I was looking for a 120v jigsaw in the $50 range. Local hardware store
recommended the Skil 4390-01 (Amazon page he
http://www.amazon.com/Skil-4390-01-8.../dp/B000EB547Y
)

Any other ideas? Opinions on the Skil jigsaw?

Thanks!

Rob wrote:
I was looking for a 120v jigsaw in the $50 range. Local hardware
store
recommended the Skil 4390-01 (Amazon page he
http://www.amazon.com/Skil-4390-01-8.../dp/B000EB547Y
)

Any other ideas? Opinions on the Skil jigsaw?

Thanks!

Yeah, spend the extra for a Bosch. There is no other power tool in
which the difference in performance between cheap and good is as great
as the jigsaw.

--
--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

"Rob" wrote in message
...
I was looking for a 120v jigsaw in the $50 range. Local hardware store
recommended the Skil 4390-01 (Amazon page he
http://www.amazon.com/Skil-4390-01-8.../dp/B000EB547Y
)

Any other ideas? Opinions on the Skil jigsaw?

Thanks!

I have been using a Skil jigsaw for about 15 years now with great success,
paid about $150 for it, great tool. That being said the one you are looking
at is a good short term rough work tool, meaning it won't last long and will
be a pain to use. Spend the extra money and buy a Bosch you won,t regret it

Yeah, spend the extra for a Bosch. *There is no other power tool in
which the difference in performance between cheap and good is as great
as the jigsaw.


What he said. I used a top of the line (consumer) Craftsman jigsaw
for 10 years or more until I got my hands on a pro-quality orbital
jigsaw. The difference is night and day. You'd think that as long as
the blade is held securely and made to go up and down in a sawing
motion, they'd all be the same. It just ain't so. There are two
kinds of jigsaws in the world. Pro-quality orbitals and junk. For
$50, you only get the latter, from any manufacturer.

DonkeyHody
"I cried because I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet." -
Unknown

I picked up a Bosch on ebay for about $60. Got it from a pawn shop,
almost brand new, case and all.

Be patient, selective, use the automatic bid assistant and you will get
one and same some $$ at the same time.


DonkeyHody wrote:
Yeah, spend the extra for a Bosch. There is no other power tool in
which the difference in performance between cheap and good is as great
as the jigsaw.


What he said. I used a top of the line (consumer) Craftsman jigsaw
for 10 years or more until I got my hands on a pro-quality orbital
jigsaw. The difference is night and day. You'd think that as long as
the blade is held securely and made to go up and down in a sawing
motion, they'd all be the same. It just ain't so. There are two
kinds of jigsaws in the world. Pro-quality orbitals and junk. For
$50, you only get the latter, from any manufacturer.

DonkeyHody
"I cried because I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet." -
Unknown

"Rob" wrote in message
...
I was looking for a 120v jigsaw in the $50 range. Local hardware store
recommended the Skil 4390-01 (Amazon page he
http://www.amazon.com/Skil-4390-01-8.../dp/B000EB547Y
)

Any other ideas? Opinions on the Skil jigsaw?

Thanks!

Waste of money. Get a Bosch or equal for $100 and up. Mostly up.

"Rob" wrote in message
...
I was looking for a 120v jigsaw in the $50 range. Local hardware store
recommended the Skil 4390-01 (Amazon page he
http://www.amazon.com/Skil-4390-01-8.../dp/B000EB547Y
)

Any other ideas? Opinions on the Skil jigsaw?

Thanks!

It'll do you if you want to thrash your way through a relatively rough cut.

If you are looking for a "good" jig saw that will produce good results and
have convenient features, you want to look at the latest Bosch and or
Milwaukee saws with the lever action blade release.
You seriously need to be looking in the $150-$200 range to get a saw that
you will enjoy using and give you nice results.

On Jan 10, 8:48*am, "Leon" wrote:
"Rob" wrote in message

...

I was looking for a 120v jigsaw in the $50 range. Local hardware store
recommended the Skil 4390-01 (Amazon page he
http://www.amazon.com/Skil-4390-01-8.../dp/B000EB547Y
)

Any other ideas? Opinions on the Skil jigsaw?

