Manufacturer
Model
Category
Power (watts)
Disk Size (mm)
Rotation
Speed
E.R.P. (Inc. GST)
Hitachi
CC14SF
2400
355
$349.00
Makita
2414NB
$399.00
GMC
MX355C
$0
DeWalt
DW871-XE
TradeTools Direct
TTD355COS
2200
$198.00
For comparative purposes we have generally placed tools in the following categories. Light Duty, Trade Duty or Industrial Duty however some tools may need to cross over between categories. Click here for an explanation of these categories.
In Brief.
All of the metal cut-off saws tested performed well with most considered quite suitable for their intended use. 2 products tested were clearly superior; the Hitachi CC14SF & the TradeTools Direct TTD355COS. If price is of lesser concern, the Hitachi is considered to be a slightly heavier duty machine than the others & seems to us a little more powerful. Hitachi has any vibration issues well and truly under control with virtually no vibration experienced during use. At just $188 the TradeTools Direct TTD 355COS is hard to beat however &, even regardless of price, this machine was perhaps the overall joint favourite. Like the Hitachi CC14SF machine, the TradeTools Direct TTD 355COS is heavily constructed. All machines have similar cutting speeds and noise levels. The TradeTools Direct 355COS is the only machine we tested that has a dual action guard completely covering the abrasive wheel. This machine has the more comfortable ‘D’ handle as also supplied on the De Walt. The GMC machine also worked surprisingly well & offered excellent value. We were a little disappointed with the Makita machine even though it is probably the largest selling machine of its type in Australia. It appeared less robust than most of the others but it did perform well & is known to be reliable.
What We Did.
We unpacked and examined each of the saws on our test bench prior to use. We recorded some of the more obvious visual details such as how easy the rear fence was to adjust and whether a 45 degree angle could be cut in both directions. Although we are not able to advise on how long the equipment tested will actually last in the field, we do examine the materials & overall manufactured finish in order to give a considered opinion of how robust each tool may be. We do not dismantle tools as a normal part of our testing procedure. For absolute fairness, each machine tested was fitted with the same make of abrasive wheel (model TTD MC356325). We took note of how difficult attaching the abrasive wheel actually was and whether the supplied tools completed the task easily or otherwise. We then accurately timed each machine cutting three different types of steel profile. The first profile cut was a 40mm x 40mm x 2mm box section. The second profile cut was a 25mm x 3mm round tube. Finally we cut a 12mm solid steel rod. We timed each cut with each machine on all 3 profiles. We also measured the relevant noise levels at a distance of 2 metres. The combined results for the abrasive wheel machines, both length of time in cutting each steel profile plus the respective levels of noise for all machines tested were, to our surprise, almost identical across the range.
Assessment Criterion:
• How comfortable was the saw to use? • Ease of use and reliability of the clamping vice? • Rear fence adjustment & ease of use? • Vibration level whilst cutting? • Our opinion of expected durability? • How easy it was to replace the abrasive wheel? • Did the machine have appropriate storage for the necessary wheel changing tools? We have given each machine tested our overall rating out of 10 based on the above criteria.