I'm a homeowner who will give light to moderate use of a jigsaw. Which
would you suggest as the best one for such use? Can I get by with a
$49 Skil at HD, or should I go with something at $100+?
Thanks!
Squanklin

On 16 Dec 2004 05:22:10 -0800, "Squanklin"
wrote:

I'm a homeowner who will give light to moderate use of a jigsaw. Which
would you suggest as the best one for such use? Can I get by with a
$49 Skil at HD, or should I go with something at $100+?
Thanks!
Squanklin

Bosch makes high quality jigsaws (about $160) and I recommend these.
On the low end I recommend Grizzly G8994 which is about $60, modeled
after the Bosch, variable speed, orbital action, beveling footplate,
chip blower (no dust collection). Check out Amazon rather than Home
Depot.

Phisherman wrote:
I'm a homeowner who will give light to moderate use of a jigsaw. Which
would you suggest as the best one for such use? Can I get by with a
$49 Skil at HD, or should I go with something at $100+?


Bosch makes high quality jigsaws (about $160) and I recommend these.
On the low end I recommend Grizzly G8994 which is about $60, modeled
after the Bosch, variable speed, orbital action, beveling footplate,
chip blower (no dust collection). Check out Amazon rather than Home
Depot.


I used to use cheap tools just like many people. Last year I became introduced
to the Bosch 1590EVSK (for $169 at Home Depot) and I will never go back to the
crappy tools. I HAD NO IDEA. This Bosch is a delight to use, as opposed to the
cheap POS Black and Deckers I had owned in the past. Accept no substitute.

Lowes is having a 20% off sale right now on all "power tools". That should
bring the cost down to about $135.

Do yourself a favor... don't buy the cheap crap. The only time you're happy
with it is when you pay for it. You'll end up cursing it every time you use it.
Buy quality the first time and be done with it. We're not talking about 16"
jointer here....



--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN

VE

Second that! I bought a Skil belt sander and it took Skil SIX MONTHS
to get a replacement switch to the repair shop! Repair shop was in a
tools sales store and owner commented "That's why we don't carry
Skil".

On Thu, 16 Dec 2004 17:25:55 GMT, "Mortimer Schnerd, RN"
wrote:

Do yourself a favor... don't buy the cheap crap. The only time you're happy
with it is when you pay for it. You'll end up cursing it every time you use it.
Buy quality the first time and be done with it. We're not talking about 16"
jointer here....

Squanklin wrote:
I'm a homeowner who will give light to moderate use of a jigsaw.
Which would you suggest as the best one for such use? Can I get by
with a $49 Skil at HD, or should I go with something at $100+?


As soon as my 1975 orange Black and Decker jigsaw stops working, I'm going
to go out and get a GOOD one!

Phisherman wrote in
:

On 16 Dec 2004 05:22:10 -0800, "Squanklin"
wrote:

I'm a homeowner who will give light to moderate use of a jigsaw. Which
would you suggest as the best one for such use? Can I get by with a
$49 Skil at HD, or should I go with something at $100+?
Thanks!
Squanklin

Bosch makes high quality jigsaws (about $160) and I recommend these.
On the low end I recommend Grizzly G8994 which is about $60, modeled
after the Bosch, variable speed, orbital action, beveling footplate,
chip blower (no dust collection). Check out Amazon rather than Home
Depot.


you want one with a roller blade guide. The Griz may have it,the Harbor
Freight clone of the Bosch 1581 does at a comparable price.

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik-at-kua.net

"Squanklin" wrote in message
ups.com...
I'm a homeowner who will give light to moderate use of a jigsaw. Which
would you suggest as the best one for such use? Can I get by with a
$49 Skil at HD, or should I go with something at $100+?
Thanks!
Squanklin


I used to have a B&D till it gave out. I bought a Miluakee at Lowe's and
some good blades. The difference is amazing and well worth the extra money.
--
Paul O.

Depends on the level of agravation you can stand. I used to borrow my
neighbors jig saw, it was a cheap POS. I hated using it. I bought a Bosch
and actually enjoy using it!
Greg

"Squanklin" wrote in message
ups.com...
I'm a homeowner who will give light to moderate use of a jigsaw. Which
would you suggest as the best one for such use? Can I get by with a
$49 Skil at HD, or should I go with something at $100+?
Thanks!
Squanklin

On 16 Dec 2004 05:22:10 -0800, "Squanklin"
wrote:

I'm a homeowner who will give light to moderate use of a jigsaw. Which
would you suggest as the best one for such use? Can I get by with a
$49 Skil at HD, or should I go with something at $100+?
Thanks!
Squanklin


Check out the saws at KMART.
It's a "house brand", blue housing.
Made in China... ( most power tools are )

It sells for $19.95
and it may be one of the smoothest running,
straightest cutting saber-saws I've ever owned.

It should be perfect for average homeowner projects.

rj

"John Harlow" writes:
Squanklin wrote:
I'm a homeowner who will give light to moderate use of a jigsaw.
Which would you suggest as the best one for such use? Can I get by
with a $49 Skil at HD, or should I go with something at $100+?