Thanks!

I bought my older Swiss made Bosch on E-bay for $70. I was trading up
from a B&D that I had grown to hate. It bounced and jounced, never cut
clean, cut straight whem I wanted a curve, cut crooked when I wanted
it straight, etc., etc. It also had a little thumbscrew to hold the
blade in that, if I wasn't on my toes, would smash my thumb if I held
it in the wrong place. The Bosch is like a surgical instrument
compared to the B&D. It is a pleasure to use and is one of my favorite
tools. If and when this saw ever needs to be replaced, it will
definitely be with another Bosch.

Chuck

In article ,
mapdude wrote:

I picked up a Bosch on ebay for about $60. Got it from a pawn shop,
almost brand new, case and all.

Well then...YOU SUCK!

Any other ideas? Opinions on the Skil jigsaw?

Thanks!

Hate to say it considering your budget, but I agree with the other
replies. I upgraded from a B&D to a Bosch jigsaw, and the difference
is really amazing. Not just a "Chevy to BMW" type comparison - more
like a "Model T to BMW" comparison. The cheaper saws will cut wood,
but they're really different tools than the nice ones.
That said, you don't have to spend $150 on the newest bosch
(1590/1591). You can probably find one of their older ones (1584 or
1587) for significantly less. These don't have exactly the same
features as the 1590 (toolless blade change etc), but they're still
head and shoulders above the cheap saws in terms of quality and
performance. Try searching ebay for 'bosch (1584,1587)'. Based on
completed auctions, it looks like you should be able to get one for
less than $70 including shipping.
Hope this helps!
Andy

On Thu, 10 Jan 2008 05:57:18 -0600, "sweet sawdust"
wrote:


"Rob" wrote in message
.. .
I was looking for a 120v jigsaw in the $50 range. Local hardware store
recommended the Skil 4390-01 (Amazon page he
http://www.amazon.com/Skil-4390-01-8.../dp/B000EB547Y
)

Any other ideas? Opinions on the Skil jigsaw?

Thanks!

I have been using a Skil jigsaw for about 15 years now with great success,
paid about $150 for it, great tool. That being said the one you are looking
at is a good short term rough work tool, meaning it won't last long and will
be a pain to use. Spend the extra money and buy a Bosch you won,t regret it

I've been trying to kill my B&D saber saw for almost 30 years and the sucker
just won't die... they just don't make 'em like that any more..lol

I thought it was finally going to bite it when a friend borrowed it to cut holes
in 1 1/4" particle board for his bathroom floor, but it just did its' thing and
laughed at us..

I looked at some of the newer ones and though I'm sure they work better and have
more features, they're also a lot heavier... not a good thing for the stuff I do
with one..


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

Rob wrote:
I was looking for a 120v jigsaw in the $50 range. Local hardware store
recommended the Skil 4390-01 (Amazon page he
http://www.amazon.com/Skil-4390-01-8.../dp/B000EB547Y
)

Any other ideas? Opinions on the Skil jigsaw?

Thanks!

I second the advise on the Bosch.

One thing that I have always found to be true is that everyone
has their own opinion about every kind of tool and who makes
the best, but almost without exception, Bosch is considered
the king of Jig Saws.

There is a good reason for that.

--
Robert Allison
Rimshot, Inc.
Georgetown, TX

"J. Clarke" wrote in message
...
Rob wrote:
I was looking for a 120v jigsaw in the $50 range. Local hardware
store
recommended the Skil 4390-01 (Amazon page he
http://www.amazon.com/Skil-4390-01-8.../dp/B000EB547Y
)

Any other ideas? Opinions on the Skil jigsaw?

Thanks!

Yeah, spend the extra for a Bosch. There is no other power tool in
which the difference in performance between cheap and good is as great
as the jigsaw.

I looked at that same Skil recently but decided to spend the extra money and
just got a Bosch 1591. Wow, I think I could write my name in plywood with
that baby, I didn't know a jigsaw could be that smooth. That old line about
only crying once when you pay for a good tool rather than crying every time
you try to use a cheap tool is now my official policy. ;^)

Yeah, spend the extra for a Bosch. There is no other power tool in
which the difference in performance between cheap and good is as great
as the jigsaw.

