We use the Mag 77 saws in our granite business cutting through 1 1/4" thick granite. This is an incredibly tough environment for any power tool: cutting granite produces tremendous heat and dust, both of which are destructive. Granite dust is second only to diamond dust in its abrasive qualities. We burn up Makita, Porter Cable and Metabo power tools on a regular basis, but this saw never gives up. I wish we could find a sander with this kind of durability. The granite dust is highly abrasive and will quickly destroy lesser power tools. The heat generated during cutting makes the dust so hot that it can burn you as it comes off the diamond blade. We have a Skill 77 that is at least 6 years old and still going strong with more torque than a Cummins diesel. This saw simply does not bog down when cutting granite. The torque is unbelievable. Believe me, we have tried dozens of different tools by different manufacturers and this saw flat out beats them all. If you keep the oil fresh and topped off and keep the motor blown out, this saw will last forever. Your only maintenance will be replacing brushes when needed (you will get 1000's of cuts before you have to replace the brushes). Our saws get dropped on a regular basis by workers that don't really care, but the Mag 77 keeps right on working. We have cracked the casing on one saw, but the saw is still going strong. Remember, cutting granite is far tougher than cutting wood....so you wood butchers out there should be delighted with this American masterpiece of machinery.

No body but no body builds a better saw than the people who invented the thing so long ago. Yeah , other companies make fine tools. But none better than the skill mag 77. Dewalt tried to copy the design , it was a flop. So they came up with their new hypoid framing saw that doesn't even compare for durability. Milwaukee makes an even bigger wormdrive with a 15 amp motor . It's an also ran. Makita made a super duper hypoid gear saw that stripped gears like they were going out of style. I'll admit that their new one is a lot better than the first but it's still not a skil.Unless you live on the east coast , when you drive by a construction site, 9 times out of 10 you're going to see a worm drive skil saw. There are reasons why .They are the most durable. They run the smoothest. They are the most powerful. I conducted a test of several framing saws. I ran all available wormdrive and hypoid gear saws as well as the Porter Cable blade left 15 amp saw with marathon blades down 16' 2x douglas fir as fast as I could without tripping a breaker. My partner timed me. The skil was the fastest by over a second. Then we switced places. Same result. At the time we had no preference for brand. In fact , we were hoping the new Dewalt would be the best ripping saw.With its bright yellow color and its 15 amp motor, we thought it might be. Not! The 13 amp skil blew everything away. I must say we were impressed. I continue to be to this day. The mag 77 might be heavy but not overly so. In some instances the weight is an advantage. if you are cutting close to the ground , tilt the lumber so the saw is going down. It will glide through with no effort. The length of the saw is also a plus . When crosscutting sheet goods it is much easier to go all the way across from one side without changing your position. The in line design also makes it easier to follow a straight mark on your material. The depth markings are a nice feature for a rough reference point. I have a few minor caveats though . The aluminum shoe isn't as tough as the steel on the older saw. The cords crack pretty bad just past the strain relief. I don't know of many power tool cords that don't though. I think my Bosch and Hilti cords are in tact. If you want a 15 amp motor, a blade brake, a rafter hook or a lightweight package , this is not your saw. If you want the most powerful smoothest running most durable workhorse of a saw then look no further than the skil 77 original or lighter mag 77.

I have a framing company and use only Skil worm drive saws. I am now replacing older saws and buying only the Mag the less weight is a real bonus. The one thing to watch is that they have the same power but they are lighter and will kick back faster if jamed so you must beware until you use them for awhile.

