Electric reciprocating saw

JumbleDuck

JumbleDuck

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I am thinking of buying myself an electric reciroocating saw. There seem to be two main sorts out there - th eones like this

bosch_06033b2301.jpg


and the ones like this

497-4968_PI_1000021MN


Leaving aside corded/cordless, how do they compare? The first job I have to do with one is at the top of a ladder, so ease of use is important.
 
I have the B&Q own-brand version of the first on your list and it is excellent. The weight distribution is good and it is easy to hold given the grip around the neck behind the blade. I would be nervous about the design of the second picture in your post - looks to me that it could be difficult to maintain a good grip on it.

You have to remember always that these are powerful and potentially very dangerous things - it's putting a lot of force through the blade and there is no concept of a guard. They also keep running for some time after you release the switch - you really do not want to lose your grip on it!

It is one of my most used power tools - a bit intimidating at first, but once you develop some confidence with it, it is extremely versatile.
 
I suggest you to select Bosch PSA 18 LI. It is best for quick cuts in decking, metal pipes and tree branches. It uses Lithium-Ion technology - No memory effect, no self-discharge - always ready to use.It’s a better option.
 
I have inherited cheaper versions of both.
The top one, I think of as a 'demolition saw' I think the 'merkins may call it that?
The cheap one I have has no speed control, just on/off. That makes it a fairly rough thing. I've used it for crude wood cutting in the garden, including taking out tree roots. The blades are cheap so I don't need to worry about running it through earth or nails.
It's heavy and powerful. With the right blade you could cut scaff poles or more.

The second sort, I have a B&D 'alligator'? saw, not used it in anger. It is more precise, but I have tenon saws and mitre saws for precise. Again I think the B&D is without speed control, which I don't like! (Not completely sure about this).

Up a ladder I'd be asking which is easier to use at the necessary angle.
For most jobs I would prefer my old fashioned Bosch Jigsaw, but it doesn't do everything.

TBH, lately I'm finding half of these powertools are no easier than good old fashioned hand tools. But crazily, they are cheaper.
The main plus point is that they pull the work against themselves so don't need the work to be as secure.
 
lw395 said:
I have inherited cheaper versions of both.
The top one, I think of as a 'demolition saw' I think the 'merkins may call it that?
The cheap one I have has no speed control, just on/off. That makes it a fairly rough thing. I've used it for crude wood cutting in the garden, including taking out tree roots. ....
....
Click to expand...

Have faith, grit your teeth and try it for other jobs! I bought mine when I was fitting a new worktop in a kitchen - needed to cut out a large hole for the sink and my jigsaw was having no impact at all on hardwood that was more than an inch thick. The big reciprocating saw scared the hell out of me to start with, but I kept the faith and was amazed at how delicately you can use it. Admittedly, mine has variable speed and a selectable pendulum action. Now that I've overcome my blind terror of it, I find myself using it for all sorts of things - with a fine tooth blade and low speed, there are few jobs it can't do.
 
I have both, but the second one seems a bit useless. The top one can be used on metal, wood etc with the right blade. The first one is terribly imprecise..ok for lopping a branch or tree root, but that is about it. At least, in my hands. I got the Titan/Screwfix version.
Mind you a decent pruning saw is equally good, and most of the time I use that.
https://www.lawnmowersdirect.co.uk/...-pruning-saw?gclid=CPOs-6amn9QCFfEA0wod2OINBQ
 
gjgm said:
I have both, but the second one seems a bit useless. The top one can be used on metal, wood etc with the right blade. The first one is terribly imprecise..ok for lopping a branch or tree root, but that is about it. At least, in my hands.
...
Click to expand...

You are looking at it the wrong way - it is just a jigsaw without the faceplate - and a jigsaw can be very precise! A variable speed reciprocating saw with the right blade can be a very precise tool once you get over the initial fear of it!
 