I looked at that same Skil recently but decided to spend the extra money
and just got a Bosch 1591. Wow, I think I could write my name in plywood
with that baby, I didn't know a jigsaw could be that smooth. That old
line about only crying once when you pay for a good tool rather than
crying every time you try to use a cheap tool is now my official policy.
;^)

Second that. Forget the skil, ryobi, etc.... Buy stuff that'll remind you
why you spent the extra $$ every time you pick it up.

You'll be a lot less likely to throw the bosch in frustration too. See, it
saves you in repair costs too!

Anytime you need justification for tools, just post here.

jc

Rob wrote:
I was looking for a 120v jigsaw in the $50 range. Local hardware
store
recommended the Skil 4390-01

Any other ideas? Opinions on the Skil jigsaw?

"Skil" as a product line is designed as a consumer level entry line of
tools.

The lone exception is the "77" saw wich I think is being redesigned.

If you don't expect much, you won't be disappointed.

I would not buy any "Skil" product being offered today.

Lew

mac davis wrote:


I've been trying to kill my B&D saber saw for almost 30 years and the sucker
just won't die...

A puke green colored one? A drop off a 12' ladder onto a concrete
driveway worked for me!

--
Jack Novak
Buffalo, NY - USA

Nova took a can of maroon spray paint on January 10, 2008 06:34 pm and wrote
the following:

mac davis wrote:


I've been trying to kill my B&D saber saw for almost 30 years and the
sucker just won't die...

A puke green colored one? A drop off a 12' ladder onto a concrete
driveway worked for me!

You must have got a lucky bounce.
;-)
I dropped a B&D circular saw of the same era from a similar height two years
ago, got a new scratch on it.

Damn thing still works.
--
Lits Slut #9
Life would be so much easier if we could just look at the source code.

"Lew Hodgett" wrote in message
...

"Skil" as a product line is designed as a consumer level entry line of
tools.

The lone exception is the "77" saw wich I think is being redesigned.

If you don't expect much, you won't be disappointed.

I would not buy any "Skil" product being offered today.

I got one of their circular saws not long ago and so far it has performed
just fine although I wouldn't expect it to last as long as a more expensive
brand/model. All I wanted it for was cutting up sheets of OSB, if I'd
needed a tool for a more serious job I'd have spent more. I believe Bosch
actually owns Skil these days, the low half of a high-low product range I
suppose, however much you want to spend they have something to sell you.

"Joe" wrote in message
et...

Second that. Forget the skil, ryobi, etc.... Buy stuff that'll remind
you why you spent the extra $$ every time you pick it up.

You'll be a lot less likely to throw the bosch in frustration too. See,
it saves you in repair costs too!

Anytime you need justification for tools, just post here.

jc

My wife finally threw in the towel, gave me a Lee Valley gift certificate
for Christmas. Boy was that a fun package to open. ;^)

"DGDevin" wrote:

I believe Bosch
actually owns Skil these days, the low half of a high-low product
range I
suppose, however much you want to spend they have something to sell
you.

SB bought out Skil a few years ago and basically trashed everything
but the "77".

I'm convinced the only reason for thr buy was to get the 77.

So yes, SB still owns Skil as well as Bosch.

Lew

Rob wrote:
I was looking for a 120v jigsaw in the $50 range. Local hardware store
recommended the Skil 4390-01 (Amazon page he
http://www.amazon.com/Skil-4390-01-8.../dp/B000EB547Y
)

Any other ideas? Opinions on the Skil jigsaw?

Thanks!


I bought a Makita 4324 in December. I chose the Makita because it's
smaller than the Milwaukee and Bosch. It's light, smooth and
comfortable to use. Never had a problem with other Makita products.

I have power tools built by Milwaukee, Porter Cable along with other
brands. You get what you pay for.

LdB

"FrozenNorth" wrote in message
...
Nova took a can of maroon spray paint on January 10, 2008 06:34 pm and
wrote
the following:

mac davis wrote:


I've been trying to kill my B&D saber saw for almost 30 years and the
sucker just won't die...