My father has owned an original Skill Wormdrive for over 30 years and other than replacing oil, bushes, and blades nothing has ever failed. pI bought my own Mag 77 about 20 months ago, and the machine is superb. If you've never used a saw with the blade on the left, give one a try, once used it is very hard to go back. pThe saw is by no means light, but the mass makes for greater stability when cutting. Unlike traditional direct drive saws the majority of the wieght (the center of gravity) of the saw is located behind the point where the maximum depth of cut occurs, this makes for easy control and finishing at the end of the cut. pAs several other reviewrs have stated here, there is a fair torque kick when you start the saw, but, this is translated into effortless cutting. Cutting any form of wood, even brick is smooth, wood cuts can be made as fast as you are confident enough to drive the saw, again with a decent blade. The left hand blade makes for very easy observation of the cut. Practice on some scrap 2x4 or 2X10 both ripping and crosscutting till you are used to the kick.pI agree with other reviews of the Mag 77 that a steel foot could be an advantage, even as an option. But so far my Aluminum foot is holding up fine, I suspect the choice of Aluminum was to keep the wieght of the saw down.pDo yourself a favour, if you invest in this saw, treat it to a decent blade. The blade supplied is better than nothing, but only just. I suspect that the single negative review here, where the motor burned out, was due to a poor or blunt blade. pI cannot personnaly imagine what you would need to be cutting to burn out the motor, and if you did I am sure the folks at Skill would love to know. With resoanbale care and attention when cutting, this saw is as safe as any.pOverall, the mass, feel and finish of the saw instills confidence that it will perform any task asked of it, and also, that it is designed and built to last. pI am confident with a little regular servicing my 77 will last as long as I wish to use it, and in all probability will outlast me.pThis is a great Tool and well worth the investment.

I finally got fed up with my sub-standard circ-saw while doing a large deck framing job that required close precision. After researching all the "pro" saws including the Dewalt I decided to go with the Skil MAG 77. I must tell you, I am not disappointed. This is simply an amazing saw. It tracks perfectly, allowing you to make not only precision cross cuts but do quick job-site ripping by hand. One of my main reasons for opting for the Skil was its superior gauge design. The Dewalt has an raised arch rim on the front of the foot that makes it impossible to site across the blade and the front reference mark at the same time. The Skil's foot is flat allowing you easily to site across the blade and front gauge. BOTTOM LINE: One of the BEST power tools I've ever purchased - definitely worth the money!

After you have used the rest, you come to the best. I got my first worm drive saw in 1988 and I am still useing it today on a decking project. I have done anything from cabinetry to framing to cutting concrete, steel and asphault. The first one I used was in 1981 and it left a 6 inch reminder that required 120+ stiches to close on my right theigh. So obviously they are not for amatures. I do not allow anyone to use or handle this saw with out proper instruction. I have a Porter Cable for the less skilled which also has a left handed blade. They are well improved over the years and much safer to use. The earlier models had a problem with the blade guard, so it was standard procedure to remove or tie up to guard to eliminate kick back and binding. That is the kind I was useing in '81. The newer models do not have that problem. And the price is about the same as when I bought mine, $169.00. It is a heavier saw that is not good for over head work, or for cutting window or door openings, but for straight line and cut off work, it is all but self employed. If it ever wears out, them I'll buy the Mag. That is if I am not too old to still use it!

This saw is still the staple of circular (HD 77) after yearsand years of construction use. This saw is advertised to be 2lbslighter than the HD 77. That is the only difference. I bought this saw last year and tried to overwork it. I overworked myself in the process. The only thing that wore out was the blade. The price may seem steep. Think of it as a heirloom. This saw will outlast many of us for many generations.

I use this saw on a daily basis and there is no other saw I would consider. I have tried both the DeWalt and Bosch versions of this saw and do not care for either. Although each of the saws cut well, the construction doesn't seem to be as sturdy as the Mag.
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br /The Mag 77 is the smoothest and comfortable saw among the three. If this is your first saw beware the torque on start up, it will turn the saw in your hand a little, once you're used to it its not a big deal though. The weight of the saw will also help keep your cuts straight.
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br /Any saw will bind up under too much pressure from any material. If this happens to the Mag, the motor will continue to spin and the blade will stop moving, this is a built-in saftey feature to prevent burning up the motor by seizing it with too much torque.
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br /Skil made a few recent improvements to the table, or plate as many call it. Previously, it was just a flat piece of aluminum, but recently Skil rounded the edges which provides much more ridgidity and will prevent it from warping. I can attest to this as I dropped my newest saw 12 feet off a ladder and the plate is in perfect condition (except for a modest scratch)! I also highly recommend a rafter hook to prevent such occurances.
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br /One other improvement on the latest Mag 77 is a fatter flange on the blade guard. This prevents binding on thinner material, especially when cutting at angles. Some professionals will pin or remove their guards due to this problem, I strongly recommend that the guard be left intact. Saftey is much more important than convenience. I would rather keep all of my limbs and deal with an annoying guard than the other way around. Accidents happen way too often without inviting them.
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br /Overall I believe there is no better saw on the market. Whether you are a weekend warrior or a proffessional builder this is the saw to own and most in the industry agree, just look at the number of these saws on any jobsite.
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br /If you want the best for a lifetime get a Mag 77.

