JigSaw Questions and Recomendations???

[Travis Gauger]

So I know that the jigsaw isn't as glamourous as a saw stop or sliding compound mitre saw, but it is a valuable tool in the hobbyist workshop. I am often finding myself turning to it for many different opperations. So my question to everyone is...

What do you have for a jigsaw?
What would you rather have for a jigsaw?
Barrel grip or top handle?
Brand prefference, and Why?

Currently I have a 3.2Amp B&D cheapo. It's time to hand that one off to my boy for his birdhouses and get a nicer one. Your answers are going to determine my purchase and subsequent review. Thanks in advance.

[Randal Stevenson]

The Grip is all personal preference, and according to a friend of mine "how you use it".
What I traditionally see, is those that do a lot of scrollwork, prefer the Barrel grip. Those that use it otherwise, tend to go with the D handle.

The one that I see most people recommending, is the Bosch. The friend of mine who made the above statement, uses his with metalwork more (modifying car frames in a hot rod shop, and such). I bought the D handle, because I found it new for $85. (1587 model). The current D handle model is a 1590 and 1591 for the barrel grip. (which I may get when it goes on sale)

The other recommendations I have seen are: Festool's (more $$$), DeWalt, and Freud.

[Greg Hines, MD]

My jigsaw is a Craftsman Professional, that I can use as a barrel grip or D-handle grip, and I am quite pleased with it. It uses Bosch-style blades, which seem to hold better than the alternative. I also particularly like the blower feature for clearing dust from the line.

Doc

[Michael McCoy]

I have and really enjoy using the Bosch. I have the barrel grip and but like already posted, the grip depends on your preference.

[Homer Faucett]

So I know that the jigsaw isn't as glamourous as a saw stop or sliding compound mitre saw, but it is a valuable tool in the hobbyist workshop. I am often finding myself turning to it for many different opperations. So my question to everyone is...

What do you have for a jigsaw?
What would you rather have for a jigsaw?
Barrel grip or top handle?
Brand prefference, and Why?

Currently I have a 3.2Amp B&D cheapo. It's time to hand that one off to my boy for his birdhouses and get a nicer one. Your answers are going to determine my purchase and subsequent review. Thanks in advance.

I traded in my B&D jigsaw for a used Bosch 1587 D-handle with variable speed. You won't believe the difference. I like the D-handle, because you can vary the speed with the trigger. I don't think you can do that with the barrel grip.

[Jim Mims]

So I know that the jigsaw isn't as glamourous as a saw stop or sliding compound mitre saw, but it is a valuable tool in the hobbyist workshop. I am often finding myself turning to it for many different opperations. So my question to everyone is...

What do you have for a jigsaw?
What would you rather have for a jigsaw?
Barrel grip or top handle?
Brand prefference, and Why?

Currently I have a 3.2Amp B&D cheapo. It's time to hand that one off to my boy for his birdhouses and get a nicer one. Your answers are going to determine my purchase and subsequent review. Thanks in advance.

I'm taking notes too for future reference. I've seen some pretty good posts on jigsaws in recent weeks.

Here's one:
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...69222#poststop

Looks like you missed this deal on a Bosch, it's back at $115:
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...t=bosch+jigsaw

It pays to check in frequently.
- Jim

[Travis Gauger]

I'm taking notes too for future reference. I've seen some pretty good posts on jigsaws in recent weeks.

Here's one:
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...69222#poststop

Looks like you missed this deal on a Bosch, it's back at $115:
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...t=bosch+jigsaw

It pays to check in frequently.
- Jim

That's funny, cause I'm on SMC almost everyday and often throughout the day. Even searched for jigsaw and jig saw to no avail. I wonder why it didn't pop up for me. Any way, great advice. Looks to be the Basch with blade gaurd as the one to get.

[glenn bradley]

That's funny, cause I'm on SMC almost everyday and often throughout the day. Even searched for jigsaw and jig saw to no avail. I wonder why it didn't pop up for me. Any way, great advice. Looks to be the Basch with blade gaurd as the one to get.

