How to choose a jigsaw for home use

Bosch GST 8000 E

Opens our review of the best jigsaws for the home Bosch GST 8000 E. Rounded jigsaw that fits comfortably in your hand, it produces 710 watts and can confidently handle thick metal (in steel, the manufacturer claims a thickness of 10 mm), not to mention wood. Of course, you can argue with the propriety of classifying the tool blue series to amateur tools, but on the other hand, this junior in the professional series of Bosch jigsaws is quite affordable, and in comparison with purely amateur will definitely win in quality.

The tool is made in good conscience, and you can feel it at once: solid steel soleplate, clear stroke of adjustments. There is splinter protection, which when working with hard wood would be very useful. Quick-coupling saw blade is another plus for convenience, although it is unlikely that in home practice you will need to remove and change it often.

What did not like? Reason for complaint a little bit uncomfortable adjustment of maximum speed. Here it is made by a wheel on the button itself, as on many electric drills. This solution is for the amateur, you can not adjust it on the fly. Lack of opportunity to connect a vacuum cleaner is another reason to refer this jigsaw to rather domestic than professional work.

Philent PM 3-600E

A simple but very useful jigsaw for small jobs. Its light weight and ergonomic design allows for comfortable single-handed work. Excellent heat dissipation is due to the aluminum alloy gear. Stable position of the saw blade at any speed modes is provided with the guide roller on the lever of the pendulum mechanism. Power button lock for continuous use. Smooth materials can be processed without scratches thanks to the antifriction lining.

• ergonomic;
• The Bosch PST 900PEL has a start button lock;
• adjustment of the soleplate;
• adjustable cutting speed;
• compact and handy;
• low price.
• Priolent PM 3-600E. 600 W, cutting depth in wood: 85 mm;
• The Philent PM 3-650E. Other design model, 650 W, 100 mm wood depth of cut;
• Philent PM 4-700E. Different design model, 701 W, 2800 strokes/min, wood cutting depth 110 mm.

Bosch PST 900PEL

The Bosch PST 900 PEL belongs to the new generation of jigsaws. With its powerful 620 W motor and a cutting depth of 90 mm, even hard applications will be a breeze. The Bosch SDS makes it possible to change the saw blade in a few seconds safely and effortlessly. Innovative sawing line control system lets you guide the machine precisely along the marked line. Low vibration (low vibration system) with linear balancing and ergonomic soft grip guarantee highest cutting precision. With the Bosch PST 900 PEL, you don’t have to worry about unnecessary things, and you can concentrate fully on what you like to do.

• Built-in light for the cutter bar;
• Balanced oscillating drive;
• easy clamping of the saw blade;
• frequency regulation;
• base plate adjustment;
• Low vibration at work;
• excellent curved cut;
• quality assembly.

Makita 4329K

Be warned right away: this tool is not intended for professional use and cutting with it for several hours every day would be a rash decision: the strength of the supporting rollers is not enough for this. For the home mechanic, it is one of the best electric jigsaws: lightweight and comfortable in the hand the tool almost does not vibrate, saws quickly and accurately.

Adjustment of frequency of sawblade movements is placed on a wheel that is under the thumb when gripping the handle is moderately recessed, it will not be broken accidentally, and the adjustment is not complicated. Unlike jigsaws where speed is regulated by the button itself, this variant is much more convenient: you have adjusted it, and further you just push the button without fishing out the necessary mode.

The jigsaw has a pendulum stroke, and it is adjustable. This is both a plus and a minus: it is convenient to work, but just it reduces the reliability of this model. But we warned you about that right away.

Chips blowing works well, so it is not necessary to clean them off yourself. Plus a vacuum cleaner can be connected.

Power of the jigsaw 450 W. For its application this is more than enough.

Philent PM 5-720E

One of the cheapest jigsaws on the shelves can still boast seven hundred watts of power, a pendulum stroke with 4 adjustments and a very comfortable grip. there are no superfluous whistles like quick-clamping and it is right: better a cheap and reliable bolt than a cheap and loose quick-clamp.

