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Dewalt’s Atomic Circular Saw Review: Portable and Effective
Hey guys, Brian with Workshop Addict, and today we’re going to take a look at Dewalt’s Atomic 4.5-inch Circular Saw. We’re going to do some testing with the dust port connected without the dust port connected, test it out on some to buy lumber, and also run it through some sheet goods. So stick with us!
Overview of Dewalt’s Atomic 20 Volt Brushless Circular Saw
The Dewalt Atomic 20 Volt Brushless 4.5-inch Circular Saw comes in a variety of configurations, including as a standalone unit or as a kit, which includes a 5.0 amp hour battery, a charger, and a bag. The saw features a 3/8-inch arbor and can be a bit difficult to find blades for at your local Home Depot. However, we have included some links below to help you find a great selection of compatible blades.
Key Features
The saw features an inch and a half depth of cut at 90 degrees and is capable of beveling to 45 degrees. Additionally, you can adjust your 90-degree stop, which can be particularly helpful for those working in finished carpentry. The depth of adjustment is straightforward, and the ambidextrous safety makes it easy to activate.
The saw weighs in at 5.5 pounds and has an onboard tool with a spindle lock for easy blade changes. However, the tool does not fit overly tightly in its storage spot after some use, which might result in it coming loose.
Testing Power and Dust Collection
During testing, we found there was a significant difference in power when using the 5 amp hour battery compared to the 8 amp hour or 9 amp hour flexible batteries. The saw performed more consistently with the higher capacity batteries.
The dust port included with the Dewalt Atomic Circular Saw fits perfectly into the Dewalt Flexible vacuum system, making clean up a breeze. Throughout our testing, we found that the dust collection performed well, especially on regular cross-cutting tasks.
Dust Collection on Sheet Goods
However, the dust collection was not as effective on sheet goods. Larger chunks of material tended to fly out, and the vacuum did not catch as much of the debris. The dust collection system might not be as efficient for indoor jobs, but it still offers some level of assistance in keeping the work area clean.
Where the Atomic Circular Saw Excels
The Atomic Circular Saw is perfect for smaller jobs and getting into tight spaces. It’s lightweight and easy to handle but does not take the place of a full-sized circular saw. This saw could be a great choice for users looking to break down sheet goods or small construction tasks.
The forward handle is comfortable for those with larger hands, and the ambidextrous safety ensures easy operation for both left and right-handed users. The blade-left design is especially helpful for right-handed users who need to make precise cuts and have improved visibility.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Dewalt Atomic 4.5-Inch Circular Saw is a great addition to your woodworking or construction toolbox. It is perfect for small jobs and tight spaces and offers excellent performance when coupled with higher capacity batteries. The dust collection system works well for cross-cutting tasks but might not be as efficient for cutting sheet goods indoors.
Find the perfect saw for you by checking out the links in the description, which will take you to various purchasing options and accessories for this great saw. As always guys, we appreciate your time, if you could give us a like in this video, subscribe to the channel if you haven’t already. Thanks for your time and have a great day!
This post may contain affiliate links which means I may receive a commission for purchases made through links. Learn more on my Private Policy page.
Hey Brian. Thanks for the review. I've been using this saw on a near daily basis as a professional remodeler / contractor and although it does have a few minor quirks on occasion such as the vac adapter & allen key for blade changes needing to be better secured or stored separately to avoid losing. I've found it to be an incredibly versatile tool to have on the job site. I refer to it as my trim saw & it is perfect for flooring rips & fitment cuts. It's quick, lightweight & easy to use for accurate cuts in a multitude of materials. It's pretty much, my go to circ. saw on most of our remodeling projects. it takes care of about 80-90% of the tasks we use a circular saw for every week. It performs well and is a quicker & easier to alternative to my DCS577 Flexvolt for most applications, especially for the less experienced guys. Plus, you just can't beat the accuracy & great line of sight you get from using a blade-left saw.
Couple of tips- for best performance when cutting any kind of wood, I use the DIablo 4 3/8" 36T Carbide finish blade. Super fast & pristine cuts, with Zero Tearout (night & day difference to stock blade).
#2. You can actually get Turbo Diamond blades with 3/8" arbor or use an adapter from amazon etc. (3/8-5/8"). WIth the right diamond blade, it is actually capable of performing clean (dry) cuts in tile, Quartz or even 2cm stone on occasion.
#3. The factory blade or 60T HSS blades will also work well for cutting the newer types of shower waterproofing panels, kerdi, schluter, Wedi Etc. Even Cement backer board on occasion with the 60T.
Thanks for all your hard work, honest reviews & fantastic content!! Especially your dedication to producing high quality, entertaining & informative content right now, with such limited resources. It's most appreciated!!👍👍👍
Keep up the great work, you just earned another subscriber!
Totally useless in the Uk then? Considering majority of our timber is 1” 13/16 roughly. Only good for sheet material?
