Customer Reviews

Milwaukee 6394-21 15 Amp 7-1/4-Inch Circular Saw

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Overall I am very happy with this saw. I bought it to replace a $50 Skil that I purchased years ago. The Skil still worked fairly well and survived some good abuse, but wasn't a real powerhouse. I've used this Milwaukee several times already and here is what I've noticed:

Pros:
+ Nice power
+ Very nice and easy adjustments for depth and bevel: This uses levers vs. a butterfly nut on my old Skil.
+ Tilt lock is a nice feature. Though many people who have this saw never use it, I have actually used it a couple of times: different adjustments when cutting lumber vs. when trimming doors.
+ Guide visibility is excellent.
+ Base is about 1/8" thick solid aluminum, nice and flat, and solid feeling.

Cons:
- The base is flat all around. My old skill, for example, had a lip on the back and front side. If you're stuck using a somewhat flat, and inadequately clamped guide (like a straight thin piece of plywood that you trust), that may slightly lift in the middle, you run the risk of the base plate riding under your guide. As a result, at some point I may modify the base by screwing on an additional 1/8" lip on the inside top.
- Case: Very minor complaint: it would be nice if it included some blade storage. I have some extra blades, including a cheap plywood blade and an expensive finishing blade. I would love to be able to store them in the case with the saw. EDIT in 8/2007: The case does in fact come with blade storage in the main compartment.

Overall, I have no regrets and recommend this saw. I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 in part because of the base plate, but also because I can't recommend it above all other circular saws. Both the Journal of Light Construction and Fine Homebuilding had circular saw reviews. This particular saw, a specific Bosch, and a specific Porter Cable, were in the top three for both reviews. Though in the top three of both, This Milwaukee made it into the top 2 favorites/recommended in one article but not the other. Before purchasing this saw, I would recommend finding and reading those articles to decide which of the three would better meet your needs or preferences.

As a home improvement and hobby sort of wood worker looking for top value in essential tools, I did my homework very carefully before choosing this one.

Great machine, very comfortable to use with the light weight and smooth power, ergonomically very adjustable, with a brake that stops it cold when you are done (an essential safety feature for someone who nearly sawed his fingers off in his impetuous youth). Great reputation of the company for dependability and quality, so I expect it to last to be handed down to my son or daughter.

This saw is a real joy to use in all aspects. The power is unmatched in the field,it's light weight allows for easy operation and handling.The flexibility of the qucik-loc handle system is very nice-even though you will probably settle on your favorite position it's nice to know you can change it,EXAMPLE:When cutting down on a vertical changing to a flatter wormdrive position aids in cutting leverage.This saw looks,feels and operates Milwaukee tough AND is comfortable to use.The only minor complaint is the cutting\rip fence.First you have to pay extra money for it, and this fence does not cut ultra close rips the way i would like-quauter inch is as little as this fence wants to cut-#1 it does not slide onto saw far enough in to allow a 1\8 in. shave #2 when the fence is in all the way it hits the blade guard#3when cutting thin,say 1\4 material the fence sits lower than the base plate allowing the material to slide between the two.WORK ON THIS MILWAUKEE, IT'S AN EASY FIX-BUILD A BETTER FENCE MADE FOR THIS SAW.
OVERALL:
TOP RATE POWER

XLNT BALANCE-ERGONOMICS-FIT AND FINISH

THE BRAKE AND QUICK-LOC CORD IS VERY NICE TO HAVE

SMOOTH CUTTING WITH GREAT CONTROL

CUTTING VISABILITY IS VERY GOOD

THE FENCE SHORTCOMING IS FAIRLY MINOR BUT COULD BE IMPROVED UPON

CONCLUSION: BUY THIS SAW,IT'S NOT THE CHEAPEST BUT IT MAY BE THE BEST IN IT'S CLASS-I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A BETTER FENCE THAT MAY EVEN BE INCLUDED WITH THE SAW SINCE THIS IS NOT A [inexpensive] UNIT.BE A LITTLE GENEROUS MILWAUKEE AND THE CUSTOMER WILL RETURN THIS GENEROSITY WITH MARKET SHARE.

