Makita DHS680Z 18V Cordless Brushless Circular Saw Naked Body Only, Blue, 165 mm

Product Information

BTW there's nothing wrong with the DHS680 - I use one regularly as my "go to" saw and it's a really good little saw which I wouldn't do without. To make things easier if you’re working in low light conditions, the saw comes with a pair of bright LED lights. They switch on when you’ve pressed in the safety switch and lightly touch the trigger. It’s handy that you can switch the lights on without running the saw blade, it should make lining up cuts a bit easier. Makita s brushless motor enhances operational performance as well as battery longevity. This enables a Makita 3Ah battery to give users as much work as some competitor s 4Ah products.

If I was going to buy a cordless saw for working away from the national grid or up a ladder, this would be it. I then moved on to something quite literally a bit harder. Some dry English oak I milled up a couple of years ago. I made several of the same 0° cross cuts to test the saw This and motor a bit more. Another handy new feature is the battery state indicator which uses 3 LED lights to illuminate the amount of battery charge you have left so you'll never be caught without power just when you need it The saw actually feels a bit too light when you’re making 45° bevel cuts. Doing them freehand takes a bit more practice as it doesn’t sit quite as firmly as the heavier saws I’ve tested out. This is where having a saw guide really helps. You’re also quite limited for depth as the blade only drops down to 41 mm at 45°.One thing that is completely new to me is the inclusion of the strong foldaway bent steel hook on the body. I didn’t use it at all because I am mostly based at ground level. At first I viewed the hook with some skepticism, but after I tried it in various set ups I realized that it could be useful for some trades, especially those working at height in a loft conversion for example. If it really got in the way it is possible to remove it, so no harm done. Or get a Makita model without the hook. Wow! It’s probably thanks to the fantastic Efficut blade and the tiny 1.4 mm kerf that means this saw leaves the most wonderfully clean cuts I’ve ever seen from a circular saw. So long as you let the blade over run the timber slightly, the finish is superb with just the tiniest tufts of wood fibre left on the end of the timber. The DHS680 is Makita's first brushless circular saw, which becomes one of the latest member of Makita's impressive line up of 18v Lithium-ion cordless tools. Boasting a brand new brushless motor and some new in-built features, the DHS680 looks set to become one of the most popular cordless circular saws on the market. Comes supplied body only in a MAKPAC type 3 carry case with inlay. The DHS680 is Makita's first brushless circular saw, which becomes one of the latest member of Makita's impressive line up of 18v Lithium-ion cordless tools. Boasting a brand new brushless motor and some new in-built features, the DHS680 looks set to become one of the most popular cordless circular saws on the market MAKITA DHS680Z FEATURES One of my favourite safety features of this circular saw is also one of the simplest. It solves the age old problem: what to do with your saw when you’re up a ladder and need both hands. It’s basically a bit of bent metal called a rafter hook. All you do is fold out the rafter hook when you need somewhere to hang your saw, and you’re free to concentrate on the task at hand.

Then it was on to something that not all the saw blades I have are designed for. Rip cuts along the grain of the wood are much harder, so I made use of the saw guide to see if it kept things straight.Having a brushless motor is another key feature that increases power and performance. These sealed motors are impervious to dust, use less power and generate less heat, so all the extra energy goes into improved performance. This is a win-win for end users and also one of the reasons why the new generations of cordless tools are so much better than previous ones. The CLS timber at 0° was cut incredibly clean, but what really wowed me was how it performed in the English oak. I expected good things, but this cordless saw left a finish to rival the corded Makita saw. It was superbly tidy with fine edges that you could slap some wax on, and call finished! The plastic cut guide at the front of the saw is easy to read and has an accurate feel. You simply line up the straight edge of the little notch, and that’s your cut line. It’s much more intuitive compared with some of the competition. It takes out the guesswork of where the blade will precisely hit the timber. The other handy little feature that this saw has is a dust blower. Essentially, it’s a small open port on the front of the blade cover that makes sure dust doesn’t stay on your cut line. I’m always a fan of these little elements that make the job just that little bit more convenient.

The 5,000 rpm speed ensures efficient and smooth cuts and the blade brake is a handy addition too. A 24 tooth TCT thin kerf blade fitted as standard reduces cutting friction to a minimum and gives maximum battery life. The handles are as comfortable as to be expected from Makita. I’ve always liked that they print the material type on the parts. I know for a fact that the lovely grip shape and feel comes from thermoplastic elastomer, a mixture of plastic and rubber that is ideal for these sorts of parts. The Ergonomic soft grip and overall compact & lightweight design gives the user full control and comfort

There are a few more plastic elements on this saw than you might expect from a Makita tool. It’s not heavy duty compared with the Makita HS7061J, but Makita have compromised on rugged durability to keep the weight right down. It’s metal where it counts though- the blade cover is aluminium, a much more durable choice than the plastic chosen by Ryobi. Highly efficient brushless motor, that has several benefits over the non brushed equivalent. Firstly, because their are no brushes within the motor, none of the battery power is wasted on creating the heat and friction that happens when using brushes, so consequently the battery lasts longer (per charge) and the energy created by the battery is far more efficient, allowing your tool to achieve higher capacities, so this saw will be able to cut longer, faster and into tougher materials Dust collection via the optional vac port with a vacuum extractor is very efficient where you have access to mains power for the extractor. And seeing as the motor is on the right, you can use a roofing square or other set square to chop a parallel crosscut in no time at all. If you’re ganging up work, it saves a noticeable amount of time. Another benefit of the brushless motor is that, because there are no moving/touching parts in the motor there is nothing wearing away at anything else and getting damaged. Your motor is actually going to be kept in far better condition than before