Comments on: Bosch ‘Enhances’ Jigsaws

By: stevenrt

stevenrt — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 20:48:14 +0000

I agree a barrel grip lowers the center of gravity and it helps control. I had a barrel grip saw many years ago ,my only complaiant with it the barrel got hot in use, but kept it till it quit working.got a top handle saw after that cause no one was selling a barrel grip saw in my area. I probly would have gotten another had any one was selling them. If the stores only handle one kind that is what is popular.

By: ronin4711

ronin4711 — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 04:22:24 +0000

Bosch makes good power tools and I own a few, among them 3 jig saws, 2 D handle and one barrel grip, I find the D handle the most comfortable, all with variable speed control, one of them starts at zero to full speed which I find it the most useful, from some odd reason, Bosch dropped this line and all of them start at 150 spm. if I’m not mistaken, I find it disturbing sometimes, specially when you have a piece of soft wood and you don’t wish to destroy it.

By: Megan Fitzpatrick

Megan Fitzpatrick — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 22:22:37 +0000

Or small hands? I’m still in mourning for the barrel handle jigsaw we used to have in the PWM shop.

By: Sylvain297

Sylvain297 — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 21:36:23 +0000

I bought the barrel grip because I read it had better control. I do not like the barrel grip. The barel is just to big for my hand. Than I bought the top handle. I love it.

I think it might be a matter of hand size. Everybody I shake hands with says I have big hands. I have a big fat hand.Maybe the barrel type is better for somebody that have long thin hand like Christopher Schwarz?

By: tpmccann@gmail.com

tpmccann@gmail.com — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 18:03:28 +0000

I always understood the barrel grip was a U.S. favourite. Here in the U.K. in my experience the D handle is the most popular whatever about the rest of Europe

By: jeffgrut

jeffgrut — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 17:46:04 +0000

barrel grip gives me more control.

By: JohnC

JohnC — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 11:31:29 +0000

I bought the older barrel grip two years ago, but I could not get used to the lack of speed control when I needed it. I also felt the barrel was a bit too big to grip even though I have large hands. I gave it away, and now I have a D style cordless DeWalt that I like better.

It seems to me that all jig saws have a problem with blade ‘lean’ and it is hard to get a 90 degree cut. I may have to try out the top handle version some time.

By: pvanderlugt

pvanderlugt — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 19:53:53 +0000

I have a 6.4 top handle, love it. Have never had the opportunity to try the barrel handle, I think I might prefer it, and I suppose I will have to try on someday to make sure.

BUT, why would they leave the variable speed trigger off of the barrel type? It’s a valuable feature on a jigsaw.

That baffles me.

By: B Jackson

B Jackson — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 18:04:09 +0000

The only jig saw I ever owned I still have with me – a D-handle almost as old as I am. Having said that, it seems putting your hand closer to the work gives you better control, hence the barrel grip, kind of like choking up on the bat with two strikes on you and you really need to get on base for the home team to tie the game. Can anyone tell me why it is that American manufacturers are so behind the times on the latest and greatest in tool ergonomics / safety? Or is anyone really, really irritated by that? I surely am!

By: Jim McCoy

Jim McCoy — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 15:55:39 +0000

The first jigsaw I owned was a top-grip style. One day a number of years ago I was in Woodworkers Supply and there was a demo of jigsaws. I got to try both styles side by side cutting both hardwood and some pine. I bought the Bosch barrel grip version that day and have been using it ever since. I don’t think I could go back to a top grip model. I probably wouldn’t have considered upgrading to the new model until you mentioned the LEDs. Definitely a deal maker for my older eyes. Thanks Bob.