I AM A CONTRACTOR FOR 30 YRS AND HAVE OWNED PORTER CABLE,MAKITA ,SKILL AND DEWALT AND WITHOUT A DOUBT THIS MILWAKEE KICKS ALL THIER BUTTS. THE POWER IS VERY STRONG,CAN'T STOP IT UNLESS YOU ARE USING A VERY DULL BLADE.IT HAS PERFECT BALANCE AND BEING ABLE TO ADJUST THE ANGLE OF THE HANDLE ALLOWS YOU TO USE THE SAW IN DIFFICULT POSITIONS ,THOUGH YOU WILL FIND A MOST COMFORTABLE. THE MOST IMPORTANT IMPROVEMENT WITH THIS MODEL IS THE BRAKE SYSTEM,IT STOPS THE SAW ALMOST INSTANTLY AND ANYONE WHO HAS SPENT ENOUGH TIME USING A CICULAR SAW KNOWS HOW DANGEROUS A STILL MOVING BLADE CAN BE. IT MAY NOT SEEM THAT IT'S WORTH THE EXTRA MONEY BUT IT REALLY IS. ALSO ANYONE THAT COMPLAINS ABOUT THE SIZE OF ITS CASE HAS A FEW SCREWS LOOSE, YOU CAN PUT A 25 FT. EXTENTION CORD INSIDE AND IT HAS A PLACE FOR YOUR STRAIGHT CUT GUIDE (EXTRA). THIS SAW MAY SEEM A LITTLE EXPENSIVE BUT IT'S WORTH DOUBLE THE PRICE.LIKE I SAID THE BEST SAW OUT THERE BAR NONE!

I guess I was spoiled since I had an old craftsman circular saw with electronic brake and that baby stops on a dime. This saw's blade keeps spinning for a couple of seconds after you release the trigger. It's just slightly less than a regular saw so probably not worth the extra money. The other bad thing is that the blade height adjustment on mine came so that at certain blade heights (anything greater than 1 1/4") the lever hits the plate before the screw is tightened. Now I have to fiddle with the screw so that the tightening range is just at the right spot so the lever works. I hope that fixes it.

On the bright side, the saw is nice and light and seems pretty sturdy and also seems to have a lot of power. The blade visibility is very good.

I appreciate the note about toolup.com. They had it cheaper with free shipping so I took advantage of Amazon's policy of getting 10% of the difference.

I purchased this saw based upon a recommendation for a similar saw rated highly in Consumer Reports. I should note that I did not purchase this from Amazon.com as I found one slightly less expensive at another site (shop around). Overall, the saw is fantastic with plenty of power and a great line of sight from virtually every cutting angle. This is an important attribute as it allows the user to see exactly where the teeth are cutting. The electric brake is marvelous- like a cell phone- once you have it you can't live with out it.
I am a weekend project person and the saw suits me fine although I'm sure you can find less expensive saws but if you want value and a five year warranty, purchase this saw. My only gripe is that when the saw arrived the "Made in" label was covered with white label tape. When peeled back it revealed that the saw was made in Mexico! Does this country make anything anymore?!!! What are they trying to hide?!! I guess it's the future- Globalization run amok. It should be noted that Milwaukee Electric Tool in not an American company, in fact, it is owned by Techtronic Industries Co. Ltd. (TTI) a Hong Kong, China based company. I suppose it is only a matter of time before these saws are manufactured in China since the Chinese in some cases make even less than the lowest paid Mexican. The bottom line is purchase this saw now before the poor quality begins. Most of all write your Congressman and Senator to press for fair global trade.

Hi,

I've owned this tool for about 3 months now. I'm brand new to woodworking and home improvement however recently I used it twice: first I helped a friend build some shelves for his shed, and then I cut risers for some outdoor steps.

In my opinion, the saw performed flawlessly. The electric brake is a very nice feature. The saw feels well-balanced and I was able to see the line while cutting.

I would recommend purchasing this saw along with the Milwaukee 49-22-4146 Rip Fence Kit.

You may also want to purchase a second fine-tooth blade.

Good luck!

This is the 3rd circular saw that I have owned and the best! Before I bought this one I borrowed several different styles and brands from my friends and neighbors for test runs to see what I liked. I purchased this one because of the adjustable handle, the replaceable cord and the electric blade brake. I just finished a 10x18 deck using AC2 treated lumber that was very wet from the recent rain we have had. This saw cut like a champ. My previous saw (a top of the line craftsman, bought in 02') would have struggled on this job, in fact on a similar job last fall the motor bearings failed. This Milwaukee saw was light weight and easy to handle. I had to rip a 3-1/2inches off an 8 foot 2x12 for a step, I couldn't have cut it cleaner and more true on a table saw. Now I want to replace all of my tools with milwaukee.. The best saw I have ever used.

This is the second one of these saws that I have owned. The first one died after only 2 years of light/moderate use. I am a contractor by trade and both rely on quality tools and their dependability. I was very disappointed when the Milwaulkee repair shop told me the saw was not worth fixing...even though it looked almost brand new. Apparently something major broke because they gave me the saw back in a "body bag" as they referred to it...completely disassembled. However, since I loved the saw so much I decided to take a chance on another one. I just hope I have better luck with this one. As you all probably already know, this saw is now made in CHINA. Only time will tell just how much this has caused the quality to decline. ie. drywall, McDonald's glasses, baby formula, lead painted childrens' toys, etc, etc.

TCardco

At first this saw was great, nice sight lines from both sides, but after 6 months the brake rarely works, had to send it in to be serviced.