Specifications

Jig Saw
Length of stroke Max. cutting capacities Continuous rating Strokes per minute Overall length Net weight Power supply cord Specifications may differ from country to country. In wood at 90 In steel at 90 Input 580 W 2,mm (9-1/4) 2.4 kg (5.3 lbs) 720 W 800 2,mm (9-1/4) 2.4 kg (5.3 lbs) 720 W 800 2,mm (9-1/4) 2.4 kg (5.3 lbs)
A worlds leading manufacturer of power tools
Double Insulation Dust Collecting Variable Speed Bayonet shank Jig Saw Blade Carrying Case

(4340CT/FCT, 4341CT/FCT)

4340CT

4340FCT

26 mm (1)

4341CT

4341FCT
Electronic Speed Control (4340CT/FCT, 4341CT/FCT)
Orbital Cutting Built-in Job Light (4340FCT, 4341FCT)
*135 mm (5-5/16) 10 mm (3/8) 580 W 2,mm (10-3/4) 2.3 kg (5.1 lbs) 720 W 800 2,mm (10-3/4) 2.4 kg (5.3 lbs) 720 W 800 2,mm (10-3/4) 2.4 kg (5.3 lbs)
2.5 m (8.2 ft.) *Use with optional blade (B-16L) allows cutting of up to 135-mm thickness

Jig Saw Series

4340T, 4340CT, 4340FCT 4341T, 4341CT, 4341FCT
Makitas Newest Professional Jig Saw Series are now Launched.

Dimension

204 mm (8")

188 mm (7-3/8")

73 mm 2-7/8"

236 mm (9-1/4")

73 mm (2-7/8")

247mm (10-3/4")

Standard equipment
Part No. A C B E D A: Jig saw blade set (including B-10: 2 pcs., BR-13: 2 pcs., B-22: 2 pcs.) B: Anti-splintering device (For cleaner cuts) C: Cover plate D: Hex wrench 4 E: Dust nozzle (Vacuum head) only for Europe 192557-6 417852-6 783202-0 417853-4 Note: The standard equipments may differ from country to country.

Optional accessories

Guide rule set (Guide rule & circular guide set) Guide rail set and Guide rail adapter set * Packed 2 each in package **Packed 5 each in package Please see belows are recommended Jig Saw Blades (Packed 5 each in package) No. 58 Hose B-8 B-13 B-16 Part No. 192108-5 B-17 Part No. ** 792426-7 ** A-85232 * B-01286 ** 792514-0 * B-01292 ** 792517-4 * B-01301 ** 792518-2 Guide rail Part No.192516-0

Part No. 193516-3

Guide rail adapter Part No.193517-1

Makita Corporation

3-11-8, Sumiyoshi-cho, Anjo, Aichi 446-8502, Japan
PRINTED IN JAPAN Z15142-2 2002-2
More Faster and More Accurate Cutting for professional.
Top Handle Jig Saw Body Handle Jig Saw
Model 4340T, 4340CT, 4340FCT Model 4341T, 4341CT, 4341FCT

Dust Collection

Cutting Speed
Note: It may differ under some conditions.
Numbers in chart below are relative values when setting competiter "B's" capacity as 100.
Front dust shield is not required.
7. Electronic speed control dial

PHOTO: Model 4341FCT

4340T, 4340CT, 4340FCT (Top Handle Jig Saw)
Makita 4340CT, FCT Makita 4340T Competitor "B" Competitor "F"
Lauan wood (90 mm) Orbital : 3 Blade : B-16L

100 130

Optinum cutting speed can be selected to match the various materials.

100 95

Low vibration
SPCC (3.2 mm) Orbital : 0 Blade : B-22

6. Cover plate

100 80
4341T, 4341CT, 4341FCT (Body Handle Jig Saw)
Makita 4341CT, FCT Makita 4341T Competitor "B" 100 Competitor "F"
Plastic cover plate to protect materials from scratches.
Lauan wood (90 mm) Orbital : Max Blade : B-16L
1. Built-in LED job light (4340FCT, 4341FCT only)
2. New tool-less blade change
3. High Dust-proof construction

4. Mode change lever

5. Sawdust blowing feature
Makita 4341CT, FCT Makita 4341T Competitor "B" Competitor "F"

90 100

SPCC (3.2 mm) Orbital : 0 Blade : B-22L
Excellent work efficiency in dimly-lit place.
Push-in Lock System has made it possible to change the blade quickly.
Rubber Dust seal at Rod and Retainer shuts out the dust and protects the machine from the damage.
Change lever to select orbit cutting action in 3 stages and straight cutting action.
Dust blower for cleaning line of cut.

this is a personal preference. While we tested barrel-grip models when we could, we didnt skew our results by body design. We included pricing on the alternative body styles in the individual listings where applicable. You also should note a couple of dopplegngers in the crowd. The new Ridgid saw is built in conjunction with its European partner, Metabo, making the tools very similar. And the Craftsman saw owes a signicant amount of its parentage to Bosch.