The regular HD77 is known for excellent balance, as well as being one of the best saws available. However, it appears that in knocking 2 lbs off of the MAG version, Skil has inadvertently unbalanced the saw from side to side. If you hold the saw by the forward handle, you will notice that the saw droops to the left. Skil would have had to redesign the saw to avoid this problem, so the situation is understandable. The saw still handles very well, however, and the weight reduction may be worth it. Unlike some comments about the Bosch, the foot/plate/shoe seems quite secure without play and well aligned. If you are trying to do finish cuts on pieces of wood for furniture with this saw, you are probably out of your head, and I don't consider that a defect of the saw. As others have noted, the blade supplied by Skil is trash. It is puzzling as to why they would sell a top of the line saw with such a blade. They might better sell the saw without a blade and reduce the price by $1.00. It would be a better deal.

In my view, Skil has done in a single product catagory what John Deere has done in tractors - produced a product at such a high value proposition that no one else even bothers trying.pAlthough I am not a professional carpenter by any means (I'm an MBA who jockeys computers for a living) I did have enough experience from my youth to use this tool to frame our 3800 square foot house with my 15 year old son. I saw the saw in a series of books/videos authored by Larry Haun about carpentry and ordered it that day. I could have not done the project without it and today I always call for the "Larry-saw." (that said, if you buy the saw, buy the book/videos too) pI have only 2 suggestions. Skil should provide a quality metal case, at least as an option and the joist hanger I purchased to attach the saw could be integrated as well.

I just purchased the mag after querying all of my co-workers and doing a lot of research on which saw was the best to buy for the long haul. I was really wanting to get the dewalt framing saw but unfortunatley, I've heard negative feed back from the amazon reviews and on the job site. I only buy the best tools because anything less is just money down the toilet. Take my advice this saw is well worth the expenditure.

Long the staple of the west coast construction industry, the Skill is a powerful and rugged saw. They last a long time and take a lot of abuse but do wearout in continuous use. Trade off, it is still heavier than most but has more than enough torque for most jobs. Due to weight and touque, not a tool for the amateur, I've known pro's hurt with this tool.

This saw may be lighter but at the expense of strenght. Any saw will get damaged if it is used/abused, but this saw's foot plate (shoe?) is easily damaged if not treated with kid gloves. If you use a speed square to ride the edge of the shoe along for cross cuts, or you like to use the v-cut in the front for rips like I do then you know how important it is that it be in alignment (paralel)with the blade. The shoe on this saw will not take much of a bump before it gets out of alignment. Not only that, but because the shoe is made from aluminum, the bottom of the shoe scratches easily and will then leave marks on the wood that you are cutting; especially bad if you are trimming a door. I like the color, and yes it's a little lighter, but the saw that has proven throught the test of time is still the Skil HD77.

I didn't do any research when I bought this saw. I didn't have to because everyone I knew then was already using it. It is two pounds lighter than its predecessor but still a heavy saw. brI recommend the Tool hangers Unlimited 21087T Original Worm Drive Saw Hanger for this saw because it comes in handy to hang the saw on a joist or whatever. I use the same hanger on my Hitachi framing nailer.brThe blade that comes with the saw last about an hour (a slight exaggeration) but that is the way it is with most blades shipped with new saws, just chuck it and you're in business.brIf this is a first time saw purchase you might note that this saw has a lot of torque and actually twist in your hand and toward your body on start up if you are right handed. Not such a big deal unless you pen the guard up like most everyone does with this saw.brDewault has what they think to be a superior saw and I am seeing it used in the trades a little now. I have tried it and I liked it but who knows if it has the durability of this saw?brThe weak point of this saw is its guide or shoe if you prefer to call it that. You have to be careful not to bend it when you sit it down or load it into the van or truck. I did examine the shoe on the Dewault but it appeared to be the same weak design. brHowever the Mag is by far the best saw I have owned.

