The First Cordless Circular Saws

[BDFan1981]

Does anyone remember all about the first cordless (battery-operated) circular saws from the 1980s and 1990s?

The very first ones ranged in sizes from 3-3/8" to 6-1/4". The mini trim saws only spun about 1000 RPM compared to most 7-1/4" corded circular saws whose usual speeds were from 4500-6000 RPM.

I'd like to think the saws that use a 3-3/8" diameter blade should actually spin about 10,000-20,000 RPM to give the same approximate tip speed as the larger saws. However, I don't know if 15,000+ RPM would exactly be fit for a 9.6V or 12V battery pack.

~Ben

[oldtools]

I have an old 12V Black & Decker Multy tool, Drill, Router, Circular saw from the 90's?... Saw was under powered with a small ~3" blade, OK for molding work.
batteries are obsolete now. I think Makita had one earlyer

[BDFan1981]

I have an old 12V Black & Decker Multy tool, Drill, Router, Circular saw from the 90's?... Saw was under powered with a small ~3" blade, OK for molding work.
batteries are obsolete now. I think Makita had one earlyer

I think you're talking about the Versa-Pak system of battery-operated tools. A circular saw was among them.

Yes, Makita did sell something similar starting in the early/mid 1980s. 20K RPM would've been better, if not necessarily to the batteries.

~Ben

[Branson]

I remember the Makita battery operated circular saws from the '80s.   I honestly didn't see much use for them at the time.  There was little I was doing that couldn't be done by corded saws or hand saws.  I didn't think the batteries would keep up with my needs, either.  I carried two spare batteries to keep up with my use of the screw gun, and always used at least one of the spares every day (I was building theater sets and props).

Last year, I picked up a Makita jig saw from that era -- the 5 buck flea market price encouraged me.  I'm glad I got it now.  It's done  a number of jobs and done them well.  Still, I wouldn't want to have it as a primary tool.

[Bill Houghton]

I had one of those little Makita circular saws.  It was capable of cutting a wet noodle, but I could cut wood faster with a handsaw.

[pritch]

Those Makita's-were they the ones with the kinda long skinny battery? Blueish, if I recall? Seemed like everyone had those for a time, until the 18v DeWalts came around. Those DeWalts have seemed to be the industry standard for awhile now. We have a circular saw, but it don't really get used much for what we do. Pretty much only when it takes more than 1 or 2 cords to get to power.

[BDFan1981]

Those Makita's-were they the ones with the kinda long skinny battery? Blueish, if I recall? Seemed like everyone had those for a time, until the 18v DeWalts came around. Those DeWalts have seemed to be the industry standard for awhile now. We have a circular saw, but it don't really get used much for what we do. Pretty much only when it takes more than 1 or 2 cords to get to power.

Yes, that battery was also used in the 6093DW cordless "Driver Drill."

~Ben