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How to use a Makita cordless saw

Updated: 21 October 2026

You have the saw on the bench and a board that still needs a straight cut or a plunge through a pallet. How to use a Makita cordless saw, in this set, means the same sequence on a DSS610Z or a compatible 18 V circular: pack off for the blade, depth set to the timber you measured, work supported, guard free to move. Prices live on the [Makita cordless saw comparison](/hub/power-saws/makita-cordless-saw). This page does not pick a winner. Peter F. based the steps on Makita UK figures and on faults UK reviewers describe, as listed on 20 October 2026. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

You have the saw on the bench and a board that still needs a straight cut or a plunge through a pallet.

Our top picks

Makita Makita DSS610Z

Best overall

Makita Makita DSS610Z
9.6/10about £119.00
View offer
OHAISFELA OHAISFELA YYQH-RS18-MT

Rank 2

OHAISFELA OHAISFELA YYQH-RS18-MT
6.5/10about £59.99
View offer
CISSIYOG CISSIYOG LM01-5inCircleSaw

Best value

CISSIYOG CISSIYOG LM01-5inCircleSaw
8.9/10about £39.99
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Take the pack off before the blade comes off
  2. 2.Set the depth on the board you are about to cut
  3. 3.Support the work, then make the cut
  4. 4.Reciprocating cuts, and when you stop

Take the pack off before the blade comes off

Start with the battery on the bench. The DSS610Z at £119.00 is a bare body, so the pack was never in the box. Loosen the bolt with the wrench in the box, then spin the new blade by hand before the pack goes back on. A wood blade on a nail-heavy pallet loses teeth quickly. The £45.99 CISSIYOG lists a diamond blade, which does not make that saw a tile cutter. A 12 V HS301DZ will not take an 18 V LXT pack. The buying guide separates that before you reach the bench.

Set the depth on the board you are about to cut

Makita UK states 57 mm at 90° for the 165 mm DSS610, and 25.5 mm at 90° for the 85 mm HS301D. The HS301DZ bullets print the 45° number and leave out the 90° number, so you set the shoe on the board. A tooth should drop about one tooth past the underside. Confirm that on a scrap. A sleeper will not fall in one DSS610Z pass. A 32 mm board is already past the HS301DZ. The DSS610Z bevels to the left, up to 45°. The HS301DZ bevels to the right. If the depth screw feels gritty, stop winding.
Makita Makita DSS610Z

Testsieger

Makita Makita DSS610Z
9.6/10about £119.00
View offer

Support the work, then make the cut

If both ends of a board are trapped, the kerf closes and the blade pinches. Support the piece you are keeping and stand out of line with the blade. The DSS610Z rip fence repeats a width. The HS301DZ has no fence, so a clamped straight edge guides a sheet. Let the blade reach speed first. Makita UK lists 94 dB(A) for the DSS610 and 86 dB(A) for the HS301D. HSE action values are 80 and 85 dB(A), so hearing and eye protection go on first. A blower clears the line and does not collect dust. If a safety switch does not lock, stop.

Reciprocating cuts, and when you stop

Pack off before a recip blade too. The OHAISFELA at £59.99 states a 20 mm stroke and four blades. A UK review says the label reads 3,000 strokes per minute, not 3,500. The Builrand at £48.99 lists eight blades and does not state a stroke. The CSE002 is a 15 cm pruning head, not a sheet saw. Call someone for structural timber or hidden services. Settle the cut on the circular or reciprocating saw page first.

Common questions

Do I remove the battery to change a circular saw blade?
Yes. Take the pack off and set it aside before you loosen the bolt, on the DSS610Z, the HS301DZ and every compatible body here. The DSS610Z ships with a hex wrench and a blade, and no battery in the £119.00 title. Spin the new blade by hand, pack still off, to confirm it clears the guard. Only then do you refit the pack and check that the lock-off actually locks.
How deep should I set a DSS610Z for a 20 mm board?
Makita UK allows up to 57 mm at 90° on the 165 mm blade, which is more than a 20 mm board needs. Set the shoe so a tooth projects roughly one tooth below the underside, and confirm it on a scrap. At 45° the stated depth falls to 40 mm, and at 50° to 36 mm, so a bevelled cut needs a fresh check. Extra depth only exposes more tooth. It does not make a thin board cut cleaner.
What do I do if the guard does not spring back?
Stop, take the pack off, and clear the dust or splinter holding it. Do not tie the guard open. UK use of the DSS610Z describes a dust port and a blower for the line of sight, not a reason to defeat the guard. If the return spring is broken, that saw stays out of service until it is repaired. A compatible body with no parts supply is often a replacement rather than a weekend repair.
The listing says brushless. Does that change how I cut?
It does not change the sequence. Pack off, correct blade, supported work, guard free, hearing protection on. Makita UK does not call the DSS610 or the HS301D brushless, despite Amazon cells that say otherwise. A brushless word on a third-party title is not a reason to push harder. If the motor smells hot or the cut blackens, you are asking too much of that body, which is how a four-month burn-out starts in the LengSuaa review.
When should I stop and call someone?
Stop when the timber is holding up a structure, when the wall may contain cables or pipes you cannot trace, or when you need an exposure figure for vibration at work. HSE action values and Makita UK noise numbers describe risk. They do not turn a DIY body into a site method. A failed safety switch, as described on the luolety listing, is a stop as well, not a workaround with tape.

Related pages

Best Makita cordless saw

Makita cordless saw

Makita cordless saw buying guide: cut, pack, depth

Circular or reciprocating saw on Makita 18 V packs

Makita compatible saw vs genuine: £40 or £119 body

Sources

Public UK sources and the amazon.co.uk listings in this comparison. Prices, stars and review counts are the stored listing figures for 20 October 2026. There was no lab cut.

  1. Makita UK, DSS610 (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  2. Makita UK, HS301D (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  3. Makita UK, DHS680 (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  4. Makita UK, DJR187 (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  5. HSE, wood dust (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  6. HSE, noise duties for employers (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  7. HSE, hand-arm vibration (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  8. Consumer Rights Act 2015 (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  9. amazon.co.uk, Makita DSS610Z (retrieved 20 October 2026)