Jig saws

[OpaDC]

I'm in the market for a new jig saw My old one is and always has been garbage and I am fed up with it. 20 year old Craftsman that easily jumps out of locked position. Won't stay at 90 to the blade. etc.

My question is: What the heck am I looking for? Prices are all over the spectrum. What do you get for the extra money? What are all the features? For some reason I am having exponentially more trouble buying a jig saw than I did my table saw.

[drumpriest]

There have been a lot of tool tests on jig saws, so you might want to look into them. The last one that I read had the Festool at the top, followed by the Bosch, with the Bosch being the editor's choice because it's less than 1/2 the cost of the Festool. I think you are getting a pretty good saw from any of them that are in the 80+$ price range (roughly). It also really depends upon what you are going to use it for. I cut scrollwork with mine (Bosch 1587) in 3/4" stock when it's too big to want to wrangle onto my bandsaw. The Bosch gives excellent results.

[Mr__Bill]

I like the Bosh, the one without a handle that you hold on to the body.

Look for ease of blade replace, adjust for how aggressive it is, a well supported blade and the base plate stays where it's put and if you do bevel cuts with it then it should be easy to adjust the base for that and then it should fit your budget too.



Bill,

ps, if you like I'll send you my old Craftsman....

[Mrk67mark]

I was in the same boat about two months ago. Had a B&D jigsaw and thought all jigsaws are alike, just put a good blade in and it's the same as more expensive ones. Boy was I wrong. I received the Bosch 1590EVSK as a gift and let me tell you, all jigsaws are not alike. This thing is awesome! I would highly recommend it.

[chopnhack]

I too got a Bosch to replace some piece of junk I had for some years. I will say that it is a powerful tool, however, the big detractor I have seen so far is that the cuts in 3/4" stock are not 90 degrees to the blade. There seems to be some unwanted canting or beveling when making these cuts. Other than that, it is a nice saw.

[tribalwind]

ditto on the bosch barrel-grip.
you wont be sorry.
kinda wish the splinter gaurd clip-in piece had a better way of staying in there ,
thats the harshest critique i got for it though...**** least it's got that ,my others didnt!

[SARGE..g-47]

I hated all jig-saws period as ever one I have used for decades has been junk... until I got a Bosch barrel grip about 7-8 years ago and discovered what a jig-saw really is. It cutss as well if not better than a Festool with the FT getting a "slight" nod on dust control.

And.. Bosch jig saw blades are the best on the market. The new EXTRA CLEAN leaves absoulutely no splinter in anything I have used it on which has been hard-wood and ply. And when you slow it down to 0 orbit and reduce the speed... it leaves a clean cut on metal also.

Did I mention I like the Bosch...

[poolhound]

I'm with Sarge on this (and many other things ) I had never had a lot of luck with Jigsaws and eventually realized that it was my fault as I had alwasy bought mid range ones and this is one tool where more is definatley more. I treated myself to a Bosch 1590 a year or so ago when AMazon had a deal going. It is one awesome tool and changed my mind about jigsaws. If you get a good one its worth its weight in gold get a bad one and its not even worth using as a door stop!!





Check out Tom's review I think you can tell he likes it too

http://www.newwoodworker.com/reviews/b1590rvu.html

I am guessing Sarge may have the 1591 which is basically the same as the 1590 but with the barrel grip

[LinuxRandal]

Agreed on the Bosch brand. Although I have seen others happy with the Festool, the Triton (Ray in the UK), and the DeWalt.

Now there are differences with the Bosch's. The 1587/1584 would work with the Collins coping foot, if you do a lot of coping work. If you don't, and work with either thicker or more straight work, go with either the 1590 or the 1591. The latter two have the newer, easy release, as well as blade guides like a band saw do and a little more power then the older 1587/1584 (heavier too). The 1590 is a D handle, while the 1591, is a barrel grip, that I have been told, isn't real comfortable for left handed users (trigger and switch are designed for right handers).

Best recommendation for either the D handle or barrel grip, see if you can feel them in the store.

[shoottx]

I bought a Bosch after using someone elses on a project.

I have the 150th anniversary edition, ( metal case painted fancy)

I cut some 2" walnut with mine about a month ago. I had to do an inside cut out and could not use the bandsaw. I wouldn't have tried it with anyting less.

[Hoover]

Bosch did invent the jigsaw. It still is on top for quality, unless money is no object, then go for Festool.

[rcp612]

I'm with Sarge on this (and many other things ) I had never had a lot of luck with Jigsaws and eventually realized that it was my fault as I had alwasy bought mid range ones and this is one tool where more is definatley more. I treated myself to a Bosch 1590 a year or so ago when AMazon had a deal going. It is one awesome tool and changed my mind about jigsaws. If you get a good one its worth its weight in gold get a bad one and its not even worth using as a door stop!!





Check out Tom's review I think you can tell he likes it too

http://www.newwoodworker.com/reviews/b1590rvu.html

I am guessing Sarge may have the 1591 which is basically the same as the 1590 but with the barrel grip

Ditto times 2

[SARGE..g-47]

I have the old style barrel grip, Poolhound. I prefer the barrel over the D handle as I just feel more control but.. that is a personal thing and everyone should handle both to make that decision. You cannot really compare unless you have used both.

As for the comparison to Festool.. I purposely went to the Festool booth at IWF to check their jig-saw and the Kapex SCMS. Frankly... I prefer the Bosch over the Festool and I have the old style as mentioned without the quick change blades. I have not used the new style.

But... I hear people complain about the ease of blade change on the new style. I personally don't get it as it takes me about 15 seconds to change from one to another on the old style. Then again.. people complain about changing blades on a TS which I did 5 times yesterday in swithching between 20 T rip.. 40 T combo and a Freud box cutter blade. That takes all of 30 seconds which is much less time x 200 than most will spend chatting or reading threads on forums.

But.. what I wanted to point out since I already pointed out the quality of the Bosch blades is.. plastic ZCI are available for the Bosch at Amazon and several other sources. And if you purchase the Bosch... learn to use the orbital setting 0-I-II-II and co-ordinate it with the blade and type of material cut for even better results. It does make a difference especially cutting metal.

Bottom line to me is... probably the two most pleasant surprises I have gotten in 37 years is the discovery of the Bosch barrel grip and an Incra V 27 miter gauge as both have changed the way I approach my work.

Regards...

[jonmulzer]

I picked up a refurb Hitachi from reconditionedsales.com and I am incredibly happy with it. It does everything I need it to and even in thick timber it cuts square and true. I have used a Bosch barrel grip and personally there was just something about it I did not like. Not quite sure what it is though, and that is odd for me. I just like the Hitachi better and it was quite a bit cheaper.

I do like the color scheme of the Bosch better though. I always feel like one of those kids that drives a Civic with a park bench on the trunk deck when I use my jigsaw or router!

[cabinetman]

There is this story about a guy new to woodworking who needed to make some jigs, so he bought a jig saw. He brought it back to the store and complained that he couldn't get any accuracy, it took forever, and it drained all his energy.

The clerk examined the saw, and plugged it in to test it, and the guy said "What's that noise?"

I'm also a Bosch fan, and have been using the 1587 since they came out. If you're hunting for a jig saw, try to find one with at least 5 AMPS, and a 1" stroke.
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