Need advice buying a jigsaw.

[OM2]

I was thinking of buying one with a laser guide.

I was thinking of getting the 'VonHaus 800W Electric Jigsaw with Laser Guide Pendulum | Variable Speeds, Splinter Guard, Dust Extraction Port & 3 Blades | Strong Cast Aluminium Base'

From Amazon. £32.99.

I cant find any other well known brands with a laser guide. I'd be happy paying slight more for a better make.

Thanks.

 

[foxhole]

What’s the point of a laser guide on a jigsaw. You can see the blade cutting. Probably why the quality brands don’t use them.

 

[OM2]

What’s the point of a laser guide on a jigsaw. You can see the blade cutting. Probably why the quality brands don’t use them.

i disagree
i think the laser guide is really useful... i certainly would prefer.
(complete newbie inexperienced point of view of course!)

i was thinking of going for a bosche all the same.
if i get a few replies saying 'fantastic buy, i use all the time and swear by it!' i might consider buying

 

[big-all]

the trouble you have is different blades will act differently without the ability to adjust the blade
also most jigsaws will have a tendency to go off line to some extent
i look at the blade and line the blade up with the cut line and ignore the jigsaw body
you get the "feel" off your jigsaw for example my old dewalt 18v cuts very well and accurately but at perhaps 1 degree off but i automatically compensate for this without thinking

 

[OM2]

thanks for the replies guys.
i purchased the bosch in the end: 'Bosch PST 800 PEL 500w Jigsaw 230v with 10 blades in Carry Case'
was going to buy from amazon, but found somewhere online selling for £12 cheaper, so bought from them.
would still like to have had a laser though. lol. but thought i'd go for a good brand.

 

[EddieM]

A laser won't really help much I am afraid. Jigsaw are well reknowed for not being very accurate. You may well follow the laser line on the top surface but you'll be amazed at how much wiggle they tend to generate esp in deeper cuts.

 

[matz]

what the hell is a laser guide on a jigsaw?? if the jigsaw is £32, then a laser guide (what ever it is lol) is a sales gimmick.....

 

[Deleted member 174758]

....also most jigsaws will have a tendency to go off line to some extent...

Masterful understatement there, B-A (and yes, I'm agreeing)

would still like to have had a laser though. lol. but thought i'd go for a good brand.

Could be worse..... Spear & Jackson once foisted this monstrosity on us. Fortunately, it didn't last (try finding one for sale)

To paraphrase, maybe the saying should be "a jigsaw needs a laser guide like a fish needs a bicycle....!"

 

[justbigboned]

What do you need a jigsaw for OM2?

I guess since you've bought one it might be a moot point, though.

My guess, you'll post back in few days complaining the blade is deviating from your cut line on the underside hehe.

 

[OM2]

@justbigboned 2 projects.

We have a large extension at the back and have a boiler on one corner.
initial plan was to make something nice top to bottom covering up the boiler.
now i want to make a frame in front going all the way across, add doors and make storage space - it's 4m across and depth of 40cm.

and secondly, wanted to build a 1m x 1m top to bottom built in cupboard. a small section of one of the rooms is 1m x 1m.

all the answers i've been getting have been so helpful over a few threads.

 

[justbigboned]

@justbigboned 2 projects.

We have a large extension at the back and have a boiler on one corner.
initial plan was to make something nice top to bottom covering up the boiler.
now i want to make a frame in front going all the way across, add doors and make storage space - it's 4m across and depth of 40cm.

and secondly, wanted to build a 1m x 1m top to bottom built in cupboard. a small section of one of the rooms is 1m x 1m.

all the answers i've been getting have been so helpful over a few threads.

I re-read my post and I think it came across wrong. I didnt mean to sound harsh at all.

What I was driving at is what is the ultimate use you intended to put the jigsaw to. Jigsaws are for cutting curves in relatively thin materials, with the odd exception at the top end of the market i.e

They can of course be used for other things, but if you're making enclosures, are you not mostly talking mostly straight cuts? A jigsaw is a poor choice of tool for straight lines.

 

[OM2]

hmmm... i thought a jigsaw would fit the bill.
most of the cutting would be to make a kind of stud wall.
maybe some inner panels.
to finish off, i planned to buy high gloss kitchen doors.
anything wrong with that plan? let me know - advice much appreciated.

 

[stealthwolf]

I have a jigsaw. I thought it would be cheaper and safer than a circular saw. It is rubbish for cutting anything thicker than about 20mm (or thereabouts) IMO. Takes forever to cut through anything deeper. Struggle to keep to a straight line - the back end can move about even if the blade follows the line. You might go through multiple blades. You frequently have to stop and blow away the sawdust as it obscures the cutting line (unless you have an extraction system, which I don't). A laser would really only be beneficial if it was able to follow the line ahead of where the sawdust is in front of the jigsaw blade.

I'm saving my pennies for a circular (or maybe plunge) saw plus guide rail.

 

[big-all]

if you want accurate strait lines you have about a 5-10% chance off getting a nearly strait cut that sanding will cure with a decent jigsaw
cutting gloss is even worse as you have a virtually zero chance off disguising any chips or gaps that you will get many off
gloss requires a circular saw a decent blade often a sacareficial board
a track saw is the ultimate for strait quick cuts in sheet material

 

[OM2]

So I'm confused now...
I wanted to buy a rotary saw initially.
I thought it was awesome and I could do so many things with it!. But in videos I saw that it only cut down 2cm - which is what you guys are saying the jigsaw will do! So... Should I go for one of these instead?

What's a jigsaw useful for in that case?
Amongst other things I wanted to make boxes.

Jigsaw with a guide. Surely you can't go wrong??

I'm now thinking maybe I need a circular saw as well - but should I cancel the jigsaw and get a circular saw instead?