A puke green colored one? A drop off a 12' ladder onto a concrete
driveway worked for me!

You must have got a lucky bounce.
;-)
I dropped a B&D circular saw of the same era from a similar height two
years
ago, got a new scratch on it.

Damn thing still works.

30 years ago Black and Decker actually made some good tools. Too bad, the
choices they made since then.

--

-Mike-

On Thu, 10 Jan 2008 23:34:01 GMT, Nova wrote:

mac davis wrote:


I've been trying to kill my B&D saber saw for almost 30 years and the sucker
just won't die...

A puke green colored one? A drop off a 12' ladder onto a concrete
driveway worked for me!

Nope.. actually has a metal case, remember those?


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

On Jan 10, 10:52 pm, mac davis wrote:
On Thu, 10 Jan 2008 23:34:01 GMT, Nova wrote:
mac davis wrote:

I've been trying to kill my B&D saber saw for almost 30 years and the sucker
just won't die...

A puke green colored one? A drop off a 12' ladder onto a concrete
driveway worked for me!

Nope.. actually has a metal case, remember those?

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

what about dewalt and other brands?

On Jan 10, 11:54 pm, wrote:
On Jan 10, 10:52 pm, mac davis wrote:

On Thu, 10 Jan 2008 23:34:01 GMT, Nova wrote:
mac davis wrote:

I've been trying to kill my B&D saber saw for almost 30 years and the sucker
just won't die...

A puke green colored one? A drop off a 12' ladder onto a concrete
driveway worked for me!

Nope.. actually has a metal case, remember those?

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

what about dewalt and other brands?

not to mention the hitachi CJ110MV??

David Starr wrote:
Nova wrote:
mac davis wrote:


I've been trying to kill my B&D saber saw for almost 30 years and the
sucker
just won't die...


Years ago I got rid of my generic Craftsman homeowner grade jigsaw and
bought a Bosch. Wow, now I don't avoid using a jigsaw! Any of the
higher level ones is likely to be a pleasure to use. Those consumer
grade jigsaws are just horrible.

I expect to still be using my Bosch in 20 years.

David Starr wrote:
Nova wrote:

mac davis wrote:


I've been trying to kill my B&D saber saw for almost 30 years and the
sucker
just won't die...


A puke green colored one? A drop off a 12' ladder onto a concrete
driveway worked for me!

Puke green, (avacado green was the favorite appliance color in those
years) plastic case, 4 foot orange power cord, cost me $10 back in the
'70's. It's not much of a tool but it still works for me.


That would be the one. Mine had about 1/4" of side play in the
mechanism when it was new.

--
Jack Novak
Buffalo, NY - USA

John Horner wrote:



Years ago I got rid of my generic Craftsman homeowner grade jigsaw and
bought a Bosch.

The day I first used a Bosch is the day my B&D fell off the ladder.
It's funny how that happens...

--
Jack Novak
Buffalo, NY - USA

Nova wrote:

The day I first used a Bosch is the day my B&D fell off the ladder. It's
funny how that happens...

My problem is that I've got a $100 Makita that is decent. I'd love to
get a Bosch, but my current one just isn't bad enough to drive me to
spend the money...

Chris

On Fri, 11 Jan 2008 15:21:39 -0600, Chris Friesen wrote:

Nova wrote:

The day I first used a Bosch is the day my B&D fell off the ladder. It's
funny how that happens...

My problem is that I've got a $100 Makita that is decent. I'd love to
get a Bosch, but my current one just isn't bad enough to drive me to
spend the money...

Chris

I guess both replacement and price/quality depend on how often you use it and
what for..

I'd guess that my average jig saw is twice a year at best...

I used to use the hell out of it before I had other tools, though, which I guess
is common..

If I used it as much as my lathe, bandsaw or table saw, I'd be looking for a
good one..


