Circular Saw Types for Dummies

Worm-drive (left) and direct-drive circular saws

We once featured a "fake review" post written by a freelancer who admitted to having gotten all of her information from her boyfriend; a review of a rather expensive worm-drive circular saw. One of the bullet point "advantages" of the saw, according to Dionne, was "Blade mounted on left side for easier siding of cuts." We had to think a while about that one  before realizing that she meant "sighting." Well, D isn't the only person who knows nothing about circular saws yet pumped out the factoids anyway. Meet eHow.com's Len Taylor and his post, "Worm Drive Saw Vs. Circular Saw"¹ at HomeSteady.com.

Taylor opened, as eHowians are generally wont to do, by defining the terminology. Along the way he made a goof or two:

"Art Emmons of Port-Cable pioneered the direct-drive sidewinder saw system, engineering a design that sidestepped the patented worm gear concept in 1928."

We're pretty sure a real tool guy would know that the name of the company was, and remains, Porter-Cable.² Moving right along, here's how Len described a worm-drive saw:

"The motor of a worm drive saw utilizes a series of gears allowing the motor to be positioned parallel to the saw blade."

Series of gears, yes. Parallel to the blade? That's ambiguous, Len. The rotating shaft of the motor is parallel to the blade, not the "motor." Here's another advantage, at least according to Taylor:

"Since the worm saw positions the blade ahead of the drive motor, it allows for a better view of the cutting line during use. This provides a more accurate cut and creates more torque for cutting difficult materials."

Yes, a better sight line and more torque are features of a worm-drive saw; but the increased torque isn't because the blade is "ahead of the drive motor," it's because the gear drive inherently provides greater torque. Finally, Len announces that,

"The choice between a worm-drive saw and a side-drive saw should be driven by the application. The side-drive saw is more than adequate for the home or occasional user, due to its lighter weight and ease of operation. Professional carpenters and woodworkers would be well-served with a worm saw because of its robust durability, increased cut accuracy and ability to cut through difficult materials."

Ignoring for now that "robust durability" is redundant, Len did a pretty lousy job in his alleged comparison. He did not mention the following important points:

1. Worm-drive saws are generally more expensive than direct-drive saws.
2. Worm-drive saws are relatively heavy and require more practice to control.
3. Worm-drive saws generally require that the gears be periodically oiled, direct-drive saws are maintenance-free.

4. Their weight and higher torque make worm-drive saws better for plunge cuts, rip cuts, and cutting hardwoods; direct-drive saws are somewhat better for crosscuts and softwoods.
5. Worm-drive saws are narrower, which may be preferable for applications like remodeling.

Probably because he had only a passing familiarity with the power tools he was supposedly comparing, Len's now the proud owner of a direct-drive Dumbass of the Day award. Yay, Len.

¹ The original has been deleted by Leaf Group, but can still be accessed using the Wayback machine at archive.org. Its URL was   ehow.com/facts_7607132_advantage-worm-drive-saw.html
² Now a division of Black & Decker. Sigh.

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