The search failure is not your fault Travis. vBulletin should just remove their search engine, it is that poor. Use the Google search option on the forum.

Now to your question . . . save yourself the struggle of decision making and opinion rendering to find that holy grail. Get a Bosch 1590VS or 1591VS depending on whether you like barrel or top grip and be happy forever. Do not get an 'almost 159X' get the real thing. The blade guide mechanism makes all the difference in your cuts in thick material.

I have a barrel and prefer it, my dad prefers a top handle. The only decision you are left with is which you prefer. Except for a stronger chip blower, I cannot think of anything more you could want out of a jigsaw that the Bosch does not provide.

JMHO of course ;-)

[Peter Quinn]

Glen...If by 'almost 1590' you mean the 1587 then I'd say your almost wrong. Having used both I feel they are both ligitamate quality tools of the same breed. Which one you buy depends on what your using it for. The 1587 has the blade guide and every other feature of the 1590 except the quick blade change. The 1587 uses a toolless system that works but is somewhat annoying. The price difference is now close enough to be negligable.

Where they differ is weight an power...1587 weighs 5#at 5A, the 1590 weighs 11.7# at 6.4A...almost twice as heavy! In cases where you actually use and need that power and weight it is critical, other wise its just a virtual barbell.

I guess in a bandsawless environment where the jig saw is top dog or if curves in very thick heavy work pieces are needed the choice is obvious. I actually prefer the lighter model for most of the work I do in my own shop, and when working outside the shop making verticle cuts, that extra 5# gets heavy quick.

Come to think of it I really wish I had them both!

[glenn bradley]

Glen...If by 'almost 1590' you mean the 1587 then I'd say your almost wrong. Having used both I feel they are both ligitamate quality tools of the same breed. Which one you buy depends on what your using it for. The 1587 has the blade guide and every other feature of the 1590 except the quick blade change. The 1587 uses a toolless system that works but is somewhat annoying. The price difference is now close enough to be negligable.

Where they differ is weight an power...1587 weighs 5#at 5A, the 1590 weighs 11.7# at 6.4A...almost twice as heavy! In cases where you actually use and need that power and weight it is critical, other wise its just a virtual barbell.

I guess in a bandsawless environment where the jig saw is top dog or if curves in very thick heavy work pieces are needed the choice is obvious. I actually prefer the lighter model for most of the work I do in my own shop, and when working outside the shop making verticle cuts, that extra 5# gets heavy quick.

Come to think of it I really wish I had them both!

Sorry Peter. Didn't mean to come off so strong. My dad has the 1587 and we both have problems with it tracking in thick stock but, it is a lighter machine and rightly so. The weight and guide on the 159X surely helps with stability but I should have asked Travis how he mostly planned to use the saw.

I would not want to lay on my back under a counter and work with the 159X or guide it up a vertical surface for any length of time. When gravity is working with you, as in flat cuts, they are a joy to use. I enjoy being able to run the saw really slow and just sneak my way through a complex cut in thick stock.

I am in agreement about lightest tool for the job. All my cordless drills are 9.6v for just that reason. Sorry if I was over the top Travis. Think about how you will use the saw and judge from there.

[Peter Quinn]

I have a bosch, got it discounted as a close out when they introduced a new model. Standard grip. Nicely balanced, plenty of power, most adjustments are accurate and straight forward, bit change is a pain in rear! The new ones have a much better quick release system, wish I hadn't been so cheap.

It has several settings to control how aggressive the cutting orbit is which gives a lot of control. It has a blower to clear the cut line that I never use as I don't like the tornado effect it creates. It came with a free palm sander that I do like very much, and that sweetened the deal. The bosch blades are also very good, and it came with a large sample pack (they have a blade for almost any situation).

I don't use a jig saw much so I wasn't willing to spend any more than I had to to get a good professional entry level tool. When I do need it I'm sure glad its there. Played with a barrel grip festool at local woodcraft, and that is a wonderful tool for a regular user. Nearly perfect like all their equipment, only problem is too many digits in the price for me! I have used the PC jigsaw when working for a friend and that is also a very capable tool.