Orbital JIGSAWS

There are a bunch of quality saws out there, but not all can pass our test.
The Testing Three things are important in determining a jigsaws performance: its power during a cut, the amount of vibration and the blade deection during curved cuts. While all of the jigsaws come complete with their own blades, we decided that to be fair wed use one brand of blade, selecting Bosch Progressor T234X blades. We tested for power by timing repeated 4" straight cuts in 3 4" plywood made by multiple ed-
itors, both at the most-aggressive and least-aggressive orbital settings. We then averaged the results and included them in the attached chart on page 86. For vibration we went a bit more unscientic, relying on the feedback provided by the testers and a black felt-tip pen. We mounted the pen on the nose of each jigsaw, then let it run (at the least-aggressive orbital setting, without a blade and at the highest speed) on a sheet of 11" x 17" paper. We tied the cords directly above the saws to remove inuence from them and stopped the test after 30 seconds. We then recorded the linear distance traveled by each saw. In more than half the cases, the saw made its way off the paper before time ran out, so we noted the time in the ring in the chart as well. For blade deection, we pushed the tools to their limits by cutting 3"-radius S-curves in 158"thick white oak. This is a tough test for a jigsaw, and wed usually turn to a band saw to cut thick
white oak. We ran the saw at its top speed with a rst-position orbital setting and measured the deection from perpendicular on the furthest points of the interior and exterior turns.

Some Favorite Features

We prefer a toolless shoe-bevel adjustment because we just hate looking for a wrench. The best shoes in the test were those that offer positive stops at the varied angles and a design that allowed you to slide the shoe back for close-to-the-wall work. When considering a barrelgrip or top-handle design, one feature to consider is the location of the speed control. On barrelgrip saws it is typically on the rear of the motor housing; with tophandle models, the speed control is frequently located on or near the trigger. While this places the speed control within easy reach, it also leaves open the possibility that you could change the speed accidentally during a cut. Most of the saws tested use a
While not totally scientic,we got an interesting indication of the vibration exhibited in each jigsaw by attaching a marker and letting them run.
split-bearing guide to support the rear of the blade and help maintain a perpendicular position. Two of them use what we refer to as side guides, in addition to a rear-bearing guide, offering superior blade control. We found it difficult to determine if dust blowers are really vital to any jigsaw. In some of the designs they can be annoying, and some saws without blowers perform just as admirably. Youll have to make that decision for yourself, but one thing we can recommend using is a vacuum connection to keep your workpiece clean as you cut. PW

TOOLLESS BLADE RELEASES

The one area that quickly denes how much we like a jigsaw is how easily we can change the blade. Jigsaws have made great strides in the past few years, but there are still a variety of styles to consider. Seen here are the three most-common the top-knob, the leverstyle and the dual-action lever-style. (With one model that we tested the Grizzly you need to use a screwdriver included in the package through the body of the jigsaw to change the blade.)

Lever moves the action to a more convenient location

DUAL-ACTION LEVER-STYLE

The Festool (left),Makita,Milwaukee and Hitachi jigsaws all use a lever release with a twist literally. They all have a plastic arm mounted to the front of the saw to add a lever-assist to the mechanism.When you pull the lever the blade moves forward,making it easier to grasp. In some cases, a collar twists over the blades tangs to lock it in place in the saw, too. We liked this design the best.
he circular saw is the power tool that belongs in every contractors toolbox. In a woodshop its the jigsaw. For straight, curved, ne or rough cuts, the jigsaw makes every task manageable. And you can use it for a variety of projects, from crosscutting a 4' x 8' sheet of plywood to shaping a scrolled arch on a Chippendale highboy. For this test, we selected 12 jigsaws that have orbital cutting action, which means the blade moves forward during the upward cut, then returns to a straight upand-down motion on the return
cut. The aggressiveness of the orbit can be adjusted as the needed. There are many jigsaws that dont offer orbital action, but this flick of a switch allows you to choose either a quick-cutting tool or a ne-cutting tool, so we think its an important attribute.

