As mentioned in another thread, I just bought a Bosch 1590EVS orbital
jigsaw. The orbital feature does not appear to do anything-- I know
the diagrams in the manual are exaggerated, but should the orbital
action be visible to the naked eye? I'm wondering if the control lever
is actually attatched to anything...

The electronic speed controller won't run it any slower than 500
strokes/min, but holding the saw next to a straight edge, it sure
looks like the blade is going straight up and down regardless of the
orbital setting.

Other than that, it cuts very nicely.
(No comparison at all to the old POS saw it replaced.)

"Ron Bean" wrote in message
...

As mentioned in another thread, I just bought a Bosch 1590EVS orbital
jigsaw. The orbital feature does not appear to do anything-- I know
the diagrams in the manual are exaggerated, but should the orbital
action be visible to the naked eye? I'm wondering if the control lever
is actually attatched to anything...

The electronic speed controller won't run it any slower than 500
strokes/min, but holding the saw next to a straight edge, it sure
looks like the blade is going straight up and down regardless of the
orbital setting.

Other than that, it cuts very nicely.
(No comparison at all to the old POS saw it replaced.)
This is the result of orbital action. You may or may not be able to see any
orbital movement, but you certainly do see the results.
Jim

Ron, I have a Bosch orbital jigsaw, older model than yours. The variable
speed control allows really slow speeds, say 1.5 per sec, which allows you
to see the orbital action. Maybe you should check with the seller that your
variable speed is operating correctly.

Cheers
Bill D
NZ
"Ron Bean" wrote in message
...

As mentioned in another thread, I just bought a Bosch 1590EVS orbital
jigsaw. The orbital feature does not appear to do anything-- I know
the diagrams in the manual are exaggerated, but should the orbital
action be visible to the naked eye? I'm wondering if the control lever
is actually attatched to anything...

The electronic speed controller won't run it any slower than 500
strokes/min, but holding the saw next to a straight edge, it sure
looks like the blade is going straight up and down regardless of the
orbital setting.

Other than that, it cuts very nicely.
(No comparison at all to the old POS saw it replaced.)

"Bill D" wrote in message
...
Ron, I have a Bosch orbital jigsaw, older model than yours. The variable
speed control allows really slow speeds, say 1.5 per sec, which allows you
to see the orbital action. Maybe you should check with the seller that
your variable speed is operating correctly.


I've got an older one as well, and the orbital action isn't obviously
visible, at least to me. That being said, it's easy to detect during use -
switch between the maximum orbit and none, and the speed of cut plummets.
However, as the speed drops, the quality of cut increases.

The 1590EVS just doesn't go any slower than about 500 spm. Depending on the
maximum speed setting (there are six) the saw will provide continuous speed
variation at the trigger from 500 to the maximum speed that is selected. The
initial documentation suggested that the saw started at 0 but I checked with
Bosch and they said no. 500 is really adeqauately slow for starting the saw
in just about anything and too slow for almost any sustained cutting. Also,
going really slow negates the effectiveness of the dust blower.

Tim Ellestad

"Bill D" wrote in message
...
Ron, I have a Bosch orbital jigsaw, older model than yours. The variable
speed control allows really slow speeds, say 1.5 per sec, which allows you
to see the orbital action. Maybe you should check with the seller that
your
variable speed is operating correctly.

Cheers
Bill D
NZ
"Ron Bean" wrote in message
...

As mentioned in another thread, I just bought a Bosch 1590EVS orbital
jigsaw. The orbital feature does not appear to do anything-- I know
the diagrams in the manual are exaggerated, but should the orbital
action be visible to the naked eye? I'm wondering if the control lever
is actually attatched to anything...

The electronic speed controller won't run it any slower than 500
strokes/min, but holding the saw next to a straight edge, it sure
looks like the blade is going straight up and down regardless of the
orbital setting.

Other than that, it cuts very nicely.
(No comparison at all to the old POS saw it replaced.)

I have an older model (1587) that I bought used, without a manual, and
I've never really understood the orbital feature. Can you tell me when
and when not to use it? Thanks.

HI,

When in the orbital mode, the blade is forward as
it moves upward making the cut, but moves back on
the return stroke. This give the sawdust a place
to fall out. This is inportant when the wood is
about as thick or thicker than the blade stroke.
Without the orbital action the sawdust tends to
stay in the teeth which impedes cut. If the
stroke is twice the thickness of the material,
this is not very important.

The orbit action causes problems when cutting
curves. The sharper the curve, the greater the
problem. If the jig saw is in the orbital mode,
the blade tries to swings back and forth in a
plane, but the kerf is curved, so either the blade
must flex side to side as it orbits or the kerf
gets widened.

In summary:
Use the orbital mode with thick material and
straight cuts.
Use the non-orbital mode for thin material and
curved cuts.
If you are cutting tight curves thick material, .
.. . well good luck.

Thanks
Roger Haar

mblanc wrote:

I have an older model (1587) that I bought used, without a manual, and
I've never really understood the orbital feature. Can you tell me when
and when not to use it? Thanks.

In article .com,
"mblanc" wrote:

I have an older model (1587) that I bought used, without a manual, and
I've never really understood the orbital feature. Can you tell me when
and when not to use it? Thanks.


Orbital is a more agressive but rougher cut. I have an old PC orbital
which my tool repair guy told me was about to give up the ghost so I
bought the Bosch. The Bosch died six months later and I pulled out the
"dying" PC. That was 5 years ago and the PC is still going strong. My
opinion is that the Bosch is over designed and not a very good tool. It
takes about five different tools to get the covers apart where the PC
needs only a screwdriver.
The orbital Milwaukee Sawzall is a bad assed saw too. I have used it
to cut cast iron plumbing stacks with wood rough out blades. These cut
faster than metal cutting or carbide impregnated blades. Used these
blades to cut apart appliances (clothes washers, dish washers ect.) into
pieces small enough to fit into trash cans.
Rabbit

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Lon Marshall