Jigsaws

[GMM]

No, not the puzzles..(!)

I've always thought jigsaws had pretty limited applications, mostly cuting shapes in thin sheet materials, and rarely use them otherwise.

Today, I was watching a Youtube video on levelling floors and the (apparent, but seemed to know what he was about,) pro doing it used a jigsaw to cut notches in 2-inch joists. None of the ones I've owned (all cheap and cheerful, not pro tools) would be capable of doing that without wandering about 30 degrees off vertical.

So should I be thinking about getting a decent jigsaw or am I using them wrong?

[The Medway Handyman]

Jigsaws are one of those power tools where quality matters an awful lot. You wouldn't believe the difference between a cheapy and a top quality brand like Makita. Chalk & cheese.

You need to spend £120 ish for a decent machine.

[Muddymike]

No, not the puzzles..(!)

My 30 year old Bosch does a pretty straight cut with Bosch blades. Use cheaper alternatives and the cut wanders all over the place!

Mike

[John Rumm]

Its one of those tools where there is a real shift in performance moving from a normal one to a pro one.

Blue bodied Bosch, Makita, and DeWalt ones are usually pretty good. Before you try one, you will wonder why on earth anyone would pay £100+ for a posh one. After having used one, you can't imagine why you would ever want to go back to the £30 one.

[Weatherlawyer]

If you use one for work, health and safety may require a dust bag. This wil l never work properly and inevitably get in the way but you may still need something to show whoever is in charge that you have the legal requirements .

No second hand machine is going to come with one of them and no cheapo is g oing to have a useful one.

[tony sayer]

Bought one of these last year, superb unit to use:).

As John sez you just would not want to use a lesser one again!.

[John Rumm]

Most decent saws come with a dust collection attachment that can be connected to a dust collector / shop vac etc.

[GMM]

Thanks for the recommendation: Quite a bit cheaper than Screwfx for the same thing too. I may well have to have a punt on one of them.

[GMM]

I'm glad to hear it's not (all) me then !

[GMM]

To some extent that applies to a lot of power tools of course: I wouldn't really have believed it of a simple cordless drill until I bought my Makita LXT.

I *think* I'm learning the lesson over time. My biggest problem is that I can't really bring myself to shell out to replace something that's doing 80% of the job, so I spend a lot of time hoping tools will break down so I have the excuse to get a decent new one.

The random orbital sander is a good example: I bought a cheap one to try out the concept and I was sold on the principle straight away. Will it break down so I can justify buying a decent one? No chance!

[The Medway Handyman]

It's a jigsaw Jim, but not as we know it....

[polygonum]

And should you be thinking of getting a "barrel handled" one or the usual handle over the body? I really don't know the advantages of the barrel handle designs but something has always appealed to me about them! There must be a good reason for Makita and others to make both handled versions of some models.

[Weatherlawyer]

Why do you need justification. Give it to a friend or a charity chop or wha tever. You are a long time dead do you want to spend another moment wasing the few decades we are given?

[John Rumm]

Yup cordless in general is a place you see the difference in the quality of the batteries and chargers. (and there is a fair difference between the bottom and top of range cordless even from the same manufacturer)

Jigsaws really show off the difference in mechanics - probably more that most mains tools.

So ebay the working one and put the money toward the replacement. ;-)

(really must do that with my PEX 400)

Yup, its frustrating when you get to that "hey this is actually really quite good in principle - really wish I had bought a better one now" realisation.

[The Medway Handyman]

Personally I prefer the barrel handle type. It seems to give more control.