Battery-powered tools have taken a huge leap forward with Stihl's introduction of the TSA 230 Cutquik, the world's first cordless cutoff machine. Powered by a 36-volt lithium-ion battery and a brushless DC motor, the saw cuts brick, roofing tile, stone, concrete, reinforced concrete, age-hardened concrete, steel, stainless steel, non-ferrous metal, and ductile iron pipe. Whew.
That's a lot of capability in a machine that weighs only 12.4 lbs. It's not unusual for gas engine cutoff machines to weigh more than twice that, and large versions of these tools can weigh as much as 28 lbs. The Cutquik's brawn pushes the frontier of cordless tools even more firmly into gas engine territory.
Like its engine-driven counterpart, the Stihl can use several kinds of blades including abrasive types and segmented wheel diamond grit. This is what enables the Cutquik to cut such a wide range of materials. The saw also has industrial-duty features like a spindle lock to stop wheel rotation for easier blade changing. A quick-connect coupling allows the user to attach the saw to a water container pressurized with a hand pump (basically a garden sprayer). The output hose from the container attaches to the saw with a quick-connect coupling.
Feeding water to the blade as it churns through masonry material, prolongs blade life, smooths the cut surface and keeps dust a minimum. That's good, because anybody who's ever used a dry cutoff machine can tell you that cutting even one concrete block with these tools is enough to raise a choking dust cloud that will make your house look like a localized weather disturbance to satellites circling overhead.
The saw costs $500 at Stihl dealers. Batteries and charger are not included.
Roy Berendsohn has worked for more than 25 years at Popular Mechanics, where he has written on carpentry, masonry, painting, plumbing, electrical, woodworking, blacksmithing, welding, lawn care, chainsaw use, and outdoor power equipment. When he’s not working on his own house, he volunteers with Sovereign Grace Church doing home repair for families in rural, suburban and urban locations throughout central and southern New Jersey.