The assembly quality of the mechanism did not cause any complaints, especially as it is assembled in the light alloy body. The main complaint to the jigsaw is the absence of a sawdust blow-off: to take out at least the air from the motor fan into the cutting zone would not be so difficult, and it would be more convenient to work with. By the way the cooling itself may not be enough at high load, hot heads sometimes manage to burn the rotor. But, on the other hand, so much jigsaw for so much money

In general we can recommend Fiolent in the case if you often have to saw along complicated paths, and you work first of all with metal, and the power of the jigsaw is just right, and small sawdust will interfere less with the marking.

Interskol MP-100E

Priced a little less than a Makita, the Interskol jigsaw is noticeably inferior to the Makita. You don’t need 700 W of power at home very often, but you will pay for it with a lot of weight and clumsiness all the time.

The assembly quality is traditional for the Russian-Chinese tool, the jigsaw should be closely examined in the store for backlashes. They do not progress very quickly, so it is sufficient to choose initially straight. With active use and heavy loads is worth in advance to look for a new support roller in a store life of its clearly insufficient.

a sudden discovery was the presence in the jigsaw of an active anti-vibration system: vibrations of the saw drive are compensated by a weight moving in counter-phase. Although, given the weight of the jigsaw, it is unlikely it would vibrate so much.

I liked the speed regulator: it is made exclusively for right-handed users, but the wheel fits perfectly under the thumb.

Zubr L-400

This budget jigsaw under the long-standing and widely known pseudo-Russian brand is a typical representative of its class: it is even too big because of the dust extraction built into the body itself with not particularly impressive power of 400 W, with a simple stamped soleplate. If to consider it as the first tool, even before you learn how to work with it, you will have to learn how to estimate the geometry of this soleplate: you understand yourself, the flatness for stamping is quite expected.

However, everything is not so bad all at once. Saw’s stroke 18 mm (no pendulum mode), max. saw’s thickness in wood is 55 mm. For a home jigsaw, extracted from the entresol only occasionally, it is quite normal. But with its rubberized handle, which partly dampens vibrations, and its light weight it will be quite user-friendly. The main thing is to supply saws: about the one which is included in the set, it is written directly in the instruction that the blade supplied in the set is a sample and is not designed for effective work.

How to choose a jigsaw: the rating of the best models

Electric jigsaw has become one of the mandatory tools in the arsenal of any home handyman. It is capable of making curved cuts along the intended mowing line, which allows you to perform openwork carving and other complex types of work. There is no equivalent replacement for the electric jigsaw, all other tools are either designed for straight-line cutting, or are not capable of performing slashing work (in a closed circuit).

In addition, the tool can cut a variety of materials, from metal to drywall. This makes it a necessary and indispensable device for both amateurs and professionals. Compactness, low weight, ease of operation of the electric jigsaw are highly appreciated by users. When buying it is important to select the most suitable model that best suits the task at hand. Let’s take a closer look at this issue.

Philent PMZ-600 E

In my arsenal I have several jigsaws, each of which is focused on a different task. The main workaholic, which we have been ruthlessly exploiting for many years on the most difficult jobs is PMZ-600 E by Fiolent. Engineers were able to create a very, very resilient machine. It can be noted that the manufacturer from Simferopol is just famous for its successful jigsaws, as, however, and bolters. PMZ-600 E is a powerful and productive machine that can quickly cope with any task.

The wood thickness up to 85 mm, steel up to 10 mm, aluminum up to 20 mm is not just figures from the passport, it’s quite a real thickness of cut. Tough 600-watt motor moves the rod up to 2,600 times per minute when idling, so you’re counting on power. Many of my colleagues have the same model, no problems with the armature, brushes, gearbox, all stuffing is made with safety margin. However, a solid motor, steel counterweight and solid metal parts could not but affect the weight of the product, which is 2.4 kg, and it’s pretty good.

