade size, that it’s a “right-handed” saw, and the base plate looks to be stamped steel.
Hopefully we’ll learn more soon.
Thank you to Devin for the tip!
Here’s the video:
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Jason
Ridgid is really pushing out a ton of new tools lately. I bought a Genx 4 kit, but the lack of additional tools back then killed it for me. I think they didn’t even have an angle grinder back then. I think this was after that Max select 18/24 debacle Ridgid had that system was very short lived kinda like the Milwaukee V18 line it pissed a ton of people off having their battery platform killed so quickly.
Daniel de andrade
My Home Depot has this and the drill kit for $199.00 both brushless.
adam
dang. beat me too it. I was told this combo was sent in for HD’s “Pro Black Friday,” which is tomorrow from 7am-2pm.
They also sent in a few sets of the Milwaukee tool chests. I was told it would be on sale tomorrow, but no one knew what it would be dropping to. Dou
Diplomatic Immunity
Damn. This would be good for that Ezsmart tracksaw system.
adam
Don’t people prefer blades on the other side of the saw , so they can see the cut line & blade easier? I thought I’ve seen consistent complaints about that in various postings, but maybe there are a lot more left handed construction workers than the normal population.
I was going to buy the M18 7-1/4″ when it was announced, but won’t because of the side of the blade. I don’t want the 6-1/2 due to less choice in blades.
here is the sku for the Brushless 7-1/4″ Saw * Hammerdrill kit at HD for $199. 1001466441 (not on website) my local HD just put this out yesterday fyi. Looks like 6 per store
Diplomatic Immunity
Seems like people in the construction of homes might care but I know on most tracksaws the blade is on the right. Same with most 7 1/4 sidewinders. If you want a blade on the other side you either need a worm drive saw like a Skillsaw or a 6 1/2. I believe you lose close to an inch cutting capacity when using an EZsmart system so you really wouldn’t end up with much depth on a 6 1/2. A 7 1/4 should give enough cutting capacity for 2x material.
Adam
I’d never be using a track system. Just want to see my cut while I’m cutting. A 5-3/8 will handle 2x, though on straight thru. If I only did straight cuts, I’d get the m12 fuel 5-3/8.
Thanks for the reply, though there has to be a better reasoning for this. I would figure it would have cost the exact same to flip the whole model around. I do understand not making a left & right (though maybe it would be a good guage which is more popular), but seems a preference to the blade on the other side (looking at the ridgid)
fred
When I started working in the early 60’s – worm gear saws were sometimes associated with California framers – and sidewinders seemed to predominate in the east. The only explanation that I recall for sidewinder blade placement was that you held the 2×8 etc. down with your left hand – made the cut with you right hand and the scrap safely fell away off to the right. I have no idea if this was what was in the saw designer’s minds – but now if there is a choice – it makes accommodating personal preference easier.
Mike
I’ve heard that story more than any other. But I have also heard that sidewinders in general, and the right side blade placement in particular, were derived from a need to bypass the old wormsaw patents. I have no idea of what’s true and what’s rumor. It might just be pragmatic considerations, since California was built fast and built large, and relatively recently. New buildouts, rapid growth, modern styles, cut wood right on the stack. As I understand it the eastern seaboard, and New England especially, have been densely populated for a while, and many people there are fond of preserving the many historic ‘This Old House’ homes that are common there. More renovation/preservation/precision/overhead work. As a Chicagoan, I have no bench dog in this fight. Personally, I don’t tend to favor right side saws, and sidewinders generally, except for track saws and conduit/strut ‘screamers’. Cannot deny the Panasonic/Greenlee saws are very nice. As for worm-drives, I feel like I’ve been defending them my whole life. There must be SOMETHING valuable in their design, since a)they’ve been around for a long time, and are probably not going away soon and b) they cost 2-5 times what a decent buzzsaw costs, yet haven’t been pushed out of the market and c) Tom Silva thinks they have merit, and it seems he sort of knows his way around a jobsite. Just a little bit.
fred
Before I finally sprung for a TS 55REQ track saw – my go to tool for breaking down sheet goods was an old Rockwell-Porter Cable (9314) 4-1/2 inch worm-gear with a Forrest (WW04H407080) blade. And – while I can’t say that I ever “defended” one style saw or the other I did like my Supersawcat sidewinder with its early-on electronic brake – and my Skil 77 worm-gear saw with BigFoot attachment for gang cutting. I guess I might look at the cordless Panasonic/Greenlee saw – but we never did enough strut cutting to justify one of those hydraulic tools or a dedicated saw – just using a Milwaukee portable band saw (with or without a stand). We had a Makita 5402NA sidewinder (poor man’s Maffel) for landscape timbers – but I let bigger/stronger guys use it – as it kind of scared me.
Toolfreak
Having the blade on the right does wonders for keeping sawdust and wood chips out of your face and eyes.
Yes, you should be wearing at least eye protection, but unless you’re wearing full-on goggles, a saw that kicks up enough dust will get it inside and behind safety glasses or a face shield.
That said, I do like having TWO saws – one with the blade on the right, the other with the blade on the left, so I can choose which one to use based on the cut. There are plenty of instances where having the blade on one side will let you make a good, straight cut, and trying to do it with the saw on the other side is either awkward, or impossible due to obstruction.
Premo
For a right handed person, the blade being on this side means that the saw is wresting on the material that the saw horse is supporting, NOT THE DROP.
Daniel de andrade
Yup mines got six had them out kinda hidden since Monday.
Jacob S
Interested to see how this stacks against the 5x brushed circ saw.
Daniel de andrade
Seeing how the brushless impact and drill aren’t performing much better other than runtime you might be able to get a few extra cuts.
Jimmie
Judging from the picture, it looks like yet another saw with no provisions for dust collection. It’s a shame companies would at least offer a bolt-on vacuum attachment as an option.
I wonder if a 3D-printed vacuum attachment would be durable enough…
Toolfreak
I’m hoping this will get more manufacturers to put out some brushless saws.
Would really like to see a Bosch 18V one to go along with a Brushless drill and driver.
Jason
It’s available online now in a kit
http://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-GEN5X-Brushless-18-Volt-Compact-Hammer-Drill-Driver-and-Circular-Saw-Combo-Kit-R9206/206127576
Clevo
Any info on if/when this will be available as a bare tool? Just bought the impact/drill brushless kit, and was hoping to get a saw during the holidays, and don’t want to go “backwards” to the gen4 stuff. Would even consider a saw/battery combo, but don’t necessarily NEED it as I already have 2 4amp batts.
Stuart
Possibly Spring 2016.
Vaheh
I’m always irked by the number of people who get burned purchasing low grade tools like ridgid and ryobi. They are irrelevant tool brands that are essentially disposable home owner grade tools, don’t fall for it.
Clevo
My father is a professional handy man. He depends on his tools to put food on the table. He builds several decks every year, as he has developed a reputation locally as building high quality decks. That being said, he is still using a ryobi 18v drill that he purchased when the one+ system first came out with a Li-ion battery, and it’s been trouble free. While they (ryobi and ridgid) may not be on par with the higher end tools, they are certainly reliable and a big step up from the truly budget brands.