Dremel is best known for bringing the rotary tool industry mainstream and finding their way into the hearts and homes of weekend warriors everywhere. While Dremel has expanded their breadth of line to include oscillating tools they are now entering and looking to revolutionize the compact saw industry.
The Dremel Saw-Max SM20-02 ($129, Ohio Power Tool) incorporates the Worm-Drive technology, which allows for higher torque in a small package. Worm drive saws have been a staple of the post WW2 construction industry to this day especially on the west coast, this is the first time however we have seen a 3" version.
The basic kit comes ready to go with all you need for many project you may encounter in the short 48 hours we call the weekend. A multi purpose blade, a flush cut multi purpose blade, a diamond tile blade, and lastly a bonded abrasive wheel for metal cutting. In addition to the cutting blades this kit includes a clamp assisted guide for safely cutting 2×4’s and a vacuum attachment to help keep the dust contained in tile cutting and wood applications. (A must have for doing work in a co-occupied space of the home…… wives love a thin layer of dust covering everything in the house after a small tile repair job……trust us.)
The Saw-Max packs quite the punch for such a small package. Upon firing it up for the first time you feel the torque and immediately get the feeling that you are not holding a toy. Actually lower amp rating than some similar tools but higher torque thanks to the worm-drive system.
We put the Saw Max to the test with OSB Board, Porcelain Tile, Angle Iron, Stainless Sheet Metal, a 2×4 and a poor PVC downspout adapter. See all the demo photos here.
The 3” blades themselves performed pretty well. The multi purpose carbide blade provided the most versatility and speed of cut. Initial thoughts were that the carbide blades looked pretty weak, not much grit on there (see pic). We were pleasantly surprised, they ripped.
If you are going to be cutting quite a bit of metal make sure you stock up on the abrasive wheels. As with all abrasives they lose their diameter as they cut, and these are not very large to start. We actually felt that Dremel could provide a better abrasive wheel in this kit or at least more of them.
The tile blade worked as expected. If you properly score the tile and take multiple passes you are in real good shape. If you burry the blade and jam it through its not going to work very well.
The ability to make plunge cuts and small cutouts is just fantastic. This alone is worth the purchase in our opinion. Without the right tool a basic cutout can be a real potential problem. Dremel in general actually has several great options for this task including their rotary tools and Multi-Max MM20 ($99, Ohio Power Tool).
We also were very impressed with the tools ability to hold a straight line through the cut. With something as simple as a guide notch you have good control and feel while you are in the cut. For longer cuts the paddle lock is nice….. just be careful.
Want to learn more watch the video from the Saw-Max product manager above. Overall we really liked this tool for its versatility on many of the small jobs you will find in home repair or remodeling. Keep in mind, this tool in not intended for serious production jobs. If you are going to be spending your day sawing wood, cutting metal, or cutting tile please use more specialized tools that are designed for those applications. Talk to the Pros at Ohio Power Tool 800-242-4424 if you have any application questions. You will be much happier and the Saw Max will thank you for it.