Makita DHS660Z 18V Li-Ion LXT Brushless 165mm Circular Saw - Batteries and Charger Not Included

Product Information

Indication lamp for ADT: High torque = green light on, High speed = lights out, Overload alert = blinks green. 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 You could happily use this saw for fine or second fix work. Thanks to the light weight and accurate cutting guide, I was able to follow pencil marks without any problems at all. At first, I was disappointed that the guide was made of plastic. However, unless you’re using this saw for really heavy work or you drop it off a ladder, it should last for years.

Indication lamp for ADT: High torque = green light on, High speed = lights out, Overload alert = blinks green The first task was the most common one. Cross cutting through nice and dry CLS timber. In this case it was 37 mm deep and 135 mm wide. The first cuts were straight across at 0° bevel, then the same at 45°. 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 Makita DHS660 is ideal for a wide range of trades requiring a compact powerful saw. Unlike its brother in the LXT range the DHS680Z This machine features the blade on the right hand side.

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.

User benefits

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. 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 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.

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°.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 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. The compact and ergonomic design adds maneuverability and control whilst reducing fatigue to the operator. 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.

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. 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 Makita DHS660Z is a 165mm / 6-1/2 Inch Cordless Circular Saw powered by 18V Li-Ion batteries. It has a brushless motor with soft start delivering up to 5000 rpm. Equipped with an Electric Brake for safety and a LED Joblight to illuminate the cutting area in poor lighting conditions. Comes with a B-62979 25 Tooth 165mm TCT Saw Blade. The machine is sold as a Body Only without battery or charger in a cardboard box. Features: 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.The Ergonomic soft grip and overall compact & lightweight design gives the user full control and comfort 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. A brushless electronic motor runs more efficiently than brushed types. This can help reduce the tool's energy consumption. You can also get hold of a guide rail adapter, meaning you can upgrade this to a rail saw quite easily. If you’re planning on making lots of straight cuts, a rail is an incredibly useful tool. It will transform this handheld saw into a precision cutting instrument that’s especially good at cutting big sheet materials.