I rec'd the BR for Christmas from my wife. Based on the mixed reviews, I wasn't sure whether I'd like it or not. Finally got time to open it up today and try it out. Here's my 2 cents:
1. I didn't find the blades or allen wrench in the box. I thought they were missed at the factory or I'd rec'd a repackaged unit. I kept looking. After looking longer than I'd care to admit, I finally saw the little bin at the top with the picture of the white blade on it. Can we all say "Eye Exam"? The bin on the bottom is a dust collection bin. So, if you buy this, look for the blades/wrench in the little bin at the top right under the cutting table. I then dropped the little blade bin on the floor and it landed face down. However, the blades stayed pretty much in the holder due to the way one end of each blade holder rests over the top of the blade (You'd have to see it to understand what I'm talking about). I was surprised that I didn't have blades all over the floor. Way to go, Rockwell.
2. The guide arm was easy to install. Two allen screws and it was installed.
3. Before starting it up, I inserted a Bosch blade I had laying around into the holder and looked at the alignment on the guide rollers. It was bending the blade a mite, so I performed the adjustment on the back of the arm. The guide rollers never touched both sides of the blade, so I had the left roller touch the left side of the blade and made sure the blade was straight. I was concerned that I might still have some wobble-flop going on when I fired it up, but proceeded on. BTW, inserting the blade is a total dream it's so easy. Make sure you push it in all the way before releasing the lock tab, though.
4. I set the speed to max, inserted the hose for the shop vac and started up the unit. I made the following cuts:
----- 1/8" piece of fiberboard in a circle scroll--cut great (of course, it's f/b)
----- 2x6 cedar cross-cut --- cut great. Not fast, but true.
----- 2x6 cedar scroll cut. I made a little toy car.-- Worked great.
----- 1/2" plywood scrolling and made the letter "M"--cut great (didn't expect this)
----- 1/2" plywood straight cut ---cut straight, no issues (again, didn't expect it)
----- 1/2" plywood straight cut using the Rockwell "speed bore" blade, cut fine. Haven't tried the other Rockwell blades.
5. The shop vac pulled just about all the dust. I was surprised that the % of dust left on the table was so minimal. The port's angled and set in a good place. I would recommend getting a cheap shop brush and vacuuming/brushing under the red plate where the saw blade inserts after use. Dust collects there and would probably gum up the works over a period of time if not cleaned.
Overall, the little saw really performed. It's really light, so I thought it might be cheesy, but it's pretty sturdy. I haven't set up the mount on the wall yet. I also have the frame jig, just trying to get time to make a frame.
If you buy one, a few things to keep in mind:
-- Don't rush the cut. Pushing too fast will make the wood rock and jump. Smooth and easy.
-- Keeping the guide arm down is essential for safety. It helps steady the wood somewhat as well.
-- Put a little pressure on the wood to hold it down while cutting. Keep in mind it's a jig-saw blade you're working with.
-- Watch your fingers, blades are unforgiving (okay, I just heard you all say "ya think?", but safety is always worth stating and re-stating).
I probably wouldn't use it for gen'l cross cuts on 2x4's etc for large home remodeling projects as it's a jig-saw blade, but for wood working projects, one-off 2x4 cross-cuts, small pieces, and gen'l shop use, this saw seems to be a very good addition. I'm not a commercial contractor, so can't speak to it for commercial use.
I really like it.
1. I didn't find the blades or allen wrench in the box. I thought they were missed at the factory or I'd rec'd a repackaged unit. I kept looking. After looking longer than I'd care to admit, I finally saw the little bin at the top with the picture of the white blade on it. Can we all say "Eye Exam"? The bin on the bottom is a dust collection bin. So, if you buy this, look for the blades/wrench in the little bin at the top right under the cutting table. I then dropped the little blade bin on the floor and it landed face down. However, the blades stayed pretty much in the holder due to the way one end of each blade holder rests over the top of the blade (You'd have to see it to understand what I'm talking about). I was surprised that I didn't have blades all over the floor. Way to go, Rockwell.
2. The guide arm was easy to install. Two allen screws and it was installed.
3. Before starting it up, I inserted a Bosch blade I had laying around into the holder and looked at the alignment on the guide rollers. It was bending the blade a mite, so I performed the adjustment on the back of the arm. The guide rollers never touched both sides of the blade, so I had the left roller touch the left side of the blade and made sure the blade was straight. I was concerned that I might still have some wobble-flop going on when I fired it up, but proceeded on. BTW, inserting the blade is a total dream it's so easy. Make sure you push it in all the way before releasing the lock tab, though.
4. I set the speed to max, inserted the hose for the shop vac and started up the unit. I made the following cuts:
----- 1/8" piece of fiberboard in a circle scroll--cut great (of course, it's f/b)
----- 2x6 cedar cross-cut --- cut great. Not fast, but true.
----- 2x6 cedar scroll cut. I made a little toy car.-- Worked great.
----- 1/2" plywood scrolling and made the letter "M"--cut great (didn't expect this)
----- 1/2" plywood straight cut ---cut straight, no issues (again, didn't expect it)
----- 1/2" plywood straight cut using the Rockwell "speed bore" blade, cut fine. Haven't tried the other Rockwell blades.
5. The shop vac pulled just about all the dust. I was surprised that the % of dust left on the table was so minimal. The port's angled and set in a good place. I would recommend getting a cheap shop brush and vacuuming/brushing under the red plate where the saw blade inserts after use. Dust collects there and would probably gum up the works over a period of time if not cleaned.
Overall, the little saw really performed. It's really light, so I thought it might be cheesy, but it's pretty sturdy. I haven't set up the mount on the wall yet. I also have the frame jig, just trying to get time to make a frame.
If you buy one, a few things to keep in mind:
-- Don't rush the cut. Pushing too fast will make the wood rock and jump. Smooth and easy.
-- Keeping the guide arm down is essential for safety. It helps steady the wood somewhat as well.
-- Put a little pressure on the wood to hold it down while cutting. Keep in mind it's a jig-saw blade you're working with.
-- Watch your fingers, blades are unforgiving (okay, I just heard you all say "ya think?", but safety is always worth stating and re-stating).
I probably wouldn't use it for gen'l cross cuts on 2x4's etc for large home remodeling projects as it's a jig-saw blade, but for wood working projects, one-off 2x4 cross-cuts, small pieces, and gen'l shop use, this saw seems to be a very good addition. I'm not a commercial contractor, so can't speak to it for commercial use.
I really like it.