Festool Jigsaw - Accuracy from top to bottom

Festool isn't a widely known brand in this area. In fact, Nebraska only has 2 dealers of their products. What makes them so unique is that you don't just buy a tool, you buy a complete system. Starting out, you'd get a dust extractor. This looks like a normal vacuum, but it has some very unique features that make it perfect for their tools. I'll leave the dust extractor for a later post, however. This time, I'm focusing on their 561097 Jigsaw, also known under the model number PS 300 EQ.

Why dustless?
Dustless seems like it's just a nicety at first. Less cleanup is a luxury, but what does that have to do with cutting a piece of wood? Let me tell you, it means a lot. Looking at other jigsaws, they have the orbital motion. This is to help get the sawdust out of the grooves of the blade. By adding in the dust extractor, you've got even faster cutting with less chipping of the wood and a longer lasting blade. This is a big deal if you, like me, don't like to change blades and tend to try cutting a bit too fast. Even if you don't mind changing blades and know the correct speed, this saw makes a cleaner cut due to the dust extraction. Very, very nice when you don't want to spend a lot of time finishing the edges.

What about blades?
While Festool doesn't say you have to use their blades, it comes highly recommended. The main reason is that you're guaranteed to have a quality blade by sticking with Festool blades. But there is more to it. Their blades are a bit thicker, making them better suited for their dust extraction system. It also allows you to have a very straight edge from the top to the bottom. Have you ever tried cutting just a bit more out of a curve? I have, and I always end up with a wider top than bottom because of the way the blades bend. Their blades are designed so they don't bend as much, making the top and bottom more consistent.

Get the table
Besides the dust extractor, the multi-function table is another really nice to have item. By using the table, no matter what the angle is you're always going to cut right along the edge of the guide. I know I've always been annoyed with trying to follow a line when cutting at an angle. The Festool table fixes that annoyance and makes it a huge positive.

Clean, accurate cuts
By using all of the pieces of their system together, you can end up with a cleaner workplace, clean cuts with minimal splintering, and accurate cuts from the top of the material to the bottom. If only I did woodworking every day, I'd know what tools I would own. Since I don't get to have that fun daily, I'll have to stick with my older model of jigsaw that isn't a pretty black navy blue and green. Oh, to have the fun of cutting stuff daily. Coding websites just isn't quite the same on the macho meter. It's higher on the geek meter, though.