Different Features

Prices and features vary across the 12 saws, but there are many similarities, including the fact
that they all have a 1" stroke (the distance the blade moves up and down). The one feature that helped separate the crowd is the blade-changing mechanism. Interestingly, many of the saws owe their blade-changing designs to Bosch, the inventor of the jigsaw. The Grizzly saw uses an old Bosch system that requires a screwdriver through the saw bod y. DeWalt and Craftsman have a top-knob system that clicks when

by David Thiel

Comments or questions? Contact David at 513-531-2690 ext. 1255 or david.thiel@fwpubs.com.
the blade is locked a system Bosch still uses. Other manufacturers have moved beyond to what we refer to as a lever release. Depending on which design it is, this system can be good, somewhat confounding or, in a few cases, perfect, thanks to the assistance of an extra lever. (See To o l l e s s Blade Releases at right.) Also, many manufacture r s offer saws with both a top-handle and a barrel-grip design. We frequently find the barrel-grip saws easier to control because of the lower center of gravity, but

TOP-KNOB

The DeWalt (shown), Craftsman and Bosch models all employ a blade change that works by turning a knob at the top of the housing until you hear a click to open and close the jaws on the blade.While not a bad system,it is slower than others tested.

LEVER-STYLE

The Ridgid (left),Freud, Porter-Cable and Metabo models use a simple leverstyle release.A spring-loaded lever near the jaws is pulled away from the blade to release the jaw mechanism. That mechanism differs from model to model,but all are essentially the same. This is a much-faster design than the top-knob system,but you might need to practice a few times to get comfortable with it.
Top knob rotates to open and close the jaws
Lifting the lever opens the jaws
POPULAR WOODWORKING November 2003 popwood.com

Bosch 1584AVS

This saw made nice cuts in the speed tests, but required more effort than expected and we noticed surprising vibration in the rough cut. It handled the curve cuts well enough with acceptable blade deection.Its a shame that Boschs latest design wasnt ready for testing (see Looking Ahead on page 86), because the 1584AVS suffered from its outdated blade-changing system. We also ran into some problems with the knob on the blade-changing system popping off the saw its designed that way, but it comes off a little too easy for our taste. The saw is sold in a top-handle (1587AVS, $127) or barrel-grip design, so theres something for everyone. The shoe is marked for bevels at 15, 30 and 45, but includes a positive lock only at 0 and requires a wrench to make the change. The Bosch is a workhorse and the progenitor of many of the tools tested here, but wed suggest waiting for the next generation. (boschtools.com)

Grizzly G8994Z

Even though the Grizzly didnt perform remarkably well in any category, its very affordable and does an adequate job for the occasional user. Built on a 10-year-old Bosch design,the blade change requires a special screwdriver inserted through the top of the saw and is awkward. The shoe is a reinforced stamped-steel plate, unlike the majority of cast aluminum/steel shoes on the others. It performed slowly in the speed test and had tear-out problems. It also proved to be seriously underpowered in the curve test. The variable-speed motor (trigger-mounted switch) had trouble maintaining torque and fought the curves. The shoe requires an Allen wrench to adjust and can interfere with the blade when set to 45.So its not great,but if you need a jigsaw only occasionally, its a bargain.(grizzly.com)

Craftsman 27719

Made for Craftsman by Bosch, the 27719 essentially is the top-handle version of the above saw. There were no problems with the blade-change system, but its still awkward compared to the newest lever designs. Performance was good with worse deection scores than the Bosch. The Craftsman performed comparably with the Bosch through the curves and registered one of the quietest noise levels in the test. It uses the same shoe and beveling design as the Bosch and shares the single positive-stop location and necessary wrench. The variable-speed control is mounted on the trigger. Its a good tool but if you check prices, the top-handle Bosch (1587AVS) costs about $20 less than the Craftsman for essentially the same tool. (craftsman.com)

Hitachi CJ120V

The Hitachi proved to be a better-than-average performer with low vibration,very good performance in the curve test and an amazingly good time in the speed test, but at the cost of some terrible tear-out.It has a nice dual-action lever-style blade release.The one-piece cast shoe has a positive lock at 0 with a set-back stance for tight cuts.The variable-speed control is on the trigger in the top-handle model and at the rear of the pommel on the barrel-grip model.The saw doesnt have a blower, but includes a vacuum wand attachment. The saw is pleasant to use, performs well and has no serious aws. Unfortunately, it has some tougher competition in the Makita and Milwaukee that shine slightly brighter, keeping this one from our top accolades. (hitachi.com)

