which jigsaw to buy

[16el]

I'm looking at getting a jigsaw to start building a cabinet but don't know which ones are any good.  I don't want to break the bank but I want a good quality one.

Any suggestions or feedback on your jigsaws is appreciated.

Thanks.

[mpm32]

After you finish your cab, do you foresee using the jigsaw for other purposes?  Or, do you think you will just use it for you cab?  If you see yourself using it for other purposes,  get a Porter Cable.  Cuts the best. (I've used many brands.)  If you are just going to use it for your cab, get a cheaper Craftsman. Cuts OK.  With tools, you really do get what you pay for.  Contractor grade equipment is really much better.  But if it's just going to sit on a shelf, you don't need to buy the contractor grade.  

[rampy]

I'm looking at getting a jigsaw to start building a cabinet but don't know which ones are any good.  I don't want to break the bank but I want a good quality one.

Any suggestions or feedback on your jigsaws is appreciated.

Thanks.

Also note for straight cuts you may be better off with a circular saw instead of a jig saw (although the jig is certainly good for curves/etc)  

If you aren't going to ever use the jig again, (or circular saw)... maybe renting some good ones for a weekend would be a good idea...

Whatever you do don't get the generic Walmart brand  jig saw it sucks hard...  single speed crap.

*shrug*

rampy

[spidermonkey]

You also might want to get one that has the orbital cutting motion.  The blade still goes up and down like every jigsaw does but it also has a slight orbital motion. (not enough for the human eye to see) but this feature helps keep blowout and splintering on the underside of the wood to a minimum. Or if you decide on a cheaper standard up/down motion jigsaw you'll want to use a crosscut blade with plenty of teeth per inch and cut very slowly. This will also reduce blowout on the underside. This rule really only applies to natural wood that has a directional grain in it like plywood or pine. If you're using partical board or mdf then you really don't get much blowout and if you do get any at all you can just run down the edge with sandpaper to get rid of the excess boogers and you won't have to worry about splinters tearing and traveling leaving you with nicks and grooves along the cutting edge.
Good luck
S.M.

[hyiu]

one thing I learned from someone here is...

if you need to cut a long straight line with a jigsaw...
use a metal ruler.. (long one...) as a guide.....
clamp it down on the side and guide your cut...
then you'll have good cuts everytime....

[neuromancer]

Any suggestions or feedback on your jigsaws is appreciated.

Thanks.

I got a black and decker or skill brand jig saw for about $40. It features variable speed, variable orbit, and tool-less blade changes. You get what you pay for, I guess. I haven't really used it that much, and now half the time the blade doesn't orbit, and sometimes the blade pops out of that "tool-less" chuck.

I jig saw without orbit is useless for anything thicker than panneling.

Bosch brand blades are worth the price. They cut much better than any other brand I've tried.

Actually, if you're just making straight cuts, and you're building in MDF, and you don't need the saw for other projects later, a good quality hand saw is probably all you need.

Bob

[eightbit]

A router has a steeper learning curve but there is almost nothing that a router can't do. If you've ever seen the Router Workshop show on Public Television you'll know what I'm talking about. It can cut, route, shape, dado, rabbit, mortise and a multitude of other things. You can also get a router for about $40. Invest in a good $10-15 flush cut straight bit with a top bearing and you can do all the basics. If you invest in more bits you can really expand what it can do.

[OSCAR]

A router has a steeper learning curve but there is almost nothing that a router can't do. If you've ever seen the Router Workshop show on Public Television you'll know what I'm talking about. It can cut, route, shape, dado, rabbit, mortise and a multitude of other things. You can also get a router for about $40. Invest in a good $10-15 flush cut straight bit with a top bearing and you can do all the basics. If you invest in more bits you can really expand what it can do.

Ditto.

I hardly used a saw at all on my latest, half-finished cabinet.  The straight cuts on one side were made by using a fence with the router.  Once one side was done, it was used as the template for the other side by using a template bit.

[Frostillicus]

Another way to go would be to get a quality rotary tool like the Rotozip Revolution - 5 amps and you can get accessories to make into plunge router, straight edge, circle cutter, grinder, flex shaft, etc.  much better than dremel.  I've used mine to cut wood, lexan, even metal pipe and pvc.  Best tool I own.  They are expensive, but very very handy.  

Also, isn't a real jigsaw a table-top saw with a small blade that vibrates up and down? that wouldn't be too good to make a whole cab with.  Even a bandsaw would be tough to use for that.  Though a reciprocating or circular saw could do the trick.  I guess most of us have a few of each.

[OSCAR]

Also, isn't a real jigsaw a table-top saw with a small blade that vibrates up and down?

I think you mean a scroll saw.  I have one, but it is only good for very small jobs.  I agree, it would only be useful for cutting braces and such.

[Frostillicus]

Also, isn't a real jigsaw a table-top saw with a small blade that vibrates up and down?

I think you mean a scroll saw.  I have one, but it is only good for very small jobs.  I agree, it would only be useful for cutting braces and such.

you're right - i was thinking of a scroll saw.  Too many different kinds of 'saws'.  There should just be one 'Cutting-Stuff Saw', that would clear up my confusion.

[eightbit]

I have a collection of power saws-
Scroll Saw
Jig saw (several)
Sawzall (several)
compound miter saw
chop saw
table saw
band saw
chain saw
circular saw (several)
framing saw
For every one there is a time and place for its use, theres a couple more that I don't have that would be nice.

[spidermonkey]

Ahh looks like Oscar is a Harbor Frieght junkey like myself. I've bought a lotta stuff from them over the years. Some of it isn't the best quality but whenever I am in the market for some kind of oddball specialty tool that I know I probably won't ever use more then once or twice I always get it from them. They do have brand name stuff too. If you're going to use the hell out of a tool then go for the good stuff but if you don't need the top of the line and its something that will be used once a year then this is the place to buy By the way guys if you're looking for e-clips for joystick shafts they have em. Also springs,role pins,o-rings and just about any other specialty fastener out there. And they sell them in an assortment of sizes in large boxes for CHEAP. Do a search for harbor frieght tools and check out their website and get a catalog. Lots of cheap tools and supplys for cab building and anything else for that matter. " Northern Tool & Equipment " another cool place for tools and such.