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Market Report: Sawing & Cutting Continuous evolution Phil Mist provides a detailed appraisal of many of the latest sawing and cutting tools available to the hire industry. Since last year’s Sawing & Cutting Market Report, there have been many developments, not least of which is the launch of Lithium-Ion technology in the cordless market. Batteries for powering cordless tools have never, since their inception more than 30 years ago, had a storage capacity sufficient for any applications other than drill drivers and impact drivers, despite the best efforts of development engineers around the world. The launch of Lithium-Ion batteries has finally changed this situation as battery-powered tools are evolving rapidly, and we can now look forward to new tools that are suitable for a multitude of tasks rather than just drilling holes. Many of these new tools will be reviewed in next month’s Power Tools & Accessories issue. Meanwhile, back with sawing and cutting, Milwaukee and Metabo have added circular saws powered by Lithium-Ion batteries to their respective ranges. These new saws, fitted with incredibly thin blades, will cut sufficient timber to make their use a sensible alternative to mains-powered electric saws. The 28V Milwaukee V28CS and the 18V Metabo KSAP18 saws are both fitted with 165mm diameter blades, and have a maximum cutting depth of approximately 54mm. The Milwaukee machine weighs only 4.3kg and Metabo claims that its machine saves 40% in weight. A double bonus This is one of the great values of Lithium-Ion batteries. Despite their power, a Lithium-Ion battery is much lighter than a traditional Ni-Cad or NiMH battery and, therefore, the machines they power can also be made smaller and lighter. However, the performance of Lithium-Ion tools in general is claimed to be in the region of 40% higher than traditional battery-powered tools. Less weight and yet more power is a double bonus. Continuing the evolution in the market is Hitachi, (www.hitachi-powertools.co.uk) which has just released details of two new powerful circular saws. The 190mm diameter C7BU2 and 235mm diameter C9BU2 look very much the same from a distance, and both have ‘go faster stripes’, as have many of Hitachi’s more recent power tools. A 1200watt motor that runs at 5,500rpm (no load) powers the C7BU2. It has a 66mm maximum depth of cut, weighs only 4kg, and has electric brake, a heavy-duty base, and its 190mm blade has a 30mm bore. I actually tested the C9BU2 235mm version and, having subjected it to a demanding series of operations, it came up trumps. The 2000watt motor (1670watt in 110V) provided loads of power, and the 235mm-diameter blade, which can cut to a depth of 86mm, performed well under load. Weighing 6.8kg, although this is probably without a blade fitted since the test sample still weighed 7.2kg, the C9BU2 feels good. It has a soft grip handle and is well balanced. It also has a safety switch to prevent accidental start up, a double lock on the bevel cutting adjustment and a rotating lockable knob for setting the depth of cut. The vibration emission figure for the C9BU2 is given as 3.5m/s2 and the sound power level is said to be 99dB(A). Overall, the C9BU2 is an impressive machine. Earlier this year, DeWalt announced the launch of two new circular saws that are only now available. The D23550 and D23650K saws have 165mm and 190mm blades respectively, both of which have a 30mm bore. The smaller machine has a 1050watt motor and a 1350watt motor powers the larger machine. The machines can cut up to 55mm and 65mm in depth respectively and yet the weight of both is said to be 5.4kg. A hands-on test of the D23650K was carried out and the machine definitely cuts well. It was not possible, however, to actually check the weight of the unit, but I can testify to it being a heavy-duty machine. Both units can be adapted to fit the DeWalt guide rail system that enables the user to operate the machines as an alternative to an on-site panel saw. Bosch (www.boschpowertools.co.uk) has introduced a new jigsaw blade for laminated boards. The bi-metal blade provides a faster, smoother and more precise cut in boards up to 15mm thick. The teeth of the new blade are pointed to ensure a perfect cut in almost any type of laminated boards, including ones with aluminium strips and sound insulation. Two types of blades are available, suitable for either straight or curved cuts in two standard blade fittings. New Bosch workbench Also launched by Bosch is the new GTA3700 workbench that can be used in conjunction with almost any bevel mitre saw to provide much needed stability in the material to be cut. Height adjustable, the GTA3700 has a newly designed safety lock on the mitre saw holder enabling the saw to be mounted in almost any position. An idea that has been tried before on jigsaw blades without any great success has now been introduced by Makita. The company is bringing the might of its marketing expertise to bear with the introduction of a range of dual pitch reciprocating saw blades. The new style blades have fine teeth at the top of the blade nearest to the machine and coarse teeth at the end of the blade. They are therefore capable of cutting both thick and thin material. The blades are supplied with a standard Euro fitting, and can be fitted to almost any reciprocating saw on the market. There are blades suitable for cutting mild steel, stainless steel, iron, plastics and wood in the Makita (www.makita.uk.com) range. In addition, Makita has launched the new 2704 table saw, which can be fitted to a new saw table with folding legs. The saw weighs 30kg and, as a result, the table underneath has to be substantial. It is precisely that, and in addition has five height settings from 300-600mm. When in the fully raised position, the P-63747 saw table stands 900mm high. It is supplied with wheels, can be folded away and then wheeled to the van after use. Incredible 135mm cutting capacity The Milwaukee (www.milwaukeetool.co.uk) STEB135 jigsaw has an incredible 135mm cutting capacity in wood, 35mm in non ferrous metal and 10mm in steel, is powered by a 720watt motor, and has a cutting speed that varies from 1,000-3,000rpm. It has a quick-change tool-free blade changing system, electronic speed control and soft start, and constant speed control when under severe load. Why anyone would want to cut 135mm thick material with a jigsaw, however, remains something of a mystery. With a vibration level of 9m/s2, the STEB135 is at the upper end of the vibration emission list, but with so much power available, cutting shouldn’t take too long anyway. The world of mitre saws gets progressively more complicated, and hard on the heels of both Makita and Bosch machines that had just about every feature imaginable in 2005, comes the Metabo (www.metabo.co.uk) KGS303 Plus mitre saw, which, for the first time, has a laser guide supplied as standard. With an 1800watt brushed motor, electronic start and a 250mm diameter 48 teeth blade, the KGS303 Plus has a huge cutting capacity of 300x81mm. It can tilt up to 480 both left and right, and can mitre up to 500 degrees to the left and 500 to the right. Weighing in at only 19kg, the Metabo KGS303 Plus is a compact, powerful yet lightweight saw. The wet cutting tile saw initially announced by DeWalt (www.dewalt.co.uk) towards the end of 2005 is now finally available, although 110V versions are said to be in short supply. The D24000 has a built in water pump, an accurate rail system, a 450mm mitre cutting capacity and up to 600mm straight cutting capacity. The maximum depth of cut is 95mm, which permits materials other than tiles to be cut easily and accurately. Weighing a fairly daunting 32kg, the D24000 is nevertheless still portable and looks to be an ideal machine for the hire industry. Powered by a 1600watt motor that drives the 250mm diameter blade at 4200rpm (no load), the D24000 in tests performed superbly. The market for tools used to cut materials of many types continues to expand, with manufacturers adding new machines and new ideas to their existing tools in order to keep up with the demands of the hire, woodworking and construction industries. The evolution continues and the hire industry must keep abreast of new trends in order to offer its customers the best equipment available. • Executive Hire News › Archives › June 2006 › Market Report › Continuous evolution
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