Ok, Jigsaw recommendations now..

[MD11Driver]

You guys helped push me over the edge on the Knipex pliers.. now I need verification that my gut hunch on a Jigsaw is good..

I'm liking the Swiss made Bosch 1590EVSK 6.4 Amp cord model. Price is amazing, cheaper than some Chinese made alternatives.

Well? Pull the trigger? or is there a better saw for my money?

 

[Stuey]

I have Bosch's 1587 jigsaw and love it despite its awkward blade-changing system that I got used to after the first five minutes. I noticed that it's now $100 at many online retailers and some Lowes has started clearancing it for even less.

Anyways, given that there's no reason to assume that the 1590 performs any worse, I'd say YES, definitely buy it.

I remember reading a few reviews about the 1590, and the consensus was that it has the easiest and best blade-changing system out there.

Remove all doubt from your mind, the 1590EVSK is the way to go for the money. It shouldn't set you back more than $140-$160.

Go ahead, pull the trigger (haha, I'm punny!).

 

[Spookrider]

http://www.milwaukeetool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_27_40028_-1_734151_192209_192137

http://www.toolbarn.com/product/milwaukee/6268-21/?ref=base

http://www.tools-plus.com/milwaukee-6268-21.html

Why not a Milwaukee 6268-21 Orbital Jig Saw?

 

[NSXSOON]

Buy the Bosch while you can. My good friend who is a Bosch distributor told me last week the they have almost completely moved production to China for both corded and cordless tools. There cordless Ni-cad line is being blown out now and they will have an all new (made in China) Lithium Ion line on the shelves in the next couple of months.

 

[chrisexv6]

+1 for the Bosch 1590. Blade change can be done with eyes closed, its an awesome jigsaw.

 

[Sundowner]

+1 for Bosch 1590. the little sieways blade stabalizers sold me.
I cut 40 custom rafter tails while hanging off a ladder 20 feet in the air with that saw, and they all came out great.

 

[elect]

I perfer the Bosch barrel grip,either way Bosch all the way.

 

[boiler7904]

You can't go wrong with the 1590 or the barrel grip 1594. Same saw internals - different body and switch. Like most tools the case is a PITA to sneak the cord into the way it's compartmentalized.

 

[Major Ramifications]

Bosch has been the king of jigsaws for I don't know how long. You don't even have to ask. I'll go out on a limb and say that even some of the Skil jig saws have a lot of features, especially considering the price.

I will have to check the Lowes stores by me to see if they are clearing out their stock.
I saw that they had the Bosch worm drive saw clearanced out to $89, but there were none left when I go there.

 

[snorky18]

+1 again for the Bosch 1590. I looked at everything else, but there was no doubt in my mind for the quality, and value.

Got mine here for $120, reconditioned, but looked new to me:
http://bosch.cpotools.com/saws/jig_saws/corded_jig_saws/1590evsk-rt.html

On a really random sidenote, if you ever use your jigsaw for coping trim, you can use an alternate foot for the jigsaw called the collins coping foot. It is not designed to fit the 1590, but with the purchase of a longer bolt it can be modified to.

 

[wantedabiggergarage]

You can't go wrong with the 1590 or the barrel grip 1594. Same saw internals - different body and switch. Like most tools the case is a PITA to sneak the cord into the way it's compartmentalized.

The barrel grip is a 1591. Your combining an old OLD model (1584) that was prior to the 1587 series. The 1587 has a different blade change mechanism, and no blade stabilizer, but is the last one you could get a coping mechanism for (what is your use?).
The 1590 is the D handle and the 1591 is the barrel grip, that both have the one finger quick blade release, and the stabilizers, and a little more power (insert Tim Taylor noise). I only bought the 1587, due to finding it for $80 new (served my best tool at the price point needs).

If you have more money to spend, then the Festool gets high marks (but costs a lot more).

 

[Coach James]

I bought the 1587, hated the blade change took it back the next day and got the 1590. Best jig saw I ever used!

Coach

 

[boiler7904]

The barrel grip is a 1591. Your combining an old OLD model (1584) that was prior to the 1587 series. The 1587 has a different blade change mechanism, and no blade stabilizer, but is the last one you could get a coping mechanism for (what is your use?).
The 1590 is the D handle and the 1591 is the barrel grip, that both have the one finger quick blade release, and the stabilizers, and a little more power (insert Tim Taylor noise). I only bought the 1587, due to finding it for $80 new (served my best tool at the price point needs).

If you have more money to spend, then the Festool gets high marks (but costs a lot more).

You are correct.

 

[MD11Driver]

Buy the Bosch while you can. My good friend who is a Bosch distributor told me last week the they have almost completely moved production to China for both corded and cordless tools. There cordless Ni-cad line is being blown out now and they will have an all new (made in China) Lithium Ion line on the shelves in the next couple of months.

