New jigsaw

[Greenman]

Just ordered this one
http://www.amazon.com/Bosch-JS572EL-...eywords=jigsaw

My old Bosch is in pretty bad shape, the shoe is trashed, and cuts in thick material always came out beveled because of blade wander. I hope the new one is as good as the reviews claim.

I looked at Festool as well, but I didn't see anything that justified the near hundred dollar price difference. I've always felt that for the premium Festool charges, they should use more metal and less plastic in there construction.

 

[Moonbeam]

Damn, you would think for the retail price it would be gold plated. I have a 14 inch band saw buried in my garage and would have loved to have had this one here to cut a curve in the gate I've been making. Did the whole damn thing with a hand saw and a rasp. Pretty crude, but I call it rustic.

Why is this one so expensive?

 

[Greenman]

Damn, you would think for the retail price it would be gold plated. I have a 14 inch band saw buried in my garage and would have loved to have had this one here to cut a curve in the gate I've been making. Did the whole damn thing with a hand saw and a rasp. Pretty crude, but I call it rustic.

Why is this one so expensive?

A little more power than the others, and a blade guide system that really works. Most jigsaws don't cut 2" material very well, the blade will go out of square to the material, resulting in a beveled cut. They claim this one doesn't do that.
People pay me a lot of money for the work I do. They expect top quality and to provide that I need top quality tools. I also need them to work day in day out without problems. They need to last and the cuts I make in five years with it need to be as good as the first one it ever made. So I buy the best tools I can find.

 

[waffleironhead]

Damn, you would think for the retail price it would be gold plated. I have a 14 inch band saw buried in my garage and would have loved to have had this one here to cut a curve in the gate I've been making. Did the whole damn thing with a hand saw and a rasp. Pretty crude, but I call it rustic.

Why is this one so expensive?

Simply put, you are paying for precision. Any cheap jigsaw will get the job done, just not accurately.
Ive got a cheap B+D jigsaw that gets the job done, but I sure wouldn't use it for anything that really mattered. Sadly I bought it before I learned the lesson of buying the best tool first. I had to toss away a cheap router, miter saw and sander before I learned to buy quality the first time.
Most tools sold to homeowners are good enough for occasional use where precision doesnt really matter, or isnt expected.

Greenman, please keep us updated on how the new saw performs. Ive been eying that one at my local acme tools shop.

 

[garndawg]

So count me in the 'I wish I'd known..." camp on jigsaws.

Wife has me making some yard art for christmas, three sets, one for us, one for each set of parents. I destroy an old B&D jigsaw from the 70's on some 1/2" 5-ply pressure-treated plywood. Buy a Skil cheapo from WalMart and it lasts an hour before the pot metal holding the blade comes apart. Ugh.

Bought a Bosch barrel jigsaw off Craigslist for $100. About 7 amps, orbital.

Oh. My. Word...

It's like using a sewing machine! Seriously, no vibration, minimal noise, no flying splinters everywhere. Just...heaven.

 

[NutBucket]

Made in Switzerland? SOLD!

That's what you pay for, real quality and precision. There is no comparison between this and tools found at the big box stores.

 

[Greenman]

I received the new jigsaw last Friday, the storage box it comes in is much like the festool system, the boxes all lock together, it's a nice container. The saw itself is everything they claimed it would be. Cuts are straight and smooth, blade changes are quick and simple, and setting a bevel on the shoe takes just a few seconds. The headlight is something that should have been on jigsaws ten years ago, it really helps.

All in all it's a very well designed tool with every detail thought out. There is even a ball joint where the cord enters the case. It's definitely worth the $175 I paid for it.

 

[skyking]

Looks nice.

 

[NutBucket]

Once you use nice tools cheap crap just doesn't cut it!

 

[Greenman]

Once you use nice tools cheap crap just doesn't cut it!

Ain't that the truth. It seems like the next one you buy is always more money than the last.

 

[skyking]

I used my neighbor's heavy cabinet saw. Now I can't use a portable table saw anymore. I'm hooked on the heavy iron now