Jigsaws

[Spectric]

I currently have a 110 volt corded Bosch GST135BCE jigsaw but maybe tempted by

The Bosch is ok for thin materials, probably why it is called a jigsaw but with materials around 20mm it can be hit and miss as to squareness but over 30mm the cuts are often not square and I have tried various blades from different manufacturers and it makes very little difference. Some of the better results are achieved with the Bosch T1044 Dp blades that have about 200mm of teeth or the shorter T744 D. But I have been looking at other jigsaws and various reviews and it is the Mafell P1CC that seems to stand out, it was the most expensive jigsaw ever but in a class of it's own along with £40 blades ! So is this jigsaw at £400 really that good to warrant it's price tag ?

The almost as expensive Festool PS 420 EBQ-Plus is a mere £395 https://www.axminstertools.com/festool-ps-420-ebq-plus-jigsaw-body-grip-230v230v-503679 but still retains a blade guide system whereas the Mafell has no blade guides but cost £408 https://www.toucantools.co.uk/mafell_jigsaw_p1cc_maximax_110v_in_t-max_systainer.html.

Who owns a Mafell and is it as good as the reviews would have you believe or is it a case of having spent that amount of money you convince yourself it is that good !

I cannot see how the Mafell without a blade guide can deliver better results than other jigsaws with a blade guide unless it is fitted with the thicker Cunex blades, I would have thought that using standard blades without support then the wander would be worse so any Mafell owners out there who can give some feedback please.

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[Distinterior]

I believe the Mafell is generally accepted within the Trade as being in a class of it's own when it comes to jigsaws.
A good mate of mine has a few Mafell tools and had always stated that he would one day splurge and buy the jigsaw, so a couple of years back, it was his 50th birthday, so a few of us chipped in and bought him the jigsaw as a present.

He reckons it has lived up to all his expectations and is significantly better than the Dewalt , Millwaukee and Bosch jigsaws that he has owned in the past.

From my own personal experience, I've had Bosch, Holzher, Millwaukee jigsaws and my current one is the Festool cordless.
To be completely honest, I cant say I've noticed a huge difference between any of them, except perhaps the quick change facility on the Festool is good. Overall, I wouldn't say that one was much better than the other.

Generally, I've never treated a jigsaw as a precision tool, so perhaps my expectations are not the same as someone else...?

 

[fleyh]

Who owns a Mafell and is it as good as the reviews would have you believe or is it a case of having spent that amount of money you convince yourself it is that good !

there was a thread related to Mafell P1 review couple of years ago - some P1 owners participated.
https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/threads/the-rolls-royce-of-jigsaws-mafell-p1cc.138779/
- you could ask these members to see if their opinion of the tool has changed.

 

[duke]

We don't have the Mafell line available here in Canada.
I find with all brands of tools there is level OK level Good and level Best
To get to where I am at now with my power tool collection was a lot of hit and miss.
This may seem odd but other than the quality of tool it needs to survive being dropped from a ladder, stuff happens on job sites.

Any chance of renting the jigsaw from a rental shop and try it out. I know probably not doable.

 

[Sideways]

@Spectric I owned a predecessor of yours, the old GST60PBE for decades. It was a reliable jigsaw but blade clamping and the rear roller guide didn't make for a reliable 90 degree or any other angle cut.
I bought a Mafell P1CC from another member here on UKW and it's very impressive.
I use my old bosch blades in it as I had a good few left over including bimetal and excellent ground tooth styles. The Bosch blades work better in the Mafell than they did in my GST60.

The P1CC is a bigger machine and just as noisy as my Bosch used to be, but it's the only way up from yours. The Festool Carvex seems to have a poor reputation and the only other machines I'd like to try, the Metabo STEB135/140 models, may be better than your Bosch but perhaps not enough to be worth switching.

 

[Spectric]

@Sideways I think Bosch improved the blade clamping but nothing else and as you say getting square cuts in thicker stock is not guaranteed. The thing I am struggling to understand is that on other jigsaws there is a rear blade guide / support yet the cuts are not square yet with that blade in the mafell with no blade guides it cuts square and on thicker stock but that would suggest it is not blade flex causing the issues in many jigsaws but either the blade guide or the actual support of the coloum in the machine, I had always assumed it was the thicker cunnex blades that gave the P1CC it's advantages but then why have other OEM's not followed suit with thicker blades.

 

[Sideways]

I think it's not just the big blades, although those are much wider than normal at the front and heavily relieved to be only as wide as a standard blade at the back. I assume the way the moving column is supported and aligned throughout it's stroke is the key and the blades firmly clamped to it.
Crosscutting the end off some 2" oak when I first got it, it was impressive when checked with a machinists square. Not a "no light to be seen" 90 degrees. That's unreasonable for a woodwork machine, but very good.

 

[Doug B]

I’ve used the Mafell & it is so much better than any other make of jigsaw, the problem for me is I think of jigsaws along with multi tools & reciprocating saws as roughing out tools as I’m not looking for a fine finish off them so paying top dollar for such a tool doesn’t seem worthwhile to me. Don’t get me wrong if money was no object I’d have the Mafell in a heartbeat but I can’t think of a saw cut I’d make with a jigsaw that I’d need the level of accuracy the Mafell gives.

 

[Jameshow]

I upgraded to the Bosch!!

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I downgraded to the Festool!