Jigsaw Bosch GST 135/140, 140, 160

[ukworkshipper]

Hi All,

first post here but have been reading this forum for a few months now. I would like to buy a jigsaw but still undecided between these three Bosch models as they are easy to pick up in the used market.
I will be working on wood flooring, cabinets, nothing thicker than ~100 mm and who know what in the future, I already have a circular saw but sometimes for short cuts or quick stuff I find more practical the jigsaw.

I've seen the discussion about the the blade clamping mechanism problems of the 150 and people suggest the 135 instead but all discussions on these models are rather old and the 135 I find for sale are 10-15 years old and who knows how they have been used. I'm wondering if the recently produced 150 still have the same blade guide problem as the older ones. The 150 gets very good reviews on merchand's websites so maybe Bosch has fixed the problem?

The 140 is more rare to find, is it better than the 135? Obviously I would like the 160 but I'm wondering if it's worth spending the extra 50-60 quids for just having the light.

Any feedback is highly appreciated!

 

[HOJ]

I will be working on wood flooring, cabinets, nothing thicker than ~100 mm

It looks like your expectation of a jigsaw is a bit high, for instance if your cross cutting wood flooring a chop saw would be ideal, but if your rip cutting, a circular/track saw would be the better option and that could be used to do your cross cuts as well, for cabinets, a circular/track saw again, unless your needing to cut scribes on them, which is very unlikely, and for cutting 100m stock, a jigsaw would work with a long blade, but not something I would do, but then most other "saws" would struggle with a depth of cut capacity that big.

 

[ukworkshipper]

It looks like your expectation of a jigsaw is a bit high, for instance if your cross cutting wood flooring a chop saw would be ideal, but if your rip cutting, a circular/track saw would be the better option and that could be used to do your cross cuts as well, for cabinets, a circular/track saw again, unless your needing to cut scribes on them, which is very unlikely, and for cutting 100m stock, a jigsaw would work with a long blade, but not something I would do, but then most other "saws" would struggle with a depth of cut capacity that big.

Thanks for the feedback. To be honest I don't think a jigsaw will be my first choice for any of those jobs, and I think I exaggerated when I said I would cut up to100mm. I agree with you but *someone* in the house wants a jigsaw so I am just thinking what might be a good model that will be pleasurable to use whenever is needed.

Sometimes we just need to pretend...

 

[Homeless Squirrel]

Thanks for the feedback. To be honest I don't think a jigsaw will be my first choice for any of those jobs, and I think I exaggerated when I said I would cut up to100mm. I agree with you but *someone* in the house wants a jigsaw so I am just thinking what might be a good model that will be pleasurable to use whenever is needed.

Sometimes we just need to pretend...

Try and pick up something like a GST 85 a solid machine and you can easily open the front to grease/change bits unlike the later ones that are clam shell style
Mines a Millennium one and still going strong friends is even earlier in 110v he took it in repair shop to fix blade holder knob up top as had to use a long screwdriver instead. Shop said this will see you out!. He's trade so cut everything inc worktop sinks.
A lot of the later ones have had issues with blade drop and so on.

 

[ukworkshipper]

Thank you I will look into it. Just an unrelated question. Why is the plastic shoe cover needed? Is it necessary or just to protect the metal shoe?

 

[TRITON]

Thank you I will look into it. Just an unrelated question. Why is the plastic shoe cover needed? Is it necessary or just to protect the metal shoe?

Protects the workpiece.