A 165 mm and a 185 mm circular saw compared: cutting depth at 90° and 45° for the models here, the material each size covers, and what to check before you buy.
A 165 mm circular saw and a 185 mm circular saw are the same tool in two blade sizes, and the main difference between the models compared here is cutting capacity. The models are the 165 mm W34104 and the 185 mm W34105, W34106 and W34107. The 165 mm model has a maximum cutting depth of 55 mm at 90°, and the 185 mm models have a maximum cutting depth of 64 mm at 90°. At a 45° bevel those figures fall to 35 mm and 44 mm.
Both sizes cut 38 mm timber square. A 2 in × 4 in laid flat is cut through its 38 mm thickness, and 55 mm covers that with room to spare. The two sizes separate at the bevel: the 165 mm model cannot cut through 38 mm material at a 45° bevel, because 35 mm is its limit at that angle. The 185 mm models can.
The figures below are the published specifications for the models compared here, not for every saw of these blade diameters. Two machines with the same blade size can publish different depths, because the blade size sets one limit while the base plate and the guard decide how much of that blade reaches the material. A specification sheet sometimes gives the square cut at 0° bevel, which is the same condition as 90°.
165 mm, 185 mm and 190 mm are nominal blade diameters rather than model names. The 185 mm size is the 7-1/4 inch blade, which some catalogues list as 184 mm, so a search for a replacement blade can bring up two numbers for one size. The three 185 mm models compared here share the same blade and the same published depths, and differ in motor power, so choosing between W34105, W34106 and W34107 is a question of power and voltage rather than capacity.
| Model | Blade diameter | Input power | Max cutting depth at 90° | Max cutting depth at 45° |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 165 mm circular saw (W34104) | 165 mm | 1,200 W | 55 mm | 35 mm |
| 185 mm circular saw (W34105, W34106, W34107) | 185 mm | 1,200 / 1,400 / 1,500 W | 64 mm | 44 mm |
Choose the 165 mm size when every cut in the job stays inside the figures above: square cuts up to 55 mm, and 45° bevels through material under 35 mm. Sheet goods sit well inside that, and plywood, MDF and chipboard between 12 mm and 25 mm are cut square or bevelled with margin to spare.
It also covers work where the saw is used for square cross-cuts, which is most framing and general building work. A 2 in × 4 in cross-cut is a 38 mm cut, and the W34104 publishes 55 mm at 90°. Cabinet work, shelving, trim and fascia boards under 35 mm are within its bevel capacity too. It is not the size to choose for a job that includes a 45° bevel through 38 mm framing, decking boards or fascia.
Weight and handling are separate questions. No net weight is published for the models compared here, so do not assume the 165 mm machine is the lighter one. Ask for the net weight of the exact models you are comparing before you decide on that basis.
The extra depth earns its place in two situations. A square cut through material between 56 mm and 64 mm thick is beyond the 165 mm model, and a 45° bevel through 38 mm to 44 mm timber is where that model stops at 35 mm. Bevels of that kind are routine in roof work, decking, fascia and stair strings, and they are cut in long runs.
Where one saw has to cover both square cuts up to 64 mm and 45° bevels through framing, the 185 mm models cover more of the work than the 165 mm model does.
| Cut | Material thickness | 165 mm saw, W34104 | 185 mm saw, W34105 to W34107 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Square cut, sheet goods | 12–25 mm | Within rated capacity | Within rated capacity |
| Square cut, timber laid flat | 38 mm | Within rated capacity | Within rated capacity |
| 45° bevel, timber laid flat | 38 mm | Exceeds rated capacity | Within rated capacity |
| Square cut, thick stock | 56–64 mm | Exceeds rated capacity | Within rated capacity |
| Square cut, heavy stock | above 64 mm | Exceeds rated capacity | Exceeds rated capacity |
Tilting the base plate lifts the blade relative to the workpiece, which is why every saw in this range loses depth at 45°. The 44 mm figure is a limit at an angle, not a guide to board thickness: the 185 mm models cannot cut through 45 mm material at a 45° bevel either. Where the material is thicker than the rated depth, do not plan a second cut to finish the first. Check whether the job needs a larger saw or a different way of setting the material up.
A 40 mm worktop is within the square-cut capacity of both models. A 45° bevel through the same worktop is beyond both, so it is a job for one of the larger saws below.
Above 64 mm the range continues with a 190 mm circular saw (W34101) at 65 mm and 45 mm, and a 235 mm circular saw (W34102) at 85 mm and 52 mm. Look at these when the material is regularly thicker than 64 mm at 90° or 44 mm at 45°. The full list is on the electric circular saw page.
Whatever the size, the method is the same: material supported on a stable surface, both hands on the saw, and the work positioned where it can be reached and controlled.
The figures that decide the purchase are not always on the marketing sheet, so ask for them in writing:
A supplier who can give you the published depth at 45° and the blade bore diameter is working from the machine specification.
Yes for square cross-cuts. A 2 in × 4 in laid flat is cut through its 38 mm thickness, and the W34104 has a maximum cutting depth of 55 mm at 90°. For a 45° bevel through the same board it is not suitable, because that model reaches 35 mm at 45°.
Not necessarily. Blade diameter sets the maximum depth of cut, and motor power is a separate design choice. The 185 mm machine compared here is built in 1,200 W, 1,400 W and 1,500 W versions on the same blade, with the same published depths. Input wattage on its own does not show how a saw performs under load.
Only where the machine manual allows it. The lower guard, the base plate and the rated depth of cut are designed around one blade diameter and bore, so blade diameter, blade bore diameter and blade thickness all have to be within the sizes the manual permits.
Tell us the material, its thickness and whether the cut is square or bevelled, and we will confirm which size covers it before you order. Contact us for the current specification sheet, sample terms or a wholesale quotation on either size.
Hebei Sinotools Industrial Co., LTD.
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