Jamb saw recommendations?

[scott vroom]

This is off topic, but I'll bet someone here can offer advice. I'm shopping for a good powered jamb saw. Any recommendations? Below are 2 pics of the 2 different styles available. The Bosch is much less expensive but I'm not sure if it does as good a job (level/square) as the circular style saw. Thoughts?

[Will Overton]

I don't see this as being off topic, you're gonna cut wood with either of those things.

Are you doing this commercially or just a project or two? If the latter, how about a MultiMaster or one of the clones? That will be a more versatile tool. For commercial use, the circular saw blade will be quicker.

[scott vroom]

I'm not a professional flooring guy but am going to be installing eng wood flooring in 2 houses over the next year. Each job involves probably 15-20 jambs. I've been looking for an excuse to purchase the Fein Multi-Master. If this will give me a square/level jamb cut then maybe that's the way to go. I'm not so concerned about quicknes as I am about level/square. Nothing worse than crooked jamb bottoms on a beautiful wood floor.

[Rick Hall]

I used a Multimaster in a profesional capacity to undercut door jambs for years and loved it. I think that type of cut is the Multimasters strongest area. It's not super fast, but it's fast enough. I also had one of the Bosch saws you pictured, but sold it almost immediately after getting the Fein. I think the Multimaster or one of it's clones would be perfectly adequate for undercutting jambs on a couple of houses.

I never tried the circular type jamb saw, never felt the need.

Rick.

[John Pratt]

I don't know what luck others have had, but I just completed installing 1500 sq/ft of flooring and used a Dremel Multi-max for all the jambs. It worked great and I have a multi-use tool rather than a dedicated jamb saw that may never get used again. If I was a professional installer I probably would have went the other route. Just my 2 cents.

[Greg Sznajdruk]

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=5322

It is not a power saw but I use it most often for this application. I do have a multi master but the hand saw is faster. The multi master is used where I can't fit the dovetail saw.

Greg

[ian maybury]

Another vote here for the Multimaster. It's very capable on that sort of thing. Great for neatly removing sections of suspended T&G flooring to access pipes, cabling etc as well.

I have the DIY model which does fine, the bigger, heavier and more powerful trade/professional model (is it called the Supercut?) must be quite some machine.

One thing to remember is that the blade doesn't make much clearance for itself, and the fine teeth don't self feed. So unless you shove it along it can feel like it's very slow, and the blades can get very hot.

I have a small angle grinder set up with a circular saw type blade from a jamb cutter. It's very crude and aggressive by comparison, makes a very wide cut and is tough to control......

ian

[Paul Greathouse]

Scott

I have the Bosch saw that you have pictured and it works great for jamb work. I just lay a scrap piece of flooring under the saw and the blade cuts nearly flush to the piece of flooring. The saw is made so that you can easily hold it level and square.

That being said I also have the cordless Bosch version of the multimaster, it's also a great tool and is a perfect companion to the jamb saw. I don't use either of these professionally but I don't see any reason why you couldn't.

The circular type saw would probably be faster but for just a couple of houses of flooring the Bosch would be more than enough. The Bosch is also very reasonably priced for what its able to do.

I'm sure the Multi-Master is nice but I can't stomach the price with all the clones out there that will do pretty much, the same job. My Bosch clone is a great little tool and the fact that its cordless makes it very handy to use.

[Jamie Buxton]

I'm mostly a power tool guy, but this is a task for a hand saw. Get a ryoba (a Japanese pull saw) or the like. (http://www.japanwoodworker.com/product.asp?s=JapanWoodworker&pf_id=19%2E610%2E0&dept_id=13088)

You put the saw down flat on a piece of scrap flooring, and with a few strokes you cut through the door jamb. It is quiet, fast, and accurate.

It costs less than a power jamb saw, and a good handsaw is a tool you can use for other task, unlike a power jamb saw.

[scott vroom]

Scott

I have the Bosch saw that you have pictured and it works great for jamb work. I just lay a scrap piece of flooring under the saw and the blade cuts nearly flush to the piece of flooring. The saw is made so that you can easily hold it level and square.

That being said I also have the cordless Bosch version of the multimaster, it's also a great tool and is a perfect companion to the jamb saw. I don't use either of these professionally but I don't see any reason why you couldn't.

The circular type saw would probably be faster but for just a couple of houses of flooring the Bosch would be more than enough. The Bosch is also very reasonably priced for what its able to do.

I'm sure the Multi-Master is nice but I can't stomach the price with all the clones out there that will do pretty much, the same job. My Bosch clone is a great little tool and the fact that its cordless makes it very handy to use.

Paul, I can get a factory reconditioned Bosch 1640VS for $85...that's a great price. What method do you use to get a level/square cut with your 1640VS? I'm thinking if I rest the blade on a piece of scrap flooring up against the jamb it will allow me to get a level start to the cut (and give me a precise depth as well).

