User error or Festool problem?

[Mike Manning]

I bought a used Festool Trion PS 300 EQ-Plus jigsaw for my son earlier this year. I borrowed it recently. A few days ago I tried to cut through 1/4" BB ply with it because I thought that was the easiest quickest way for me to get it cut. I clamped a level to the plywood to use as a fence for the jigsaw. As you can see I didn't get very far into the cut when it started throwing sparks off. I noticed that the blade had turned inward! I can't see anyway I could have turned that jigsaw. What the heck is going on here?

This was the second time I'd attempted to do this same exact thing. I think the first time I was trying to cut through 3/4" BB ply. I figured that was just too thick for it and thought even the cheapest jigsaw could make it through 1/4" ply without any problems. Wrong!

Could the tool be bad? Is it worth fixing? If so how would that work? I know these green tools are expensive as the dickens. How's the warranty on them?
Any thoughts or ideas are appreciated.

Thanks, Mike

IMG_5652.jpg

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Have you tried a new blade?

I don't have a Festool but my jig saw has had similar issues and it turned out the blade was bad. Changing the blade resolved the issue.

[Mike Manning]

Have you tried a new blade?

I don't have a Festool but my jig saw has had similar issues and it turned out the blade was bad. Changing the blade resolved the issue.

Ken,
Yes. New blade didn't make any difference. It did the same thing. That cut was maybe 8" in when things started to go awry.

Mike

PS Festool blades for anyone who might think to ask.

[Ben Rivel]

I have a Trion and have cut plenty of 3/4" BB Ply with no issues. I dont like it very much but certainly didnt have any issues like youve described. Id contact Festool. They have the best warranty in the industry.

[Wayne Lomman]

It is a jigsaw and fixed guide issue, not the tool nor the operator. This can and does happen with all jigsaws. The blade unsupported at one end is flexible and will wander a bit. Free hand, this averages out and you get a good cut. Force it with a straight edge and you see what happens. A jigsaw is not a precision straight line tool. Use a portable circular saw or do it free hand with the jigsaw and plane it straight.

If anyone is interested, the trick to cutting accurately with a jigsaw is focus on the cutting blade and don't break concentration - literally go cross-eyed - and you will cut any shape to your line with little deviation. Cheers

[Lee Schierer]

It looks like your lade was either dull or the wrong blade for the cut. I've used the Bosch T-234x blades with virtually no tear out along the edges. The cut quality is far superior to what your photo shows.

[Mike Henderson]

I'd talk with Festool. I've used a jig saw - not a Festool - to do what you describe without problems.

Mike

[Jim Becker]

Check that the blade guides are adjusted properly...that may be what's "sparking"...

[Peter Kuhlman]

I have had this happen and know others with identical experiences. Doesn’t really matter who’s saw so much. Jigsaws are designed for freehand cutting with a very short blade without a lot of support. When cutting using a straightedge it is somewhat common for the blade to start drifting off track even though the saw is held in a specific path. I believe this is due to the blades not being perfectly shaped and sharpened. Over some distance the unevenly sharpened edges cause the blade to shift track. If you take the same saw with an identical new blade and freehand cut the long straight cut you will likely find it cuts the path just fine. While in motion forward your hand adjusts and compensates for any drifting. I hav experienced this with Bosch and Festool blades. I think it is the nature of the beast. I find it less of a problem when using more aggressive blades as they are stronger and cut a wider slot.

And as Jim says - check the carbide side guide adjustment. If too tight will overheat the blade allowing it to warp as well as causing sparking.

This is a case of using the proper tool for the job. There are other saws better at straight line accurate cuts.

[Matt Day]

If that happened with 1/4” ply, and you saw sparks, clearly there is something wrong with the setup. Such as blade installed incorrectly or guides wrong.

I’d call Festool and check at the FOG.

[peter gagliardi]

Your guides were likely adjusted improperly to cause the sparking. It is one of the real issues I have with that tool- having to take the time to adjust the guides manually each and every time you put a different blade in.
Edge guides and jigsaws are hit or miss no matter the brand.
Bosch has a much better guide system- self adjusting spring loaded guides.
I have both brands, and the Bosch is better engineered in several ways.