I will keep it short simple my company runs 45 - 50 of these saws every day i wouldnt buy anything other than this saw its light powerful and never dies if you keep a sharp blade and lots of oil in it

I have owned one of these for ten years, and a have cut everything you can think of from soft wood, to metal, to asphault and concrete this`saw is virtually indestructable.

I work construction and do plenty of research on tools. Skil currently makes less then par products, but with this exception. This saw is the industry standard. I see the MAG77 and the regular HD77 on every constructon site. I like the HD77 because it is a little heavier then the MAG77 due to the casing, which means no kickback and a stonger, more solid feel. Both saws are incredible and either purchase is an investment. Buy this saw if you plan on cutting a lot of lumber.

Recently someone broke into my garage and stole all my power tools. My old circ saw wasn't great, and I used my miter saw or table saw much more than my circ saw.
br /The first replacement tool I bought was this - a friend has the DeWalt version of it, which I like, but after looking around I chose this over it. I made the right choice. As soon as I got it home I tested it by ripping some 2" thick hickory and oak scraps into chunks for grilling and it cut through them without a problem (I used to only use my table saw for this sort of thing). This is a great saw, and even though it is heavier than sidewinder saws the increased torque make it much easier to handle, and to me the weight of it helps it track accurately. Last weekend I was ripping a lot of 2 X 10s to a 35 degree angle and ended up just following the pencil line instead of clamping a fence onto the joists - the saw just feels right, and that makes it so much easier to make a good cut.

I've been running my Skil 77 on the job for 25 years. I have never had any problems, except for a cracked (plastic) handle when the saw got knocked off the second floor to the ground below. It has been a remarkale tool! I only wish all tools were built as well.

I really like this saw. The blade is on the left, it is lighter than the other wormdrive Skil makes, and I can't get it to bog down or burn up. I have a Dewalt framing saw that I have used for years and love, but I like this one better. I do recommend the saw hanger, though. It is a nice accessory. You really can't go wrong with this one.
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br /PS. About a year ago the baseplate on my Mag warped. As these saws are used by quite a few people within the company I work for I looked at most of them and almost all of them have warped baseplates. I still like the saw very much and the warping wasn't that big of a deal to me. Must be the thinness of the 'plate and the lack of upturned edges that caused the warping. I just replaced it with a 'plate from a regular 77. Something to keep in mind as you shop for a saw.

I purchased my Mag 77 about a month ago. Having used sidewinders most of my life, I was skeptical at first. All my framing peers told me it was to heavy, etc. After everyday use for a month, I am believer. I should have made the switch years ago. Yes, the start-up torque twist does take some getting used to. The baseplate could be tougher, but if you take care of your equipment it will do just fine. Once you adapt to the worm drive gravity style of cutting, you'll never look back. I have changed over for life. My hat's off to Skil............

This saw is great. It is alot lighter that the old 77 but with the same awount of power. This saw will cut threw any wood like butter. I particularly never liked worm drive because they are way to heavy but this saw is a little lighter and feels good when i use it. It feels more like a 15 amp saw than a 13 but you cant go wrong buying this saw, its been around for decades and they probly all are still working

I recently purchased this saw, not from this website because they were not in stock at the time. I recently used this unit to cut some stringers and steps for some basement stairs. I have been putting off several projects because the power saw I have is a basic home owner Sears unit useful for light work but I would not like to use it for any heavy work...I am very glad I made the investment in this saw. I feel very confident in its overall construction and it just feels good to use this product.

