Diamonds in the Rough: If you have to cut concrete, masonry, and steel, here are four tough cut-off saws that can do the job.
Specs and Tester's Comments
Photos by David Sharpe
Long before I became a builder, I used gasoline-powered portable cut-off saws in the Air Force for crash and rescue recovery work to cut through automobile and airplane wreckage and buildings. I left the Air Force long ago, but not the saws. Now I build homes in Santa Fe, N.M., and work with as much adobe, concrete, stucco, and re-bar as I-joists and OSB. My Air Force experience gave me a real appreciation for these tools, so anytime I have to cut concrete, masonry, or steel I reach for one. It also showed me that nobody in their right mind would look forward to using them—they're loud, expensive, and incredibly messy, whether wet cutting or dry. But when it comes to cutting tough materials, they're also the best tools for the job.
Test Criteria
I tested four 14-inch-diameter saws for eight weeks with engines ranging from 64.1 to 81 cubic centimeters (cc): the Makita DPC7301, Multiquip Side Winder HS81, Partner K700, and Stihl TS 400. I cut concrete, masonry, stucco, and steel, evaluating the tools for power, looking at switches and balance, and checking for smooth blade-guard operation and easy blade changing. I also tested their wet-cutting capabilities and paid careful attention to serviceability.
Power
Everywhere you look in Santa Fe you'll find 4-inch-thick concrete slabs, brick and block walls, 8-inch-thick concrete walls, stucco, and steel, so they're part of everything I do. From cutting out window and door openings and plumbing access to demolishing buildings, these tools play a big role every day.
Concrete and Masonry. Brick, block, and stucco were no match for all four of the tools in this test. The same is true for short cuts in a 4-inch-thick slab; however, the 8-inch concrete wall (where we buried the blades on both sides of a long cut) brought out the tools' power differences.
The Makita cut-off saw was relentless. With a 73-cc engine, it was fast, smooth, and powerful. While the 64.1-cc Stihl was a little less powerful than the Makita, it performed well in every situation. The Multiquip and Partner tools followed next. They were more reluctant in 8-inch concrete and vibrated more than the other two models. The Multiquip vibrated the most, while the Partner cut the slowest.
Steel: Angle, Re-bar, and Structural Tube. As building designs become more creative, I find I am working with more steel, which overpowers my re-bar cutter and recip saw. Cutting 20-piece bundles of #6 Grade 60 re-bar was no problem for the cut-off saws. As for pipe and tube, it took more time to block it into position than it did to cut it.
