Thread: Jigsaw recommendations

I'm going to be buying a jigsaw this week to take care of a home improvement project. Just so happens that I'd love to have one for making scales, too, but that's not the real reason I'm buying it...

Any recommendations on what I should get? I'd like to stay under $100 if possible. Do any of these things have attachments you can buy that will make them function more like a scroll saw?

Thanks,
Josh

I bought a Motomaster variable speed for $30 and it was good for a bunch of home improvement projects, but I could not use it for making scales. I'll try it out on brass tubing, though.

My suggestion would be to get the best quality one you can possibly afford.

Go for a "name brand" and check the warranty conditions, ease of servicing, availability of spare parts and cost of consumables.

I know it sounds like a lot of work (and it can be) but it pays off down the track when you're still using it in 10 years

So Ilija, are you saying you weren't able to use it for scales after trying, or that you just haven't thought it was the best tool for the job?

I'm hoping to get double duty out of it--a scroll saw wouldn't be much use for other stuff, I'm afraid.

Josh

Actually, I can think of a way of making scales with it, which I'll have to try, probably with a fine toothed metal saw. Just getting the ends will be tricky.

I'm thinking it might be easier to cut some of the thin materials used in scale making by sandwiching them between a protective material. Like maybe I could cut my plexiglass scales by sandwiching the plexiglass between strips of 1/4 plywood. Then I could secure it with double sided tape.... That would give the saw more like 3/4" to work with rather than 1/8", and it might prevent the plexiglass from chipping.

Any thoughts?

Josh

Josh - the Bosch line of jigsaws is generally considered to be the best on the market.

They run from $135-$160 depending on model and accessories. You can sometimes find a factory reconditioned one for less than $100 and that's probably the best buy out there.

What would their advantage over a $30 var. speed model be when it comes to scale-making?

in a word? "quality"

Understanding that there is no such thing as a stupid question, there are, however, an untold number of stupid people out here and a lot of us have questions.....I'll leave it to you to do the math.

That being said, what's the difference between a scroll saw and a jig saw? And, how about the Dremel Scroll Station- would this be good for scale making?

-whatever

-Lou