Wow, no kidding? I can't believe even the Germans are going the way of American companies.. I just ordered a bunch of Knipex (see my other thread) pliers that were all made in Germany... why would Bosch risk their reputation as a premium brand by making their entire line in China?

I called my dealers and "pulled the trigger" on this Swiss made saw.. He gave it to me for $150 inclusive of shipping, no sales tax either.

My new Makita cordless drill I just got was also made in the USA, and I heard they're going mostly China too.. Me thinks there is going to be a great demand for high quality, American (or for that matter Western made) power tools soon as almost all of these companies relocate to China.. Wish I had the capitol to invest in starting such a company!

 

[wantedabiggergarage]

Wow, no kidding? I can't believe even the Germans are going the way of American companies..

WHAT GERMAN's? Skill bought Bosch some time ago. Now a typical, American managed, global production company (profits in their pockets, bottom line for them).

 

[NSXSOON]

WHAT GERMAN's? Skill bought Bosch some time ago. Now a typical, American managed, global production company (profits in their pockets, bottom line for them).

I think it may be the other way around. Bosch bought Skill. I read recently that they bought Nelson sprinklers. With the dollar week as it has been and the Euro strong American companies have been a bargain.
It's true that Makita now produces all of its cordless tools in China. I'm told that both Makita and Bosch produce the tools in there own plans in China so they can maintain quality control.

 

[MD11Driver]

WHAT GERMAN's? Skill bought Bosch some time ago. Now a typical, American managed, global production company (profits in their pockets, bottom line for them).

Really? Are we talking about the same Bosch? http://www.bosch.us/content/language1/html/867.htm

Even as an arm of Robert Bosch Gmbh, it's a much bigger company than Skill, no?

Anyway, I did double check that the saw I was getting was in fact made in Switzerland before I had him ship it.

 

[MD11Driver]

It's true that Makita now produces all of its cordless tools in China. I'm told that both Makita and Bosch produce the tools in there own plans in China so they can maintain quality control.

the 18v drill I just got from Makita was "assembled" in the USA... I'm sure that means that many parts might have been molded/made in China or some other place though... sad.

 

[wantedabiggergarage]

Really? Are we talking about the same Bosch? http://www.bosch.us/content/language1/html/867.htm

Even as an arm of Robert Bosch Gmbh, it's a much bigger company than Skill, no?

Anyway, I did double check that the saw I was getting was in fact made in Switzerland before I had him ship it.

Guess I had that one screwed up. I thought it was like "Sears buys Kmart" as the article read, when actually Kmart (out of bankruptcy, screwing investors) bought Sears.

So Bosch owns Skill and from the link considers America a seperate branch? Makes me wonder where the stuff for Germany's Bosch is made?

 

[Major Ramifications]

Yes, Bosch recently added Gilmour. I ordered some Vermont American garden hose nozzles to sell in the store. They also package the Flexogen garden hoses as VA.

 

[Merkava_4]

Barrel Grip vs. Top Handle?

If some of you peeps could shed some light on the advantages of each, I'd greatly appreciate it.

 

[snorky18]

As I understand it barrel grips tend to be more popular in Europe.

I spent a long time handling the Bosch 1590 and 1591 before deciding between barrel vs. top handle.

In the end I bought the 1590 (top handle) mostly b/c it was more readily available, and I could find it for about $30 cheaper.

Barrel grip gets your hand a lot closer to the work, some people feel like it gives them better control. That's the biggest (only?) differnce that I am aware of.

I guess top handles may give you a little more assurance you're not going to loose your grip or drop it since your finger's can wrap all the way around the top handle for control.

One of the reasons I leaned away from the barrel grip is I worried if my hands got sweaty I might have trouble holding onto what is essentially a 3" diameter plastic cylinder with some rubber glued to it.

In the case of the Bosch, they are the exact same machine, the top handle has a little more plastic to hold on to, but the internals are the same.

I grab my 1590 and hold it like it is a barrel grip sometimes, it's not as comfortable as the barrel grip would be, but for precision work while holding the saw upside down (coping trim), it feels more controlled to me than using the top handle.

At the end of the day, it's just a Ford vs. Chevy personal preference kind of thing.

 

[MD11Driver]

good write up snorky...

Major Ramifications, curious.. are Vermont American drill bits made in the US? (Imagine having to ask that with the name Vermont American).

 

[wantedabiggergarage]

Besides what Snorky wrote, it depends on the type of work you do.


The people I know that use it for more straight type cuts, prefer the D handle. The people that do more curves, scroll work, etc. prefer the barrel grip.

 

[Chief]

after reading the this post i went with the Bosch 1590EVSK-RT. I bought a reconditioned model. So far its awesome. No doubt all the information in this post pointed me in the right direction.

thanks all for you comments.