circular-sawpowertoolstools
I just purchased a new house that needs a lot of work. I'm looking to purchase my first circular saw. I'm in Europe and like Mafell, but I'm struggling to understand the trade-offs between their:
They all seem to allow for plunge cuts. They all seem to allow for cross-cuts given the guide rails. What other significant differences in capability to they have?
A knockout punch is typically capable of going through thicker metal - at the very least, it will do it faster. A quick search easily finds knock-out punches that can do 10 gauge steel, where most step bits don't seem like they'd do well beyond 16 gauge (though I can't find anything that really says the limit).
For thin metal though, the step drill bit is probably faster, if for no other reason than the setup/tear-down time of the punch (eg, after you punch the hole, you still have to unscrew the punch).
Knockout punch:
Step drill:
The SDS chuck system was the original developed by Bosch.
SDS Plus is an improvement on the original SDS system, but remains compatible with SDS bits, and is now the most commonly seen on the market.
SDS Max is designed for the heaviest masonry work, and is incompatible with SDS/SDS+ bits.
(source: wikimedia.org)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drill_bit_shank#SDS_shank
It sounds like for your application, SDS Plus would be the way to go, given that they are generally less expensive, and you don't have really tough masonry work to do.
Best Answer
You're right that you can do plunge cuts with all of them. The plunge cut saw is designed for more precise control of depth and position of such cuts. It's really more of an industry specialty tool.
It's not clear to me what the differences are between the cross cut and circular saws. I would have a look at them in person and see what features they each have. It appears that one of them may have an exhaust port designed to connect a vacuum. It may therefore be more expensive due to features that you don't need.
Nearly all professional carpenters as well as homeowners in my area used basic circular saws. Try to find one with smooth, quiet bearings and a good reputation for quality. If you need to cut cement board siding, purchase one with sealed bearings. If conversation is important, look for one with the automatic brake, which stops the blade fairly quickly after a cut.