When it comes to professional power tools, Bosch is one of the best. While Bosch is known for their concrete tools, they are also known for their battery technology, their cordless tools, and their tough tools that last on any job site. Today we are going to take a look at the Bosch Cordless Jig Saw, the Barrel Grip.
Bosch Cordless Jig Saw Overview
All the major power tool manufacturers have a Jig Saw in their lineup, but not many really excite me. I feel most of the Jig Saws are in the lineup to just say they have a Jig Saw, but they all seem the same, no excitement. Well, I am a huge fan of the Festool Jig Saw and Hilti’s but not the price. So when I found out about the Bosch Cordless Jig Saw, I wanted to give it a shot and see if this was something different.
Features
The Bosch Cordless Jig Saw (GST18V-47N) offers a 1″ stroke length which has a capability of up to 4-1/2″ in wood and up to 7/8″ in aluminum. Bosch designed this with an aluminum gearbox with an insulated cover to help provide durability.
The top of the handle and barrel both have an overmold rubber grip for comfort and better control.
The saw is powered by the Bosch 18V Core battery. While you can use any Bosch 18V battery, I prefer it with the 4Ah for balance and run time.
The saw is designed with a multi-directional blade clamp that will hold T-shank blades. To insert a blade, just push the blade into the clamp and it will auto-lock. No need to mess with a lever. When you want to take the blade out, just turn the lever about a 1/4″ turn and the blade will eject, which is great in case the blade is hot. This way you’re not trying to hold on to a hot blade.
On the side of the saw, there is a slide switch to turn it on and off. Once you turn off the saw, the tool immediately stops the stroke mechanism which is pretty cool for a Jig Saw.
Another great feature of this saw is that it offers four orbital action settings that will deliver varied blade strokes for different materials.
The saw offers a large base and comes with a no-mar shoe guard.
Under the handle, there is a variable speed dial to ramp up from 550 to 2,700 SPM.
The saw features a removable Anti-Splinter Insert.
On the back of the barrel, there is a push-button switch to turn on and off the LED light.
Performance
Sure the saw is comfortable and easy to use but this has the best blower that I have ever seen on a Jig Saw. As you can see from above, it doesn’t just clear a one-inch path in front of the saw-like all other Jig Saws we have used. This clears a large path so I can see far in advance and know exactly where I am cutting. All I can say is, impressive.
This is one of the easiest Jig Saw to use. You can be extremely precise, make turns, even tight turns without having issues such as chattering. We cut through a bunch of different wood and materials all without any issues. When we put the correct blade on, the cut was smooth. The picture above was just to show using a thick blade and how tight you can go even with that.
Value
You can pick up the Bosch Barrel-Grip Jig Saw on Amazon as a bare tool for $149. If you don’t own any Bosch, you will need to invest another $75 for a 4Ah battery and charger. So your price for the saw will jump up to $225.
Overall, I think this is a steal either way. If you have a battery, this is a great deal. Heck even if you have to invest the extra $75 for battery and charger, you can’t go wrong. I would have thought this was closer to a $350 price tag so this is way below what I would have expected to pay.
Wrap Up
The bottom line, this is the best saw on the market. Yes, I know Festool people will get mad at me, but for $255 less, I get a cordless saw that is tough, easy to control, comfortable and I know it will last. How can you go wrong? Sure I do wish the Bosch had some sort of dust management system like the Festool, but for me, it’s not a deal-breaker. If you want a great Jig Saw, this is the Jig Saw to own.