The jigsaw has a switchable pendulum stroke, which helps speed up the work in a straight line, and if for thin materials the difference is not particularly noticeable, then at greater thicknesses the performance improves many times over. You can turn it off completely for curved cuts or for sawing metal, ceramics.

Button, trigger lock, rpm controller work properly. The manufacturer says that this is a vulnerable western European piece of equipment.

I’ve heard complaints about the quality of the rod that broke, and that it requires adjustment, reworking, because it can be reversed, which makes the saw strive to deviate from the working mower line. It has not broken, saws smoothly. It has no serious backlash, saw is well stabilized in cross direction.

The pressed base plate is solidly built and holds firmly and perpendicular to the blade. It has the ability to move it to a 45 position, but to be honest, I do not use that function at all. By the way, there was a factory plastic pad on the sole, which prevents the appearance of black stripes from metal and scratches on the front surfaces. Unfortunately, after the second hectare of the floorboard has been laid it is safely wiped out.

Separately it is necessary to tell about the saw blade fastening. Here applied, perhaps, the best option lock, clamping blade, fixed with a screw. Everything happens quickly, the saw is fixed firmly, with no tilting. The worst thing that can happen is that you don’t have a screwdriver on hand. Besides, it is possible to use blades of different thicknesses, which cannot be said about quick-clamping mechanisms.

So, let’s summarize. Fiolent PMZ-600 E is an excellent jigsaw for any works at the construction site, it is time-tested. It is very easy to find spare parts if needed, and they are inexpensive.

Saw, saws and power

A jigsaw without saw is like a car without wheels: it takes the road but stops moving! Therefore, the choice of saws is as careful as the jigsaw itself. When selecting a jigsaw, the method of its attachment, the depth of cut, the size and setting of the teeth are taken into account.

Depth of kerf is a characteristic that shows how thick the workpiece can be processed by the tool. Instructions usually specify 3 cutting values: for steel, wood and non-ferrous metals. With household jigsaws, this value ranges from 40-160 mm for wood, 5-10 mm for non-ferrous metals and up to 12 mm for steel.

The depth depends directly on the power. The more powerful the tool is, the harder and thicker the material can be cut. Household models are usually rated at 350-700W. Professional tools have a greater depth of cut.

Saw blade teeth are chosen based on the density of the material and the type of cut: straight or curved. The denser and harder the material, the finer the teeth should be. the smaller ones are for steel, the larger ones for soft wood.

The tooth set comes in the following types:

Saw blade mount can be keyed or keyless. In the first case, an Allen wrench is used. The second jigsaw is fastened with a quick-action chuck.

Top 5 for professionals

Against the backdrop of domestic models, craftsmen opt for the Interskol MP-100E electric jigsaw. Lightweight tool with vibration damper, 4-step pendulum stroke, automatic speed adjustment. Aluminium platform can be set at an angle of 45 degrees, the handle is rubberized. Disadvantages include only a short cord.

The Makita 4351 FCT with a soft start, 4-position pendulum, backlight and sawdust blow-off. made in a silumin housing. Here there is a function to maintain the speed. The pluses also include an ergonomic mushroom-shaped handle and the ability to work with horizontal, vertical and inclined planes. Regarding the disadvantages, note the short cord, the lack of blow-off and weak sawdust extraction. If it was assembled in Romania, then the quality of the saw and the factory set is worse.

The Makita 4350 CT is easy-to-use, allows you to produce quality results quickly. Saw blade can be changed without a wrench, RPMs are stored under load and corrected automatically. Smooth start-up of the jigsaw with the blade positioned at a comfortable angle. Storage case included. Professionals identify only three minor drawbacks. The body is a little high, which makes it difficult to work in awkward places. No vacuum cleaner attachment, but it is available as an accessory. The platform is inconvenient to edit.