DeWalt DW321

Similar in design to the Craftsman, the DeWalt adds a toolless shoe-bevel adjustment and a three-position blower. The blade-change system is similar to the Craftsman, but the locking mechanism is a retracting clamp system rather than the turn-and-lock system, keeping the blade oriented straight ahead.The DeWalt did well in the speed cutting tests, but showed some difculties in cornering and worse deection scores. We noticed some problems with the blower sending dust toward the operator, which is a pet peeve with us. Variable-speed controls are on the trigger. The shoe is marked (but there are no positive stops) for 15, 30 and 45 bevels and employs a toolless adjustment lever. One nice thing is the ability to lock the shoe in a setback position for close-to-the-wall cuts. In the end, the DeWalt is an acceptable tool that is comparable with the Bosch in price, offering better performance and a couple of extra features. (dewalt.com)

Makita 4341FCT

The Makita has a great dual-action lever-style bladechange system,a soft-start motor to avoid accidents and electronic feedback to maintain torque in the cut.Its also available in a top-handle design (4340FCT, $160).In our tests the Makita offered a smooth cut and handled the curves with little effort.Also included is a task light, mounted to shine on the cut. This might sound like a throwaway feature, but it actually proves very benecial. The shoe is marked for bevels at 15, 30 and 45 but includes a positive lock only at 0 and requires a wrench to make the change. It does offer a setback stance for tight cuts.The variable-speed control is mounted at the rear of the motor housing and the tool offers no blower, though a dust wand is an optional accessory. Its priced a little higher than most of the rest of the pack,but the features and performance made it our favorite in the affordable price range. (makita.com)

Festool PS300EQ TRION

The Festool is a nice saw, and its priced accordingly. Available in a barrel-grip or top-handle (PSB300EQ, $250) design, the saw proved smooth and strong in the speed tests, but fought with us a little in the corner test. The forked-guide system with its adjustable carbide pads and rear-bearing support gives superior blade support. The lever-assisted toolless blade-change system is our favorite, requiring little effort and no learning curve. The detachable 13' rubber cord is high quality, extra long and is a nice upgrade for replacement concerns and even for storage and blade changes. The shoe, which was difcult to adjust, is marked (but has no positive stops) for 15, 30 and 45 and requires a wrench to make the chnage. The Festool is the lightest saw in the test and was one of our favorite tools to use. Thats why it gets an Editors Choice award.(festool-usa.com)

Metabo STE105 Plus

The Metabo also sports the nice lever-style blade-change system,but it hasnt been updated with the dual-action system to make it even nicer. Available in a barrel-grip and top-handle (STEB105,$174) design,it has a softstart motor that incorporates the electronic feedback, assisting with torque maintenance during heavy cuts (though it didnt test that way). Performance in the speed test was good with little vibration. We had some trouble handling the saw through the curves.The shoe (adjusted using an Allen wrench) is the most unique that we saw, offering positive stop locations for 0,15,30 and 45 bevel settings very nice. No blower is included,but a dust collection wand is. The Metabo also offers a ve-position orbital setting,as with Ridgid,giving us more choices for aggressive cuts.This is a good saw, but not good enough to pull top honors. (metabousa.com)

Freud FJ85

The Freud is a strange mix of good and not-so-good at a nice price. It performed well in the corner tests and had decent cutting speed. It did vibrate a bit much, had a drift problem during the cut and was fairly loud. It features a lever-style toolless blade change, but again theres a good/bad mix: The blade must be pushed against a spring in the holder to engage the lock, allowing it to be ejected when changing, but the necessary push isnt mentioned in the manual, making it frustrating until you gure it out. The shoe adjustment is accomplished with a wrench and offers a single positive stop at 0. The air exhaust seems excessive and poorly directed at times, but a dust wand attachment is included for use with a vacuum. There are some slight t and nish concerns (the guide was off-center to the blade in the tool we tested), but the saw provided a good cut with a nice blade change at a reasonable cost. (freudtools.com)

Milwaukee 6267-21

Milwaukee has put together a nice jigsaw. We tested the barrel-grip design,but its also available in a top-handle (6266-22,$140) design.The performance of this saw was OK in the speed test (with some vibration) but did better in the cornering test,with a nice cut and not much hesitation.It offers a toolless shoe adjustment that we like, with positive stops at 0 and 45. The tool includes a 10-position blower (nice!) and a wand for vacuum connection. Variable-speed adjustment is in the motor housing.It offers a very easy dual-action lever-style blade change. It had one of the best quality cord sets, but also tested out as the loudest one. Priced competitively with the Metabo and Makita,we think the features and performance make this a saw worth serious consideration (even more so in the more affordable tophandle version ).But taking everything into consideration,it nishes a whisker away from our top honors. (milwaukeetools.com)
POPULAR WOODWORKING November 2003

