Milwaukee did it again. They added another cool tool to their already massive M12 line. We first saw this tool when we attended the Milwaukee Event. I have to say when I first heard about the saw, I really didn’t think much of it. After picking the jig saw up and playing with it, I couldn’t wait to find stuff to cut. I was amazed by the feel, the control and the power.
After waiting many months for the saw to hit the market, the day finally came. I couldn’t wait to open the box and start playing with it. Actually it came at the right time because we were just finishing up our fireplace project and needed to cut some wood and metal to insert into the flu of the fireplace.
The very first thing you notice with this saw is the feel and balance of the tool. The tool is truly amazing. When I opened the box I had a piece of 3/4″ plywood nearby and just started cutting away. At the time I didn’t think about how expensive plywood is, but it was fun. In hindsight, I wish I would have cut it up neater so I could use it. The saw was very smooth and unbelievably easy to control for straight, bevel or rounded cuts. The big part of the control has to do with the hybrid grip design which brings your hand closer to the material, roughly about two inches away. This innovative design allows you to have precise control over cuts. I think the other two reasons that make this jig saw so easy to control and gives it the incredible feel is the weight and the placement. The saw only weighs about 4.5 lbs with the battery. So it is very light and easy to work with. All the weight, well a majority of the weight, is directly over the area you are cutting, on top of the blade. So the low profile and weight are a huge plus to the design of this tool.
Okay, I know what you are thinking or at least what I was thinking. How much can a 12V really do? What type of power or options does this tool have? Actually a lot. To start off it has 3/4″ stroke length and puts out 0-2,800 SPM using a variable speed trigger. The variable speed trigger is fairly easy to control and keep a consistent speed. When we were at the Milwaukee event, the Milwaukee spokesman indicated you could cut three sink holes into a counter top before the battery needed to be replaced.
I would have never guessed I would like a 12V Jig saw so much, but I do and there are two other things that amaze me. First, this actually has the capability to make bevel cuts. I don’t know why, but I would have just assumed that a 12V would not make bevel cuts. And the cool thing is, it is tool-less to make a bevel cut. We just reviewed an 18V Metabo and even that jig saw you need a tool to make a bevel cut. The Milwaukee, no tool needed. You can make up to a 45 degree bevel cut in either direction and it has a positive lock at 90 degrees. So after your bevel cut, you can easily put it back in the 90 degree position and know your next cut will be straight.
The second item that I like a lot is the Quik-Lok feature of the saw. The saw uses T-Shank blades and in the front, just turn a lever and insert the blade. Again no tool required. When you are done making your cut and the blade is hot, just open the Quik-Lok and the blade will actually pop out so you don’t need to grab a hot blade to make a change.
A couple other items to note is a fairly useful LED light to light up your work in front of you. On the saw there is also a battery power indicator (Fuel Indicator) that uses four red lights to show your battery power. The saw comes with a no mar removable shoe that fits on the bottom. As with all the Milwaukee tools there is a five year warranty and a two year warranty on the battery. Almost forgot, the saw comes with a blade, 1 battery, a 30 minute charger and bag.
One thing we would suggest is buying the XC battery for the saw. It is always nice to have a little longer run time.
The saw is perfect for any contractor. Great control, easy to work with, powerful, bevel cuts, compact and lightweight so your bag doesn’t weigh a ton. If you are a homeowner, this is just one of those tools you have to have. Even if you don’t own any Milwaukee M12 tools (which we don’t know why you wouldn’t), it pays to buy this saw. This saw packs a powerful punch with lots of options. I really can not say how much this saw rocks. It surpassed my expectations of a great saw.
I’ve been looking forward to this since they announced it. I do lot of small cut outs and I think this will be perfect. Can’t wait to get my hands on it!
You will love this tool.
UPS just dropped it off today. It’s everything I expected it to be. I bought it for small to medium size cut-outs but it has enough power to do whatever I want it to do. Battery life isn’t as bad as I expected, but I will be picking up an XC Battery.
I want to get the XC battery also. I love this saw and use it all the time. It’s a great design. Thanks for letting us know you have it and keep us up to date.
Just sent my brand new jigsaw to Milwaukee. The bevel adjustment doesn’t stay locked during use. Hopefully they can sort that out. Put some delays on my remodel.