Trim carpenters, countertop installers, plumbers and electricians needing to make quick cuts in wood, metal or plastic are the customers Bosch is targeting with the JS120 cordless jigsaw. It’s the newest sibling in Bosch’s growing family of 12-volt Max lithium-ion tools.
The jigsaw has a barrel grip for easier handling capped by a soft overmold, plus a second overmold on top of the tool housing. Three orbital settings, which can be selected by a side-mounted switch, provide faster and more aggressive cutting when needed. A variable-speed dial delivers between 1,500 to 2,800 strokes per minute. The compact size of the tool also provides a shorter distance from hand to cutting line, to help improve both ergonomics and cutting control. When a 2.0 Ah battery is installed, the jigsaw weighs just 3.3 lbs. It measures 9.4-in. from end to end and 6-3/4-in. tall.
There are several user-friendly features here, too: a tool-less blade clamp that accepts T-shank blades, a switch-controlled LED light to illuminate the cutting area, plastic overshoe to protect delicate cutting surfaces and a brake that stops the blade action as soon as the On/Off switch is slid to Off. You can also check battery charge remaining, thanks to an illuminated battery indicator.
The fully counterbalanced saw has a stroke length of 3/4-in. and is capable of cutting materials up to 2-3/4-in. thick. Its footplate can be tilted up to 45 degrees for bevel-cutting.
While the JS120 is sold as a “bare” tool without a battery or charger, the JS120BN kit includes the saw, no-mar plastic overshoe, bevel wrench, anti-splinter insert, blade and an insert tray that’s made to fit into Bosch’s L-Boxx storage system. It sells for $119.
