Customer Reviews

GMC AJS58LS 5.8 Amp Top Handle Jigsaw with Laser

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Part 1.
Is it as good as my Porter Cable Model 9543? Probably not. (It is unlikely that I will live long enough to find out) Is it a great value? I think so. It comes with 8 blades and a case that is large enough to actually hold the saw and its rather long power cord without spending all day trying to get it back in there. It cuts good, the variable speed being separate from the on switch is a plus, this saw is worth twice the price in my opinion, but hey if they insist on selling a great running tool with 8 blades, a generous storage case and a switchable on/off laser guide with magnesium construction and tool less angle adjustment for 20 bucks who am I to argue?

Part 2.
After using the saw a little more I have made the following observations.
The saw shape, size and handle position are very similar to my Porter Cable 9543. Perhaps that is why I like it so much and find it easy to control. The blade changing system is much easier to use than the one on my Porter Cable, but then again most are. The PC system works well and is easy only after you learn exactly how to do it. It is almost impossible to change the blade without some study time. The system on the GMC is intuitive, press the lever and pop the blade in or out, no study time or drama required.
Using the blades that come with it, it cuts 2x lumber and OSB almost as fast as my Porter Cable Tiger Saw.
After using this saw a couple of times to cut utility openings in OSB floors and to cross cut and miter 2x4's I ordered a second one to have as a spare in case I destroy my first one somehow. It is a strong & easy to control tool. Also the tool free blade changing system is the easiest one I have ever used. If I could give this this saw 6 star rating I would.

Part 3
My second GMC jigsaw arrived yesterday; it seems to be as good as the first. It came with 8 blades also. The item description say's it comes with 10 blades, both of mine have come with 8 so I assume that the original description is wrong. It doesn't matter to me, the saw is the important part, I assumed that the blades would be junk but again I was surprised, the blades that it comes with seem to be a reasonable quality but are a course tooth design best suited for rough work. They work great on OSB and 2x lumber. The cord on this tool is 10 feet long, something you don't often get on consumer grade tools and it makes it a joy to use. It isn't likely to get snagged on your work piece unless you are cutting something larger that a 4 x 8 sheet of plywood. I continue to be impressed with the features and design of such moderately priced GMC tools. The laser seems to work well , it came in handy when cutting utility openings in a subfloor behind a knee wall, it was kind of dark behind the wall and the laser helped me follow the cut line, having a switch to turn it off is a great feature. I once purchased a jigsaw with a laser that was on all the time. I had to return it. It drove me nuts when trying to cut anything but a straight line.

Part 4
Observation; I have not used it however the dust extraction /vacuum attachment system on this saw doesn't look like it would work at all. The extraction port is extremely small and the volume of air & wood chips drawn through the opening would seem to be so little that it would be useless. This isn't an issue with me, I don't like vacuum hoses attached to tools when I am hand guiding them, as they tend to catch on things and make the tool more difficult to control, but if that is an important quality for your application then this probably would not be a good choice for you. It doesn't impact my use of the saw at all, I still like it a lot.

Part 5.
I connected the dust extraction port to my shop Vacuum and made several cuts in plywood at various speeds. I got the exact results I expected. The dust extraction port doesn't do anything except make my shop vac produce more noise due to the severe restriction. As a mechanical designer by profession, it does make me wonder just what they were thinking when drawing up the plans for this tool. To go through the effort of designing and building a feature that doesn't have a chance of working is kind of strange. The saw works great, the dust extraction doesn't work at all.

Ammended observation.
A couple reviewers had problems with the screws protruding from the base and scratching the work surface. I didn't have that problem with either one of mine but I could only find 8 blades. Another reviewer mentioned that the missing saw blades were located in the baseplate! While investigating I discovered that the sub base is a very soft plastic and if you just tighten the screws they will extrude the plastic out of the way and countersink themselves. They must not have been tightened at the factory.

Amended observation part 2

I used this saw today to cut 5 ply 3/4 inch plywood. With the blade set to the most agressive cutting position it sliced through the plywood almost as fast as a circular saw. I continue to be impressed with this tool. To put things into perspective, I paid about $20 for this saw. It works almost as well as my $170 porter cable. This is a very good amature tool. It lacks the refinement of a professional model but at $150 less cost it is a very good. I have to say it is the best $20 jigsaw I have ever used, it is probably the best $50 jigsaw I have ever useed.

