Gene T wrote:

Charlie b ,
Was the bug zapper from Harbor Freight.

Yup.

I've been looking for one with higher voltage.

Label on the plastic bag it came in says 1500 volts.
Doesn't "zap" but rather "pops".

The effective area of this thing is only about
a 7x10 inch oval. Grip is large diameter - perhaps
to discourage "children under 8" from using it.
Button on grip must be kept depressed to get
"zapper" function. Button is not ergonomic well
poistioned so some strokes are akward (sp?).

After waving this thing around in the sparse
mini-cloud of small flies that gather in a beam
of sunlight outside the shop, I found that just
holding it still in the vicinity and letting the
flying insects fly into the electric grid was
most effective. Was tempted to try it on a
yellow jacket but my self preservation instinct
kicked in before I acted on that impulse. Yellow
jackets are nasty beasts and I figure the last
thing I need to deal with is an electrically irritated
bug.

Did get to play with the Festool jigsaw. Replaceable
zero clearance insert eliminates the tearout in
ply characteristic of jigsaw cuts.

Need to adjust the lower guides closer to the blade
and either buy Festools vacuum hose or find an
adapter for the vacuum hose I've got in my dust
collector system.

The clear plastic "chip guard" distorts your view of
where the blade is cutting and when the saw is
operating, the wire "blade guard" on either side of
and just in front of the blade can be mistaken for the
blade.

The barrel grip is a bit large for my hand and the
on off switch is set back so that your gripping
hand can't be all the way foreward, closer to being
over the blade. Because the barrel grip position
is so far back, any left/right movement of your
hand results in a magnified movement of the blade
(thing lever - movement close to the fulcrum/
pivot point results in less movement on the other
end than movement farther from the fulcrum/pivot
point)

Angling the foot/base requires the use of an allen
wrench which is supplied and has a storage place
on the tool.

The dust extractor is 1.06" diameter - why they
couldn't just go with 1" is beyond me.

Test cuts have been really smooth and blade
deflection is minimal or non-existant on straight
cuts. More thorough review to follow.

charlie b