[Stephen[_6_]]

Hello,

I was wondering about buying a reciprocating saw for general DIY use.
Do you find them to be very useful? Is it worth investing in one?

Since I'm not going to be using it intensively, I don't want to be
spending hundreds of pounds. What budget models do you recommend?

DO you think cordless is as good as corded?

Thanks,
Stephen.

[The Medway Handyman]

Stephen wrote:
Hello,

I was wondering about buying a reciprocating saw for general DIY use.
Do you find them to be very useful? Is it worth investing in one?

Not sure about 'general' DIY use. Won't replace a jigsaw or a circular saw.
I've never found them terribly precise or accurate.

I do carry one on the van, but its only used as a weapon of mass destruction
really - cutting out old door frames, seised bolts, tree roots etc.

What did you intend using it for?

Do you think cordless is as good as corded?

A good cordless probably would be - Makita, Blue Bosch, DeWalt but you are
talking a lot of money.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

[John Rumm]

Stephen wrote:

I was wondering about buying a reciprocating saw for general DIY use.
Do you find them to be very useful? Is it worth investing in one?

Most of this is covered he

http://www.diyfaq.org.uk/powertools/recipsaw.htm


In general, I find them useful sometimes. They can cut in places that
you would find difficult by other power tool means.

Since I'm not going to be using it intensively, I don't want to be
spending hundreds of pounds. What budget models do you recommend?

The Axminster white one is ok ish, it has a hex head machine screw and
Allen key for blade change though which is PITA. It does have enough
power though, and takes cheap standard blades.

DO you think cordless is as good as corded?

Probably - but only if buying a top end branded one.

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

[Harry Bloomfield[_3_]]

It happens that Stephen formulated :
Hello,

I was wondering about buying a reciprocating saw for general DIY use.
Do you find them to be very useful? Is it worth investing in one?

Since I'm not going to be using it intensively, I don't want to be
spending hundreds of pounds. What budget models do you recommend?

Aldi had one on special offer a few weeks ago at around £25, if you
don't mind cheap and cheerful. The still had some left last time I was
there and the price had been reduced to £20. I bought one and they seem
good enough - variable speed, complete with several blade types. I
managed to saw through a 5" diameter tree trunk several times without
too much difficulty to enable it to be disposed of.

--
Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk

[Tim S]

Stephen coughed up some electrons that declared:

Hello,

I was wondering about buying a reciprocating saw for general DIY use.
Do you find them to be very useful? Is it worth investing in one?

Ask a plumber - seems to be a required and compulsory use bit of kit, based
on looking at the "notches" in my joists.



joke

[The Medway Handyman]

John Rumm wrote:
SNIP

The Axminster white one is ok ish, it has a hex head machine screw and
Allen key for blade change though which is PITA. It does have enough
power though, and takes cheap standard blades.

Hi John

Funny, my experience with a succession of el cheapos leaves me prefering the
hex head machine screw method for blade change.

You're right it can be a PITA, but at least the blade stays put! The
cheapies I've had with Q/R blade change have been a bigger PITA because it
kept falling out. The best cheapie I've had is a SF Titan, lasted longer
than the others & the blade stays in place.

I guess a better brand would have a better Q/R blade system, but I rarely
used a recip saw so I've never bought a decent one.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

[John Rumm]

The Medway Handyman wrote:
John Rumm wrote:
SNIP
The Axminster white one is ok ish, it has a hex head machine screw and
Allen key for blade change though which is PITA. It does have enough
power though, and takes cheap standard blades.

Hi John

Funny, my experience with a succession of el cheapos leaves me prefering the
hex head machine screw method for blade change.

You're right it can be a PITA, but at least the blade stays put! The
cheapies I've had with Q/R blade change have been a bigger PITA because it
kept falling out. The best cheapie I've had is a SF Titan, lasted longer
than the others & the blade stays in place.

I have a feeling when we wrote that FAQ, the option of QR blade change
was limited to the more expensive tools anyway.

The mechanism on mine is ok, but still lets go from time to time.

I guess a better brand would have a better Q/R blade system, but I rarely
used a recip saw so I've never bought a decent one.

The fact that you have been through more than one would suggest that
your usage is not that infrequent! I am still on my first.

