Customer Reviews

Bosch 1677MD 15 Amp 7-1/4-Inch Wormdrive Construction Saw with Direct Connect

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is the Skil Magnesium Wormdrive Saw in blue (Bosch owns Skil). Framers in my area swear by the durability and power of the Skil wormdrive saw (though not the Skil brand). This saw offers some features over the Skil version though, there is a framing hook that flips out so you can hook it on a rafter or on your ladder, the blade gaurd has a lip that will retract it while making bevel and miter cuts, the base plate is also very strong magnesium (I bought this saw because my old saws base plate was no longer flat causing much more frequent kicks and blade pinches) and it uses an extension cord that plugs into the base. I like wormdrives/hypoid because the blade is on the left so it is easily visible over typical sidewinders saws. The saw is heavier compared to typical sidewinders, though with the magnesium cover and base plate, it is lighter than the Makita hypoid. Overall I like this saw, it has lots of power which is nice when doing a 20' rip. One thing about this saw, you have to check and (I presume) change oil in it! I have yet to do this, I don't even know how often I'm supposed to do this, but I have to assume that being able to replace the oil would offer longer tool life, though I've only had the saw for ~6 months, so can't speak for the tools longevity, though I know people who've had the Skil wormdrive for years.

Received my saw a few days ago and have put it to considerable use. It's powerful, the guard retracts well, the weight is not really a problem. The thing that finally got me to buy it was a review by Larry Haun who says it's the best saw he's ever used. The baseplate is well made, a substantial improvement over the Skils. The integrated skyhook is key. You've seen the reviews and praise: I agree with most of them, but here are a couple of comments from the field. First, and most puzzling, the cord adapter will barely accept a repair plug. It's simply too small and the plastic housing spreads apart when it's pushed in. I've tried various repair plugs, but they're all pretty big. Nearly all of our cords have big plugs on them, and it's hard to understand that they wouldn't factor this in, however it's not the end of the world. That said, the direct connect feature is great and was an important factor in my purchasing decision. My advice to users is to throw away the included thin kerf blade immediately. Thin kerf blades are dangerous and perform extremely poorly. They bind in the cut much more readily than the older type and can cause a nasty kickback. This mule kicked back at me and got my full attention. One kickback ruined that toy blade. A note to you engineers out there: stop fixing things that ain't broke. Saw blades used to be thicker and I liked them that way.
The visibility of the cut when the saw's leaned over to 45 degrees is pretty poor. The 45 degree stop is weak and does not stop it firmly at 45 which means that if I want a true 45 degree cut, I have to check the angle against the indicator. There goes the whole point of the 45 stop. Also, when the blade is set to full depth and the saw is leaned over to 45, the baseplate interferes with the guard retractor handle. I can't remember if the old Skils do this, but that's a poor design. Finally this saw needs to come with a case.
All complaints factored in, I love this saw and would buy it again.

I am a professional carpenter and I use this tool every day. It is considerably lighter than the standard Skil wormdrive and the deck is substantially more durable than the Skil MAG 777. A great saw with one major exception. I have seen several that come out of the box with the outside edge of the deck out of parallel to the blade. This problem makes it impossible to use a BCI cut guide or to simply hold the edge of the saw to a speed square for quick, precision cuts. If you buy one, take your framing square to the store with you and make sure that the blade and the edge of the deck are on the same plane. My depth adjustment also binds but I have experienced the same problem with almost every Skil wormdrive I have used. Its annoying but doesn't affect the functionality of the saw

If you like the standard HD 77 saw, you will definitely like the bosch. (And for those of you who don't know, bosch owns skil and therefore also makes the mag and HD 77 saws and can expect the same quality in this circular saw.)I like this design for two reasons: the cord plugs directly into the saw and the table (some call it the shoe) angles to 55 degrees. Having the cord plug directly into the saw is nice as everyone is bound to cut the cord on the saw (even the professionals). With this saw you would only cut the extension cord, which is easily fixed by putting a new end on the remianing cord as opposed to cutting the cord on the saw (which soon becomes so short that the connection between the cords is always in the way or getting caught on the plywood you are trying to cut causing the saw to come off the cut line. This in turn could cause the blade to bind or kick back.) Having the saw go to 55 degrees as opposed to 45 degrees on the mag and HD 77 is nice as sometimes you need a steeper angle. The one downfall of this saw is the price. You can get a mag 77 for 160 dollars, and HD 77 you can find as low as $130, while the bosch is usually around $200. Otherwise a great saw all around.

