Grizzly G8994Z VS Jigsaw - President's Special!

by Grizzly

Product Description

A powerful saw to do those heavy-duty contour cutting jobs! Variable speeds up to 3100 SPM. Has four settings of blade orbit for cutting into different types of materials. Footplate can be angled for bevel cuts. Includes blade change and footplate adjustment tools. Uses Tang Shank style blades.

Product Details

Product Manual [1.31mb PDF]

• Shipping Information: View shipping rates and policies
• ASIN: B0000DCZLD
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #232,865 in Home Improvement (See Top 100 in Home Improvement)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars No bosch, but it has its place..., February 1, 2004

By 

"boatcarpenter9517" (Plymouth, MA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Grizzly G8994Z VS Jigsaw - President's Special! (Misc.)

Let's first start by sharing that im a full time carpenter. I mostly give three stars for the actual plastic flaws of the saw, not its cutting- cutting ability is a 4, maybe better. This saw is a copy of the earlier bosch saws like the 4200-1581vs saws and a pretty bad copy when compared to the bosch which is probably the best jig saw on the market. The plastic on the saw is a little rough, but you get what you pay for: the bosch saw is flawless, this one has minor flaws in the plastic housing and the finish of the saw. This saw has the same exact specs as the bosch 1581vs (5.0 amps, 3100 strokes/min). Look at pictures of these two saws side by side and you will see the resemblance in appearance too. If you are familiar with the blade change on the bosch saws, you'll find this one to be the same. One thing i like about this screwdriver style blade change (driver is included) is that the blades stay in there nice and tight. They dont go flying out or get left behind like some of the new quick release saws do- this absolutely drives me nuts when i use my fathers dewalt saw; the blades regularly fall out even under light cutting no matter how hard you twist the quick release handle to lock it in. That annoyance alone puts this grizzly saw ahead of the dewalt as you can actually cut with this one rather than spend all day putting the blade back in after it falls out. Also to the advantage of this saw, it has plenty of power with its 5 amp motor to tear thru all sorts of hardwood and softwood up to 3" thick (when paired with a good bosch blade) as tested in the shop. It has a very aggressive orbital action which can cut really fast and hard when you need it to- it also has a dust blower which works but not extremely well- its about up to par with all other jig saw dust blowers: it works for the first six inches, then the dust accumulates too much in the cutting foot and the blower cant keep up. This saw would suit you well if you are a weekend warrior/ craftsperson or homeowner in need of a jig saw for light use and you dont want to spend alot of money on one. I would easily buy this saw again over a cheapo skil or craftsman saw and especially the dewalt dw321K (which is a joke of a tool) because for the price it has tons of power and it cuts straight lines as well as contours with accuracy with the correct bosch brand blade. As time goes on and i use this saw more and throw some abuse on it, ill do an update to say how it holds up to abuse. This saw seems to be a good value for the money. With a new bosch blade, i was impressed with its cutting abilities. However, if you are looking to buy a saw that is much better suited to the needs of serious woodworking, is a more common brand, a better finish and is only fifty dollars more expensive, buy a freud J85. Oh yeah, and throw the blades that come with this Grizzly saw away and buy some nice bosch t shanks for it. The nice blades made all the difference in the world.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect for the casual woodworker, December 31, 2004

By 

An Amazon shopper "woodhead" (Redding, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Grizzly G8994Z VS Jigsaw - President's Special! (Misc.)

This saw is a knock-off and virtually identical to the Bosch 1587, which I bought a few years ago. As was noted in an earlier review, the finish is not "perfect" but after a few hours of use what jig saw would be?

This saw has a feel just like the Bosch and plenty of power to cut through anything you'd care to try.

The older style, screwdriver blade change system is different but not difficult. Be sure to wear gloves with any blade. I have much more confidence that the blades will stay in than with the "newer" Bosch system.

I wish that I had bought this instead of the Bosch from the start. It costs less than half what they want for the 1587 and newer models.

The Hobby Knife set is a nice bonus but don't buy this saw for the bonus. Buy it for the power, performance and PRICE!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Substantial saw, December 21, 2005

By 

Peter R. Gruning (San Marcos, Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Grizzly G8994Z VS Jigsaw - President's Special! (Misc.)

This is a substantial saw. For those of us who grew up with the old sabre/jig saws running an amp or two, this one is a revelation. It is big, powerful, and smooth. It has a dust blower that works and adjustments for cutting different materials. It is easy to cut straight lines and follow curves without blades wandering or angling. Blade retention is solid, and blade changing is a matter of loosening a screw, twisting the blade a quarter-turn, and pulling it out. Reviews of other saws indicate that the newer 'quick release' blade retention systems are more trouble-prone. The Grizzly saw's system is bullet proof. The saw came with several blades, and I have no problem with them. I'll buy Bosch blades when the Grizzlies are dull. Finally, I have used other Grizzly tools for years and have always appreciated their customer service. You won't be disappointed with this tool.