Customer Reviews

Bosch JA1003 Circular and Parallel Cutting Guide for Bosch Jig Saws

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

While my Bosch 1587 is quality made and the Bosch saw blades are the best I have used, the optional JA1003 Cutting Guide is a [X] piece of junk. As soon as I got it I pulled the set point out of its holder and one of the cheap plastic lock pins broke. I could make one better than this one. Also its made in China not the US or Germany! Also the instructions are printed in pictures on the cardboard package. There are no written instructions to give the novice usefull hints. If I only paid [X] for it I would say I got what I paid for. My advice is to look for a quality after market cutting guide and stay away from the Bosch.

A very useful accessory if you need to cut strips off a sheet of plywood with your jigsaw. Also good for cutting circles. Like other Bosch accessories, it fits their jigsaw perfectly. Also, it snaps into a holder in the blue plastic case that came with my barrel grip saw. My only complaint would be too much plastic. I'd be happier with an all metal unit that would stand up a little better under rough usage.

As others have said, it's plastic and metal. Although it works ok as a rip fence, I can't figure out how to get this thing to lie flat when trying to use it to cut circles with my Bosch 1587 jig saw. This is the only reason I purchased it...and it doesn't work.

I agree with druziligaamazala The (...)thing is plastic!, and is worth about $2.00 and made in china !!!
If this were way all BOSCH tools were made I would not have any .... save your money for a good aftermarket version

This is my second one of these. The first was borrowed ( forever ) by a friend of mine. He used it once, and said . . . it fits great, works well and now I can use the jig saw for more precise cutting and quick jobs without all the measurements ".That really sums it up. You can actually set this guide up on your BOSCH jig saw in easily less than a minute, start to finish. The circle cutout feature is slick but simple. You simply flip the pin over to one side or the other depending on which way you are cutting and it pretty much stays put ( assuming that you press it in place or drill a location hole for the ABS pin )which allows you to cut a consistent circle. It may be nice to have this machined out of a substantial casting or stamped aluminum with darkened numerals, but for the money, it is pretty tough to complain about ( so I won't ). Good, useful accessory, thats been well worth the money time and time again.

I did get this thing to work, but barely.
1) The centering pin is too short, so that only the tip reaches the workpiece. This means that if you drill the recommended size pilot hole, you get a very sloppy fit. Even with a smaller hole, you have to hold down the point quite firmly, bending the metal arm. I'll be using a 3/32 or smaller hole, rather than the recommended 13/64.
2) The scale doesn't make sense. Cutting a 140mm hole, the 170mm mark was centered on the blade. The 140mm mark wasn't aligned with anything in particular.
3) It just doesn't have the solid quality of the Bosch power tools I have bought recently.

Tip: Cut very slowly, and you can get a good circle. The manual mentions cutting slowly, but the required speed is slower than I would have guessed. It works fine once you find the right pace, but practice on a scrap!

For some reason, package of the cutting guide does not show how to use it. It is shown in the Bosch jigsaw manual. The guide works very well both for parallel cutting and circular cutting. As other reviewers pointed out, the scale could be better. The engraving is hard to see and is only in metric.(Amazon does not allow me to change the star rating but I would like to subtract one star for the poor quality of the scale).

I ignored the previous reviews and ordered this anyway. What a mistake. I didn't pay much for it, but whatever I did pay was a waste! The plastic broke within seconds (literally) of opening the package. I haven't even used it yet. If you have a few extra dollars lying around, they would be better utilized by giving them to a panhandler than buying this "product". It isn't even worth returning- do your self a favor and skip this one.

I do not use this as rip guide but it is great for circle cutting. Hard to read scale and yes the plastic is not the best material for a guide like this,but as a circle cutter it works.

Not the worst item on the market but far from the best. Can do the job with care, patience and and an even temper. Basically, a mediocre accessory as is the norm for a Chinese product, in my experience. Expected better from Bosch but apparently quality is no longer a priority with them.