I never know what job I am going to run across as a handy man of sorts. My saw arrived today from Amazon today in perfect condition. The first thing that struck me is the versatility of the tilt-lok feature. The Lok itself is very secure. The saw was noticeably quieter than my 6.5A Craftsman with far more power and did not wander a bit from my cut line. As for the base plate I could not see base flex being a problem as others have complained on certain other models.  The base plate was the first thing I examined and tested. You would have to abuse the saw and apply the full body weight of a gorilla to intentionally bend this plate. I also like that the degree markings are easily viewed from the operators position. Be sure to use a heavy duty extension for long runs else you will not get the full amperage that this and other commercial saws require. The saw was dead on at the 90 degree mark and if necessary there is an adjustment in the sole plate for hair tweeks. I highly recommend this saw especially for the handyman where no never know what your going to be up against and versatility is a must. I give this Milwaukee circular saw 5 stars.