Makita 4350FCT Top Handle Jig Saw, with "Tool-less" Blade Change

I've used only a few different brands over the years, including some pretty crappy ones, and decided to upgrade. A pretty dumb thing to cross off my bucket list! But here it is, and it works exactly as you'd want a hand held jig saw to work. The LED light is hardly worth mentioning if you have a decent shop, but I really depended on it. The dust is blown out of the way pretty well, too, with whatever air and vibration is going on. Most of all is just the handling of it. It's a good size, not too small but still a one hand saw for sure. I bought several different kinds of blades out of curiosity and ended up using a decently priced Bosch fine tooth blade for cutting hard maple. It cut with steady precision, without wanting to pull either way, and it went as slow or as fast as I needed (to avoid error and burn, fast and slow). I don't see how you can go wrong. A heads up--an almost seemingly identical saw with a different product number was much cheaper locally at Home Depot or Lowes (I can't remember which) and I would check that out first. I had just gotten this one and was going to go with the flow on it. Also the reports of where the tool is made are outdated. As of 2013 they all seem to be made in SE Asia, not Japan and certainly not the U.K.

I think I've owned every make of Jig Saw at one time or another. My first one was a $3.00 jig saw from the Sears catalog many, many years ago as a youngster and through a progression of PC's, Skils. Hitachis, Bosches, DeWalts. (UGH) and more recently a Milwaukee w/led light. I've used it for two remodeling jobs and now the blades wont lock square. Needing one immediately, I opted for the Makita 4350 FCT. This is one fine saw. Fit and finish are perfect, the blade lock system is smooth and locks tight and square. The blower and LED light add to its complement of features. I drew lines on a piece of glossy laminate flooring (12.5mm thick) and without any effort, cut perfectly straight lines. I dont think there is a saw out there that can beat this one. The motor is made in Japan and the saw in England (so much for Chinese crap). You will never go wrong with this one (or a Bosch), but I have to give the Makita the edge.

Compared to my old black & decker, which had a problem with the face plate staying perpendicular to the blade, among other things, well, there is no comparison. I bought some of the bosch 6" blades, and it EASILY cut through 4 pieces of 3/4" ply stacked together. Very easy to keep against the fence that I clamped as a guide. As others have mentioned, the little plastic piece that's supposed to act like a zero clearance insert didn't work with the bosch blades. So it came out. Even on setting 3, the tear-out only happened on the top surface, and it was very minor that easily brushed away. The bottom surface had no tear-out at all. I thought I'd have to use my plunge saw to make the straight cuts and then just do the clean up with this cutting out rectangular windows in a sheet, but it worked so well and so fast it was just a matter of set it up and cut. Saved me a bunch of time being able to stack and cut.Very easy to control. Expensive but worth it IMO. On the downside the Makita manuals really suck because of tiny diagrams, seriously, is it that expensive to print it on something large enough that you can see what is going on? My track saw manual was the same way (awesome tool as well).

I'm a hobbyist woodworker, but picky about getting great results. Having used a variety of yard sale and lower-end new jigsaws over the past 10 years, this Makita really stands out. Powerful and cuts a clean, square line. Blower and light are great "extras", though I'm beginning to see that they are really essential in a modern jigsaw. Again, the adage "buy the best tool you can afford" rings true. If I had spent the 149 bucks a bunch of years ago, would have saved a lot of aggravation using inadequate saws and wasted less money. If, like lots of folks buying power tools, you're on the fence about spending $149 rather that $99 on a jigsaw- do yourself a huge favor and buy this Makita. It's a pleasure to use. And unlike your current jigsaw, when you reach for it you won't have that little voice in your head saying "there's a good chance this crappy jigsaw is going to screw up the cut, but I'm pressed for time and will grin and bear it." You won't regret your purchase, and you'll have a great tool to pass on to the next generation. As and aside, I've been an Amazon prime member for a year or so. Have saved a lot on shipping and usually get stuff in two days. I've easily recouped the cost of the membership, but I also buy a lot through Amazon. Worth considering.

I have use this jig saw on two new homes now, and it has performed flawlessly. Plenty of power. Very Precise. I gave away both my other jig saws. I had a bosch at work and I like the Makita better. I use Bosch blades as they perform very well. The laser light is very helpful. This saw cuts perfectly straight when you want, cut after cut. I wish storage box was a little bigger because it is hard to fit the cord in easily to close the box. Saw was highly rated in Fine Home Building or Journal of Light Construction and they were right. Bought it online from Amazon.

Purchased as replacement for an aging Black & Decker which stopped working after fifteen years. Too soon to compare with regards to durability of course, but this is a very different animal, in terms of feel and handling, not just compared to my old B&D, but with every other machine i tried. Typical Makita quality build, with quick and easy blade change feature. The grip is tight and has power to spare. It follows your hand with ease and cuts very precisely, without any kickback. The L.E.D. is a frill, but why not? I'm trying to say something bad about this tool not to sound like a groupie, so i'll gripe about the price. I guess you get what you pay for.