As soon as my 1975 orange Black and Decker jigsaw stops working, I'm going
to go out and get a GOOD one!

I know the feeling... I am still using my 30+ year old Craftsman
jigsaw that I bought on sale for $29 (regularly $49) when I was a kid.

More generally, I am constantly torn about how much to spend on each
tool. On the one hand, there are those that say buy the best both for
quality of the job and longevity of the tool.

On the other hand, I have had pretty good experiences with cheaper
tools... For example, I just bought a Ryobi 18v combo set with drill,
mini-circular saw, reciprocating saw, hand vac, flashlight, charger,
and 2 batteries for $135. Even more importantly, the compatible
accessories are cheap (e.g., $39 for 2 batteries which is less than
half the price of one Bosch battery, $39 for dremmel-like tool).

Still not sure where to play on the price/brand/quality curve...

"Paul O." writes:
"Squanklin" wrote in message
ups.com...
I'm a homeowner who will give light to moderate use of a jigsaw. Which
would you suggest as the best one for such use? Can I get by with a
$49 Skil at HD, or should I go with something at $100+?
Thanks!
Squanklin


I used to have a B&D till it gave out. I bought a Miluakee at Lowe's and
some good blades. The difference is amazing and well worth the extra money.

As someone who has mostly experience with cheaper tools, can you help
me understand what makes the Milwaukee so much better for everyday
jobs (setting aside blade quality which I understand).

Jigsaw Update:

After reading much good advice from this group (thank you), I went the
cheap route and purchased a GMC jigsaw from Lowes for $11.50. It did
the job I needed it for this weekend, and I'm interested to test it out
over the coming months. Having no DeWalt, Ryobi, Craftsman, etc. to
compare it to, I will say it operated smoothly, provided a decent range
of variable speeds, and cut right through the 3/4" board as needed (as
all jigsaws should).

Thanks again for the helpful input!
Squanklin


Squanklin wrote:
I'm a homeowner who will give light to moderate use of a jigsaw.
Which
would you suggest as the best one for such use? Can I get by with a
$49 Skil at HD, or should I go with something at $100+?
Thanks!
Squanklin

blueman wrote:
As someone who has mostly experience with cheaper tools, can you help
me understand what makes the Milwaukee so much better for everyday
jobs (setting aside blade quality which I understand).


I've got a $170 Bosch 1590 EVSK. Having only previously experienced the cheap
POS Black and Decker models I assumed that it was just the inherent inaccuracy
of the genre when I got poor results. I bought the Bosch because of a review I
read singing its praises.

I can now actually follow a curved line, the cut is smooth rather than frayed,
and my hand doesn't feel like I've got MS after a session with it. It actually
is a pleasure to use. Changing blades is tool free and only takes a second, yet
the resulting mount is rock solid. Blades are extremely easy to find in any
borg, which is more than I can say for my older jigsaw.

If I had it to do over again, I'd do one thing different: I'd have bought it 30
years ago.... or right now. Lowes is selling them for 20% off right now.

On a passing note, I bought my brother's Christmas present the day before they
announced the 20% sale. I can't get the *******s to refund the difference
either, so don't consider this an endorsement of the assholes at Lowes. They're
not the only vender... which I'm going to remember next time.



--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN

VE

Mortimer Schnerd, RN wrote:

[...]

On a passing note, I bought my brother's Christmas present the day before they
announced the 20% sale. I can't get the *******s to refund the difference
either, so don't consider this an endorsement of the assholes at Lowes. They're
not the only vender... which I'm going to remember next time.

Just get a full refund and then buy another. I wonder why in the world
they wouldn't just refund the difference when that option is open to you?

Also, complain politely but firmly up the chain.
--
Bo Williams -
http://hiwaay.net/~williams/

On 12/20/2004 1:47 PM US(ET), blueman took fingers to keys, and typed
the following:

"Paul O." writes:


"Squanklin" wrote in message
roups.com...


I'm a homeowner who will give light to moderate use of a jigsaw. Which
would you suggest as the best one for such use? Can I get by with a
$49 Skil at HD, or should I go with something at $100+?
Thanks!
Squanklin



I used to have a B&D till it gave out. I bought a Miluakee at Lowe's and
some good blades. The difference is amazing and well worth the extra money.



As someone who has mostly experience with cheaper tools, can you help
me understand what makes the Milwaukee so much better for everyday
jobs (setting aside blade quality which I understand).

What do you mean by "everyday jobs"? Do you mean you will work with the
tool on the job everyday, or by "everyday jobs", do you mean the small,
occasional homeowner uses for the tool?
If you are a contractor and use the tool daily, get the best, most
expensive, tool for the job. You can even write it off for tax purposes.
If you are just a homeowner and want a tool that can do a small job,
maybe once every 4 or 5 years, buy the economical one.
I'm a homeowner, and have used my Makita recip a couple of times in the
past few years to cut a stud or two and have had no problems yet, but I
am using Milwaukee blades in it, so I can't give a reliable opinion on
the saw.