Makita 5007mg Review
The Makita 5007MG circular saw has a large fan base who all swear allegiance to this brand. It certainly seems to offer a good set of features. It’s a powered tool for the domestic DIY and the commercial market, having a 7 1/4″ blade driven by a 15.0Amp motor, providing up to 5,800 rpm.
Although relatively ‘new’ in the power tool market (compared to the other stalwarts in the game), Makita certainly seem to carve out a large customer base by delivering a powerful and useful circular saw with unique features.
So what can it be used for? Well, it’s built for framing walls, floors and roofs using a range of wood up to a depth of 2 1/2″. It will cut through LVL, PSL and I-Joists, headers, and microlams; as well as ripping panels such as plywood, OSB, particle board, and dense structural panels and it will also handle masonry and metal cutting.
So a very competent tool overall with a number of interesting features which we’ll cover in the next section. Comes as a kit as well as with various options which I’ll point out later.
Brief Summary of Makita 5007mg Features
- Lightweight saw, well balanced and tough due to Magnesium components.
- 15.0 Amp motor delivers 5,800 RPM
- Built-in twin LED lights illuminate the line of cut
- Large 2 1/2″ cutting capacity and bevel capacity (0° to 56°) with positive stops at 22.5°and 45°
- 1-year warranty
– For the best price on the Makita 5007MG, with Case, saving you over $100, Click Here – [NO LONGER AVAILABLE]
What Are the Details of the Makita 5007MG?
This is another beefy power tool, and like many others in its class, consumes 15.0 Amps to deliver 5,800rpm which is a nice speed to work at. Some of the more unique features include a Magnesium baseplate (hence the ‘MG’ in the model number) which means it’s a lot lighter to handle and easier to design a well-balanced tool.
Makita has certainly looked at the user’s viewpoint because they claim to provide a bigger clearance between the blade and housing for a clearer view of the blade as well as providing twin-LED illumination of the cutting area. It’s great that they have focused on this area since that’s where all the action occurs and where mistakes can happen!
A lot of users have specifically commented on the LEDS as being a very positive aspect of the tool, some even claiming they’ve used it in the dark! I don’t recommend that of course, but it does highlight the usefulness.
One or two others also talk of the dust-blowing system (or should that be dust sucking system?) that keeps the dust away from the cutting area (one of my pet peeves), so this is yet another plus around the blade area.
Others have commented on how well-balanced it feels, how it’s powerful and lightweight at the same time, so at least confirming the manufacturer’s claims. The rubber grips have got a positive mention as well as several others claiming a smooth start (ie not jerking in your hand when you press the start button).
A small number of people have complained that they have had problems with the guard especially when making bevel cuts, but as others have also pointed out, this may have been due to them not setting the cut of the saw to the correct depth.
As with other brands/tools, most complaints center around the supplied toolbox. “It’s flimsy” and it appears that for some users it’s difficult to fit the tool into the box. It’s difficult to judge these comments as some people (and I mean no disrespect) simply don’t have the knack required. Anyway, these are relatively minor complaints since it’s the tool that’s the most important aspect of your purchase.
Someone mentioned that different saw blades make a big difference in how loud the tool is. I’d never thought about that before, but certainly makes sense once you do – it obviously is greatly affected by the size and shape of the teeth. It’s just an observation though, not necessarily a negative aspect.
Talking of saw blades, we see the usual complaint about the effectiveness of the supplied blade. I shake my head in wonder at why so many manufacturers continue to supply cheap blades in the kit. It’s providing a stupidly poor experience for first-time users who know no difference.
Save yourself a headache and get new blades when you purchase the tool – some users swear that Freud and DeWalt blades are best, but virtually any of the branded blades will give you a better cutting experience.
Let’s now look at what you get, when you buy the 5007MG. Included are:
- the power tool
- 8′ cord length
- 1-year warranty
- one 24T blade (for fine woodworking)
- one blade removal tool
- case, with metal latches and space for extra blades
- rip guide/fence
A quick point about the supplied rip guide. It’s nice to see it included for a change but one user points out that it only allows up to 7″ or 8″ width to be cut. If you’ve checked out my other reviews, you’ll have noticed I’ve recommended a rip guide for those tools that don’t get supplied with one. That particular guide or fence will adapt up to 10″ in 1/8″ increments, so if you think you’ll be cutting up to that width, this is a good purchase for you too. Details are elsewhere on this page.
That’s it for this tool. We have specifically covered the Makita 5007MG and you can
– Find the best price on the Makita 5007MG, saving you over $100, by Clicking Here –
I need to make you aware that there are several variations of this tool which I’ll briefly cover. There is a similar, later model called the 5008MGA. This is the same in all aspects except that it has an electric brake fitted – for safety and maximum productivity. You can see details, reviews and pricing here:
– Makita 5008MGA, with Case and Electric Brake, and saving you over $100, Click Here –
There’s also a version that comes with an aluminum baseplate instead of Magnesium (so it’s heavier), has no pre-sets on the angle adjustment, and no rip guide or case, so it’s effectively the bare tool. You can see details, reviews and pricing on that one here:
Whichever one you choose, you’ll be saving over $100 in each case, so they are all a great buy. I hope this was a help in choosing the right model.
