Comments on: Dealmonger: Craftsman Laser Trac 5A Orbital Jigsaw http://toolmonger.com/2007/05/31/dealmonger-craftsman-laser-trac-5a-orbital-jigsaw/ All tools. All the time. Your source for news, information, and reviews of hand tools, power tools, and tools of all kinds. Sun, 07 Sep 2008 04:30:12 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Teacher http://toolmonger.com/2007/05/31/dealmonger-craftsman-laser-trac-5a-orbital-jigsaw/#comment-80796 Teacher Thu, 21 Jun 2007 01:36:39 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2007/05/31/dealmonger-craftsman-laser-trac-5a-orbital-jigsaw/#comment-80796 I know B&D has a laser on some of their circular saws. I burned up a B&D cheapie jig saw in about a year. I replaced it with a Bosch 1590. Best money I ever spent on a power tool. That 1590 is a great example of you get what you pay for. I know B&D has a laser on some of their circular saws. I burned up a B&D cheapie jig saw in about a year. I replaced it with a Bosch 1590. Best money I ever spent on a power tool. That 1590 is a great example of you get what you pay for.

]]> By: Colin http://toolmonger.com/2007/05/31/dealmonger-craftsman-laser-trac-5a-orbital-jigsaw/#comment-71003 Colin Fri, 01 Jun 2007 14:14:59 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2007/05/31/dealmonger-craftsman-laser-trac-5a-orbital-jigsaw/#comment-71003 tex: judging by the red blade holder thingy, I don't think this will flush cut. I have also wondered why they put lasers on drills...I have one on my Craftsaman drill press, kinda useful, bu mostly not. tex: judging by the red blade holder thingy, I don’t think this will flush cut.
I have also wondered why they put lasers on drills…I have one on my Craftsaman drill press, kinda useful, bu mostly not.

]]> By: Brau http://toolmonger.com/2007/05/31/dealmonger-craftsman-laser-trac-5a-orbital-jigsaw/#comment-70925 Brau Fri, 01 Jun 2007 09:36:24 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2007/05/31/dealmonger-craftsman-laser-trac-5a-orbital-jigsaw/#comment-70925 A laser on a jigsaw ... man o man, if you're trying to cut a dead straight line a jigsaw is not the right tool. I will add that I have the cordless Craftsman equivalent (no laser) and it works very well, except for the orbital switch (red lever) that can sometimes switch by itself during hard vibrations (like cutting metal). It can switch to orbital motion in mid cut and make a real mess of a sheet of aluminum. A laser on a jigsaw … man o man, if you’re trying to cut a dead straight line a jigsaw is not the right tool. I will add that I have the cordless Craftsman equivalent (no laser) and it works very well, except for the orbital switch (red lever) that can sometimes switch by itself during hard vibrations (like cutting metal). It can switch to orbital motion in mid cut and make a real mess of a sheet of aluminum.

]]> By: tex http://toolmonger.com/2007/05/31/dealmonger-craftsman-laser-trac-5a-orbital-jigsaw/#comment-70668 tex Thu, 31 May 2007 19:19:20 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2007/05/31/dealmonger-craftsman-laser-trac-5a-orbital-jigsaw/#comment-70668 I cannot tell from looking at the image, or from the sears website if this saw has the blade far enough in the front to flush cut. That is the one feature I'm missing in my current jigsaw that I could use. I think some of the bosch models have this, but I cannot verify this as I always get 404 errors when using the bosch web site to get details on their tools! I cannot tell from looking at the image, or from the sears website if this saw has the
blade far enough in the front to flush cut. That is the one feature I’m missing in my current jigsaw that I could use. I think some of the bosch models have this, but I cannot verify this as I always get 404 errors when using the bosch web site to get details on
their tools!

]]> By: Colin http://toolmonger.com/2007/05/31/dealmonger-craftsman-laser-trac-5a-orbital-jigsaw/#comment-70569 Colin Thu, 31 May 2007 16:29:17 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2007/05/31/dealmonger-craftsman-laser-trac-5a-orbital-jigsaw/#comment-70569 I think Craftsaman has a laser on their circular saws as well. They seem to be putting laser trac on most everything these days I think Craftsaman has a laser on their circular saws as well. They seem to be putting laser trac on most everything these days

]]> By: l_bilyk http://toolmonger.com/2007/05/31/dealmonger-craftsman-laser-trac-5a-orbital-jigsaw/#comment-70567 l_bilyk Thu, 31 May 2007 16:28:07 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2007/05/31/dealmonger-craftsman-laser-trac-5a-orbital-jigsaw/#comment-70567 I have not used this one, but after trying two homeowner targeted jigsaws I bougt a dewalt and... actually that one went back too! lol Then I bought a bosch and never looked back. You don't need scrolling heads or lazers. Just look for a well ballanced jigsaw with no blade deflection problems. A build in dust blower is the only useful feature IMO. The first two cut so poorly it's like they had a mind of their own. I think the dewalt that I got was just a defective unit, because it consistently pulled to one side. I have not used this one, but after trying two homeowner targeted jigsaws I bougt a dewalt and… actually that one went back too! lol Then I bought a bosch and never looked back.

