milwaukeedan Posted February 20, 2021 Report Share Posted February 20, 2021 Hi everyone! I have a question I've been meaning to ask about my Milwaukee 2630-20 circular saw that came with my 2695-27S 7-piece set. I recently made a computer desk out of douglas fir. The top of the desk is made up of three 2x12's joined together with wooden biscuits. I went to cut the table ends down to length -- from 8 feet to 6 feet wide. I made one cut and it turned out to be very choppy. It chipped up the wood almost an inch in some places, so I thought maybe I just didn't go slow or fast enough. I made two more cuts both slower and faster and same results. So I grabbed a corded circular saw and it cut almost perfectly. I did not pay attention to the blade in the corded saw -- I suppose I could go look, but the blade I used in the Milwaukee was the one it came with (it says FRAMING on the side) and that is the one that made a poor cut. It is the same blade as in the below video. Did I use the wrong kind of blade for this? Do I need a higher output battery? I thought the higher output batteries just lasted longer, not.... made something go faster. I'm using the batteries they came with -- M18 Red Lithium XC 3.0. Pics attached. Other than this, I completely love the M18 line. My packout chest is almost 6 feet tall, and I love that it's all on wheels! Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToolBane Posted February 21, 2021 Report Share Posted February 21, 2021 High output batteries (and just larger batteries in general) absolutely do help power output the more a tool’s power demands happen to be...but that doesn’t mean they are a necessity for moderate-draw power tools such as this. It has to do with batteries having an internal resistance, and the larger the battery, the lower that internal resistance tends to be. The lower the internal resistance is, the closer the battery approximates a perfect voltage source (behaving more closely to the simplified physics you might learn in highschool). Now you can definitely get away with a moderate-size battery for most use on a compact saw such as this, but a slight edge in power might be something you end up taking a liking to. At the same time, a lot of these power tools that may predate Milwaukee’s “High Demand” batteries may not actually be able to handle the additional current capacity for long, as they were engineered, tested, and optimized on smaller batteries. This has probably contributed to premature failing in a number of moderately-aged tools from various manufacturers offering larger batteries in recent years. So pay attention as you go. Stay aware of excess heat accumulation and such, and if it seems like the tool is being driven beyond its happy space, pull back on it a bit. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milwaukeedan Posted February 21, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2021 Thanks @ToolBane Ken! If I can ever bring myself to spend the ridiculous $$$ on the high output batteries I might buy a two-pack. I just wish there was a tool I didn't have that came with a battery just so I could get a two-fer -- like the promotions they have where "If you buy this, get THIS or THAT for free!". It gets a little annoying to keep swapping batteries between tools, especially if one is already taken up by a Milwaukee light or radio or... as for the choppy/sloppy cut, I might see if there are any different blades that will provide a smoother cut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToolBane Posted February 21, 2021 Report Share Posted February 21, 2021 No problem and welcome to the forums. You know, I think I must have been pretty tired or distracted last night and didn’t even realize I did NOT at all read your full post that well, and missed what your actual issue even was. So, more direct to your actual issue, a framing blade will definitely NOT cut as cleanly as a finishing blade of higher tooth count. Also how dirty the blade is can play a role. For your purpose I would also bother to spend at least a small premium on a good blade. Diablo is a pretty popular brand for that. You also want to make sure the direction the teeth are going is INTO the good side of the wood that you intend to keep visible. For circular saws that means the side you intend to leave less visible should be facing you as you cut. That keeps the tear-out on the side where cosmetic finish isn’t as important. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToolBane Posted February 21, 2021 Report Share Posted February 21, 2021 Yeah and now I’m finally realizing which pics are actually yours vs the infomercial...your blade is ridiculously worn down and should be replaced. Looks like you kinda had every worst thing possible happening at the same time with your cuts. I bet you were even doing cross cuts (meaning perpendicular to the grain). Wow...yeah I can definitely see how you were getting such extreme tear out. Yowzers! I hope it didn’t ruin you project! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milwaukeedan Posted February 21, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2021 Excellent recommendations! Yes, I was doing cross cuts. I'm going to order a few Diablo blades -- I was just looking at them at Home Depot today. 👌 Funny thing is I have barely used this blade prior to doing the cuts for this desk I made. And Upon further investigation the blade is definitely worn down. The metal even looks bashed in on some of the teeth. Live and learn... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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