Pendulum Jigsaw Problem

[Davy]

About 18 months ago I bought a Titan (Screwfix) SFJ750XP jigsaw but have hardly used it. Today I am trying to cut some 50mm Xtratherm (aluminium foil faced expanded polystyrene) using a Bosch serrated blade. But the jigsaw seems to have two design problems:

- even with the pendulum action switched off the blade holder can still rock backwards and forwards

- the pendulum guide wheel only loosely encloses the blade Consequently the blade keeps jumping out of the pendulum wheel guide groove and bends to a position about a cm to the side of the guide groove. Everytime this happens the cut moves over about a cm and is not perpendicular to the surface. The jigsaw is unusable. Is this a general problem with pendulum jigsaws - or just Titan? If you have a pendulum jigsaw can you please check if the blade holder is able to move backwards and forwards even with the pendulum action switched off?

thanks, Davy

[Lurch]

On Fri, 31 Aug 2007 09:37:22 +0100, "Davy" mused:

[Pete C]

Hi,

Probably the jigsaw, but check the blade is *fully* in so the locking ring snaps back to it's original position.

cheers, Pete.

[The Medway Handyman]

Yup. Highly likely.

[Andy Dingley]

Read the archives of this ng. You'll find a massive concensus that cheap jigsaws just don't work.

[Davy]

Pete, Its not the blade that moves but the blade holder,

thanks Davy

[Pete C]

I see.

If you're in the market for a jigsaw a fairly good one would be a Wickes Pro one made by Kress for =A350:

They're a bit more than the average cheap jigsaw but are made in Switzerland so should be pretty good.

I bougt a fairly good one for =A320 from Lidl a little while ago but I'd expect they're out of stock everywhere now.

cheers, Pete.