There probably isn’t an angle this saw can’t reach — and with Tools-Plus selling it for $188, there are probably very few reasons for me not owning one right now. This Porter Cable “Tiger Claw” variable angle reciprocating saw boasts 180 degrees of adjustability on the rear gear housing and 360 degrees on the front housing. Both gear housings adjust smoothly on ball bearings, with 13 position stops in the rear and 12 positions in the front — that should just about cover every conceivable angle.

An 11.5A variable 0-2900 SPM motor powers the saw, which has a cutting stroke of 1-1/4″. A detachable “Quik-Change” front shoe, to utilize more teeth in the cutting action, and “Quik-Change” keyless blades make this saw truly variable.  You also get blades, a heavy-duty case, and a one year limited warranty.

Tiger Claw [Porter & Cable]
Porter Cable 9750 [Tools-Plus]
Street Pricing [Google Products]

Silky makes some of the sharpest and most convenient folding pull saws you can buy, for anything from yard work to trim carpentry. My bleeding thumb can attest to the sharpness of at least one of their saws, the general purpose Gomboy 210.

Silky impulse-hardens their blades’ teeth to create a point that’s harder than a file without reducing the flexibility of the saw’s back. And to prevent binding, they grind down the saw back to be less thick than the teeth. One downside: you can’t resharpen the blades, but replacement blades are readily available.

The saw cuts aggressively, but smoothly. With the rubber-coated handle, you can draw the blade without much effort, even one-handed. Silky treats all the metal surfaces for rust resistance, and they package the knife with a plastic case to protect it from the elements.

Street pricing on the Gomboy 210 is about $30. Check out Silky’s corporate site to see the variety of different styles — just watch your fingers.

Silky [Corporate Site]
Street Pricing [Google Products]
Via Amazon [What’s This?] (B000658GXC) [What's This?]

If you think a chain mortiser looks like a cross between a chainsaw and a drill press, you’ve just about pegged it. These tools speed up post and beam construction, and they look bad-ass.

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Call it what you like — Sabre, Sawzall, Recipro — I call the reciprocating saw a must-have tool.  Since Milwaukee Tools originated it, I’m not surprised that they’re the first to add a 360-degree rotating handle.

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Proxxon’s FKS/E table saw may look like a toy, but it’s a fully functioning miniature table saw.  When you’re making a scale model, a tiny error can be like flubbing a cut by a whole inch at full scale. To help model makers make exact cuts, Proxxon has been building precision power tools like this one for 30 years .

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Stanley says this new flooring saw is perfect for cutting dovetails, miters, and tenons — the bread and butter of custom flooring installation. Having never really done any myself, I can’t speak to the saw’s functionality. But I do like the idea of the angled handle.

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In a perfect world every corner in a room would be a perfect 90° angle. Anyone who’s ever installed crown molding in an old house knows it’s not a perfect world. The Magic Mitre helps you make custom inside and outside mitre cuts for odd joints that would otherwise require some fudging.

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If you’ve ever wanted to cut up some wood without being tied down to an electrical outlet, Bosch has what you need — a cordless miter saw featuring the fantastic 18V BlueCore battery technology. You can make about 100 cuts in 1″x6″ pine on a single charge, and the battery juices back up in an hour. Bosch thoughtfully offers the saw in a “B” version, without battery and charger.

Street pricing for the 3918 is about $290, or you can get the 3918B for about $220. What will the folks at Bosch think of next?

Bosch 3918 Miter Saw [Bosch]
Bosch 3918B (sans battery) [Bosch]
3918 Street Price [Google Products]
3918B Street Price [Google Products]
Via Amazon [What's This?]

Emson claims their “As Seen on TV” MXZ Pocket Saw cuts though almost anything — metal, bricks, wood, and maybe even tomatoes. I’m a bit skeptical of all infomercial tools, but this three-position locking saw blade with a tungsten carbide edge “that never needs sharpening” still caught my eye.

