SKIL PWRCORE 20 Cordless Reciprocating Saw (RS5884)

The RS5884 is the largest cordless reciprocating saw from SKIL. Its brushless motor ensures a long life without needing to swap brushes periodically.

Brushless is all the rage these days; but have you every wondered what a ‘brushless’ motor really is?

Power sources (like batteries or a cord to the wall) are stationary. Spinning motors are not. So how to transfer electricity from a stationary source to a spinning motor?

Brushes.

Brushes aren’t sweepy things like you might be envisioning. Rather, they’re conductive bits of solid carbon that glide along a motor’s ‘commutator’, which is a spinny bit that accepts the current from your power source.

These brushes are made to be the weakest point and to eventually wear down. They’re easily replaceable but still present as an extra cost. Also, if you neglect to replace them (and most of us do), the motor can be damaged beyond repair.

That’s where brushless motors come in. They take the hassle out of replacing (or remembering to replace) brushes so we can get back to making mounds of sawdust.

The SKIL RS5884 includes this brushless technology that is becoming more commonplace than not. With a suitably sized battery, this saw can tackle most jobs you’d encounter.

Keep in mind that a cordless tool’s power output is a direct function of the battery size you attach. A smaller 2.0Ah battery will suffice for one-off jobs around the house but consider a larger 5.0Ah battery for marathon session of cutting through angle iron or steel pipe.

The RS5884 comes equipped with a PWRASSIST Mobile Charging attachment. This is a nifty accessory that turns any SKIL battery into a USB power pack for all of your mobile devices. If your phone or tablet is running low on juice, just plug them into the SKIL’s battery and you’ll be good to go.

The saw comes equipped with a variable speed function, which is controlled with the trigger. A light touch will keep the blade speed slow (better for metal) and a full squeeze will send the blade to maximum spm (better for wood or other soft materials).

Regarding cut quality, the SKIL includes an orbital setting to take the aggressiveness up a notch. Use the standard linear setting for tougher materials like metal but switch over to the orbital setting to plow through softer materials faster. The orbital setting is easily actuated via a lever on the side of the saw.

Changing blade is easy with the tool-less chuck. Just pop a blade in and remove it by twisting the chuck to disengage the blade.

The shoe’s pivoting motion helps keep the blade engaged with the workpiece around curves and corners. An integrated LED light keeps everything illuminated, especially in dark recesses like attics and closets.

The RS5884 is a part of SKIL’s PWRCORE 20 line of tools so it shares the same power structure as a bunch of other tools like circular saws, sanders, and drills. Give this one a look if you already have a few PWRCORE tools in your shop.