I bought this for the basement finishing project I was working on. I invented some alternate use for this during the project like cutting into heating vent (which is very difficult for inexperienced people) and cutting perfect shapes in drywall, etc. I had bought and returned some specialized sheet metal cutting equipment, this Jigsaw fared better.

The laser beam is useful but not a fine thin line and one has to be careful not to overestimate the use of it. comes with lots of saw blades ( i broke couple during initial trials). The adjustable speed is a good feature as it helps to reduce the speed in delicate surfaces. Blade changing initially was a challenge, but once I got used to it it is no biggie. Unlike Hitachi and many other companies selling similar products, GMC products comes with a edge/rip guide. Overall, I am satisfied with it after using it for about 3-4 months now.

I purchased this saw on a whim using a gift card I had received... I was pleasantly surprised! It is well built, comfortable to use, and performs well. The laser is a useless on curved cuts, but is handy for those long, straight cuts. This was my first GMC tool, but I'd buy another!

This has to be one of my favorite powertool purchases. Heaps of power from a smooth running motor. I was most impressed especially for the price tag.

The pendulum action is very effective and the laser line generator is most useful on the long rip cuts

Appearances can be deceiving. When I first opened the box it looked like a quality tool. After plugging it in and running it I realized that it was junk. The noise alone warranted inserting ear plugs. It does have speed control, but is erratic. I own, as a carpenter, Makita, Milwaukee, Ryobi, and other quality jig-saws. This piece of junk should not be on the market. I thought it would make a good back up tool that I could treat roughly. I'll probably give it away. It's not even worth sending back.

The would be a spectacular saw for the price if it weren't for a serious lack of judgement by the engineers who designed it. There are six screws on the bottom that hold a plastic chamber to hide extra blades (2). That is, by the way, where the extra two blades are (everybody else is saying there are only 8 blades when in fact there are 10 if you include the hidden blades in the chamber).

Anyway, back to the point, the underside screws are very shallow (~0.25") so consequently they don't sit flush when screwed in. That results in a non-flat surface on the bottom of the jigsaw. How could the design engineers have missed that? Everytime I use the jigsaw the thing cuts great and the laser works fine but what happens is that the underside screws leave marks on the surface of the wood. If you are cutting quality wood, you'll have to sand the heck out of it to get the deep marks out.

If you don't beleive me, go to Home Depot or Lowes and check out the jigsaw section. You'll notice that every other brand takes great care to leave a smooth, machined surface on the bottom plate that the jigsaw uses to make contact with the wood. Again, how could a company miss this about their saw, makes you wonder about other aspects of it.

I used this jigsaw once on a very expensive piece of wood for my windowsill. I then spent 1/2 hour sanding it to get the marks out of it. I'll be sending this jigsaw to the neighborhood garage sale next month.

The bad stuff first ...The blade is prone to fall out and needs changing frequently. The "laser" and dust port are useless. It has NO safety features, not for beginners!!!The good stuff now... I paid around $20 for this jigsaw and for cutting plywood and basic stuff it works better than ok. All in all I like this saw for basics but if your looking for quality or longevity I think you should look elsewhere.

it does not cut straight, just curved to the right. it is better to get a brand name than risk buying this tool. it may work well for you but you will be taking a chance. would not recommend it.

A litte bulky, and I see what the guy mentions about the screws on the bottom. I'll just grind them off too. I like the laser, nice case comes with only 8 blades all the same. All in all I like it, problem I had was shipping...said delivery would be over 2 weeks when it was in stock. I gripped about in and Amazon ordered another on sent it two day and refunded that total price of the second item. Or are supposed to.... now we have to watch for two charges and a credit....not good. I will say if you click your mouse on the call me button and then select "call me right now," you better have your hand on the phone ... it will ring in about 3 seconds.....CONCLUSION.... if you order from Amazon either up front make a consecious decision to pay extra on the shipping or just let it come WHEN EVER it happens to show up.... with the free shipping if offered.....

GMC tools always have a long list of features, and this Jigsaw is no exception. It's like they took the best of the top tools and incorporated them into their product. The laser is most useful in order to maintain a straight line while cutting. The tool-less blade changing is handy, as are the variable speed and orbital cutting adjustments. It's hard to beat the features, but my least favorite feature is the adjustment for the base. I found it hard to get it to a 90 degree setting and lock it in. Great tool.