Customer Reviews

Skil 4680-04 5 Amp Jig Saw Kit with Laser

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

 

 

I'm a pro carpenter who bought this saw for its scrolling function; which is necessary for certain cuts. But; that is the only time I use this saw, and have had to buy a real (Bosch) jigsaw for every other kind of cut. The orbital mechanism is a hokey little spring that fell apart in under an hour of use. The base plate is ridiculously weak and ineffective. Don't think you're going to make a square cut with this saw; the base plate hopelessly wiggles, and there is no blade support what so ever. Also; the trigger is too big, when you go to pick up this saw your fingers turn it on because the trigger is for three fingers, not one. For the occassional scroll cut it is somewhat usefull, but for anything else it is hopelessly useless!

The Jigsaw feels solid and is comfortable to use. The LED light for illuminating the cutting area is very useful. The mechanism for changing the bevel/angle of cut is frustrating. The locking tab does not securely or fully engage the angle adjustment setting mechanism. The foot adjustment lever that is used to latch this mechanism in place is difficult to use because the tab does not fully engage. Skil forgot the basics: mechanical adjustments on a tool should be simple, accurate and secure.

Good luck making a straight cut, this thing has too much blade wiggle. Also the trigger is too big, so when you pick it up 9/10 times you grab the trigger and turn it on. Safe... uh yeah.

Skil makes some good tools for the homeowner and this one is no exception. I wouldn't use this jigsaw for commercial applications but is perfect for light to mid duty use. I probably didn't need the laser light function, but a toy - I mean tool can't have too many bells and whistles! The only drawback to the transaction was the shipping time. 9 days.

I have had this saw for 3-4 years and have used it on 2 large projects (deck and finishing basement). During both projects, the saw has lost its ability to cut in a straight line (the blade change mechanism spins freely). After the first time, I took the saw apart and replaced the scrolling knob. I'm assuming this is the issue again, but I've decided that this is not worth my time and have decided to buy a different manufacture's saw. Although the orbital capability is nice in theory, if it causes the product to fail, then it does nothing but disappoint customers. I wouldn't recommend this saw.

The other reviewers are definitely not wrong, this is an awful tool, and I base that on 2+ years fighting with this thing.

Pros

- Cost. Although this is textbook case of 'get what you pay for'
- Laser guide
- Scrolling feature
- Selectable dust blower/vacuum port

That's it.

Cons

Flimsy base - Doesn't secure well at all, because the 0,33,45,etc angle detente settings are cheap plastic tab that rests in a metal slot. Even with the locking level down tightly, the base easily wobbles. You can wobble it with just one-finger, so imagine what the force of the cutting plus your weight on the tool will do. Goodbye all hope of straight vertical cuts.

Crappy Balance - The tool's balance combined with the rounded base edges means the base will rock excessively, so you get lots of unintended 'miters'- especially when half the base is off the surface at the beginning or end of a cut.

Play in the scrolling knob - Same as above, even with the blade locked in, it can still easily be wobbled by turning the knob. Unfortunately, the tool is designed so you have to hold onto said knob during use, so unless your hand is a prosthetic with a C-Clamp, the blade's going to wobble. Goodbye all hope of straight horizontal cuts.

Simply put: This tool cannot cut a straight vertical or horizontal line without a jig to totally immobilize the saw base AND scrolling knob from any unwanted movement. Holding the saw against a fence or straightedge isn't going to work with this beast.

Poor blade support - What other reviewers said, plus this poor support combined with the difficulty to control this saw results in frequent blade warping/breakage. Of 16 blades I had when I got this thing, I only have two left that are still straight.

Dust & chip blower dangerous for lefties - This is what I hate the most about this tool. The built in dust blowseverything upwards and to the right of the saw, which for us left-handed users means all the dust and splintery wood flies directly into your face and body (with force!). Open-sided glasses will not protect you from this, you have to use goggles or a full-face shield, and even with them, the ejecta is enough to prevent you from really seeing what you're doing or where you're cutting.

To illustrate, cutting just one 48" line in a sheet of plywood will easily spew enough chips and dust into my face, shirt and hair that at minimum, I need to change shirts, and most, I need a shower. Due to this, I just set the tool to use the vacuum port (I have no vacuum attached), this means I have no chip removal, but at least I don't feel like I'm standing in a sawmill during a tornado.

In short, this saw combines the worst aspects of a jigsaw with none of the usability, safety, quality or performance. I beg you, don't be suckered in by the 'features' and price. Buy something that people actually seem to enjoy using. This piece of junk is a nightmare.

I have not had a chance to give it a real good tryout yet but the small jobs I have done so far, I think this saw is far superior to the Black & Decker and the old Skil that I had.