There are few things you can apply the thought "buy it once" to. This is one of them. I purchased a Makita worm drive saw prior to this one, because it was cheaper and Makita has done fairly well by me over the years. "I feel" the Makita is unsafe for random framing use because of it's harsh torque on startup and the fact that I remove the guards from my saws. It's a good saw, I used it for a few years, until I tried a friends Mag 77. I bought one the next day. I still use the Makita to cut concrete and asphault because I just can't bring myself to use the Skil for that, it has such a precision feeling and function about it.
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br /Try the thin red Frued blades for ripping. They rock! Like buttah. It's like the saw has cruise control.

My crew and I could not be happier with this saw. You get effortless cutting everytime. This is a great Tool and well worth the investment. There is a reason that you see this worm drive skil saw at just about every construction site. It's the most durable, most powerful, runs the smoothest, one heck of a workhorse. I must say we are so impressed. pDo yourself a favor, invest in this saw, you will be glad you did! It is designed and built to last. The BEST of the BEST!

This is the ultimate in sawing machines. I do antique reproductions and this is the best hand held saw my hands have ever touched. Put a Forrest blade in it and you will not have to worry about the smoothness and correctness of your cuts. No doubt Skil is still the leader in this field.

The mag77 is an excellent saw, the only thing i have to say bad about it is the aluminum foot. It doesnt hold up to abuse as well as the conventional steel foot. I have been thru three of them already cause of bends and warping. Overall this saw is very reliable and much lighter than its counterpart.

While newer cordless models in circular saws are all the rage, and in their defense they are getting more powerful each year, nothing even comes close to the HD77M. The time tested worm gear design gives an order of magnitude more usable cutting power than either cordless or conventional direct drive saws. The durability of these also means that you will never have to but another saw again, just be sure to keep the gear oiled.

I have owned several Skill saws (worm drives) and this is my first time buying the MAG. I have used them a lot on the job site, unfortunately they were not mine. Even when my heavy saw was in front of me, I would still gravitate to the light MAG. I will never go back. Especially since my table on my last saw got all bent up, which seems to be the common complaint about this MAG.

This review is based on having used this saw, a Makita 13 Amp Sidewinder Circular Saw 5007NBKX4 and the Dewalt 364K 7 1/4 "Sidewinder" Circular saw.
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br /The Skil saw, as all the other reviewers have attested, is powerful and, because of its power, rewarding to use. However, it still has its limits. For example, I tried out all three circular saws on very, very GREEN hemlock 1x10 stock. Where there was "reaction wood", the wood tended to clamp closed as quickly as the cut was made. The Makita came to a complete standstill as the wood clamped down on the blade. The dewalt continued to spin, being among the most powerful of the sidewinders, but still could not be pushed through. With the Skil, on the first try, the blade came to a standstill as the engine continued to spin.
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br /We tightened the blade.
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br /On the next try, the blade squealed like a stuck pig, spinning with more authority than the Dewalt, but still could not produce enough moxy to finish the cut (maybe if the board had been clamped, two of us could have forced the Skil through). All machines have their limits. Despite the other reviews, don't think that this saw will make you invincible.
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br /That said, the three stars is for the shoddy shoe on the Skil saw. This is not a quality tool. Until Skil puts some serious thought into improving the shoe, save this saw for the butchering of 2X stock in big crews where production is paramount. The depth is difficult and inexact and the bevel gage is a joke. Worse yet, the shoe tends to warp on these tools (as was the case with the Skil saw I tried). It could not be relied on to make square cuts in our 4x stock.
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br /Buy the Dewalt if you are only going to have one saw and can live without the testosterone rush of the Skil saw. The Dewalt has an excellent shoe. It's depth adjustment is easy, accurate and without rival. It's bevel gage is also unrivaled and easy to set and reset. (Accurately setting the bevel on the Skil saw will require a separate tool or jig.) The Dewalt has power *and* refinement.
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br /If you are going to have two saws, however, then make the Skil saw your second. You will find a place for both.