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

[Rick... (The other Rick)]

On Mon, 09 Feb 2009 17:07:38 +0000, Stephen wrote:

Hello,

I was wondering about buying a reciprocating saw for general DIY use.
Do you find them to be very useful? Is it worth investing in one?

Since I'm not going to be using it intensively, I don't want to be
spending hundreds of pounds. What budget models do you recommend?

DO you think cordless is as good as corded?

Thanks,
Stephen.

The only thing I find a saber saw useful for is to cut apart old pallets for firewood.

They do not make accurate cuts and vibrate like crazy.

I have the Ryobi One+ saw with Lithium-Ion batteries. (£50 for the saw, £150 for 2 batteries and
charger) The batteries get sucked dry in about 5 minutes or less.

For general DIY use, I would go for a circular saw and a jigsaw if you need one.
Rechargeable is nice, but expensive.
A good rechargeable drill is worth it weight in gold.

If you get cheap rechargeable stuff, from B&Q for instance, be prepared for the batteries to die in
about a year or less and to be no longer available. BTDTGTTS

Just my 2p worth.
Rick... (The other Rick)

Science and sound engineering will always prevail in the end
"for nature cannot be fooled" [Feynman]

[Harry Bloomfield[_3_]]

It happens that Stephen formulated :
Hello,

I was wondering about buying a reciprocating saw for general DIY use.
Do you find them to be very useful? Is it worth investing in one?

Since I'm not going to be using it intensively, I don't want to be
spending hundreds of pounds. What budget models do you recommend?

Aldi had one on special offer a few weeks ago at around £25, if you
don't mind cheap and cheerful. The still had some left last time I was
there and the price had been reduced to £20. I bought one and they seem
good enough - variable speed, complete with several blade types. I
managed to saw through a 5" diameter tree trunk several times without
too much difficulty to enable it to be disposed of.

--
Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk

[Harry Bloomfield[_3_]]

John Rumm pretended :
The Medway Handyman wrote:
John Rumm wrote:
SNIP
The Axminster white one is ok ish, it has a hex head machine screw and
Allen key for blade change though which is PITA. It does have enough
power though, and takes cheap standard blades.

Hi John

Funny, my experience with a succession of el cheapos leaves me prefering
the hex head machine screw method for blade change.

You're right it can be a PITA, but at least the blade stays put! The
cheapies I've had with Q/R blade change have been a bigger PITA because it
kept falling out. The best cheapie I've had is a SF Titan, lasted longer
than the others & the blade stays in place.

I have a feeling when we wrote that FAQ, the option of QR blade change was
limited to the more expensive tools anyway.

The mechanism on mine is ok, but still lets go from time to time.

I guess a better brand would have a better Q/R blade system, but I rarely
used a recip saw so I've never bought a decent one.

The fact that you have been through more than one would suggest that your
usage is not that infrequent! I am still on my first.

My Aldi one has just had its first session of cutting steel - several
lengths of Dexion in fact. It has a QR blade system and I not had the
blade come out once. It has quite a strong spring on the chuck and is
quite hard to turn just by force of hand.

Must say I am quite impressed with it and how useful it is, but it is
my first one.

--
Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk

[Harry Bloomfield[_3_]]

Rick... (The other Rick) brought next idea :
The only thing I find a saber saw useful for is to cut apart old pallets for
firewood.

They do not make accurate cuts and vibrate like crazy.

I reckon to be able to make a fairly accurate square cut free hand
without marking up - when using a hand saw. My (Aldi) was as accurate
as I would expect to cut by hand. I had no trouble with vibration, but
it does need to be held tight up against the item being cut.


I have the Ryobi One+ saw with Lithium-Ion batteries. (£50 for the saw, £150
for 2 batteries and
charger) The batteries get sucked dry in about 5 minutes or less.

Too be fair I would not expect batteries to last long, they are an high
current application very different from a battery drill.

I now have mine permanently set up along side my vice where there is
power.

--
Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk

[Steve Firth]

Stephen wrote:

I was wondering about buying a reciprocating saw for general DIY use.
Do you find them to be very useful? Is it worth investing in one?

It depends, as ever. I have a Ryobi 18V sabre saw, it works well for my
uses, and I've used it for pruning as well as for rough cutting and for
slicing up an old water tank. It was fine for most purposes but the need
to swap batteries on long jobs can be a pain. OTOH the batteries are
essential for me because there's a long way from the top of my land to
the bottom (around half a mile) so an extension lead is out of the
question.

