Jig saw, which one to buy

[Ziggy Diaz]

Hi all,

I'm about to buy myself a jigsaw for Christmas, I think that something in the 50 to 60 Dollars should meet my needs, since I do not work that much with my tools to upgrade to the "Dewalts & Proter cables", so I am looking for either a B&D, Skil, Craftsman, etc, any one have ideas on this?

All help is greatly appreciated.

Ziggy.

[woodmannie]

I bought a B&D with scrolling control for around $30. It also blows or can be hooked to a shop vac. Spring action blade change too. I like it and couldn't beat the price.

[Lou_williams]

I give this advice to all such questions, You can take from it what you want. I have in the past bought a tool of less quality because I didn't think I needed the better tool. Over 30 years of woodworking, the good ones I still have them all, The cheap ones have all been bought again with a more expensive, comercial grade tool. In most cases with tools you get what you pay for.

Go for the PC or equivalent. You will be able to use it for as long as you need and give it to your kids when you don't want in anymore.

I have always regretted buying a home quality tool.

[Burt]

Concur. CHeck Harbor Freight at harborfreight.com. They often carry remanufactored tools at very good prices. Recently I saw the DeWalt jig saw that normally goes for about $170 on sale as repaired for about $99. The good tools will last while the consumer duty tools wear out quickly

[wrought'n harv]

The fifty to sixty dollars is a real step to throw in the middle of the stairway.

I have a Bosch and a Porter Cable. Both real good but I like the Bosch better, personal taste, feel I guess.

The Bosch I bought at a supply house for one seventy eight plus tax. Then I saw it at Home Depot, Lowes, and Sears for one fifty nine. But what made me sick was seeing it at the Bosch factory store for one hundred thirty four.

So I suggest you step up to about seventy five and then hunt. The factory stores sell refurbished with the full warranty at a substantial discount. Pawn shops and swap meets have tools and their prices are always negotiable. Some of my best bargains have come from negotiating from the position of not being able to negotiate cause I had nothing more to negotiate with.

http://photos.yahoo.com/wroughtnharv (those fancy curves on the four by twelves were done with the Bosch because no one else had a blade that would clean cut four and a half inch thick) the project

[peter]

I have a Bosch--maybe 10 years, and one before that that was stolen. Recently, while my the Bosch was getting repaired, I bought a Porter Cable to get me through the work at hand. It's amazing how different two tool can be that seem to blow the same horn. The Porter Cable is all wrong: the motor air exhausts into your face leaving me squinting at my cuts; the supposed air jet that clears the sawdust away from the cut doesn't; the tool is heavy, poorly balanced and jumps around like an untamed animal. Get the Bosch. And, forget the lower end tools...work can be trial enough without having to curse at tools that can't do it. Peter

[Bob]

Ziggy-

I'll chime in with my recommendation for a good jigsaw around $60.

The Grizzly G8994.

It's a heavy duty 5.2amp, with variable speed and it uses Bosch style blades. It was the Editors Choice in a recent review by Popular Woodworking magazine, so I gave it a try. Pleasantly suprised at its power.

Check it out at www.grizzly.com

Good Luck.

Bob

[Robert]

Hey Zig...

Which make does not matter as much as which features. I recommend that you buy one that has a barrel grip for better control (as opposed to a top handle grip), a bearing guide close to the base plate to keep the blade straight, and an adjustable motion that moves the blade forward and back as you cut instrad of straight up and down which makes faster rough cuts on thick stock.

I have a DeWalt, but the Bosch is also very highly regarded... and any good name with these features will give you great results.

[Ziggy Diaz]

Thanks to all that replied to this question, your help in deciding which way to go has been priceless!

Ziggy