Porter Wire 12v ClampSaw Review

Porter Cable 12v ClampSaw Evaluation

In August, Porter Cable announced a fresh type of 12 Volt MAX lithium ion, cordless power equipment. These tools are small and light-weight with the product quality professionals demand. You can find 4 equipment in this series: a 3/8″ Drill/Driver (PCL120DDC-2), a 1/4″ Influence Driver (PCL120IDC-2), a Two-Tool Package (PCL212IDC-2) and a ClampSaw™ Package (PCL120CRC-2). They are made to tackle the most typical drilling, fastening, and slicing applications in little workspaces. Porter Wire was kind good enough to supply several tools within a test kit, therefore keep tuned in for more testimonials.

Porter Wire Cordless ClampSaw (PCL120CRC-2)

Nowadays’s post targets the Porter Wire ClampSaw, styled following a reciprocating noticed but much more small. Plus, it’s built with an adaptable clamping shoe.

THE NICE: Small; pivoting handle; clamp footwear; variable speed trigger; 2 batteries included
The Bad: Allen essential to regulate clamp shoe
Overall: An excellent tool to make on-site cuts; cutting little stock materials

Pivoting Handle

ClampSawPivot

The ClampSaw is little and compact, ideal for working in tight areas, and the pivoting deal with features three-positions for optimum versatility. Rotate between 0°, 45° and 90° by engaging the pivot discharge and sliding the deal with until it locks.

Design and Ergonomics

Porter Wire produced the ClampSaw to match right into your hands. The trigger, pivot launch, and lock-off change are placed for simple, one-handed procedure. There’s a cushty rubber grasp on the deal with and round the motor housing for the support hand; nevertheless, this saw weighs significantly less than 3 lbs making it user friendly one handed.

Clamp Footwear

The ClampSaw is known as for the clamp footwear that helps lock components set up and reduce work item vibrations. It is possible to adjust the footwear utilizing the included Allen Crucial, accommodating 2″ stock or smaller. It is a real benefit to make repetitive, on-site cuts, such as a plumber reducing copper pipe or an electrician trimming conduit.

ClampSawBlade

Blade Adjustments

I’m a large fan of tools which make it easy to modification blades and Porter Wire delivers. Rotate the blade clamp collar release a the blade. Ensure that you fully put in the blade shank and discharge the collar. Blades could be inserted the teeth up or down based on application. Be cautious as used blades could be hot.

Slicing

Porter Wire included a variable rate trigger permitting you greater handle, delivering around 3,000 strokes each and every minute and a 5/8″ stroke duration. It’s made to cut medium-duty wooden, steel, PVC, copper pipe, threaded rod, and much more. The ClampSaw carried out admirably on my check materials- 1″ copper pipe and tough plastic. The hinged entire body and clamp shoe furthermore make one-handed cuts easier. I also desire to talk about the integrated Brought that activates with the result in.

ClampSawBattery

Electric battery & Charger

The complete type of 12v MAX equipment has 12v lithium ion electric batteries, keeping charge for long periods of time. I really like that Porter Cable incorporated two batteries! Which means you can have a single in the charger as a back-up. Batteries recharge in half an hour in the integrated charger.

Adjust ClampSaw Shoe

Cost and Where to Purchase

The complete 12v MAX line simply became obtainable in October 2010. Search for them at Lowe’s and through the independent channel with a recommended retail cost of $129.00. Right here’s what incorporated with the ClampSaw package:

  • Porter Wire ClampSaw (PCL120CRC-2)
  • (2) 12 volt lithium ion electric batteries (PCL12BLX)
  • Electric battery charger (PCL12C)
  • (1) 4-inches wood slicing blade and (1) 4-inch inch metal reducing blade
  • Side-sided storage handbag

ClampSaw Specs

  • Voltage: 12V Max
  • Strokes/Min: 0-3,000 spm
  • Stroke Duration: 5/8″
  • Length: 9.5″
  • Width: 2 1/4″
  • Height: 3.4″
  • Weight: 3.4 lbs w/Electric battery

What do you consider? How can you place the ClampSaw to great use?

It is a silly device. The swivel ‘feature’ simply appears like it really is begging to collapse. Type of like those three place utility knives that should you apply any stress, leap the stops and result in problems.

