Crain 825 Heavy-Duty Undercut Saw

I originally bought this saw to handle a somewhat unique problem- I had installed about 2 dozen new windows and had built out window sills under each one. It was then decided to go with a flush casing for the windows- meaning I now needed to cut each board installed under the window to be flush with the wall, or remove each window, trim the board, and re-install. Needless to say, the former option was far more appealing to me than the latter! After receiving this saw, trimming the sills took mere minutes, with excellent results. I have since used it for the intended purpose of flooring, and it excels in that area as well. I am not a pro, but I do enjoy DIY projects occasionally, and I long ago realized that owning high-quality tools makes jobs easier and the results better.A few things to keep in mind if you are considering this tool-1) There is minimal protection from the blade, and generally speaking a razor sharp blade spinning at thousands of RPMs is exposed.2) The amount of torque generated is absurd. Combine this fact with #1 above and you can see an abundance of caution is required.3) The saw basically rests on the blade, meaning that whatever surface you place the saw on is likely to get scuffed by the blade. If you are installing laminate floor, use a scrap piece to place under the saw before running planks to that area.4) Take your time lining everything up, setting the depth, and prepping the area. If set up properly, the actual time using the saw will be minimal, and the resulting cuts will be clean and even.

I purchased this tool to use to undercut wood trim for a tile installation. This is a large tool. Although it may look like a grinder, it is far larger. Unlike multipurpose tools, this is designed explicitly for undercutting. It performed the task perfectly. Now to be honest, I still used a multi-tool for some cleanup and detail work, however, there is NO WAY anyone could cut as straight a line with a multi-tool as this larger blade. The blade can be lowered just about (not quite) to the bottom (the floor). It has more than enough power to cut through any trim, nails, etc.The only thing I didn't like was that the blade has to be adjust to the same height on both sides independently. There are height markings, but I still checked it with a ruler. I can see where it might be useful to set them independently, but it did add time to setup the tool. This tool has optional brick/tile cutting blade for undercutting brick and tile as well. I purchased, but have not yet used those blades. The angle of the handle is adjustable. Another small nit-pick is that you have to lower the handle to get it to fit into the carrying case. This isn't that unusual for larger tools.The biggest drawback for this tool is that it was somewhat difficult to find. I saw one in a video on HGTV (a different brand) which is the only reason I even knew such a tool existed. The manufacturer, Crain, also sent along a nice catalog of other flooring tools which is apparently their focus. That's pretty clear based on the high quality of this tools. I definitely recommend this tool for anyone needing to undercut for floor installation.

I bought this in 2017, and barely used it, mostly on solid doors that we were not able to remove , as our main go to machine were multi tools ( easier to carry and no adjustment needed ).This tool has always struggled, felt way under powered. Started to heat up very fast, with just a bit of load ( and never dull blades).Used 20 times the most!!!!!It died today, while trying to undercut a stone fireplace.I also complained about their blades, in one case I had to throw away a blade after hitting one nail , brand new blade , hitting a baseboard nail….over $60 gone in a second , I mean what other blades on the market cannot go trough one nail????Every single time we cut with it we had to baby it , do multiple passes and never forced it , even on regular mdf baseboard….unacceptable for a $400 tool.Garbage overall.

Excellent saw! It did everything it was advertised to do. Once you have it adjusted for the height that you need it worked flawlessly. The only problem I had with it was my fault. I never checked to make sure that the blade was securely tightened. It wasn't and it came loose while undercutting one of the door jambs. It tore up the jamb molding enough that I had to replace the molding. But after that I had no problems undercutting the eight doors so that I could put my 3/4 hardwood flooring down. I connected my shop vacuum to the saw and it picked up most of the saw dust. A nice feature. So if you purchase one, double check that your blade is tight. And then you should be all set.

Its a great machine but I am only giving it four stars because I believe there are a few small things they could have put more though into to make a better product.

This saw is so powerful, it would scare a terrorist into talking during an interrogation, plus it's safe for the user, which is nice. It's a bit bigger and more bulky than I anticipated, but I have yet to have a problem with any kickboard, base, or door jam needing to be cut in order to tile a floor, like a hot knife through butter. The vacuum feature is also nice and works well with my mini shopvac tools.

Bought this to undercut a brick fireplace hearth, in order to lay floating hardwood floor. It is THE tool for the job! Me (50 year old woman) and my 77 year old mother did this on our own, and it functioned perfectly. The enclosed masonry blade worked fine, no need for a diamond blade. If you need to undercut, this is the tool for you.