Decent Mid Price Jigsaw

[topgazza]

Just used a Performance 750W jigsaw at a friends and I was very impressed by how solid it was and the variable speed and pendulum feature. It cut beautifully and took the bottom off a wooden door so I could plane the final bit.

I would point out that someone had butchered the door previously and it was all over the place and wouldn't take a circular or plane until I trimmed it first.

B&Q website is down today so I can't check but I assume they still do them ? Not convinced by the battery ones in terms of cost/value but I don't mind paying up to £100, as a DIY'er so not over heavy or regular use so no point in spending too much. But accuracy normally comes with solidly built saws of course.

Makita do a nice range at that price break but recommendations appreciated.

 

[SammyInnit]

I have the Makita Brushless cordless and while it's expensive it's probably the best going before you go into festool/mafell money. On that basis the corded is well worth a look.

Previously had a Bosch corded which I got second hand for about £20. Also great for the money.

 

[topgazza]

Thanks Sammy I was looking at the Bosch PST 700 E as I like Bosch tools. But I will check out the Makita cordless.

 

[ntb]

I have a mains Makita jigsaw. Can't fault it. As a rule, if there's a 110V version available it's going to be decent.

 

[topgazza]

I can see that as most sites use 110v tools so if its good enough for a tradesman............

 

[opps]

Not sure if you are aware... the green Bosch tools are DIY (light usage rated). The ones with the G prefix in the model number are blue and rated for trade use (and sometimes up to industrial/contiuous use).

If you are only going to use it for 30 minutes once every blue moon, it shouldn't be a problem but if you tried to use it for two or more consecutive hours, it may blow the motor.

In general the more you pay for a jigsaw the better finish that you will be able to achieve. It should have less bounce when cutting thinner materials and should be less prone to the blades wandering when cutting thicker stock. Oh, and hopefully it will cut more material before needing to be replaced.

Another consideration is the quality of blade. I would recommend paying a little bit more for a better blade. Avoid the DIY sheds and look at the likes of screwfix (etc) for a wider range of branded blades.

 

[topgazza]

I agree. Always worth paying a bit more. Even when on a budget I try and get the top model in a range. This time it is unlikely to be used very much with intermittent bursts of use. So the low to mid range Makita or even the 750w Mac Allister which at £50 is a well made jigsaw for a decent price. If it was going to get a lot of use I would be going for a budget of £100 plus and get the Pro versions of the makes.

 

[mwatsonxx]

I would never try to cut a normal size door with a jigsaw. Only a circular saw would do.

 

[topgazza]

True.... but the door edge was so badly cut originally and the, straight, marked cut line I made the edge of the door look like a wavy line. Very thin in places and wide in others and not square to add to the problems so a circular saw was just totally impractical. Guy must have been pi**ed when he did it. Jigsaw did perfectly in this case and cutting slowly and not forcing it gave me a nice edge that I could then plane down the few mm to the line and square up. It was the worse cut door bottom I had ever seen. Luckily it was a solid wood door.

But yes, normally I would use a circular saw and a piece of clamped ply across the door as a guide for the saw.

 

[mwatsonxx]

Ha ha, fair enough, Wickes used to do a jig saw that was highly recommended.

 

[topgazza]

I think B&Q Performance Power tools were either Makita or Ryobi made so it wouldn't surprise me if Wickes were the same. The one I used was the 750w Performance and it allowed a much more controlled slow cut as it was pretty quick in cutting. I'm not snobbish about this and nor should I be of course as I use the saw every now and then. I have an old Black & Decker which cuts with the accuracy of a chain saw cutting porridge. I think for my use my up to £100 budget is about right. I am in Wickes tomorrow so i will check their own range out for sure.

 

[opps]

I have an old Black & Decker which cuts with the accuracy of a chain saw cutting porridge.

Not the one with the stupid knob on the top that allowed you to turn the blade without turning the body of the saw?

That was the first jigsaw I ever used. It was awful and rather scary. Luckily, the second jigsaw that I used was a Festool (when I started working for a cabinet maker).

Edit--------

BTW I have a Festool Trion Jigsaw, the cutting is great but the intake dust extraction ports are too small and get clogged when cutting plywood, it is also difficult to see the cutting line. I have however used it to cut/shape 90mm pine (and then used a router after to clean it up).

Even "expensive" tools can be far from perfect sometimes.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

I think B&Q Performance Power tools were either Makita or Ryobi made ......

Very much doubt if it was made by Makita. They have their own alternative brand name of "Maktec". Wickes did used to have a (lt. grey) range made by a German firm called Kress at one time - not a bad outfit, they've supplied motors to Mafell in the past as well as making SDS drills for the American firm of Porter-Cable.

 

[topgazza]

Not the one with the stupid knob on the top that allowed you to turn the blade without turning the body of the saw?

That was the first jigsaw I ever used. It was awful and rather scary. Luckily, the second jigsaw that I used was a Festool (when I started working for a cabinet maker).

Thats the one

Awful tool and struggles with even simple jobs. Weak motor and even weaker mechanics....especially that knob. Its a few years old , to say the least. Only ever used it on Laminate flooring which it just about coped with. It was a revelation to use the 750 W performance jigsaw and I realised that a jigsaw is a decent tool to use if you get one that is well made. Festool... one day maybe

So I think I have narrowed it down to mid range Makita, Mac Allister 750w which seems to be well made in a "pro" way, DeWalt (although bigger budget) and possibly a Bosch 700. I'll go and have a further play on Wednesday