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How to use a Makita circular saw

Updated: 21 October 2026

You have unboxed a Makita circular saw, and the first cut is timber you do not want to ruin. This is the setup for the three bare bodies in our [Makita circular saw comparison](/hub/power-saws/makita-circular-saw): the LXT DSS610Z, the CXT HS301DZ, and the XGT RS001GZ. How to use a Makita circular saw here means depth, support, the guard, and a blade change with the pack off. It does not rank the saws. Peter F. wrote this from the amazon.co.uk listings and Makita UK pages on 19 October 2026, with no lab trial. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

You have unboxed a Makita circular saw, and the first cut is timber you do not want to ruin.

Our top picks

Makita DSS610Z LXT 165 mm

Best overall

Makita DSS610Z LXT 165 mm
9.6/10about £119.00
View offer
Makita HS301DZ CXT 85 mm

Best value

Makita HS301DZ CXT 85 mm
9.0/10about £99.95
View offer
Makita RS001GZ XGT 185 mm

Rank 3

Makita RS001GZ XGT 185 mm
8.6/10about £214.99
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Fit the right pack, then set the shoe
  2. 2.Support the work and let the guard move
  3. 3.Change the blade with the pack off the shoe
  4. 4.Dust, noise, and the point you hand the job over

Fit the right pack, then set the shoe

The pack has to match the body: 18 V LXT on the DSS610Z, 12 V CXT on the HS301DZ, 40 V max XGT on the RS001GZ. They do not swap. If the case arrived without a pack, you are not ready to cut. Box contents are on the Makita circular saw buying guide. Loosen the depth lock, sit the shoe flat, and lower the blade until the teeth pass just beyond the underside. A mitre is shallower than a square cut. When Amazon leaves a 90° cell blank, use Makita circular saw depth of cut. The HS301DZ line has a dust nozzle, not a fence.

Support the work and let the guard move

Support both sides of the cut so the offcut cannot pinch the blade. If the waste falls away mid-cut, the saw kicks. The RS001GZ is a rear-handle saw. The HS301DZ is the compact body reviewers use one-handed on light trim. Do not copy that habit onto the XGT body. The guard should snap back when you lift off the work. The HS301DZ file does not give you a brake claim, so wait until that blade has stopped. If the guard sticks, or the motor smokes, stop and call a joiner. Reviewers say the DSS610Z will not clear a sleeper in one pass.
Makita DSS610Z LXT 165 mm

Testsieger

Makita DSS610Z LXT 165 mm
9.6/10about £119.00
View offer

Change the blade with the pack off the shoe

Take the battery off before you touch the blade bolt. Use the hex wrench on the DSS610Z or HS301DZ, or the offset wrench on the RS001GZ, and follow the manual. This page will not invent a thread direction the listings do not state. Fit 165 mm, 85 mm, or 185 mm. Turn the blade by hand with the pack still off, then refit the pack and let the saw reach speed before the teeth touch the line. Set the depth once and lock it.

Dust, noise, and the point you hand the job over

None of these boxes includes a dust bag. A blower or a dust nozzle clears the line. It does not collect dust. If you employ people, Health and Safety Executive limits are 5 mg/m³ for softwood dust and 3 mg/m³ for hardwood dust. Makita UK declares sound power of 94 dB(A), 86 dB(A), and 103 dB(A). Employer action values under the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 are 80 and 85 dB(A). Wear hearing protection on any of these three.

Common questions

How do I set the depth on a Makita circular saw?
Sit the shoe flat on the timber, unlock the depth control, and lower the blade until the teeth pass just clear of the underside. Lock it and look again. A square cut and a bevel are different limits, and Amazon omits depth at 90° on the DSS610Z rows, so use the depth-of-cut page and Makita UK when the listing cell is blank. Do not set the blade by eye against a sleeper the reviews already say this depth will not finish in one pass.
Which battery do I fit before I start?
Fit the pack that matches the body. LXT 18 V for the DSS610Z, CXT 12 V for the HS301DZ, and 40 V max XGT for the RS001GZ. An LXT pack does not belong on the HS301, which UK reviews state. The titles do not include a battery or a charger, so a bare box is not a complete setup. Take that same pack off again before any blade change.
What should I do if the guard sticks?
Stop the cut and take the pack off. A guard that stays open, or a motor that smokes, is a reason to hand the saw to a competent person rather than to finish the line. UK reviews describe a brake on the DSS610Z when the trigger is released, and the RS001GZ bullets list an electric brake. Neither fact repairs a guard that is jammed. Do not pin the guard up with a wedge.
How do I change the blade safely?
Remove the battery first. Use the hex wrench supplied with the DSS610Z or the HS301DZ, or the offset wrench supplied with the RS001GZ, and follow the manual for the bolt. Confirm the new blade is the diameter for that body, 165 mm, 85 mm, or 185 mm, and that it clears the shoe when you turn it by hand with the pack still off. Only then refit the pack and start the saw clear of the timber.
When should a joiner take over?
Call a joiner or another competent person for structural timber, for a fitted worktop when you cannot see the far side, and for work at height. Also stop if the guard sticks or the motor smokes. A measured board within the saw’s stated depth, supported so the offcut cannot pinch, is the job these bodies are described for. Depth you have not checked is not that job.

Related pages

Best Makita circular saw

Makita circular saw

Makita circular saw buying guide: platform and depth

Makita circular saw depth of cut: 25.5, 57 and 65 mm

Makita LXT, CXT or XGT circular saws: pack lock-in

Sources

Public UK sources and the amazon.co.uk listings compared on this page. Listings captured 19 October 2026.

  1. Makita UK: DSS610 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  2. Makita UK: HS301D (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  3. Makita UK: RS001G / RS001GZ (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  4. HSE: Wood dust (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  5. Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, regulation 4 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  6. Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  7. Which?: Dangerous items on online marketplaces (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  8. amazon.co.uk listings DSS610Z, HS301DZ and RS001GZ (retrieved 19 October 2026)