I had to buy this saw when my sidewinder broke down in sub-zero conditions. This is the tool I had seen other carpenters use to gang-cut big stacks of plywood.
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br /I agree with the other positve comments. This thing is powerful. No sidewinder can compare. I still have a sidewinder but for continuous cutting under difficult circumstances this saw is preferred. It never bogs down even in the most demanding cuts but watch out for the kickback! This tool is legendary and for good reason. This is the one to buy for life since it will do any job and may never have to be replaced or repaired.

first powertool I bought to remodel my house - excellent investment. make sure to flush out old lube w/ kerosene as Mfg dictates. I researched this w/ multiple magazine reviews - best circ. saw for the money.

This is what Skil was trying to accomplish when they invented the worm-drive saw. The power-to-weight ratio is second to none. Many people complain about lugging a worm-drive around all day, and to them I say, "Try this one." The saw is nearly indestructible. Bevel settings on mine were dead-on accurate out of the box, and have stayed accurate through many hours of use. The only maintenance I've done is to flush out the gear case and replace the oil. It may not have needed it, but better safe than sorry. The seals hold up much better than its Milwaukee counterpart. All in all, I consider this THE framing saw....

I'm an experienced do-it-myselfer and I must say that after 11 years and 1000s of cuts this saw is worth every penny I paid for it and more. Still performs like it did out of the box! Spend a little extra, buy this saw and you'll be passing it down for generations.
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br /Post script: the switch went out after sixth year, but took me [for very little money] and 10 minutes to get right back at it -- LOVE THAT SAW!

This saw lives up to all of the expectations. It has a smooth start, and a consistent rip.
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br /I've used cheap plastic saws before, and this one puts them in their place.
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br /The other reviewers weren't joking when they say that you'll be able to give this saw to your grand-kids someday. Hands down, this is the nicest saw that I've ever used!

This is a serious machine. Forget about what you think about "circular saws", this weekend I was trimming (2) 3/4 sheets of plywood at a time, and it seemed as if it were cutting through thin air.
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br /I am very impressed; keep in mind that it is quite heavy, starts with a fair amount of torque, and cuts aggressivley, so make sure you eat your spinach.

I had to cut some lumber for footings that had just been cut from the trees one week prior and was never dried. My regular saw bound up and stopped frequently so I bought this saw. It made short work of the heaviest cutting I could give it. Heavy Duty is a great description. If you really, really gotta cut it, this is the tool. Well worth the extra cost if you want the best equipment.

I work with high school students in a theater scene shop, and we use two of these saws on a regular basis. Needless to say, these saws see some abuse along with its normal use, and they take it well. One advantage (especially for us "short reach" types) is that you can cut a 48" wide panel with one hand, and the saw stays put on the panel and true to the cut line. While the weight is a disadvantage for some, we find that it works for us by keeping the foot of the saw on the work surface - even the most timid students find that they can push the saw through the work with little extra effort. I appreciate its lack of kickback and steady power. Worth every penny we spent - three years and counting!

Skil cornered this market long ago, undisputed.pI would not buy any other manufacturer's 7 1/4" saw!pRemember to change the oilp ...

My father owns that saw he bought 10 years ago and it is still going strong as if were still new.He tells me that he tried other tools and they dont cut it. Were we go he brings that saw.brWe can cut almost anything with that,with out any problems.Im no tool geek but ever since i used this tool for the first time i fell in love with it and now i want to buy one of my own.For all you people shopping for saws i suggest you try the mag 77 you wont regredit it. I can garantee you will fall in love with.

One saw for everything - Skil worm; accurate, powerful and heavy. For trimming? Damn straight. Aim down, and just like the inertia of a Cadillac, it goes smooth and straight.
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br /Popeye arms a welcome side effect.
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br /Carl

I bought a Skill Mag 77 because of its weight and it was on sale. But I guess you get what you pay for. After a little over a year the saw is now dead! The motor over heated and seized. My Milwaukee is still going strong even though its about six years old and has seen a lot more use and abuse. The Skill always ran hotter than the Milwaukee but thought it as one of it quirks, now I know better. If my Milwaukee ever dies I will replace it with another Milwaukee.

If you're a carpenter, or a homeowner with stuff to do, this is the saw for you!! Light, well balanced, and powerful, this saw is excellent!