[J. Z. Guest]

1) What do you have for a jigsaw?
2) What would you rather have for a jigsaw?
3) Barrel grip or top handle?
4) Brand prefference, and Why?

They're not glamorous, but they're dead useful and can replace a circ saw in most instances. They're also quite necessary for those of us who don't have room for a bandsaw.

1) Black & Decker Professional. The newest version of this is DeWalt's "compact" model. The only differences are colors and that the DeWalt has a quick blade change feature that people don't like. I got mine off of ebay for $35.

2) I'd rather have the new Bosch 1591EVSK but it is not quite in the same price range, and the old B&D Pro won't quit.

3) Barrel. Most of the work we woodworkers are going to do with it will be horizontal, and the barrel grip gives better control & ergonomics for this kind of work. Folks who will be using it vertically or upside down will probably prefer the D handle style, as they're easier not to drop.

4) Bosch, Makita, or Milwaukee. DeWalt is starting to cut corners these days, IMO. Read the Amazon user reviews and you'll see what I mean. Lots of folks have problems with the quick release blade mechanism, but DeWalt doesn't seem to have addressed the issue. That, or there are a lot of idiots out there who aren't putting the blades in right. Of the barrel grip models, Bosch & Makita are the highest rated barrel grips by amazon users.

I also have the 18V Ryobi cordless jigsaw, which is nice, but compliments, rather than replaces, the corded B&D Pro. For scrolling cuts, it is very nice to not have the cord to contend with. But even on a jigsaw, the power difference between corded and cordless is quite noticeable. The corded operates at 50% higher SPM of the cordless, and hardly bogs down at all when aggressive orbital mode is used. The orbital settings on the cordless are all but useless, as the saw doesn't have the guts to make the cut. The laser makes it VERY easy to make freehand straight cuts rivaling a circ saw's, but doesn't help at all with scroll cuts. The dust blower, if it has one, doesn't work at all. I reach for this when I need to make a quick & dirty crosscut to get a workpiece to a manageable size for the table saw.

Speaking of which, my B&D Pro either doesn't have a dust blower or it doesn't work.

Orbital action is nice for straight cuts when you don't mind a lot of splintering at the edges.

So from my experience, the most important features are:

- Dust blower should WORK. It gets old, having to always blow off the cut line with my mouth.
- Anything over 4 A is going to have plenty of power. No need to make them bulky & long while chasing the higher current ratings.
- Good lateral blade support, so you don't wind up making bevel cuts when you're only trying to scroll or cut thick material.

Phew, that was quite the little novella. I hope it was a bit helpful though.

[Travis Gauger]

Very Helpful Jeremy. Thanks so much. I too have noticed the degradation of dewalts quality. I think I am going to go for the Bosch 1591.

[Homer Faucett]

FYI, I bought my Bosch 1587 evsk on ebay for $35. It did not look clean, but was in the box and worked. My dad and I put it head to head with the two Black and Decker jigsaws (one a 1960's model, and one a 1980's model) that have been in the family for years. We put new blades on the B&D's and used the beat-up blades that were in the box from the pawn shop on the Bosch.

The Bosch literally made the cut twice as fast, and was much easier to control when doing scrolling cuts. Others have recommended the Milwaukee, and I understand that there is a DeWalt that some have had good luck with. Porter Cable is often mentioned. However, Bosch is generally considered THE jigsaw, and there are plenty of those running around on the used market if you want to get in on the cheap. I would, however, check the quick blade change mechanism if you are picking up a 1587. They are a bit cheesy, and are the only weak point on this jigsaw, IMHO. A 1590 or 1591 would be nice, but I was happy to have saved enough money to go back and find another similarly priced 1587 in a pawn shop to give to my dad and still be at less than half what a 1590 would have cost me.

[Chris Padilla]

Hmmm, no Festool jigsaw recommendations?? I have the Festool barrel-grip but the Bosch gets high remarks always and it is a heckuva lot cheaper.