We recently reviewed Porter Cable’s cordless 18 volt circular saw, so it was a bit of fun to follow-up with a review of their new corded 15A heavy duty sidewinder 7-1/4″ circular saw PC15TCSMK. Porter Cable designed this saw for professional use, and it does boast quite a few high-end features.
Features & Specs
- Case magnesium shoe
- 15 amp 5600 RPM motor
- Up to 55° bevel with 22.5 and 45 degree stops
- Weighs less than 10 lbs
- 10-foot power cable
First Impressions
I absolutely loved the feel of the saw. The base was nice and beefy, and the various control knobs were large and easy to toggle. Unlocking the bevel and depth adjustments was a breeze, even with work gloves on.
I especially appreciated the heavy duty 10-foot long cord. Even the 2-pronged plug felt overbuilt and durable.
Overall, the saw’s design seemed to be very well thought out with no compromises.
Performance
Over the past few weeks, I tested the saw in a few different projects, mostly with 2x4s and sheet goods. Porter Cable includes a 24 tooth blade with that saw that is suitable for framing and actually produces quite nice cuts. The 24T blade can be used for cutting down sheets of plywood, but I used a much more suitable blade.
There’s really not much to say about the saw’s performance. It effortlessly cut through everything I threw at it, and was comfortable to use. While I know that the saw is 0.5 to 1.0 lbs lighter than most competitor saws, I didn’t really feel a difference. But I did have much greater peace of mind knowing that its robust base won’t be damaged or distorted as easily as some other saws’ flat stamped bases.
The saw kit includes a blade-change wrench, edge guide and blow molded case. It is priced highly competitively at $90-100.
Conclusion
This is a solid performing saw with quite a few user-friendly features. I was impressed with the saw’s overall design, especially its reinforced magnesium base, large adjustment levers and long durable-feeling cord. I certainly did not expect to find these features or level of ergonomics on a sub-$100 saw.
With this saw Porter Cable shows that they still know a thing or two about how to make great quality portable power tools.
Porter Cable 15A Circular Saw via Amazon (you’ll find better pricing locally)
Product Info via Amazon
Thank you to Porter Cable for providing the sample for this review unconditionally. Review samples are typically given away, donated, or in some cases kept for further testing or benchmark and comparison purposes.
That sounds like a great circ saw. If I didn’t already have a good one, I’d be buying one.