No body but no body builds a better saw than the people who invented the thing so long ago. Yeah , other companies make fine tools. But none better than the skill mag 77. Dewalt tried to copy the design , it was a flop. So  they came up with their new hypoid framing saw that doesn't even compare  for durability. Milwaukee makes an even bigger wormdrive with a 15 amp  motor . It's an also ran. Makita made a super duper hypoid gear saw that  stripped gears like they were going out of style. I'll admit that their new  one is a lot better than the first but it's still not a skil. Unless you  live on the east coast , when you drive by a construction site, 9 times out  of 10 you're going to see a worm drive skil saw. There are reasons why  .They are the most durable. They run the smoothest. They are the most  powerful. I conducted a test of several framing saws. I ran all available  wormdrive and hypoid gear saws as well as the Porter Cable blade left 15  amp saw with marathon blades down 16' 2x douglas fir as fast as I could  without tripping a breaker. My partner timed me. The skil was the fastest  by over a second. Then we switced places. Same result. At the time we had  no preference for brand. In fact , we were hoping the new Dewalt would be  the best ripping saw. With its bright yellow color and its 15 amp motor, we  thought it might be. Not! The 13 amp skil blew everything away. I must say  we were impressed. I continue to be to this day. The mag 77 might be heavy  but not overly so. In some instances the weight is an advantage. if you are  cutting close to the ground , tilt the lumber so the saw is going down. It  will glide through with no effort. The length of the saw is also a plus .  When crosscutting sheet goods it is much easier to go all the way across  from one side without changing your position.  The in line design also  makes it easier to follow a straight mark on your material. The depth  markings are a nice feature for a rough reference point. I have a few minor  caveats though . The aluminum shoe isn't as tough as the steel on the older  saw. The cords crack pretty bad just past the strain relief. I don't know  of many power tool cords that don't though. I think my Bosch and Hilti  cords are in tact. If you want a 15 amp motor, a blade brake, a rafter hook  or a lightweight package , this is not your saw. If you want the most  powerful smoothest running most durable workhorse of a saw then look no  further than the skil 77 original or lighter mag 77.