Anytime you should employ one of the durable recip. saws, you’re working in a location that will require control that originates from a fixed device like a ‘sawsall’ type, this tool simply appears like it’ll cause problems.

WTF may be the cope with a “Depth guide”? Recip. saws aren’t plunge cutting equipment in virtually any shape or type. With that ‘guide’ expanded, it’ll probably take only 1 drop on its nasal area and then it really is off to the repair center.

The ‘clamping function’ for trimming pipe is iffy particularly if you need to transport around an allen wrench which in accordance with your post isn’t supplied. No electrician or plumber is usually gonna use this factor for cutting pipe. Enough time needed to take away the burrs for restricted joints in either plumbing or electric powered conduit work can make this a non beginner.

Even having the ability to invert the blade, the noticed is so heavy that cutting a present floor plate taken care of appears like it’ll just bend or split blades.

This is simply not a serious device for renovating or woodworking. Probably for pumpkin carving.

The swivel function seemed very sturdy if you ask me, locking securely set up. I doubt it’ll leap at all.

I wouldn’t utilize this to displace a heavy-duty sawsall nonetheless it can make a number of cuts (which includes plunge). The reversible blade offers you several different choices. The ClampSaw is made for light- moderate duty applications.

The clamping function isn’t a genuine “clamp”. It’s created for one-handed slicing and decreasing vibration. The Allen crucial is included (as mentioned in the write-up).

You can view the weight and measurements listed- you don’t think it’s that heavy?

Alan – I’ve tested this device as well also it’s really a good tool if you slice pipe. For plumbers and electricians it’s ideal for reducing repetitive pipe sizes. Allow’s state you lower conduit all day long or 3/4″ copper pipe, quite simple with this noticed.

DIY and homeowners….not necessarily much use within my estimation.

Lastly…it’s a fairly rugged tool rather than at all flimsy.

The next time you’re at the device store choose one up and test drive it out…you’ll discover why.

Ethan,
I stand corrected on the allen wrench, but there’s another little bit of stuff to transport around to employ a tool. Very lighting applications. This is simply not the type of device to recommend to a DIY’er, Yes, heavy with regards to dimension rather than weight, when considering the length from the motor situation to the leading edge. How many periods can you get to trim in the center of anything?

One handed? The kind of work which will be attempted may cause this device to jump improving the chance of injury to an individual. Simply it states that you ought to a 4” blade, people will see a lot longer blades that suit, and there you move. This is a traditional ”getting a hammer and everything appears like a nail”.

Todd,
This is simply not a DIY device in any sense. WHEN I mentioned earlier, I really do not really find this as a pipe trimming device either.

On copper from any noticed, this or recip saws will depart burrs which have to be taken out. On the exterior to obtain a smooth surface area for sweat connections. On the inside to get rid of water tumbling,in which a burr inside leads to drinking water to blast holes in elbows leading to leaks in supply collection plumbing.(I had this eventually me in my home)

PVC on the drain aspect has similar problems, Outside for glue joints., Inside to avoid buildup of spend in drains.

On conduit, the burr concern rears up on departing a burr inside to reduce conductor insulation resulting in shorts and or electric fires. On external conduit burrs will defeat water-tight couplings.

This might sound just a little picky, but if you don’t perform this for a full time income which nearly all DIY’ers be definition usually do not, it’s the little items that will bite them in the butt. Like getting rid of burrs from pipe and conduit prior to making connections:)
Pipe and tubing cutters have got remained exactly the same for yrs since they work.

This tool is targeted at the DIY marketplace, but is not for me the device for a home owner to spend their cash on.

This Dewalt Recip noticed is a better device. The shoe requirements no device for adjustment, the blade could be mounted in 4 opportunities. Yes it is additional money, but much better spent.
DeWALT DC385K 18-Volt Ni-Cad Cordless Reciprocating Noticed Package

Alan – I’m likely to consent to disagree with you. I in fact brought this device to two of my work sites and allow plumbers and electricians experiment with it. Each of them said it was far more convenient that attempting to use their normal recip saw for slicing pipe.

You’re right concerning the burs but this can ultimately be utilized for cutting materials to rough lengths, ditto they would utilize the recip noticed for.

I simply think you’re lacking the point with this one. It’s not really getting marketed to DIY’ers at all.

Simply my 2 cents.

This appears like a handier edition of a heavier recip noticed to me, and I love that it pivots.