Started in construction 16 years ago as a framer doing track homes using the 6 1/2 and 7 1/4 skil. This saw has the ruggedness and ease of use like its predecessors but it's much more smooth and refined. The integrated hook and the direct connect plug alone will save you big. After market hooks can get loose pretty easy and if that ever fails you are screwed. Extension cords get cut and if it hasn't it will. Concerning build, every saw that I've owned or used (Milwaukee, Dewalt, Makita) were off square to some degree, it's common. If it's unacceptable you simply exchange it if still new or if it results from operator error have it fixed. However, most tool shop owners are usually familiar enough with a saw like this to have it fixed or tuned up in a day or two. This is not a cabinet saw. This is a framer where you can rip and cut wood consistently within an eight. Whether it's wood, masonite, corrugated roof or tar paper this saw will get it done. If you need more precise cuts like other saws I've owned used it will require a fence or a rough cut that you finish. I don't know how anybody can buy a tool like this and be surprised with 1/16 - 3/32 deviation. It's not the tool people, it's how you use it. Yes you can get a cheaper saw with similar results but this is a saw that is built to last. Even if you only use this saw once or twice it is a BMW among the rest. It's a saw that you've earned and deserve. Here's a couple of tips that will help you extend the enjoyment of this saw. Whenever you store the saw always set the height adjustment so that the deck is closed and not fully extended. This makes it easier to store and protects it from negligence. Change the oil frequently and the performance will improve. Kickback is a nature of circular saws. Understand what it is and how to react by practicing. Dig into some scrap material. Cutting it up will help to get a better feel for this saw and what you can and cannot do. Lastly, although eye protection is not for everyone when using this tool it's imperative. So in addition to having an awesome saw you also have a legit reason why you need to wear those ridiculously overpriced cool glasses because it's work related. Best saw I've ever owned. Still skeptical, check the construction sites near your home. You'll definitely see skil but if you don't see this exact same model just remember this is a premium tool not your average craftsman.

I've had my saw for about 4 weeks now and I love it. I consider myself a serious DIY'er and spend most weekends doing jobs for myself, friends, or family. My third Skil sidewinder was starting to die and the baseplate had been warped since about the second time I used it, so I decided to get serious about a circular saw. I spent a long time looking at saws and easily decided a worm drive was the way to go. The regular Skil HD77/SHD77 were too heavy and the aluminum plate on the other saws such as the Skil Mag 77 made me nervous. I read lots of reviews on the Bosch and decided to go with it. The magnesium base plate looks pretty stout as does the rest of the saw. It comes with a nice Bosch thin kerf blade that works great. It doesn't come with a bag or case, but that is fine by me. I usually toss the ones that come with the rest of my tools anyhow. This thing also has powr to burn. The layout seems to let you cut a much straighter line than a sidewinder configuration. I read some comments about the torque kick at startup. I have noticed this but I do not think it is worse than any other heavy-duty tool I own. I think the Direct Connect feature is great for several reasons: it is easy to replace a cord if I accidentally cut it, I can determine how nice of cord to put on (no more cheap cords that get all stiff in cold weather!), no plug a few feet back from the saw to snag on the edge of a piece of plywood, and the saw has a nice hook to long the cord so you can even lower this saw by its cord without straining the plug. The only thing to be aware of is that a large round replacement plug may not fit into the body of the saw. It has two tabs to hold a regular factory cord end that would not work with the big round plugs. All this being said, if you have even some desire to buy this saw, go right ahead. I don't think you can go wrong.

I've used this saw for over a year now. Its just the best worm driver out there in my opinion. Alot of guys swear by skil, and sure a skil will last a long time. But this saw will last just as long but with grips that are alot more comfortable and a rafter hook. Plus the base plate is much more rigid, not that flimsy stamped peice skil uses. I will be getting another one soon so my current one will be retired to just cutting concrete.

