Cheap Makita 4351FCT Barrel Grip Jig Saw with L.E.D. Light

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List Price: $322.00
Sale Price: $178.99
Today's Bonus: 44% Off

i am a professional woodworker. tools are very important to me and i've used most of them by many manufacturers. i was between this saw and the festool and i went with this one. it is a fraction of the price and performs great. the light is very helpful in getting a good cut in low light. balance is good, weight is good, blade change, etc.... basically the only reasonable alternative price-wise is the bosch, which i've used a lot, and i prefer this one hands down.

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I purchased the earlier version of this jig saw about a year and half ago directly from Amazon. From what I can tell, this model is the same except maybe more ergonomically designed. I would have to say this has become one of my favorite tools. My past experience with jig saws were to use them only if nothing else worked. Now, I purposely try using this saw on anything I can. It works that good. It is very well balanced without hardly any vibration and has a lot of power. The variable speed is great and the barrel design gives you a lot of control. You can change the blade in seconds. The LED really helps seeing for precision cuts. Maybe the Bosch equivalent is as good but I would not buy without an LED after having that feature. I've purchased a lot of tools over the years from about every manufacturer and this is the only 5 star rating I've ever given a tool.

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This is a really great jig saw. It cuts straight and smooth, and the LED task light is a great little feature that makes for a huge improvement in the ease of use. The saw feels substantial in your hand, but is also quite nimble when making tight corners or smooth curves. The cut is very smooth when the saw is in "0" straight cut mode and very quick and aggressive in the "III" mode. The speed control and pendulum cutting mode gives the operator a wide range of control over the quality the cut in a variety of materials and thicknesses.

I strongly considered the Festool jigsaw as an alternative to this one, but I'm glad I went with the Makita and saved $150. I do own other Festool products so I appreciate their level of quality and design; however, this Makita saw easily matches Festool in terms of quality and "feel" of the tool. Of course there is no dust collection on the Makita, but with most cutting operations on the jigsaw most of the dust falls straight to the floor anyway so I don't really miss the dust collection.

The saw comes with a durable hard plastic carrying case that has a little bit of storage in it and a fairly long heavy-duty cord, both of which are becoming quite rare on tools these days, but are certainly appreciated.

Honest reviews on Makita 4351FCT Barrel Grip Jig Saw with L.E.D. Light

I got rid of a top handle Milwaukee ( yes..a Milwaukee product) jig saw because it was dangerous to use, the trigger was very easy to trip with the slightest touch..I came close many times to cutting myself from just normal use. ( I am a seasoned woodworker of 18 years and a home improvement contractor )

I purchased the Makita 4351FCT because I liked the barrel grip design and I trust the Makita products....in my business they just hold up in the every day use. But like many products Makita has their so so tools as well. I put my tools to work right out of the box, it has to feel right, operate without vibration and the switches, knobs, cords, etc have to be in the right place... the tool has to be balanced in the hand and sing quality.

So far the makita barrel grip jig saw is a keeper....built like a tank but agile like a sports car. This tool will be hard at work for me. Consider this one for your next purchase.

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This is a great saw that fits well in your hands. The addition of an LED light near the blade was brilliant, it can really help when trying to do precise cutting and your body hunched over the work blocks the direct light. I debated between this one and the Festool and my ultimate decision was based on two factors:

1) Price about $70 cheaper than the Festool Jig Saw

2) LED that little light is a big deal

Most jig saws have the same limitations (e.g., the blade can wander, etc) and you'll never get past them (if you can't stand any blade wandering, buy a scroll saw), but once you get to this price range ($150+) you are typically looking at a quality saw and it comes down to personal preference. To me, Festool excels when it comes to dust management, something I don't find to be too much of a problem for a jig saw. Makita is a brand that I don't think gets enough credit, you will have a hard time finding much of a selection at your local hardware store, I don't mean to say that Bosch and Dewalt are poor choices (I have quite a few of their tools, too) but recently I've made sure to take the time to evaluate the Makita offering before buying.

The one note of caution I have on this saw is that the systainer style case shown in the picture was not the case that my saw came in. Not a big deal for me since I don't have other systainer style cases, but it could be to others.

One other thought is that you should probably go to your hardware store and hold a barrel grip saw before buying this one. The experience is a little different than the standard grip and not everyone will love it.