HELP!! (me spend my gift card...)

[Jason Roehl]

Ok, I'm the recipient of a Sears gift card. I THINK it's for $150--at least, that's what my folks gave my wife, but they may like her better.

Before a whole bunch of other suggestions pour in, I am pretty much set on a jig saw. My $10 auction-special, 30-yr.-old Crapsman let all its smoke out last year, and I've been able to manage with my Milwaukee Super Sawzall. (Not for fine work, just flooring and rough carpentry where the cuts were somehow concealed).

Here's the problem. Browsing the Sears website leads me to believe that their pickin's are pretty slim in the jigsaw category. Ideally, based on some people's recommendations, I'd really like the Bosch barrel-grip model or that green one from Germany, but Sears doesn't sell those.

Anyone have any experience with any of the ones on the Sears website?

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/search.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&verticalFullName=Tools&keyword=jig+saw&displayTarget=searchresults&gobutton.x=0&gobutton.y=0&gobutton=find

I'm leaning toward that yellow 6.5A model. I never mind kicking in a few extra bucks when I've got a gift card. Unless someone wants to buy the card off me...or trade it for an orange Borg card (they've got the Bosch barrel grip).

Any thoughts?

[Michael Adelong]

The foot on that 5.0 amp Craftsman with the laser looks suprisingly close to the foot on my Bosch 1590. So does the orbital action control switch. Never saw a laser on a Bosch.

If you can, do a little research and see if Bosch makes it. If they do, buy it with confidence. Maybe you can download the exploded parts diagram and see if you can find any of the part numbers on the Bosch web site or another site that sells Bosch repair parts.

Bosch jig saws are the best in the "normal" power tool price range. Festool is better, but too expensive unless you plan on doing precision work frequently.

Michael