Customer Reviews

Makita 5007NBK 13 Amp, 7-1/4-Inch Circular Saw with Carrying Case

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

During a four year period a few years back I was part of a three man framing crew. We framed over a hundred homes and during this time we used a variety of tools in all types of weather conditions. The most reliable saw on the job site was my makita. During this time period the saws were dropped (accidentaly), cords were cut, got rained on, were exposed to subzero temperatures and snow, extreme sun and heat, and were generally beat to death. (These conditions are tough on a body, too. Ever meet a retired framer?) I can't imagine a more thorough test to put a tool through than a rough-framing job site. And of all the brands we went through, makita came out on top. The toughest, most durable saw for the money. Lightweight (somewhat) and easy to cut with. The handle is low, compared to a DeWalt or Milwaukee where you feel as if you push too hard, the rear of the saw will lift off the workpiece. And as always, use a quality blade in ANY tool and don't rush the cut and labor the motor. Let the blade do the work.

I've been using one of these saws for the past 17 years. I first bought it when I was building houses in Colorado. I am now using it for building my own house. A few other saws are built as tough and dependable in the same price range, but I have not found any others as comfortably balanced as the Makita. With the Makita, I feel that I have better control while I'm cutting. I've been around a lot of circular saws, but none are as sweet to use as this one. It's durability and strength make it well worth the price.

While this saw is powerful and well balanced, it has several short comings. One of the most aggravating is the ease with which the depth adjustment slips. The depth adjustment's quick lock handle engages a locking bolt that runs in a slot. This bolt has a square section which has stripped out (with minimal use) and the bolt turns in this slot causing the depth adjustment to slip. It is not replaceable unless you completely disassemble the saw.

The forward part of the base of the saw is not chamfered on the right side of the blade. This causes the saw to hang up when cutting plywood or other rough-surfaced wood, especially when cutting across the grain.

Overall the quality of the saw is only average, not what I expected from Makita

I have used the the Makita 5007 NBK to cut 2x material for a housing framing/renovation project and it has handled superbly in all respects. It glides through straight lumber like the proverbial hot knife through butter. Important to an amateur builder, it is very easy to view the leading edge of the blade as I follow the marked line. Any problems not staying on line are strictly the fault of the operator.

I have no problems with maintaining a consistent depth adjustment. I find it much easier to adjust the depth of cut than on my older Milwaukee 7 1/4" circular saw.

For ease of use and professional results it definitely rates 5 stars. Do yourself a favor and buy this saw no matter how many others you have in your toolbox.

This is an excellent saw that I have owned and used on the job for many years. It is lightweight and extremely durable with a powerful 13 Amp motor. The handle positions and balance are just right for me, giving a very controlled cut. With the optional rip fence, and a standard carbide tipped master-crosscut blade, I have used it many times when a table saw was unavailable, to rip 16-foot 2X PT into 1-1/4" strips. This is a brutal task for any 7-1/4" circular saw, but this Makita takes the choking strain and heat buildup in stride. I wouldn't recommend trying this continuously with another brand of sidewinder unless you really want to see what it's made of, and can afford to replace it. This saw is also great for cutting 1/2" cement backerboard using a 7-inch dry-cut continuous-rim blade.
An occasional set of motor brushes and a new power cord are the only repairs made over the years. I'm still amazed that the switch hasn't fried yet considering all of the heavy loading this saw has seen.
The 5007NBK is a contractors' saw made for continuous, repetitive cutting, so there is no electric brake or safety on the trigger switch. The saw has a blade lock for easy blade changing. Depth adjustment is done with a thumb lever located at the rear of the heavy gauge aluminum foot.
This saw was considered by many to be "The Builders' Saw" in the eighties and early nineties and was extremely prevalent on jobsites then. It has outlasted other saws I have owned by many years, and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a durable, long lasting tool for heavy on the job use.

