By Mark Clement
Ridgid's new Fuego Compact Framing Saw R3203 looks like it'll reinvent this category and make life easier on site from frame to finish.
Fuego is small, but with a 6 1/2-inch diameter blade it cuts through just about everything it needs to—plywood, framing (even on a 45-degree bevel), sheet stock and even doors. At eight pounds it's the lightest framing saw on the market, according to the company.
Besides the lack of size, what caught my eye on the R3202 are the high-strength fittings, something this category has lacked in the past. The upper and lower blade guards are magnesium and the shoe is high-strength, ultra-light composite. I don't know what ultra-light composite is, but what I do know is Ridgid says the saw will withstand a one story drop. And, while I've never dropped a saw one story, I've seen angry framers hurl them to the ground with about the same force, so I like this feature.
Ridgid also says their f.a.s.t.™ dust blower evacuates material from the blade and housing, efficiently keeping the cut line clean and channeling dust out of your way. In a saw this small, that is no small feat.
The Fuego is positioned as a framer's saw and with a cut capacity of 2 1/8-inches at 90 degrees, 1 5/8 at 45 degrees and 1 1/2 at 50 degrees, that's easy to see. But, a nice light saw like this would be ideal for trim workers, too. You don't need massive power to cut sheet goods using a shoot board or straight edge, and you don't need wicked brawn to size most door slabs. What you do need is a saw that both handles the material and is tough enough to survive life on the truck and drops on site. A nice auxiliary handle, which Fuego has, is also key for keeping the shoe tight against your edge guide. And, if you both frame and finish like many remodelers do, you have a light saw for both functions.
Add to this a 50 degree bevel with a positive stop at 45 degrees, a 12-foot rubber cord so you can work off a multi-plug, or a lead cord without tangling yourself up and it looks like the Fuego has re-invented and re-invigorated this category. Ridgid even has a lifetime service agreement on parts and service.
Mark Clement is a remodeler and author of The Carpenter's Notebook and The Kid's Carpenter's Workbook, Fun Family Projects! Find out more at
www.TheCarpentersNotebook.com.
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