Thanks

[Dan Friedrichs]

I'm mostly a power tool guy, but this is a task for a hand saw. Get a ryoba (a Japanese pull saw) or the like. (http://www.japanwoodworker.com/product.asp?s=JapanWoodworker&pf_id=19%2E610%2E0&dept_id=13088)

You put the saw down flat on a piece of scrap flooring, and with a few strokes you cut through the door jamb. It is quiet, fast, and accurate.

It costs less than a power jamb saw, and a good handsaw is a tool you can use for other task, unlike a power jamb saw.

+1. I did a whole house this way, and it's fast and accurate. One of the few cases where the hand tool is faster than trying to find a plug-in for the power tool.

[Greg R Bradley]

I did one house using a pull saw and thought it worked well. The results were perfect. I used a Fein Multimaster for the last one I did, which also worked fairly well. I certainly wouldn't buy that for the job but might use it if I had it.
I recently helped a friend do his house. He borrowed the Fein version of the circular saw pictured. I believe it cost around $1500. It worked very well but was scary in that you could do alot of damage really quick. We did a few by hand and they weren't that much more work.

For two personal houses without the benefit of lots of experience, I would be tempted to use the pull saw. With 3 houses over 20 years like me, I feel the most comfortable doing it by hand. It works amazingly well.

[Paul Greathouse]

Paul, I can get a factory reconditioned Bosch 1640VS for $85...that's a great price. What method do you use to get a level/square cut with your 1640VS? I'm thinking if I rest the blade on a piece of scrap flooring up against the jamb it will allow me to get a level start to the cut (and give me a precise depth as well).

Thanks

Scott

You are thinking correctly, I just rest the saw on a piece of scrap and cut the jamb parallel with the floor. It may not be perfectly level and square but in my opinion it looks better for the jamb bottom to be parallel with the floor. The width and flatness of the blade makes it easy to hold the saw in place.

[Paul Greathouse]

Jamie, Greg & Dan

Your right the Japanese pull saw also works great for jamb work and probably has the least potential for doing unwanted damage in the event of a mistake. I have one and it cuts quite well. It also cuts fast for a handsaw but just imagine for a second a Japanese pull saw that plugs in. That's virtually what your getting with the Bosch saw that Scott is asking about.

One advantage that the Bosch has over a Japanese pull saw is the blade is more rigid which, to me, is more desirable for wider cuts such as jambs. I can do just as good a job on a jamb with a Jap pull saw but I just prefer to plug in as much as possible. I guess it just boils down to personal preference and maybe laziness on my part.

[Jerome Stanek]

I use one of the multi tools for cutting jambs also you can use it for other cuts that come up when installing flooring

[James Evans]

i have and use the bosch saw all the time. you will find many uses for it. other than the jambs. bought mine for cutting the floor that went under my kitchen cabinets. Couldnt find a toe kick saw anywhere spur of the moment. the bosch saw did the job, and many others.

[Carl Hill]

I've had occasion to use most of the above mentioned tools. IMO the Fein Multi-master is by far the most versatile of all mentioned. Yes, it's not cheap, but it's a great tool. Don't waste your money on the cheaper knock-off tools. You'll find a thousand uses for the Fein. Besides, you've got a great excuse to by a new toyl.

Carl

[Randy Rizzo]

Buy a flush cut hand saw and try it. I think you'll be surprised at how easy it is. I bought a powered jamb saw first. Then one of my kids, a tile guy, showed me the flush cut hand saw he used. Power saw hasn't been out of the case since. Got one hardly used powered jamb saw for sale! Only caveat here is if you're cutting baseboard to get tile or sheet goods under the base you need the powered saw, but for just trimming jambs the flush cut hand saw works fine.

[Andrew Nemeth]

I don't recommend a dedicated jamb saw unless you need to cut back a lot of base, not just the iambs. The blades must be kept very sharp to prevent splintering on the back side of the cut. This would not be a problem except you are likely to hit nails on occasion. I have used all of the methods listed so far except for the Bosch, I have even used a reciprocating saw with a very long fine blade. If I was still in the construction trade I would use a multi-master or similar tool. If those don't float your boat, a hand saw, either Japanese pull or an offset saw will work, but you will still have to deal with the nail issue.

[bill mullin]

You're gonna run into places like end of hallways where maybe three doors are right next to each other in corners, where you can't get a handsaw in there.
The multi-tool is made for these kind of situations.
I bought one last winter for a specific purpose thinking I would probably use it about twice a year.
I've been amazed how often I use it.
I've done 3 floors now since I bought it. Works great.
Mine is the Dremel.

[John Fieldstadt]

I just bought and used the Bosch two weeks ago to put a in a floor. It worked great! I've since used it to make miter cuts in some jigs to hold quarter round molding while I painted it. I can definitely see finding uses for it around the house. I'm very happy with my purchase, especially for the price.

[scott vroom]

I just purchased the Bosch 1640VS ($85 through Amazon). If it works as expected I'll be worth every penny just for the 2 upcoming flooring jobs. In addition, it looks like it will do a good job flush cutting prehung door jamb shims....nasty to cut by hand.

Guys, thanks for all of the good input.