Um, what kind of saw / motor is it?
I do understand where you are coming from in regards to voltage drop just through the house wiring "receptacle hops"...
My neighbour can NOT start his air compressor in his garage on the best of days... Lights dim, motor hums and the breaker trips ( yes its an FPE also
). Neighbour on the other side tried my electric pressure washer with similar results. Both times they were plugged in at the end of a 14 gauge circuit that was at the opposide end of the house from the panel and picked up a multitude of outlets with connections "under the screws" I might add in its 18 mile travel path around the house... Plug either of those motors into the outlet I have on the side of this house, opposite to where the service is and the ONLY outlet on the circuit, wired with #12 and these motors start and run without any problem, even if they are plugged into a cord..
So No I dont think your crazy, the wiring inside your house may not be helping either!
A.D