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

wrote:
On Jan 10, 11:54 pm, wrote:
On Jan 10, 10:52 pm, mac davis wrote:

On Thu, 10 Jan 2008 23:34:01 GMT, Nova wrote:
mac davis wrote:
I've been trying to kill my B&D saber saw for almost 30 years and the sucker
just won't die...
A puke green colored one? A drop off a 12' ladder onto a concrete
driveway worked for me!
Nope.. actually has a metal case, remember those?
mac
Please remove splinters before emailing
what about dewalt and other brands?

not to mention the hitachi CJ110MV??

.... and Milwaukee. Of that group color is main difference, besides
different "options" by model. DAGS on jigsaw review.

John

I have to agree with the Bosch recommendation, too. Bosch was the first maker
to introduce the roller guide to support the blade from deflecting backwards
during the cut. Every brand has that feature now, even the cheapos, but the
quality and tolerances don't compare to the better brands. Although the "pro"
saws are a bit heavier when you heft them, that's actually a benefit because
the extra weight helps by reducing kick back, resulting in easier handling
and a much smoother cut (the same applies for a circular saw).

Having both "D" handle and "barrel" style jigsaws, I'd recommend the "barrel"
style. I think it offers better "feel" and control with that configuration.
And I highly recommend the Bosch blades too, regardless which saw you get.
I've found none better.

Cheers

--
Message posted via http://www.craftkb.com

On Sat, 12 Jan 2008 05:55:12 GMT, "toolman946 via CraftKB.com"
u40139@uwe wrote:


Having both "D" handle and "barrel" style jigsaws, I'd recommend the "barrel"
style. I think it offers better "feel" and control with that configuration.
And I highly recommend the Bosch blades too, regardless which saw you get.
I've found none better.

Make that two of us. Mine is a top handle and I wish I had purchased
the barrel grip.

I'll also add that I didn't use my Craftsman saw much, because the
results sucked.

A GOOD jigsaw is a very handy tool. I would never use the cheapie
for anything I could do with round blades. Since I can depend on the
Bosch cutting squarely and reliably, it becomes the preferred tool on
a regular basis.

I used the Bosch jigsaw and a speed square to cut 3/4" prefinished oak
flooring on my recent floor install. The jigsaw was quieter, it
didn't wreck the finish, I could use the same tool for many different
cuts (crosscut, rip, combo, notch, scribed, taper...) , and I could
use it in the work area without it creating mountains of dust
everywhere. My "bench" was an overturned milk crate. G

On Jan 10, 2:55 am, Rob wrote:
I was looking for a 120v jigsaw in the $50 range. Local hardware store
recommended the Skil 4390-01 (Amazon page hehttp://www.amazon.com/Skil-4390-01-8.../dp/B000EB547Y
)

Any other ideas? Opinions on the Skil jigsaw?

Thanks!

For years I used the cheapest jig saws - once building a fence with a
pineapple desgn cut out of the pickets - lots of work.

Then, I finally got myself one of those barrel jig saws ($169.00) -
viva la difference! It was a Dewalt with one failing - the cast
footpad! But did it ever slice through wod! It would cut through 2 x 4
material with ease. It had several settings selected by means of two
levers (to this day I can't tell you what they were actually for!

I also bought a "better" sears model (#?? $40) at their outlet store
or closeout bin - I'm a frequent "closeout/returns shopper) and found
it as powerful as the DeWalt.

I've still got the older jig saws and they all work, but I've no
reason to pick any of them up. As my SEARS is miles away at teh
moment, I can't share the model number - likely its been re-issued as
something with a "laser" anyway and discontinued otherwise. And the
Dewalt was discontinued in favor of a model with a pressed steel base
that will not fit the model I bought!

At any rate, spend a bit more or try the discontinued/returns/closeout
bins and get some ass (higher amp rating a significant clue) in your
jig saw and you will not regret the purchase.

Chris Friesen wrote:
Nova wrote:

The day I first used a Bosch is the day my B&D fell off the ladder.
It's funny how that happens...

My problem is that I've got a $100 Makita that is decent. I'd love to
get a Bosch, but my current one just isn't bad enough to drive me to
spend the money...

Chris

I have several Makita tools and am completely satisfied with every one
of them. If you like it and it works well for you then by all means,
keep your money in your pocket!