You don’t need scrolling heads or lazers. Just look for a well ballanced jigsaw with no blade deflection problems. A build in dust blower is the only useful feature IMO. The first two cut so poorly it’s like they had a mind of their own. I think the dewalt that I got was just a defective unit, because it consistently pulled to one side.

]]> By: Leslie http://toolmonger.com/2007/05/31/dealmonger-craftsman-laser-trac-5a-orbital-jigsaw/#comment-70564 Leslie Thu, 31 May 2007 16:16:59 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2007/05/31/dealmonger-craftsman-laser-trac-5a-orbital-jigsaw/#comment-70564 I meant to add: What I'd really like is a laser for my circular saw. Does anyone make one of those? I haven't exactly been shopping for one since my ancient Craftman workhorse hasn't failed me yet, but between someone coming to steal my eyesight on my 40th birthday and the challenge of keeping an eye on the line when you're vertically challenged and the cut is down the center of a piece of plywood, I could see a laser to guide you along the cut line as truly useful. But my goal is not typically to cut a perfectly straight line with a jigsaw. I meant to add: What I’d really like is a laser for my circular saw. Does anyone make one of those? I haven’t exactly been shopping for one since my ancient Craftman workhorse hasn’t failed me yet, but between someone coming to steal my eyesight on my 40th birthday and the challenge of keeping an eye on the line when you’re vertically challenged and the cut is down the center of a piece of plywood, I could see a laser to guide you along the cut line as truly useful. But my goal is not typically to cut a perfectly straight line with a jigsaw.

]]> By: Leslie http://toolmonger.com/2007/05/31/dealmonger-craftsman-laser-trac-5a-orbital-jigsaw/#comment-70561 Leslie Thu, 31 May 2007 16:08:58 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2007/05/31/dealmonger-craftsman-laser-trac-5a-orbital-jigsaw/#comment-70561 I'm curious as to how well it does compared to my old (purchased early 80's) craftman sabre saw, which like several others of its low-end counterparts had a definitely tendency for the set screw on the base to loosen with the vibration and/or pressure from being coaxed around a curved line, so that all of a sudden you were cutting at a different angle than you intended. I went through the Craftsman and two other lower-end jigsaws (one B&D, one... I don't remember) in 25+ years, and they all had this problem. But even though it's not a tool I use all that frequently, I finally broke down in a moment of extreme frustration last year and drove to the store mid-project to drop some real money into a heavy duty model that won't slip no matter how much I push it, and I've not looked back. I’m curious as to how well it does compared to my old (purchased early 80’s) craftman sabre saw, which like several others of its low-end counterparts had a definitely tendency for the set screw on the base to loosen with the vibration and/or pressure from being coaxed around a curved line, so that all of a sudden you were cutting at a different angle than you intended. I went through the Craftsman and two other lower-end jigsaws (one B&D, one… I don’t remember) in 25+ years, and they all had this problem. But even though it’s not a tool I use all that frequently, I finally broke down in a moment of extreme frustration last year and drove to the store mid-project to drop some real money into a heavy duty model that won’t slip no matter how much I push it, and I’ve not looked back.

]]> By: Chuck Cage http://toolmonger.com/2007/05/31/dealmonger-craftsman-laser-trac-5a-orbital-jigsaw/#comment-70558 Chuck Cage Thu, 31 May 2007 16:02:04 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2007/05/31/dealmonger-craftsman-laser-trac-5a-orbital-jigsaw/#comment-70558 Colin: Or even more importantly, why <em>scroll</em> saws need a laser. I had a Craftsman scroll saw years back, though, and it performed pretty well. Still seems like a pretty decent deal, though, regardless of the laser. Colin: Or even more importantly, why scroll saws need a laser. I had a Craftsman scroll saw years back, though, and it performed pretty well. Still seems like a pretty decent deal, though, regardless of the laser.

]]> By: Colin http://toolmonger.com/2007/05/31/dealmonger-craftsman-laser-trac-5a-orbital-jigsaw/#comment-70556 Colin Thu, 31 May 2007 15:59:50 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2007/05/31/dealmonger-craftsman-laser-trac-5a-orbital-jigsaw/#comment-70556 I never quite understood why jigsaws needed a laser. It looks cool though. I never quite understood why jigsaws needed a laser. It looks cool though.

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