[pcb1962]

On 10 Feb, 19:22, (Steve Firth) wrote:

It depends, as ever. I have a Ryobi 18V sabre saw, it works well for my
uses, and I've used it for pruning as well as for rough cutting and for
slicing up an old water tank. It was fine for most purposes but the need
to swap batteries on long jobs can be a pain. OTOH the batteries are
essential for me because there's a long way from the top of my land to
the bottom (around half a mile) so an extension lead is out of the
question.

I have the same one, I've found it brilliant for all sorts of jobs
where I'd have previously struggled with a bare hacksaw blade. Latest
one was cutting holes in the back of the new kitchen cupboards to get
the Miele hoses with their damned big non-return valves through.

[Jon Fairbairn]

pcb1962 writes:
Latest
one was cutting holes in the back of the new kitchen cupboards to get
the Miele hoses with their damned big non-return valves through.

I thought they were volume limiting rather than just
non-return valves, which gives more excuse for the size.

--
Jón Fairbairn
http://www.chaos.org.uk/~jf/Stuff-I-dont-want.html (updated 2009-01-31)

[Tim S]

Jon Fairbairn coughed up some electrons that declared:

pcb1962 writes:
Latest
one was cutting holes in the back of the new kitchen cupboards to get
the Miele hoses with their damned big non-return valves through.

I thought they were volume limiting rather than just
non-return valves, which gives more excuse for the size.


Nearly - they are an electric valve and the hose is a hose within a hose,
with a water leak sensor in the outer hose. So if the inner hose springs a
leak, the valve is shut off. I suspect, though I don't think it says
explicitly in the brochures, that is the machine detects it's full when it
shouldn't be, that the valve is is shut off too.

Cheers

Tim

[Jon Fairbairn]

Tim S writes:

Jon Fairbairn coughed up some electrons that declared:

.. [Miele hoses]
I thought they were volume limiting rather than just
non-return valves, which gives more excuse for the size.


Nearly - they are an electric valve and the hose is a hose within a hose,
with a water leak sensor in the outer hose. So if the inner hose springs a
leak, the valve is shut off.

Ah, so that's what they mean by "waterproof hose"! I did wonder...

--
Jón Fairbairn
http://www.chaos.org.uk/~jf/Stuff-I-dont-want.html (updated 2009-01-31)

[Stephen[_6_]]

On Tue, 10 Feb 2009 19:16:07 GMT, Harry Bloomfield
wrote:

Too be fair I would not expect batteries to last long, they are an high
current application very different from a battery drill.

Thanks for the replies. I was asking about battery powered ones simply
because the Wickes web site says they are selling a battery one,
however reading the small print you only buy the shell and have to buy
the battery and charger separately, so I assume that doubles the
price. Previously Wickes' tools had a good reputation. Who is making
them this year? The old Kress range seems to have gone and the new
range is cut back.

Why should a saw be different to a drill? Is it run time or is it
current? Portability of battery powered tools is nice, especially as
these seem to be used when no other saw can reach or get to the job.

[Tony Bryer]

On Fri, 20 Feb 2009 21:34:23 +0000 Stephen wrote :
Thanks for the replies. I was asking about battery powered ones
simply because the Wickes web site says they are selling a battery
one, however reading the small print you only buy the shell and have
to buy the battery and charger separately, so I assume that doubles
the price.

It's a good while since I looked at them, but I don't think this is
true. Selling the tools and batteries separately is a plus IMO as it
lets you choose the combination that is right for you - one tool +
multiple batteries or multiple tools + one battery.

--
Tony Bryer, 'Software to build on' from Greentram
www.superbeam.co.uk www.superbeam.com www.greentram.com

[mike[_7_]]

On Feb 20, 9:34*pm, Stephen wrote:

because the Wickes web site says they are selling a battery one,
however reading the small print you only buy the shell and have to buy
the battery and charger separately, so I assume that doubles the
price.

The Wickes blue range battery tools are all 33% off until Sunday (in
store and on the website).

Previously Wickes' tools had a good reputation. Who is making
them this year? The old Kress range seems to have gone and the new
range is cut back.

A lot of the pro stuff is still Kress. They've just updated the
models and changed the colour scheme from blue/grey to red/grey.