Harbor Freight has announced a new Hercules 20V brushless 7-1/4″ rear handle worm-drive-style circular saw. Let’s check it out below. A huge thanks to Joshua B. for spotting!
If you purchase through a link on this site, we may get a share of the sale.
Hercules 20V Brushless 7-1/4″ Rear Handle Worm Drive Style Circular Saw
Worm drive circular saws represent serious cutting power. Put simply, when you need to cut a lot of lumber and you don’t want to mess around, you reach for a worm drive. What makes a worm drive saw different than your typical circular saw is that the motor is further back and instead uses a right angle configuration between the motor and blade. A worm drive gearing system is what connects the motor to the blade. Most cordless circular saws that have the look of a worm drive aren’t actually worm drive saws. That’s why they’re called rear handle saws because the mimic the look of a worm drive saw which also has a pushed back rear handle.
Not A Worm Drive
If you take a further look, the motor is where the worm drive gearing would be and the battery slot is where the motor would be in a worm drive saw.
Regular circular saws are sidewinders and that’s what this saw is. So, is Hercules lying? No, they are not since they are rightfully calling it a rear handle saw and are also saying it’s in the style of a worm drive. They never said it was a worm drive.
Features:
Even though not an actual worm drive, when you see a cordless saw that looks like one, you can expect some serious performance. Hercules claims this saw can handle all grades of lumber, including the toughest hardwoods. They aren’t messing around. No doubt thanks to a strong high performance brushless motor designed to chew up and spit out lumber. It has 5,800 no-load RPM and a 2-1/2″ max depth of cut at 90°.
It can bevel up to 53° and has bevel detents at 15°, 22-1/2°, 30°, 45°, and 53°. The shoe is a durable cast magnesium which is a strong yet light metal, though they don’t mention what the upper and lower blade guards are made of but they do appear to be some sort of metal. It also has a fold out rafter hook to hang the saw and onboard storage for the included blade wrench.
An electronic break stops the blade in seconds and LED light helps to see the cut line. It also has dust management with a side dust chute. A plastic tube is over the dust chute which they call the dust port in the manual. This dust port also connects to a dust hose (presumable to a vacuum or dust extractor) for better dust management. A built in dust blower keeps the cut line clear as you cut.
Priced at $149 as a baretool, this is easily not just Harbor Freights most expensive cordless saw to date. However it still represents a great value as it’s still priced much lower than its competition. For example, Harbor Freight compares this model to Milwaukee’s M18 Fuel rear handle saw which is priced at $279 as a baretool – making the Hercules more than $100 cheaper.
A huge thanks to Joshua B. for spotting!
MNFR Bullet Specs:
- High-performance brushless motor for powerful cuts through tough materials
- 2-1/2 in. depth of cut at 90°
- Bevel detents at 15°, 22-1/2°, 30°, 45°, and 53°
- Durable cast magnesium shoe with easy-to-read guide markings for safe, accurate cuts
- Blade is on the left side for clear line of sight when making cross cuts
- Electronic brake for fast blade stop
- Bright LED light illuminates work area for increased visibility
- Built-in dust blower keeps cutting line clear of sawdust
- Onboard wrench storage for quick blade changes
- Integrated rafter hook for easy storage between uses
Free 2 day shipping – Try Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial
DISCLOSURE:
Tool Craze does not sell this product or any product on the Tool Craze website. We do not handle the sale of any item in any way. Please refer to the About section for more info.
DISCLOSURE:
Tool Craze does not sell this product or any product on the Tool Craze website. We do not handle the sale of any item in any way. Please refer to the About section for more info.
You may also like:
4 New Ryobi 40V OPE Tools Including HP Brushless 850 CFM Backpack Blower
Milwaukee M12 Subcompact Brushless Impact Driver 3450-20 Review
Milwaukee 7-1/4″ 24T NITRUS Carbide Framing and Demolition Circular Saw Blade
5 New Ryobi Accessory Solutions Including Automotive Pressure Washer Accessory Kit
Leave a Comment