This is a great construction saw, simple, powerful, tracks well, durable. This saw tracks effortlessly through all plywood, 2x4, 2x6, 8x,PT, engineered lumber, whatever you throw at it. If you are on the fence about buying this saw because of the weight, don't be, the weight works to your advantage. The weight and in-line motor design of worm-drive saws are easier to use and because of this, this saw tracks so well on long free hand cuts through all plywood. With a few uses you'll be cutting perfectly on the line & consistently on the longest runs.
Sidewinders do not track even half as well, take it from somebody who until recently, used only sidewinders. Sidewinders kickback way more frequently than worm-drive saws do, because of the weight (and other design features). If you are smart about how you set up your cuts, The Bosch worm-drive will not kick back on you. Also, it has a vari-torque clutch, which also helps prevent kick backs as well. Basically it is a fancy name for the arbor washer (blade washer) that is designed to slip when, and if the saw blade binds, so the result is the arbor keeps spinning, but the blade does not. Remember not to over tighten this washer, or you will over-ride this feature. Once arbor bolt is finger tight, use supplied wrench and tighten 1/8 turn past finger tight, if blade spins too frequently (very rare) just tighten a nudge more, if kicks-back, loosen a bit, very easy and it works well (fully adjustable to different materials).
The direct connect feature is the only one if it's kind, and works well. Basically it has no power cord, you plug your extension cord right in the handle. Easy storage, and no more tying together multiple extension cords. It has two spring tabs that securely keep the cord end in place in the handle and has a smart strain relief design. You pre half-loop the last foot of your extension cord, feed the loop through the oval cut-out on the bottom of handle and snap the half-loop into place on the hooked tab and run the female end into the handle of the saw. The only downside is you have to use factory made extension cords because the spring tabs are very tight and no clearance for custom made plug ends. I have several 10/3, 12/3 extension cords I made up from bulk spool cord and none of the ends fit into the handle. I managed to customize one 10/3 cord to work, but it was a pain. The only issue I see happening is the spring tabs could wear out, and if you repeatedly stuff a larger plug end in; it seems to split the molded handle a bit at the seam.
Depth of cut seems to be accurate on the preset marking, but the lever and armiture needs a little grease here and there for smoother operation.
Bevel is 0-50 with a detent a 45 and a spring tab you press to go past 45. There is a set screw on the shoe for adjustment, and mine needed a slight tweeking. This saw cuts about the same depth as all the other 7-1/4" wormdrives do at 0, 45, 50 so on.
The saw has magnesium construction for lighter weight and is about 14lbs and change. The shoe is magnesium waffle design and is very ridgid construction. The construction of the lever locks, shoe pivots, bevel pivot, swing arm etc is very heavy duty with no slop, it feels very solid and well built. The motor housing and motor vents etc. are basically identical to the Skil (Bosch bought Skil and make them both). This saw runs very smooth and is quiet (runs at 4,400 RPM, sidewinder's scream at 5,800 RPM) and is very well balanced for one or two handed cutting. You can change the brushes very easily on both the Bosch and skil, so basic up-keep is easy. You have to change the oil on worm-drive saws, but wormdrive's will out last sidewinder's by 2x's or more easily and changing the oil takes a few min max. My dad still has his old Skil and it works fine, his old sidewinder is totally shot, it's useless and dangerous because the shoe is so badly bent out of square. Wormdrives can last a lifetime and can take abuse, thats basically why I bought one after years of using sidewinders, and will never go back (except for maybe Hardie plank).
The Bosch is a great saw, heavy duty, easy to use and very powerful, won't bog down. Mine was basically square when I bought it and only gave it a slight tweek to make it perfect (you can check alignment with try square on shoe to blade) it was so close, but I tweeked it anyway to get it perfect. I read a few reviews where some were out of alignement badly, but there is a set screw the bring it into square and easily done & I highly doubt the shoe was bent, this thing is built like a tank. I got lucky and found one made in the U.S., I think the Bosch and Skil are both made in China now, but that should not stop you from picking one up, you'll never use a sidewinder again.

This is my third circular saw. This is the best one. Besides the solid and reliable construction, there are two big reasons why this one is so great: 1) If you are right-handed, the motor is out of the way so you can see where you are cutting. This makes all the difference in the world. No guess work, immediate eye-hand feedback. 2) The weight keeps it going straight. For instance, I have ripped lots of 25 foot long 2x6 boards diagonally to create long tapers by eye-hand without any problem. Try that with a standard circular saw. Also, with the right blade, it is good for woodworking as well as construction. In conclusion, I wish I had bought this one the first time; so, if you want the ultimate circular saw, this is the one.

Great saw with beefy table that one can fine tune to 90 degrees off the blade with an allen screw. Built in sky hook also cool. My old saw is a Skill Mag 77 that has been going for ten years easy. It was just time to update and I'm not disappointed in the least.