OK - it is time for me to eat a little humble pie. I am an avid jigsaw user. I have owned and used a couple of different Bosch jigsaws (currently have the JS572 barrel grip), I have owned and used the Trion barrel grip and I rushed out and bought the PS420 and accessory kit the very first day they went on sale in the US. Oh and I also own and use the Mafell P1CC jigsaw. Needless to say, jigsaws are a key tool for me in my work and one of the most important hand-powered tools in my arsenal.
For me the Bosch cuts well, but is more of a carpentry type tool - I get good results, but not perfect results for fine furniture. I have relegated it to rougher use. I used the Trion and Carvex in making furniture. I always felt the Carvex to be lacking. I could never get it to track straight no matter what I did - take the base on an off, try to position it on one side or the other, adjust the blade gudes - nothing worked. I eventually sold it. I also sold the Trion when I got the Mafell and have been happy with this set-up for the most part.
I purchased the cordless Carvex today as I needed a cordless saw to aid in installing a new cooktop and cutting the underside of the counter for proper fit. I debated if I should go this route, but figured the 30 day trial would give me a chance to try it first. I bought the bare tool since I have lots of batteries. I immediately tested it in a variety of cuts and materials and all I have to say is that I am so far impressed.
The issues I remember from my old Carvex are not present in this machine - the plunge mechanism feels solid, the weight of the machine with the battery is balanced and it has enough heft that it does not feel like it wants to bounce around in a cut. I tested cross-cuts and rips in walnut (4/4 and 8/4, rips and cross-cuts in 5/4 maple, rips and cross-cuts in MDF (did not have and scrap ply laying around). I have to say that ALL cuts were dead-square and I could actually follow a pencil line. I tried all pendulum strokes and it made no difference to squareness of cut. The battery provided plenty of power for all of these cuts and it performed like I had originally was expecting on my first Carvex.
In hindsight I should have returned the other one and tried a different machine, but I thought it was user error. While my Mafell is still top-dog in my opinion, this new Carvex so far cuts almost as well. Time will tell as I put it through its paces, but so far I am impressed and more than satisfied with the cuts. This machine has been sitting around my dealer for awhile as it was manufactured in May 2017. But so far, so good.
For me the Bosch cuts well, but is more of a carpentry type tool - I get good results, but not perfect results for fine furniture. I have relegated it to rougher use. I used the Trion and Carvex in making furniture. I always felt the Carvex to be lacking. I could never get it to track straight no matter what I did - take the base on an off, try to position it on one side or the other, adjust the blade gudes - nothing worked. I eventually sold it. I also sold the Trion when I got the Mafell and have been happy with this set-up for the most part.
I purchased the cordless Carvex today as I needed a cordless saw to aid in installing a new cooktop and cutting the underside of the counter for proper fit. I debated if I should go this route, but figured the 30 day trial would give me a chance to try it first. I bought the bare tool since I have lots of batteries. I immediately tested it in a variety of cuts and materials and all I have to say is that I am so far impressed.
The issues I remember from my old Carvex are not present in this machine - the plunge mechanism feels solid, the weight of the machine with the battery is balanced and it has enough heft that it does not feel like it wants to bounce around in a cut. I tested cross-cuts and rips in walnut (4/4 and 8/4, rips and cross-cuts in 5/4 maple, rips and cross-cuts in MDF (did not have and scrap ply laying around). I have to say that ALL cuts were dead-square and I could actually follow a pencil line. I tried all pendulum strokes and it made no difference to squareness of cut. The battery provided plenty of power for all of these cuts and it performed like I had originally was expecting on my first Carvex.
In hindsight I should have returned the other one and tried a different machine, but I thought it was user error. While my Mafell is still top-dog in my opinion, this new Carvex so far cuts almost as well. Time will tell as I put it through its paces, but so far I am impressed and more than satisfied with the cuts. This machine has been sitting around my dealer for awhile as it was manufactured in May 2017. But so far, so good.