popwood.com

Porter-Cable 9543
The Porter-Cable model 9543 jigsaw is a victim of progress, just like the Bosch. Introduced as an innovative design a few years ago, the toolless blade system is now cumbersome and not all that user-friendly compared to its rivals. The toolless shoe adjustment is still the best, with preset detents at 0, 15, 30 and 45 and a lever that locks down very positively. The saw performed average in the speed test, but better in the curve test, with little deection concerns. It incorporates a split-rod blade guide with rear-bearing support, similar to the Festool, for very nice blade guidance. One annoying problem is the dust. Even with the threeposition blower (with a knob so small its difcult to adjust) the dust managed to always be blowing right in our face. Moderately priced, the Porter-Cable cuts well, but needs an upgrade to improve the blade change system and the blower problems need attention. Though a good saw, it falls short. (porter-cable.com)

Ridgid R3120

Ridgid is a new name in portable power tools, but theres good pedigree behind this saw. Made in conjunction with Metabo, there are a number of similarities between the saws. The performance in testing was OK in speed, but it had some difculty in the curve test, wandering more than expected. The lever-style blade change is fairly easy, but it could benet from a dualaction release. As with the Metabo, the shoe (Allen wrench required) has a nice positive stop design at the 0 ,, 30 and 45 bevel settings. The cord is goodquality rubber and includes a nice hook-and-loop cord wrap and an illuminated plug to indicate when the power is on. No dust blower is included, but a wand for vacuum hookup is. The Ridgid is only available as a tophandle design and is a nice jigsaw that offers a tad more features than the Metabo for $15 less. Theres nothing bad about this saw, but its edged out by a few competitors. (ridgid.com)

ORBITAL JIGSAWS

Manufacturer Model Price Weight Speed* Cord length** Dust blower Decibels*** Stated amps Amps no load Amps load Speed (0) Speed (3) Deection Vibration
Bosch 1584AVS $148 5.5 lbs. 500-3,100 14'-R 3 positions 95 5.0 3.07 3.86 5.69 3.38

32, 3 32

Craftsman 7.0 500-3,100 8'-R 3 pos. 91 5.0 2.86 3.77 4.88 2.59

16, 32

DeWalt DW6.4

Festool PS300EQ 250 5.1

Freud FJ5.4
Grizzly G8994Z 60 5.5 0-3,100 7'-P 3 pos. 94 5.0 2.40 3.00 5.04 3.38

Hitachi CJ120V 138 5.5

Makita Metabo 4341FCT STE105 Plus 169 5.6.2
Milwaukee Porter-Cable 6276-174 5.7 500-3,000 13'-R 10 pos. 97 6.2 3.18 3.65 5.11 2.61

1 8, 1 32

Ridgid R5.7 1,000-3,000 11'-R No 91 6.0 2.90 3.83 4.95 2.84

16, 16

148 6.5 500-3,100 10'-R 1 pos. 95 6.0 3.10 3.78 5.59 2.67
500-3,100 1,000-2,900 500-3,000 8'-R 3 pos. 96 5.8 3.05 3.68 3.40 2.14

16 , 8 3

850-3,000 800-2,800 1,000-3,000 8'-P No 94 5.8 3.27 3.96 3.66 1.79
13'-R No 95 6.0 3.29 4.24 3.12 2.78

1 16, 16 7

7'-P No 95 6.0 3.60 4.57 4.21 2.78

32, 5 32

9'-R No 93 6.3 3.70 4.86 4.50 2.78
14'-R No 96 6.0 2.90 3.58 4.26 2.11

1 8, 1 8

10"

19"

8"/:13

13"/:12

11"/:10

12"/:20

14"/:14

4"

13 2"

10"/:05

24"/:28

14"

KEY * Speed in strokes per minute (spm) ** R = rubber;P = plastic *** Decibels recorded from 2' away
Cutting speed settings (0) = no orbit,(3) = maximum orbit;speed is in seconds Blade deection in inches from S-curve test;exterior is listed rst If the jigsaw vibrated off the piece of paper before the 30 seconds was up, we note how long it took

LOOKING AHEAD.

Set for a February 2004 introduction, the Bosch 1590EVSK jigsaw will be the next generation. It will feature a 6.4-amp variable-speed motor (500-2,800 spm) with soft-start and constant-response circuitry to resist stalling. Bosch representatives tell us that it has a precision-control blade-guide system to virtually eliminate any blade wander. The One-Touch Blade Change system is expected to provide simple one-handed blade insertion and lever-blade ejection. The saw also will feature a toolless shoe bevel. Expected to weigh 6 lbs., the 1590EVSK will retail for about $170. We cant wait to see it.