John

John Horner writes:
David Starr wrote:
Nova wrote:
mac davis wrote:


I've been trying to kill my B&D saber saw for almost 30 years and
the sucker
just won't die...


Years ago I got rid of my generic Craftsman homeowner grade jigsaw and
bought a Bosch. Wow, now I don't avoid using a jigsaw! Any of the
higher level ones is likely to be a pleasure to use. Those consumer
grade jigsaws are just horrible.

I expect to still be using my Bosch in 20 years.

Yeah my first power tool was a $49 Craftsman jig saw back in about
1974 when I was about 12. That was actually one of their better jig
saws back then at that price.

But I almost never used it because the thing made so much noise and
vibrated so much (though at that age my parents wouldn't let me use a
circular saw). The thing also never seemed to cut either fast or straight.

Then last year, I bought a new 1590 Bosch. It was like a tool from a
different planet. It's quiet, doesn't vibrate, cuts smooth, cuts
accurately, and cuts fast. Now I love using it.

To me that was the best indication of why it pays to invest in good
tools!

"blueman" wrote:

Yeah my first power tool was a $49 Craftsman jig saw back in about
1974 when I was about 12. That was actually one of their better jig
saws back then at that price.

But I almost never used it because the thing made so much noise and
vibrated so much (though at that age my parents wouldn't let me use a
circular saw). The thing also never seemed to cut either fast or straight.

Then last year, I bought a new 1590 Bosch. It was like a tool from a
different planet. It's quiet, doesn't vibrate, cuts smooth, cuts
accurately, and cuts fast. Now I love using it.

To me that was the best indication of why it pays to invest in good
tools!

I have a Bosch 1584 AVSK and a Bosch 1591 EVSK and they both cut fast,
smooth and accurately but I wouldn't claim that they are either quiet or
vibration free.
YMMV

Max

Max wrote:


"blueman" wrote:

Yeah my first power tool was a $49 Craftsman jig saw back in about
1974 when I was about 12. That was actually one of their better jig
saws back then at that price.

But I almost never used it because the thing made so much noise and
vibrated so much (though at that age my parents wouldn't let me use a
circular saw). The thing also never seemed to cut either fast or
straight.

Then last year, I bought a new 1590 Bosch. It was like a tool from a
different planet. It's quiet, doesn't vibrate, cuts smooth, cuts
accurately, and cuts fast. Now I love using it.

To me that was the best indication of why it pays to invest in good
tools!

I have a Bosch 1584 AVSK and a Bosch 1591 EVSK and they both cut fast,
smooth and accurately but I wouldn't claim that they are either quiet or
vibration free.

Having had a similar Craftsman jig saw as Max, by comparison his Bosch is
absolutely silent, as is my Milwaukee in comparison to the Sears saws.
It's a matter of degree and reference relative to previous experience.



--
If you're going to be dumb, you better be tough

Max wrote:
"blueman" wrote:

Yeah my first power tool was a $49 Craftsman jig saw back in about
1974 when I was about 12. That was actually one of their better jig
saws back then at that price.

But I almost never used it because the thing made so much noise and
vibrated so much (though at that age my parents wouldn't let me use
a
circular saw). The thing also never seemed to cut either fast or
straight.

Then last year, I bought a new 1590 Bosch. It was like a tool from
a
different planet. It's quiet, doesn't vibrate, cuts smooth, cuts
accurately, and cuts fast. Now I love using it.

To me that was the best indication of why it pays to invest in good
tools!

I have a Bosch 1584 AVSK and a Bosch 1591 EVSK and they both cut
fast,
smooth and accurately but I wouldn't claim that they are either
quiet
or vibration free.

You never used the 12 buck McGraw-Edison that my Dad got at the Navy
Exchange back in 1965 or thereabouts. A Bosch then was about 180
bucks and try to find one in the US.

--
--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

"J. Clarke" wrote:

You never used the 12 buck McGraw-Edison that my Dad got at the Navy
Exchange back in 1965 or thereabouts.

Ranks right up there with the WEN and the private label unit from Western
Auto.

Lew