Customer Reviews

Skil 3600-02 120-Volt Flooring Saw

5 star:		(33)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Length:: 9:05 Mins

This is my first shot at doing a video review, so we'll see how it works out.

The video portion of the review contains the following details:
1) Setup of the Skill 3600 Flooring Saw
2) Overview of features
3) Basic operation
4) Switching between miter and ripping modes
5) Lots of free opinions :)

After using this flooring saw for a while, let me say that it is impressive for its size. As a DIY'er with limited space for tools I'm always looking for something that will fill multiple roles and this saw seems to have some promise in that area. Aside from use as a flooring saw, I'm hoping it will work in a pinch for some limited ripping as well; although it is limited by the 3/4" max thickness as well as the little 7 amp motor (both of which are fine for flooring).

So far, the function of the saw has been flawless and the only minor complaint I can even think of is the method used for changing blades (which I cover in the video).

Overall, I highly recommend this saw for either DIY'ers that don't already have a table saw + miter saw or for people who want something portable for installing floors.

I am a flooring contractor.I got this Skil flooring saw at Lowe's for $[...]. Used it on (approx.)a dozen jobs (mostly 8 mil laminate).It is a solid tool that does what it's designed for.Usually when I install laminate in an occupied home I must leave my saws outside or in the garage.And the trips get annoying,as well as slow me down.This tool does the job of a table saw and miter. And is lightweight,portable and clean enough to be by my side all day.Even after I hook up my small ridgid vac and hose to it!It saves time and that makes money!The only drawback is that because of the small dia of the saw(4 1/2"),it eats blades!(1 per room,200 ft).If they redesigned this to a full size circular saw it would be the shizzle!.However,they probably won't.Because they want to make a fortune on these specialty blades!($10. ea.)Above all I would still recommend it to anyone who want to save time on wood and laminate installations.

I recently purchased this Skil Floor saw from Amazon, which had the best price I could find. First off it sets up right out of the box. I mainly purchased it because I will be using it to install 800 square feet of laminated flooring. But in the meantime I have used it to install Armstrong ceiling paneling. I used it to cut the furring strips, and the ceiling paneling itself which is similar to any flooring. It worked like a charm. I have ripped and cut material up to 3/4 of an inch with no problems, What I like about it the most so far, is it the saw and base are light weight and easy to move around. I have the Skil set up on saw horses and a board. The Skil saw is more convenient than lugging my miter saw and stand around to different rooms. Currently I am using it to cut trim work on my screened in back porch. I am making my own screens and this saw has come in really handy for that. I recommend this Skil saw for flooring,ceiling panels, and some trim work.

Watch D. Matheny video in Amazon's reviews. He covers it all.

Pros so far:
Light weight, easy to carry
Easy to switch from ripping mode to miter cuts

Cons:
unusual blade size

I had to install 1,300 square feet of Formica Laminate Quintessa 12mm (1/2") thick.
I started using a cordless Ryobi saw which wasn't very accurate for cutting anything! Less than a third through I came across an ad at Home depot for A Laminate Saw which I immediately purchased/ ordered because they sell it online only ($149)... it was also made for/by Ryobi which was an improvement over the Ryobi Cordless saw, but still had many shortcomings:
1- the visual saw guide for ripping is not very precise: within 1/4" give or take.
2- The fence does not align anytime you move it; and very inaccurate... one has to use a Square every time to align it properly. The fence itself is the cheapest you can get.
3- The Ends of the sliding rails are not covered and saw dust requires cleaning and oiling very often.
4- only one trigger
5- The saw blade needs replacing quite often... and home depot doesn't carry it in stock.

By the time I got halfway through ...I discovered that Lowes sells also the Laminate Saw made by/for Skil ($149) ... When I saw it and tested it at Lowes , I was amazed how much better made it was:
- Very accurate visual saw guide.
- a better fence all around, and very accurate.
- Covered rail sleeves to protect from saw.
- Double trigger: one for ripping and one the miter
- They had replacement saw blades in stock

So I bought the Skil and 2 replacement blades in case, and took back the Junky Ryobi!
Skil turned out to be more precise in every respect and has a cleaner cut... I am finished with the installation and did not need to replace the blade yet.

The only gripe is it can't cut (miter) quarter rounds because they are 1" + thick (the side that needs to be trimmed!)


(it is obvious from the way it is set up that a third Chinese party Manufacturer makes it for both Skil and Ryobi to their own specifications.)

We installed solid bamboo flooring in two rooms and this saw made precision fitting a breeze. It was easy to use, and small enough to keep right in the room for cutting. Changing the saw for angle cuts or rip cuts is easy and quick. For less sawdust around, hooking a vacuum is a must. We purchased a 2.5 gallon Shop Vac locally on sale and it was perfect.

Others mentioned rapid blade wear so we purchased a second as back up but it is still in the package. The saw cut the hard bamboo like butter. Practice to get the best cutting stroke, too fast may bind the blade, too slow will over heat it leading to premature wear. Also make cuts with finished wood surfaces facing down for cleaner cuts, especially bamboo as it is stringy wood.

I build giant scale model airplanes so the saw can cut all hobby woods (balsa, spruce, lite ply, etc.,) with ease.

