Stuff We Love

Our favorite DIY tools, materials + gear.

- Spike Carlsen

When I was a framing carpenter in Denver back in the day, pulling a mammoth “worm-drive” saw out of your truck and going to work was the sign you’d reached the big leagues. These monsters required Popeye forearms and a diet of canned spinach to operate, but they could cut through anything and were virtually indestructible.

The DeWalt 60-volt MAX circular saw (model DCS575T2) is the cordless equivalent of these vintage brutes. It has a lot to love. Like all worm-drive saws, the left-side blade position makes it easy to see your cutting line. It’s a workhorse: The 60-volt battery coupled with DeWalt’s thin-kerf FLEXVOLT blade (specifically designed for cordless saws) creates a saw that’s fast and powerful. It can churn through materials up to 2-1/2 in. thick and cut bevels up to 53 degrees. The safety button is easy to access.

The saw also has some nice grace notes, like the on-board blade-changing wrench, a depth gauge that tells you how deep the blade is set, and a carrying bag. The swing-down rafter hook lets you hang the saw from a joist or rafter between cuts (and believe me, you’ll want to give your arm a break between cuts).

The DeWalt Fast Charger is so hardworking that it’s fan cooled. The battery itself has a simple gauge that indicates how much juice is left.

Weighing in at 11 lbs., it still requires Popeye forearms to operate. And at nearly $400 (with battery and charger), it takes a Popeye-size wallet too, but if you’re looking for a saw, corded or cordless, that’ll handle anything, this is the one. It’s available online or wherever DeWalt tools are sold.

A CARPENTER’S PENCIL THAT’S MORE LIKE A PEN