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The twilight of modern man is upon us. Yes, Toolmongers, for just $20 you can have your very own laser-guided hand saw. How did you ever live without this? How could you go on living now that you’ve seen it and still don’t have one? Steal from the kids collage fund – shank someone if you must — but be sure not to miss this beauty.

Seriously – does someone honestly think this is a good idea? Of course now that I’ve tipped my hand and called it stupid, it’ll surely sell 10 million this holiday season. Personally, I’m holding out for a laser guided screwdriver.

Laser Guided Hand Saw [Collections Etc.]
Street Pricing [Google Products]

If you’re in the market for a chainsaw this season — they’re great for chopping up the Christmas tree in January so the local trash guys’ll pick it up — you might want to check out Amazon’s current $80 deal on this Black & Decker cordless — with free shipping.

This light-weight (just 6.2 pounds) saw is powered by an 18V NiCd battery which will net you around 150 1-1/2″ diameter cuts per charge. It also features an eight-inch cutting bar, which yields a seven-inch cutting diameter, plus hassle-free on-board blade oiling, a wrap-around handle for multiple gripping positions, and a lock-off switch to prevent accidental start-ups.

You also get a blade cover and a two-year warranty.

Via Amazon [What's this?]
CCS818 Cordless Chainsaw [Black & Decker]
Street Pricing [Google Products]

The factors that lead to a tool purchase are often much simpler than tool companies might imagine. For example, a few weeks ago when I was picking out a pull saw at the local big box, the final push that led me to whip out my wallet and buy was the fact that one model included a case while the other didn’t.

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Everyone loves a quality combo tool. But here’s a combination tool that I don’t quite understand: a multi-driver/saw blade holder. I can’t think of a job for which I’ve ever needed just a saw and a screwdriver without also requiring a box full of tools. Also, I’m not exactly how they get four (”Quad”) tools out of this device. I only recognize two: a multipurpose blade holder, and a multibit screwdriver.

I do like the fact that its handle locks into both straight and pistol grip positions. At one end of the handle there’s a quick-change locking chuck that holds standard recip saw blades, and there’s a magnetic bit holder. The cap at the other end holds seven insert bits inside the handle. All the blades, the magnetic bit holder, and the handle fit into the handy carrying case.

Lets tally the included pieces: three reciprocating saw blades (drywall, metal, wood), seven insert bits, a 1/4” socket adapter, a 4” magnetic insert bit holder, dual position locking handle, and travel holster with belt clip. That’s 14 pieces if you include the holster. All this can be yours for $17.

But is this multi-tool something you’d use, or is it just another poorly thought out marketing gimmick? Let us know in comments.

Quad Saw/Driver [Manufacturer]
Street Pricing [Google Products]
Via Amazon [What's this?]

Often cordless tools serve as the “little brothers” of their more powerful corded siblings. But recent advances in battery technology have enabled tools that break that mold — like Ridgid’s MaxSelect reciprocating saw. Though it accepts the older Ridgid 18V NiCd batteries (use ‘em if you got ‘em), slapping in the latest 24V lithium-ion pack makes it really shine. Read on past the jump to see if the Ridgid can stand up to some major demolition testing.

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Ingersoll Rand is well known for their line of pro-level pneumatic tools. But they’ve made a name for themselves with impact drivers of all types. So when these guys come out with a line of cordless tools that includes high-powered wrenches and ratchets as well as drills and grinders – we noticed.

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What’s worse than having to break out the chainsaw in the bitter cold to cut up firewood that’s too small for an ax? Having to clean and service the saw afterward because you dug it into the dirt, that’s what. The Chainsaw Buddy let’s you cut the little stuff on any surface without digging, keeping your chain sharper (and cleaner) longer.

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This is the perfect saw if you have a little do-it-yourselfer between the ages of four and eight in your house. The “My First Craftsman” Circular Saw is available for $2 (and $5 for shipping) over at KB Toys. The saw features realistic sounds, a motorized plastic “blade”, a simulated laser guidem, and to start good safety habits early, a set of safety glasses.

If only the real “grown up” toys were as inexpensive.

My First Craftsman Circular Saw [KB Toys]