What has big teeth, kicks like a mule, spins at 5000 rpm and is hand
held?  
You can get DIY circular saws with built in soft start [1] but not stand
alone starters for older tools.  After lining up the saw guide on the
workpiece I want to slot the saw into the guide, then switch on without
it jolting out of alignment.  It might be time to break out the
soldering iron...
So I'm  wondering: could a simple triac controller like [2] be adapted
to run in DC mode as in [3] circuit 1c, and fitted with an RC on the
gate so as to ramp up over 2 seconds when power is applied?  Has anyone
here come across a circuit that does something like that?
Apologies for list abuse but I've Googled MAO without success.  All
suggestions gratefully received (except "Buy a new saw", obviously).
Antony
[1]  eBay.co.uk item 400054540068
[2]  
http://www.quasarelectronics.com/kit-files/electronic-kit/3019.pdf
[3]  
http://www.st.com/stonline/products/literature/an/2477.htm