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I've had this saw for the past few years. I've been a carpenter for 15 years and wouldn't use any other saw, but the Bosch. I've been able to buy them HD or Lowes or any other hardware store around here for years.This saw comes with either twist lock, or not.
Skil used to be the best, but skil is only 13 amp now. I have the regular one and use a 12 gauge cord with a twist lock on the end for commercial work.If you even need to replace the cord, simply buy a new one, or just plug another cord into it. Best saw you can buy.
If you're not in commercial construction, don't waste your time with a twist lock. Bosch is a full 15 amp motor. Saw tilts all the way to 50 degrees, comes with a hook, and cords plug right into the saw.I don't know what everyone is complaining about not being able to get a pig-tail at their local stores.
With the skil you had to disassemble the entire saw to repair or replace. Great saw.
The "R" and "P" refer to "Recepticle" and "Plug," respectively. It acts toward wood the way the Little Shop of Horrors plant was with blood--FEED ME.It's a little heavy, but this is not necessarily a bad thing for a HANDHELD wood-eating machine. The thing to be aware of is this: You are looking for a NEMA L5-20R, not L5-20P. I take issue with the idea that you can't find the plug at Lowes or Home Depot; because, I found it at 3 different Lowes stores in my area. I understand the complaints about Bosch not including a Twist-lock cable with this saw. Put it to a sheet of plywood and it's only a slight difference in db's. This saw is a monster. The added expense is well-worth it, though.
The most outstanding feature of this saw is how incredibly quiet it is. I wired the plug and the saw works perfectly. However, it would likely put this saw just out of the price range for some--as it's already between $150 and $200. More weight means less chance of the thing flying up at me on a mis-feed. I found a Cooper Wiring Products L5-20R for about $15 at Lowes and also bought a 12-ga 25' extension cord. All told, I invested an additional $30 or so for the cord plus $20 for a Freud combo blade. My blender makes more noise than this saw while not under load. I believe I couldn't have made a better choice in purchasing a new CS.
This is a decent saw. Much of the steel is replaced with magnesium alloy. I would highly recommend the Skil HD77.
It is nice to plug your extension cord directly into your circ saw but this feature will wear out with use. It is rather heavy, tops out over 16lbs I believe. The only problem with them is the direct plug feature.
Top quality saw that's built like a tank. You'll end up have to gut the direct connect and add a cord to your saw. Or, like a lot of people do, just junk it.
If that's too heavy go with the Skil HD77m. This sacrifices some durability but cuts the weight of the saw down by 2lbs.
With the sky hook and cord lock it was great to take up on rafters and roofs. I used this for a few weeks on a job site after one of my guys brought it from home. Best saw for plywood hands down. The weight of it doesn't matter when everything you cut comes out better and the saw doesn't bog down no matter what you are throwing at it. The only thing better is having an 8 1/4 wormdrive.
This is a really great saw. Mine arrived looking like new a year ago, and still works perfectly. I almost hate to use it--it is such a beautiful piece of equipement.
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