Skilsaw 534, 574 (Type 7)

[BDFan1981]

http://www.instructables.com/id/Skil-574-Circular-Saw-Disassembly/#intro

Is it true that the last few units made of the 534 (6-1/2" blade) and 574 (7-1/4" blade) type 7 had a painted aluminum motor housing? Meaning, instead of the motor unit being bare chrome, it's now painted dark gray.

If it is true, then these were short-lived, being sold only for the 1977 sales year (look for date codes HCY to HDX), as Skil would overhaul its household circular saw line for 1978 (start from date code HDY). Two saws were already double-insulated at that point: the 538 deluxe and the 559 heavy-duty. For 1978, both the 534 and 574 would be double insulated (type 8), adopting molded dark gray motor housings.

The 538 was dropped for 1979, being superseded by the 576.

~Ben

[oldtools]

great instructions... U would thing greasing would cut the noise... maybe too much wear in bearings...

[BDFan1981]

I need to correct myself here. The example Skilsaw that's in the link I posted in my opening post was manufactured September of 1976 (the date code on the decal is "CW3"), so that would mean the type 7 models with the dark gray painted motors was very short-lived, since Skil had still made the all-chrome versions of the type 7 models as late as June 1976 (I found one of these examples with the date code "CT4").

The other reason the painted motor housing versions of the type 7 models 534 and 574 were short-lived, was because Skil had given these two saws a double insulated makeover for 1977 (type 8), joining models 538 and 559. Model 538 had a light gray plastic motor housing, and was discontinued after 1978 in favor of the 576.

~Ben