Ie there some secret!

[Gary Lange]

To cutting level cuts in thicker wood with a Jig Saw. I can't seem to get them nice and level. The cut will be off by maybe a 1/4" or more. I am wondering if I am trying to go to fast with it. Don't beat this old man up to bad on this question now.

[Dave Sweeney]

What type of wood are you cutting and what blade(s) are you using. Of course a good quality jigsaw is important but choosing the right blade for the job at hand is just as important.

[Herbert Wallace]

I have the same problem with my old Craftsman. All my blades do it. I have decided it is my saw. I have about quit using it alltogether till I can get a new saw.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

IMO, you need to buy a good jigsaw. If you have those cheap ones, no matter what you try, the blade will still deflect in thick wood. I don't have a good jigsaw. I cut curves with a band saw or scroll saw. My junkie skill jig saw won't cut a vertical cut in 3/4" plywood.

[Chris Kennedy]

Good saw and good blades make all the difference-- you suddenly realize how a jigsaw is supposed to work. At a bare minimum, see if you can use good Bosch blades (I have the most experience with those -- I can't speak to other brands like DeWalt, but I know the Bosch are good).

Cheers,

Chris

[george wilson]

My Bosch barrel grip does pretty well,but you have to develop some skill to get vertical cuts with a blade that is supported only on 1 end. The blades must be very sharp,do not cut too fast,and be VERY careful that you are NOT pushing the saw progressively to one side. I also recommend getting a good saw. I find my Bosch to be a very solid feeling saw,MUCH more so than less expensive brands,though it didn't cost as much as a Fesstool.

[glenn bradley]

By level I think that you are talking about the blade tracking nice and vertical, eh? Like others have mentioned (and I hate to give an answer that says: spend money) a good saw and blade combination is required. When I kept hearing Bosch, Bosch, Bosch during jigsaw discussions, I bought a 1591EVS and blades . . . . . I never knew a jigsaw was a real tool(!). What a wonderful surprise. It has so much power I can dial the speed down slow and nudge my way through 2" white oak in a very controlled manner. I end up with a cut that just takes a little sanding work to make ready.Nothing at all like any of my past experiences with a jigsaw.

[Burt Waddell]

As others have said, a good saw and good blades are a must. I've owned dewalt, porter cable, bosch, etc. Currrently I have a Hilti and it is by far the best saw I have owned.

[Joe Scharle]

Some of us have a tendency to try a get the saw ahead of the blade. When I catch myself doing that, I slow down and the cut straightens out!
BTW, Bosch blades do make a difference.

[Ron Jones near Indy]

I had many of the same problems and concerns with my Craftsman saw. When I finally decided it was the saw and not my technique I bought a Bosch with Bosch blades. Maybe 1 minute of practice on scrap wood and no more problems! You can spend more and maybe get better than Bosch, but I can't figure out why you would.

[Peter Quinn]

I good saw helps, good blades help too. Bosch and Festool both make very good blades (and very good jigsaws). But I'm going to go against the grain here and say there is a limit to what you can expect from a jig saw in terms of straight cuts. When things get much past 1 1/2" in hardwood, you risk some deflection regardless of saw. blade or technique.

For straighter cuts I'd go with less but more aggressive teeth that will tend to go where you tell them rather than follow the grain of the wood. High TPI blades will make a smoother finished surface but perform poorly in thicker stock.

[Robert Reece]

I recently bought a Bosch barrel grip because I hated my fairly new & expensive Dewalt. It is a completely different tool altogether. The bosch blades surely help too. You want the blades that have ground teeth, not stamped teeth.

[Lee Schierer]

My Bosch barrel grip does pretty well,but you have to develop some skill to get vertical cuts with a blade that is supported only on 1 end. The blades must be very sharp,do not cut too fast,and be VERY careful that you are NOT pushing the saw progressively to one side. I also recommend getting a good saw. I find my Bosch to be a very solid feeling saw,MUCH more so than less expensive brands,though it didn't cost as much as a Fesstool.

I've made some 1-1/4" cuts with my Bosch using a T234X progressor blade and it was perpendicular to the surface. I used the ocsillating motion of the saw on setting #2 and let the blade cut at its own rate. The cut was nice and smooth. The only time I get blade drift with my Bosch barrel grip is when I try to cut curves.

[Chris Harry]

A good saw helps but you still need to practice correct speed.

I have the Bosch 1591 and deflected a blade pretty badly when cutting down a door slab (and ruined the slab in the process, of course). I think it was mostly me with the speed set to highest and "wanting the job done 10 minutes ago". Taking your time is still important regardless of blade/saw.

[george wilson]

There may be some tendency to push the saw a little sideways to get onto the cutting line,instead of being careful,and letting the saw cut its way to the line. that's what I was trying to say before. Looks like lots of guys like the Bosch. I got mine reconditioned,like new,fairly cheap many years ago,and its never given me any trouble,and was a revelation in feeling solid.