The 'second sort' I have is a B&D 'Scorpion'.
It has variable speed but that seems to start perhaps 20% speed, not near zero like my old Bosch tools.
 
maby said:
Have faith, grit your teeth and try it for other jobs! I bought mine when I was fitting a new worktop in a kitchen - needed to cut out a large hole for the sink and my jigsaw was having no impact at all on hardwood that was more than an inch thick. The big reciprocating saw scared the hell out of me to start with, but I kept the faith and was amazed at how delicately you can use it. Admittedly, mine has variable speed and a selectable pendulum action. Now that I've overcome my blind terror of it, I find myself using it for all sorts of things - with a fine tooth blade and low speed, there are few jobs it can't do.
Click to expand...

I've done this job with my jigsaw. Slow, even with a brand new blade.
I think if I needed to do this sort of thing on an expensive piece of wood, I would get a better recip saw.
It is a shame the cheap ones don't have variable speed, surely that would only have added £3 to £5 to the price?
I can see it earning its keep cutting metal rather than wood.
 
Many thanks, folks. The job I have to do soon is trimming the siding boards of my new car (and dinghy, so a bit boatie) shed to follow the line of the rafters. I have a jigsaw and a circular saw already; the idea of using the circular saw worries me a little, but I'll try the jigsaw first (thanks lw395) and if that's not the answer I'll go for the pointy one (thanks maby et al). Handsaw is the fall back option, but I have 12m of cut to do ...
 
I have had 2 Bosch Reciprocating Saws over the last 15 years, and they are excellent,
HOWEVER. I have just bought an EINHELL "Cordless" Reciprocating Saw and I am very impressed.
I am repairing the roof of a Zetor Tractor and the opening hatch is broken and I needed to remove the hinges, the only way I could do it was to cut a hacksaw blade down to 2 inches and insert the blade between the hinges, and it worked.
These EINHELL Cordless Saws are not dear and the battery lasts nearly an hour, if you are cutting branches.
 
I've one of each, the first one is excellent, will cut almost anything with the correct blade, it's the Aldi/Lidl cheapy. I cut up a steel fuel tank in-situ when I got my boat as it was leaking and I would have had to remove the engine to get it out in one piece.
The second one I bought cheap from a garage sale. Used for cutting wood, used several times for cutting up pallets for kindling, also precision cuts where you cannot get at it with a hand saw.
 
lw395 said:
I've done this job with my jigsaw. Slow, even with a brand new blade.
I think if I needed to do this sort of thing on an expensive piece of wood, I would get a better recip saw.
It is a shame the cheap ones don't have variable speed, surely that would only have added £3 to £5 to the price?
I can see it earning its keep cutting metal rather than wood.
Click to expand...

I know if I were doing this job on an expensive piece of wood I would use a router and jig!
 
In America they're commonly called Sawzalls after the original Milwaukee made model.

I've always been surprised they have taken so long to catch on over here as at the boatyard in Florida they were a 'go-to' tool for all sorts of jobs.

Having said that, the Fein Tool these days does some of the more 'controlled cutting' that would have been done by the sawzall 30 years ago .
 
JumbleDuck said:
Many thanks, folks. The job I have to do soon is trimming the siding boards of my new car (and dinghy, so a bit boatie) shed to follow the line of the rafters. I have a jigsaw and a circular saw already; the idea of using the circular saw worries me a little, but I'll try the jigsaw first (thanks lw395) and if that's not the answer I'll go for the pointy one (thanks maby et al). Handsaw is the fall back option, but I have 12m of cut to do ...
Click to expand...

12m of what? Something like 12mm softwood?
It won't take all that long to do a better job with a handsaw.
Cutting towards the frame instead of on the pull stroke like a power saw may splinter less?
OK, it's a shed not a Merlin Rocket......

I don't know what the Bosch saws cost?
But I've inherited a couple of modern Bosch hammer drills and I'm properly unimpressed with the design. One of them seems to get switched to 'hammer' every time I pick it up by the body and the combined f/r-speed control often gets turned down accidentally.
 
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