SKILSAW SPT67FMD-01 7-1/4 In. Sidewinder Circular Saw Review

Build Quality

The SKILSAW SPT67FMD-01 shares the design of many standard circular saws. But it’s quite an upgraded and unique pick. Featuring exciting design features such as the dust collection tool, sealed bearings, no-mar sleeve for effective and convenient cord storage.

The dual adapters for the dust extractor benefit the user in more ways than one. And it goes beyond convenience because by using suction and a safety bag to get rid of dust, you can avoid inhaling the crystalline silica dust that gets releases due to cutting fiber cement.

For smaller, harder-to-vacuum dust particles in the air, the Skilsaw protects the motor and other important parts of the circular saw from getting clogged. The dual-field motor comes with an anti-dust resistant switch that keeps itself dust-free.

The no-mar nylon sleeve cover is used to protect the hose and the long power cord. The hose is around 8 feet long while the power cord is 10 feet. The nylon sleeve is thick, protective, and rugged. Preventing the slight chance of cutting through the cord while using the circular saw.

Blade

You can make bevel adjustments up to 56 degrees with dual stops, at 0 and 45 degrees. It also features a Diable HardieBlade which is stronger, less fatiguing to use and extra-sturdy.

The feature that really stands out is blade guard and the 8-foot hose that connects with it. It has a tapering design which is also attached with the dust extractor. These special features offer two size adapters: 1-1/2-inch and 2-1/2-inch.

What’s more? Since the blade is located to the right, it’s very helpful for cutting fiber cement. The diamond-tipped polycrystalline blade coupled with the 5,300 RPM and lightweight but sturdy magnesium body makes a significant difference in ease of use and long-term stability.

The high-quality blade makes consistent cuts that are neat and smooth. The blade guard protects it from the expected bumps and other wear and tear. And lastly, trimming and siding with the saw is incredibly easy and convenient.

Having said that, the tool is also compatible with other blades if you have a preference. While the blade that comes with the saw is good, it’s not great. So you can experiment with a higher-quality blade that has better alignment benefits.

Power

Moving on to the power rating, the Skilsaw SPT67FMD-01 is a tough cookie. It’s a sidewinder circular saw for its higher speed to lower weight ratio is on point. For cutting fiber cement, the 15 amp motor is pro-level and energy-efficient.

The magnesium components and housing do reduce the overall weight of the circular saw. This is good considering that the last thing you need is a bulky saw to deal with fiber cement which is not an easy material to work with.

Fiber cement requires accuracy and ease of use. The power output of the tool is stable with no wobbling or rocking or burring. The blade speed and cutting capacity are able to make impressively straight and smooth cuts.

The sealed motor bearings and anti-dust resistant switch are useful in that they keep the motor running without stopping. Even if there’s a little bit of dust floating in the air.

It protects the motor to keep the power effective and consistent for longer. While that is true, it’s inevitable for some dust to make its way into the internal mechanism of the saw. But that’s expected and it won’t cause any serious damage to the tool.

Dust Collection

I’d like to elaborate on why the dust collection feature on the Skilsaw is so effective and worth considering. For starters, for cutting fiber cement, a standard circular saw won’t do.

If you’ve worked with fiber cement before, you’ll immediately agree with me when I say that the dust that it spews is huge and dense! It’s like this great big cloud that without a proper dust extractor vacuum, it’s impossible to clean.

This circular saw’s dust extraction is unique and pro-grade. It runs for longer than any standard dust extraction system that I’ve come across. And it features solid vents in the right places to prevent premature damage.

The sealed motor bearings, dual vacuum adapters, switch protectors keep silica dust away. And this is not exactly part of the dust collection mechanism but the lightweight magnesium components are helpful.

Just as you start the trigger, the saw feels stable even though it’s actively working to keep your workstation dust-free. Be it for crosscutting or ripping, you’ll hardly feel any resistance, not more than is expect while cutting fiber cement. And the blade runs along the fiber cement grain as if it’s plain old wood!