Customer Reviews

Ridgid R3203 Saw, Fuego Circular 6 1/2-Inch

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Very surprised that I like this saw as much as I do., as I prefer left blade but some cuts are better with a right blade saw. Most right saws have poor sight line of the cut. This saw has usable front and rear indicators as well as the blade itself from the left side, which is where I prefer to look at. Cuts straight freehand in part due to sight line is kept clear, low friction base , feels good in balance and handling and hi speed cut. Got a good review in tools of the trade. All the plastic makes me concerned, but it does have a lifetime service agreement[at least on the ones bought at HD]. HD stores do not not carry them any longer as the constantly discontinue items for who knows what reasons other than sales figures. I did have to tighten the rear shoe rivet . Generic bag is OK but prefer molded case for protection.

This saw is great. I use one every day framing houses. It only cuts a half inch less than the 7 1/4 saws, but its light and has plenty of power. Very precise. It also comes with a long cord which is always handy. I'd definitely buy another Ridgid.

I have a cheap circular saw I bought 15 years ago for an emergency need. I dislike buying tools like this in general because (for circular saws in particular) your faced with a daunting range of products ranging from 10's of dollars to a couple hundred without comprehending the reasons for the broad price range. Not knowing any better, I therefore grabbed the cheapest saw at $40. It got me through my immediate need but after trying to cut straight lines with it for later projects, the reason for the name on the blade guard became apparent because it required allot of skill (not to mention luck) to get good results with it. The basic problem is the base is so small and wobbly it is hard to guide and just cannot be relied on for anything other than a rough cut even if I use a straight edge.

Needless to say, I've been looking for an excuse to replace it for a long time. No matter how badly I treated that saw, it never would quit (is it just me that when I need a tool to break it doesn't...and visa versa?). But a couple weeks ago I found my excuse. I had a job to do on the house that required I get up as close as possible to a wall. The actual dimension wasn't critical, but 1"-ish was desirable. My current saw has a relatively large spacing between the blade and the right side of the base (as it seems most saws with stamped bases have), about 1.75".

I started looking at the small cordless saws but truth be told the idea of running a power hungry saw from a battery just seems like a bad idea for so many reasons, so I started concentrating on the corded ones. Indeed it was possible to find a few 7 1/4" saws with relatively small clearances. Then I noticed this one at an orange colored big box store. At first I ignored it. It sits there with the 7 1/4" saws and in comparison it looks like a toy. I wasn't going to fall into that trap again. I started looking at a Makita right next to it, so on a whim I picked them both up to compare.

That's when everything changed. The Ridgid is noticeably lighter than any other saw I was looking at, yet also very sturdy and well built. The handles are well placed and make the saw comfortable to hold. Upon further study I noticed the base is a composite material and the guards are Magnesium. That's where the weight savings come from (and despite some reviews questioning the "plastic" base, composites have found their way into cars and modern aircraft structures so question it's strength and durability no more). Even though the blade is smaller than the typical circular saw (6.5" vs. 7.25") the motor at 13 amps is the same size as most other circular saws in this price range but also spins the blade faster, presumably to improve the cutting speed of the smaller blade. Furthermore, in spite of it's smaller size the base is actually much larger than my old saw and seemed very firm. The adjustments are very easy to make and the depth and angle scales are very easy to read. Most critically for my immediate need: The smaller size also puts the blade closer to the edge of the base (a bit more than an inch) than almost any circular saw I looked at.

All in all, this is a very impressive and very well thought out saw once you get past the diminutive size. Then you start to think...what does that extra 3/8" radius on a blade buy you? Probably nothing in real terms. In less than five minutes of handling the Ridgid my opinion completely changed and I bought it.

After I got home I installed the included blade and made a few test cuts in plywood. The motor is indeed powerful and will cut pretty much as fast as you care to push it. I could easily guide the saw reasonably straight by hand and the resulting cut was reasonably smooth. Very impressive! I have since moved on to and nearly completed my project where it has performed with aplomb.

If you are in the market for a circular saw, do not overlook this one. It does so many things very well and even the bundled blade is quite good, a pleasant surprise. It lacks a case (either hard or soft), which is about the only negative I can think of.

My previous 6 1/2 saw was a late sixties Skill. This saw is an almost duplicate. The increase in amps is very noticable. I look forward to enjoying this saw for 30 years.

I love this Saw~! My loving wife gave this to me for our eighth anniversary. After much research this was the saw I landed on, and, after using it for a few weeks, I am so pleased with it. Be sure to follow the steps about registering and you will get a lifetime warranty~! I expect this to be my only home saw I will ever buy.

It's a stock item at the big box store (HD), and you really need to check prices before you buy it. I think it's a great saw regardless of price, but at nine_nine_point_zero it's wonderful.

The cord is very long (didn't measure it, but felt like bout 20'), flexible and high quality, the blade that comes with the saw *IS* a keeper in my book.

I love the light weight and the 'shoe' (base of the saw) is big, easy to read, and saw-dust is blown out of the way for you.

I read comments, so if you have any questions, I'd be happy to reply quickly :-)

I needed a circular saw for a do-it-yourself home improvement project an didn't want to barrow from someone. I considered rental but I found this Ridgid saw "used" for a very good price. This was a very good find. I am completely satisfied. Thank you.

We bought ours (new) a couple of years ago. It's great, and has held up perfectly. Our worker, who prefers to use his own tools, now uses no other circular saw. It's light, tough, has a long cord, cuts well, and is easy to guide. Practically speaking, on ordinary jobs there is no advantage to using a 7 1/4" saw.

I bought this saw about a year ago from the big orange box (for half the price) and have used it every couple weeks remodeling my home and building things for the garage. Despite it's smaller size, it has all the power of a larger 7 1/4" saws. The lightness of it really makes it slick to use. The depth adjustment lever has become loose so that's why I gave it 4 stars. I just have to adjust it so that it snugs tighter. Perhaps some blue locktite will do the trick. Still on the original blade but have only used it on framing lumber and plywood. You won't be disappointed if you get this saw.

Note: This saw can be found for approx $100 everywhere else.

Pros:
*Good ergonomics
*Light weight
*Long, pliable cord
*Easy-read #s

Cons:
*Does not come with edge guide. It's a special-order (why didn't they just include this $2.50 part?). Took forever to locate a supplier. Ridgid's web site only lists the part in the schematic section of the saw; good luck finding that! (FYI: the part # is 631697001.)
*Being that it is lightweight; it has a slight vibration--doesn't feel very robust.
*Plastic base? So far so good, but I'm not sure this will hold up to the rigors of rough construction.
*Allen blade wrench simply clips to the base. Won't be long before that gets lost.
*Base arm snags when trying to adjust height. Very frustrating.

What i like about this saw is that its lighter then the 7 1/4 saws.It can cut just about the same as the 7 1/4 saws.