The newย Porter Cable PC15TCSMK 7-1/4โณ 15 amp heavy-duty circular saw packs inย plenty of quality features and performance at a pretty fair price that both DIYย and pro users will appreciate. Things like a long 10 ft cord, hard molded carryย case, and a powerful 15 amp motor are just some of the goodies that areย included.
Porter Cable PC15TCSMK 15A Circular Saw Features
The Porterย Cable PC15TCSMK 7-1/4โณ 15 amp Heavy-Duty Circular Saw arrived at ourย facility in a good size cardboard box. Inside the box we found that the saw isย housed within a rigid plastic carry case. This case has spaces inside to secureย the included rip fence and store the arbor bolt wrench. We like the idea ofย including the carry case since it is a great way to store the saw and protectย it during transit and when it is not in use. This particular case comes withย plenty of room on the top shell, so youโre not forced to be exact when wrappingย up the power cord. The PC15TCSMK Circular saw has a number of features thatย make it a good choice if you are in the market for a sub-$100 tool.
Forย starters, the saw is rated to 15 amps, which is about as heavy-duty in power asย you can get for a sidewinder. To make sure that the power gets to the saw, theย engineers thoughtfully included an all-weather, heavy-gauge power cord that isย 10 feet long. The long cord will make it possible that when you are cutting lengthwiseย down a piece of 8-foot-long plywood, the end of the cord might not get caughtย when you are trying to finish your cut at the other end.
Build Quality
The sawย itself has a good balance and weighs between half a pound and over a pound less than many similarly equipped saws on the market. The weight savings can be attributed to the cast magnesium shoe, which provides a rigid base yet reduces weight. The shoe is coated with a slick finish to ensure the saw glides over whatever you areย trying to cut. The main body of the saw is made of gray plastic with blackย overmold grips.
The blade guard is made of aluminum but is constructed to ensure a slim profile and excellent sight lines. The depth of cut lever and the angle levers each have large ends that make them easy to manipulate, and the bevel gauge actually has indents at 22.5 and 45 degrees soย that it is easy to set for common angles.
There is a spindle lock button to make blade changes a breeze. The only trick is to keep the case handy since that is where the wrench is stored. We think that a saw-mounted wrench might have been a better route to ensure that the wrench is always with the saw,ย especially on professional tools that tend to eat through blades more thanย usual. All in all, the ergonomics of this saw are comfortable, intuitive, andย easy to use.
Testing andย Use
The first test for the Porterย Cable PC15TCSMK 7-1/4โณ 15 amp Heavy-Duty Circular Saw was to take ourย digital laser tachometer and verify the 5,600 RPM motor speed. Our results wereย within 4% of the manufacturerโs claim with an average reading of 5375 RPM,ย which is an acceptable variance. Our real-world testing of this saw was done out in the field and involved cutting pressure-treated lumber and 3/4โณ plywood.ย The Porter Cable PC15TCSMK came with a fresh 24-tooth carbide-tipped blade for our testing, which was perfect for cutting some PT material.
We made numerous cross cuts through pressure-treated 2x6s, 2x8s, and 4x4s as we built a wood foundation for a storage shed. In all the cuts, the saw never bound up or even gave a hint of a struggle. We did notice the built-in blower feature, which helped to keep sawdust out of our sight path as we followed both the guide andย the blade on our pencil line.
Since the saw included a rip fence, we also gave thatย a try. We set the fence to give a 2โณ wide cut in the plywood and startedย at the end of the sheet. As we started cutting, we found that the saw wanted toย bind up slightly, and the cut was not as fluid as when the rip fence was notย installed. Upon examination, it seemed to us that the rip fence was justย slightly out of square from the blade. We suspected this is what was causingย the binding.
With just our hands, we were able to straighten the fence back into square, and we tried the cut again with better success. One other small annoyance with the rip fence was that, when we used a thumb screw to hold the setting of the fence, we bent the rip fence bar. While the saw is good, the included rip fence is not so hearty and came across as a โrequiredโ throw-in that wonโt hold up to any serious use or abuse.
Conclusion
From our testing of the Porter Cable PC15TCSMK 7-1/4โณ 15 ampย Heavy-Duty Circular Saw we determined it is a pretty good saw for the money. With plenty of power, easy-to-use depth of cut and bevel angle adjustments, and a convenient carry case, most folks would do well to consider this saw if they are in the market for a sub-$100 circular saw. For our Performance rating, we gave the saw a 7/10 since it does well to pack in handy features and is lightweight, but we wish the rip fence were a little better quality. For our Value rating, we gave the saw a 7/10 as itย competes well with other offerings in this price range.