My brother-in-law does remodeling and as a result, puts his power tools through hell. He's used the same Makita circular saw since the 1980s. It was based on seeing how well his saw still performed that I decided to purchase the Makita. I've never been sorry. I'm not a pro, but I certainly enjoy having a powerful, accurate saw when I need to make home repairs. I haven't found anything I can't slice through with this little monster. I've had it several years and it works like a new tool. The 13-amp motor supplies more than enough power for extended cutting of hard, thick lumber and has the added homeowner's advantage of not causing your 15-amp breakers to trip like some of the larger saws. There's a good reason you see these things all over job sites - they work well and last forever.

Just another favorable review of one of my favorite power tools...

The weight is right, the handle angle is right, plenty of power, and it works every time. I bought this saw to replace a cheap DIY-special Black and Decker and the difference was a revelation (of course, any professional-quality tool would have been a revelation).

The saw has lived in indignity under my side bench for years, getting hauled out for a variety of tasks. I am a woodworker hobbyist and amateur household carpenter. I use this saw for the occasional garden shed, rough-cutting sheet goods, and to make sets and furniture for theatrical productions (I married an actress). In my light-duty work the saw is a marvel.

I cannot speak to its suitability for a professional framer, but it works great for me.

As a side note, I kind of lust after the left-bladed Porter-Cable, but I worry about safety. Is a left-handed blade more dangerous for a right-handed woodworker? You can see the blade more easily, which sounds good to me, but it would put the blade much closer to my left hand (i.e., my movable clamp). Just a question for thought...

Before this, I used my dad's 12A Crapsman saw. This one puts it to shame. It's lightweight for its power, well balanced and solid as can be. The kit is nice. The hard plastic case holds 2 extra blades, the saw and the wrench. I like the arbor lock and blade wrench that are included, and the Makita thin-kerf rip blade that's included is second to none. My first impulse was that the Milwaukee equivalent is probably more durable, but probably not worth the money for someone who's not going to use it daily. Also, if you've ever watched Norm Abram, this is his saw. He uses it for framing, general carpentry and even in his woodworking shop. This is probably the best saw for the money. I do feel the slightest bit guilty for not buying American (DeWalt, Milwaukee) though.

Update - Feb 23, 2008:
Well, I've had this saw now for 8 years. It is still as good as new with typical woodworking and homeowner use. Even though it is "only" a 13 A saw, it is very hard to find something that slows it down at all. I have just sold this to my brother, for two reasons:

1) 90% Most of the sawing I do with a circ saw is in 3/4" thick material, so I don't need something as big & heavy as this. (meaning 7 1/4" size)

2) The edge guides that are available to help make perfectly straight 8' long cuts on sheet goods are also aluminum. (this saw's shoe is aluminum) Aluminum rubbing against aluminum doesn't work well; it binds. A steel, plastic, or magnesium shoe would be better.

I sold this to my brother for $50, with the agreement that I can borrow or buy it back if I ever need the capability. For now, I've replaced it in my own shop with a Skilsaw HD5510, the nice little 5-1/2", left-blade circular saw. It costs about the same and is ever so much more handy. Bigger is not always better!

Ive been a self employed carpenter for thirty years and used every circular on the market. Skil before & after Bosch, B&D, Porter Cable before & after Rockwell, Milwalkee, DeWalt, Miller Falls, and Sears. Nothing has the feel, power and dependability of this Makita. Even the old worm drive skil, which you need a crane after rafters or stair stringers, has met it's match with the 5007. It is heavy enough not to bounce all over the work as light diy saws do, but light enough to still drink a soda one handed at the end of the day. You can rip all day with it, and it never overheats, nor can you bind it into a stall easily. Only complaint I have is I wish it wouldn't hit you in the face with the saw dust. Good saw buy it. Oh! it is made right here in the USA.
This is a complaint; I dropped mine down a flight of stairs, and bent it. I replaced it. It is now made overseas, and no longer made in Buford Georgia. No wonder so many Americans are out of work.

Best saw I've ever used. Weight and balance are perfect and the power is non-stopable. The trigger has no extra safety button, so when your ready to cut, one squeeze and it's cutting. This saw is far superior to the Craftsman, Skill, and B & D saws I have used in the past. You can't go wrong with this Makita Saw!