Porter-Cable is back in the spotlight with a relatively new offering- a 15 Amp Heavy-Duty Circular Saw, model #PC15TCSMK. This professional grade saw is a great addition for any contractors or avid do-it-yourselfers looking for a dependable, lightweight circular saw.
Porter-Cable recently shipped us a PC15TCSMK as part of a test kit and overall, we’re very pleased with it’s performance. This saw has a lot of benefits- lightweight, powerful. Read on for the full, comprehensive review.
Porter-Cable 15 Amp Heavy-Duty Circular Saw Review
The Good: Lightweight; powerful 15 amp motor; 10′ long cord; comfortable design; excellent dust blower!
The Bad: Not suggested for cutting dense materials on a regular basis.
Overall: The PC15TCSMK is a great addition and go-to saw for typical cutting- dimensional lumber, plywood, etc; a great compliment to your toolbox.
Features Review
Lightweight
Weighing in at 9.5 lbs, this saw is light- especially when compared to some of the construction grade saws available. A lighter saw means you can use it all day without strain and it’s easier to maneuver.
Durable Materials
PC included a magnesium shoe, cast metal depth and bevel levers and aluminum upper guard. Metal parts are more dependable and longer lasting than plastic.
Design
The main and auxiliary handle are positioned comfortably and feature a soft grip. A large window makes it easy to see the blade and cut line. The whole tool is well balanced and very easy to use.
10′ Long cord
I also appreciate the extra long power cord. Check the competition and you’ll find a lot of 6′ cords.
Performance Review
Motor
PC included a robust 15 Amp, 5600 RPM motor that delivers lots of power. I used it to cut through several materials including pine 2 x 4 with no problem. This saw features a direct drive motor shaft commonly found on most circular saws. The alternate, a worm drive, provides greater torque but are heavier and more costly.
Depth & Bevel
There are two generously sized levers (rather than the plastic knobs)- one for adjusting the blade depth and the other for adjusting the bevel. The depth can be set to as much as 2″ deep while the bevel ranges from 0° to 55°. Detents at 22.5° and 45° make it easy to move between common angles.
Integrated Dust Blower
The integrated dust blower is very effective! It’s nice to use a saw that manages the saw dust so well.
What’s Included & Where to Buy
The PC15TCSMK includes Rip fence, Wrench, Kitbox and 24T carbide tipped thin kerf framing blade. You can find Porter Cable tools at Lowes, Home Depot, Amazon, and other retailers. Check Porter Cable’s web site for buying locations.
Specifications
- Amps: 15 Amps
- rpm: 5600 rpm
- Blade Diameter: 7 1/4″
- Capacity at 45° Cut: 1 13/16 “
- Capacity at 90° Cut: 2 3/8 “
- Weight: 9.5 lbs
- Anti-Slip Comfort Grip: Yes
- Blade Change: Wrench
- Blade Type: 24T carbide framing blade
- Switch: on/off
- Spindle Size: 5/8″
- Voltage: 120 V
- Power Cord: 10 ft
What do you think? Have you ever used this saw?
Wow only 9.5 lbs is great!
Ethan,
I’m curious, did you find the bevel adjustment easy to adjust and accurate?
Hey Rob,
PC included a large metal lever right up front to adjust the bevel- easy to grip. As you loosen, it slides to the next detent. It only took a moment to set the angle.
If the motor spindle runs on Ball Bearings, it is a value.
If it runs on bushings, it is more marketing crap.
Having a motor that will draw 15 amps, does not necessarily translate into more power, if the cord is for example a 14 or 16gauge wire, and on an extension cord a lot of that current is lost as heat rather than power. Is the cord head angled so it wont snag on the edge of your plywood when you are making a long cut?
But a 10′ cord is a plus.
Re:The Bad: Not suggested for cutting dense materials on a regular basis
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Why Not? Please explain, was this something in the paperwork or was this something you learned from experience?
@Alan- I’m still looking into your question about ball bearings vs. bushings. I didn’t have any problems with the cord getting snagged.
@Putnam- For cutting dense materials on a regular basis you should probably invest in a worm drive shaft saw. This is a direct drive- great for most other applications.
Re:For cutting dense materials on a regular basis you should probably invest in a worm drive shaft saw. This is a direct drive- great for most other applications.
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So what your saying is, in your opinion, sidewinders are not appropriate saws to be cutting dense material or is it this saw in particular is at a disadvantage compared to other sidewinders on the market?
I have many saws,both worm and sidewinder. My 15 amp sidewinders (Milwaukee, Makita,Porter-Cable, Black&Decker) have no problem with hardwoods and a couple(cheap B&Ds not going to kill a good saw) have even survived an incredibly long time cutting concrete. It’s all in having a little mechanical sympathy and adjusting feed rate to material, that and keeping a sharp blade.
By the way, most sidewinders are not really direct drive,that is, the blade is not directly attached to the motor shaft, but instead, they are driven by straight or helical gears. I would be really surprised if this was not the case with the PC15TCSMK
@PutnamEco, What I’m saying is that a worm-drive saw is more appropriate than a direct drive saw. Are you suggesting that a direct drive is the best choice for cutting dense materials?
Re;
What I’m saying is that a worm-drive saw is more appropriate than a direct drive saw
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You where not clear whether you were referring to the PC15TCSMK or sidewinders in general being at a disadvantage when cutting denser materials.
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Re:
Are you suggesting that a direct drive is the best choice
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A gear driven saw, whether worm, hypoid, helical, or straight gears are used makes a lot more sense, when the power profile of electric motors are taken in to consideration. Sidewinders are NOT directly driven, they employ gears just like a wormdrive does. the motor has a gear on the end that drives a gear attached to the blade. In line would be a better description of the drive style of a sidewinder saw.
I have this saw and can vouch for the review. For the price you’ll currently find on Amazon/Lowes, you won’t find anything this powerful with a magnesium shoe, metal adjustments on bevel etc, and a 15 amp motor. The dust blower is powerful (don’t use this saw from the wrong end without eye protection), and it made quick work of cutting doug-fir 4×4’s, 3/4 MDF. You get a pretty-decent view of the cut-line, and best of all, the measurement from the left side of the shoe to the cutline is EXACTLY 5 inches – making MDF ripping jigs of various lengths was a snap. Stock blade was okay, but switched to a 24T Diablo and now I have zero complaints. Best saw under $100 for sure.