It was a no brainer to purchase this saw for the flooring project as well as secondary uses. We discovered the saw in Lowe's flooring department but they were out of stock and replacement time was unknown. Went to Skil's web site for demo videos then to Amazon to order. Arrived quickly and was put right to work.

Very satisfied with this product and Amazon's pricing and delivery.

After reading the reviews, I was shamed into trying a floor installation using the power tools that I already had at home. Yes, the Skil saw was convenient, but it was a one trick pony, and if you didn't need to do more than a room, it just wasn't necessary.

So I set up a couple of jigs, got a rip guide for my circular saw. I was saving money!

Now I'm not an experienced carpenter, and this was my first laminate flooring attempt. I'm not incapable, just inexperienced. I'm not inept, just not quite ept. After wasting a couple of sheets of flooring, failing to make any sort of consistent cross cut and even worse rip cuts, I quickly drove over to Lowe's and picked this up. It was nothing short of a miracle for the irregularly shaped room I was working in.

It basically does 2 things: it's a sliding miter saw that makes just fine (and square) cross cuts where I expect them to be. The cuts were good enough for my purpose; it acts as an itty bitty table saw to make rip cuts that are easy to do, and accurate to boot.

The ability to do these two things easily for $150 ended up being worth every penny and greatly expedited a challenging job.

I take one star off for the lack of expanded use for this device - I have no further plans to put down flooring. It could help make a lovely birdhouse, and there may be a few times that I can use the ripping feature. It is really unable to do much trim work. It was far easier to cut quarter round on a cheap miter box. I weighed buying this against the probably smarter long term choice of a miter saw or better yet, a table saw. But in terms of usability, space, learning curve (there isn't any) and convenience, the Skil Flooring saw is unbeatable.

If you have a table saw, miter or chop saw, or better and more consistent carpentry skills than me, then this is really an unnecessary item for you. If you are like me, and partially ept, interested in doing your own stuff, and you don't otherwise have or need an expanded power tool set, then please don't kid yourself like I did. Just go ahead and pick this up, and save the learning curve for the other issues that come up with putting down a floor.

I have been using Skil products since I was a kid; I remember doing projects with my dad, where I thought when he kept saying "Skil saw" that it was a type of saw instead of a brand! After using their circular saws, jigsaws, and more recently their cordless drills (which has been an absolutely fantastic product), I was given the opportunity to give their latest flooring saw a whirl.

The product overall has a very well-made feel; more of a commerical type quality than consumer. Not much plastic - lots of metal that adds to the weight, but not to the point that it detracts from portability. I have a feeling these saws will last forever. But to be fair, another reason they may last forever is that they are really optimized for working with flooring, and not much else. Sure you can make cuts on just about anything to 3/4 of an inch, but this is not a replacement for a table saw. However, if you are doing even one large flooring product, I would give this unit a close look, because it really does tackle flooring jobs admirably.

The saw and blade look a bit "small" at a glance, but powered up it slices through anything (up to 3/4 inch that is) with ease. The RPMs are sky high (almost "Dremel-like"), which translates into smoother edges and a better cutting experience. Cross cuts are a breeze as I would have expected. But the unit really shines on rip cuts - due to the design, making a rip cut is 100% easier on the floor with this unit, instead of trying to balance lengthy stips of board on a table saw / saw horses. Also, the flexibility / adjustability of the saw will accomodate any combination of angles / board lengths / etc that you can throw at it.

In summary, if you want great floor results, consider the tools you are working with. This is a great tool, and will help you get great results with your flooring project.

Much easier to do flooring with this Skill saw. Previously I had used a combination of a miter saw, a circular saw, and a table saw to install flooring. I found this saw replaced all three saws for my latest project, a small bedroom. I am a 60+ y.o. do it yourself grandma. I'm really pleased with the saw and will use it to do two more bedrooms, then who knows. It should work well for making pieces for my bee hives and for birdhouses.

For my first hardwood floor install I purchased the Skil Flooring Saw hoping to avoid the purchase of a separate Table and Miter saw. In my house I am installing 3/4" solid hardwood on two upper levels (3 1/4" Harris Wood Oak strips). I found the Skil did the cross cuts well on the 3/4" but I felt it was not powerful enough while I was ripping a 2' board. Since some of my pieces are over 6' in length I returned the Skil and went ahead and purchased a seperate Table (Dewalt DW745) and Miter (Ryobi TSS100L) saw.

The seperate saws, stands and safety equipment (e.g., good push block/feather board) cost me 4x more then just the Skil Flooring Saw. Since I still have lots of flooring to install and I'm doing the labor myself I justified the extra expense of separate saws after giving the Skil a chance.

I'm giving the Skil 4 stars because I think its a good product although questionable in my case for 3/4" Oak. If I was just doing one or two smaller rooms I probably would have stuck with the Skil.

This saw is intended for laminate floring, but you can use it for hardwoods for sure. I did not have any laminate projects going on, but I did have some toung and groove porch slats to cut. First you can do all the same stuff with a chop saw / miter saw on a stand. The downside to that is it is going to cost you $200 for the stand and another $250 for the saw of any real quality. The other downside to that setup is size, its huge and takes up tons of space and a pickup or van..... See where I am heading. The Skil is good quality in a small package that is portable for any vehicle. Cuts well. Dust is a problem as with any project. Makes nice smooth cuts, accurate and sturdy. Priced right and will pay for itself in one floor project easy.