This is a jobsite tool, and a great one at that. It's all about weight. It will still cut through a warped two-by-four you just have to adjust the depth. This is a game-changer for certain projects especially building houses.
Instead of a friction fit hole for the Allen wrench, mold a clip onto the handle body so that the Allen wrench shaft can snap into it. This is not hard to figure out. Ever wonder why companies ignore the obvious and quite easy and cheap improvements to their products?
It’s perfect to cut away siding to make room for trim on new window install
I purchased an ATOMIC 20V MAX Cordless Brushless 4-1/2 in. Circular Saw (Tool Only) but had to return it immediately since the trigger switch does not keep the blade running, it shuts off automatically when pressing the fully pressing the trigger even when not cutting anything. Even the second saw I got when returning the first one that did not work, even the second one did not work. Had to return it also.
Is it more secure and convenient to handle than the regular 7.5?
can i use this as an angle grinder if i ever need to?
Do you think that the compact saw would be able to cut through a bamboo countertop? Or a regular particle-board style countertop? I want to try to cut down a bigger piece of counter for my very small laundry room myself. I currently only have a mitre/chop saw, and a jigsaw, neither of which would be useful to cut wood counter with. But I was thinking of buying this tool if I can use it to cut the counters. And for future projects of course! Let me know what you think?
Wait! You’re able to control your vacuum with your watch?!
This little dewalt saw it a beast at frameing demo! I got one and it gets into some tight spaces. Good purchase
Would you test it cutting PT lattice?
You are incorrect about those batteries being a "significant difference in power" from one to another. The difference with those batteries is the Capacity ONLY, the voltage that is supplied form all of them is EXACTLY the same. 5AH means it has a capacity of 5 Amp Hours, which means the battery can run at 5 AMPS for 1 hour, same for the 8AH, 8 Amps for 1 hour…as for the Flex volt, it only supplies 20V to this tool (since its a 20 volt tool), it does not supply 60 Volts. You are experiencing a placebo effect. Just because one of your cuts " sounded" different or felt different can be a number of factors, from how hard you are pushing, to how charged the battery is. It really makes people that say things like that about batteries sound not as creditable about the tool itself if they do not understand how batteries actually work. To many people talk about things they do know know about and convince others that they have to have a larger capacity battery in order to get the peak performance of the tool. this is un -true, anyone who says otherwise is lying. So in the end a larger battery only means longer run time, not Stronger cutting power.
Hello, bro. Would you tell me what is that screw located at the front of the tool used for?
i will buy one if i can find left handed right side blade
Does it come with a rip fence?
Does anyone know if this would work on Corian countertops (with the right blade)?
what is that remote power gadget for the vac…that stole the show..
A small saw like that might be usable for metal depending on rpms.
It amazes me all these videos and none on how to install the fence. Smh
setting and finishings for nail biting @unicef
Wish you used the 8ah for the long cut on the sheet of plywood. I find it interesting that the 5ah and the 8ah have a difference in power even though they are both 20v batts.
Best products vacuum system is a match.
I’m getting one now. I really like the slim compactness when I have smaller projects and I don’t want to haul around my circ saw.
Can it cut metal?
Especially if you're cutting 4 ft plywood you can reach all the way across
I think that would be a great panel or plywood saw mainly like a rip saw
I found this video extremely helpful and purchased this item due to your video review. The reason I bought this for my husband was to help him with a picked fence. The farm doesn't have available outlets so the batteries are a plus. Thank you for dropping all those jewels on the description below. Thank you even I can understand how to use this tool.
Man I be so bad with my money on tool spending I’m gonna have to start hiding my tools from my own DAD
I bought this 4 1/2 inch saw on a whim. I did not not need a another saw, but what the heck! Wow, what a great saw! It is my go to saw for most of my sheet goods and cut off needs. A great little beast of a saw.
Hi does the duct port adaptor allow us to hook up small dust bags ie – miter saw bags? Also what type of 2×4 wood did you use for the demo?
I bought this and it doesn’t spin when I try to cut something. Any ideas on what I might be doing wrong? It spins up until I try to cut.
Hope they're 99 bucks again soon
I think if you cut the sheet goods on foam board you might get better collection. The friction fit could probably be improved with electrical tape. I would like to see if someone could get this hooked up to a rigid vacuum as that seems to be the standard on job sites in my area.
Is there a bag with it ??
Ducktape
Just an update:
Home Depot in-store is carrying a Diablo 36T blade for $19.97
Havent used my wormdrive for a while. Wish it had a magnesium base tho.
What is the name of the dust collection remote control?
Can I cut through 4×4 with this
I really wish they put the blade on the right side instead of the left. It feels like a tool for left handers. Its awkward as hell to use in certain positions. I am not a fan of this saw. Its a great concept in size but it sucks for people used to regular circular saws. That allen wrench holder is a complete joke.
The ruler that came with it, how do you use it? Also, battery types that were used in this demonstration, links?
Duct tape on the dust hose