Time for a new jig saw

[Dan Mages]

Welp, my second-hand B&D jig saw has bit the dust in typical Murphy's law fashion. I need one for a current project. Any reccomendations on a good jig saw? I am leaning towards PC because I like the other tools I have by them.

Thanks!!

Dan

[John Miliunas]

The "Trion" from Festool. The absolute BEST jigsaw I've ever used and, most probably, the last one I'll ever have to purchase! Heavy duty, beautiful cuts, great dust extraction, ergonomic...I could go on. Contact our own Bob Marino if interested!

[Frank Pellow]

The "Trion" from Festool. The absolute BEST jigsaw I've ever used and, most probably, the last one I'll ever have to purchase! Heavy duty, beautiful cuts, great dust extraction, ergonomic...I could go on. Contact our own Bob Marino if interested!

I agree completely with John. Treat yourself to a Festool jigsaw and you will never regret the decision. It cost more but the extra cost is well justified.

[Russ Filtz]

I hate the Bosch model with the screw-top blade removal. Seems very cheezy. Other models seems OK though. Saw a Metabo at the tool shop that seemed well built.

[Mike Leonard]

I really like my Milwaukee 6266.

[Jerry Olexa]

Bosch would be my choice. Did some research/trials recently and they came out best! G Luck. You know about the PC/Delta Sale to B and D ?!

[Christian Aufreiter]

Greg Man wrote:

Dan,
Understand and appreciate your patriotism, but in today's world it is a pretty fuzzy proposition. IMHO, the best thing to do is reward the best builders with your purchases and, by voting with your dollars, you encourage the US manufacturers to improve their products. It has improved US automobile quality and it can work in other markets. Don't reward anybody for making mediocre products. Again, IMHO.

I don't want to start up any political arguments either but why is it patriotic to say "I am trying to avoid purchasing German products, if possible."?
IMO, a patriotic attitude would be if you try to buy regional products, made in "your" country, by a local company, by a local craftsman, etc. But, as you said Greg, this is almost impossible in today's globalized business world, at least as far as we regard large companies. Of course, you can support a craftsman who lives in your area by buying his products. But I wonder who knows where the different parts of power tools come from.
Just think of the DW 621 router which was initially designed and made by Elu, a German company. Over the years it was made in Switzerland, Italy and Czech. BTW, I don't know where it's produced at the moment.

I understand that it's an important aspect to have a good distributor, store or agency which can provide support in the case of problems. If you check out recent threads about Festool you will certainly find out that they offer excellent customer service in the USA and I can't imagine that Metabo or Bosch are extremely bad.

Personally, I look for the tool which serves my needs best.

Regards,

Christian

[Ron Jones near Indy]

If your tool dollars are limited, I would look for the older Bosch saw that is available at very good prices due to the introduction of the newer model. I have it and am well pleased with it. Around here it is about $120.

[Doug Jones]

I noticed nobody mentioned Frued jigsaw. As an owner of one I know why nobody recommends it. And I DO NOT recommend it as well.

[markus shaffer]

Dan,

For whatever your reasoning to avoid German products, I think you'll be hard pressed to find anyone who will complain about Festool products.. As I wear tools out or as budget allows, I replace them and add to my collection with Festool.. I have to agree with some of the previous comments, I think it's far better to just support the company with the best product rather than settle for what is lesser quality but built at home..

Not to belittle American ingenuity, but go compare just about any products out there that you can with German made counterparts.. Ever used a Leica camera? Try Meile vacumn cleaners and dishwashers.. Compare a Smith & Wesson with a Heckler & Koch... BMW and Ford? In every one of those instances, the Germans build far superior products.. (The previous is my opinion of course and I hope not to have offended any Smith & Wesson/Ford /Hoover/Nikon owners) Don't get me wrong, I'd rather support American companies, but in reality I'd rather have just bought one Festool sander to begin with when I started woodworking rather than having gone through 3 Porter Cables 1 Dewalt and 1 Makita.. Then again, woodworking is how I pay my bills, so for me, it pays to buy the right tool the first time.. It took me several years to learn that and it has cost me more in the long run..

For what it's worth, I still have a Porter Cable jigsaw and it suffices for what it does.. I don't use it often except for rough work. I've never gotten it to give me consistant square cuts. The blade always deflects to one side or the other (sometimes both directions in the same cut) except in thin material. But to be fair, I've never used a jigsaw that was all that precise.. My expectations of jigsaws in general is pretty low and as I said, I don't often use it for that reason..

-Markus

[Steve Clardy]

After owning a bosch for five years trouble free and it being a cadallic, and using their top of the line blades, I have to say Bosch even though you are having german problems.
Before I bought it, I was dead set on PC, currently owning over twenty of their other tools. But I picked one up at a wood show, looking it over, and boy, it WEIGHED A TON!
So I bought a bosch and haven't looked back.
Steve

[David Rose]

I was raised to understand (by a low level wood worker) that a jig saw had a table like a small scroll saw. I had one as a kid. The same man defined a hand held saw of which we seem to be speaking as a "sabersaw". Are the terms jigsaw and sabersaw now synonymous or was I taught wrong in the beginning?

David, the often confused

[Michael Ballent]

I was raised to understand (by a low level wood worker) that a jig saw had a table like a small scroll saw. I had one as a kid. The same man defined a hand held saw of which we seem to be speaking as a "sabersaw". Are the terms jigsaw and sabersaw now synonymous or was I taught wrong in the beginning?

David, the often confused

AFAIK the term jigsaw and sabersaw are the same tool... But I have been wrong in the past

[Frank Pellow]

I was raised to understand (by a low level wood worker) that a jig saw had a table like a small scroll saw. I had one as a kid. The same man defined a hand held saw of which we seem to be speaking as a "sabersaw". Are the terms jigsaw and sabersaw now synonymous or was I taught wrong in the beginning?

David, the often confused

To me the terms 'jig saw' and 'sabre saw' have always meant the same thing (and I go bak a long way). Lately, however, I hardly ever hear anyone using the term 'sabre saw'.

[Michael Ballent]

To me the terms 'jig saw' and 'sabre saw' have always meant the same thing (and I go bak a long way). Lately, however, I hardly ever hear anyone using the term 'sabre saw'.

Maybe its the term Sabre... could frighten someone off...