Bosch GST 850 BE with a long cord, soft, vibration-free and noise-free operation. There is a regulator for speed mode (in the starter button), quick-clamping mechanism for the saw. No backlash ensures a smooth and accurate cut. If you connect a vacuum cleaner, sawdust suction will be organized without residue. You can work with the tool in any position, but during the process your hands quickly get tired because of the weight of the jigsaw. Masters to the disadvantages include the lack of case, no backlight, it is inconvenient to change the position of the platform.

DeWALT DW333K masters choose for ergonomics and high efficiency. Sawing is fast and accurate, the speed is adjustable, you can use long saws. There is an air blowing, the platform position is adjusted, the engine does not overheat under load. Of the disadvantages note the lack of illumination.

How To Choose and Use A Jig Saw. Ace Hardware

Classes of electric jigsaws

What jigsaws are available? The devices are divided into domestic and professional. They are similar in appearance, but in technical terms, functionality, performance, there are big differences,

Household

These models can work for a short time, they are not suitable for daily use. With their help it is possible to open wood, plywood, any sheet material, the thickness of which does not exceed 7 cm, or metal up to 4 cm.

Please note! Jigsaws have low power, overheat quickly, poor functionality. However, their price is low, and they are easy to store because of their small size and weight.

Professional

Can work for a long time, will not shut down due to overheating. Has a large arsenal of different functions. Power not more than 1000 watts. You can cut wood up to 13.5 cm thick, steel up to 1 cm, aluminum up to 2 cm. However, they are much larger in size and several times more expensive.

Industrial

This type of jigsaws are stationary machines that can function around the clock. Usually used by furniture factories and plants.

Note! For home affairs, not large amounts of work, the best option is a household jigsaw.

Domestic or professional for the home

Professional versions are significantly more expensive. Of course, it is much more powerful, more wear-resistant, has an expanded set, equipped with additional devices. However, if large amounts of work are not planned, it is quite possible to get by with the household type of device.

There are several characteristics by which you can choose the optimal device.

This is what you need to pay attention to when choosing a stationary jigsaw:

• Power is the most important parameter that affects performance. The bigger the value, the thicker the bar can be processed. If we talk about models up to 10,000, the average power value will be only 90 watts. It is enough to cut a board up to 50 mm thick.
• Depth of kerf gives an idea of the maximum thickness of the material to be sawn. The maximum value in most cases is 50 mm. the average values are 6 mm for steel and 15 mm for PVC.
• Number of strokes. This parameter influences the accuracy of the cut. A high amount of machine movements means that the number of chips is minimal. The optimal value is 2,000 strokes per minute. If special saws are used, it is possible to obtain almost perfectly smooth surface after processing with a jigsaw.
• the size of the working table. This parameter depends on what you have to work with. You also need to consider the size of the room where the machine will be installed.
• Extra functions. It is about the security system, the availability of lighting, dust collector, the mechanism for tilting the working table and so on. Some features allow you to make a stationary jigsaw universal. But the cost of the tool depends on their number.

These are the basic nuances that you need to pay attention to when choosing a device.

How an amateur jigsaw differs from a professional jigsaw

Amateur models have a number of differences from professional models. Among the main differences stand out:

• cost (professional tools are much more expensive);
• performance (domestic models will not cope with large amounts of work);
• Availability of additional options and settings for professional jigsaws;
• service life (professional tools are hard-wearing).

Professional models can withstand shocks and falls.

How the jigsaw works?

The base plate is the electric motor that transmits the power to the bandsaw (jigsaw). Drive is of the pendulum type, the blade of the saw blade itself is held by a supporting roller that also takes the most part of the mechanical load. The cut itself is made when the saw moves upwards, when it moves downwards it “digs” into the material. To protect the operator while working with the tool, the base plate is installed at the bottom of the jigsaw, and it also acts as a guide to obtain a straight cut.

Some models also have a pendulum stroke, that is, when the saw blade not only moves up and down, but also a little to the right and left (used for making cuts). But it makes sense to buy such models only for those who are engaged in figure cutting in wood, with denser materials the presence of a pendulum stroke does not make sense.