Wednesday, 22 March 2017

Porter Cable PCC650B Review: A good no-frills Jigsaw?

The PORTER CABLE PCC650B is a mid-range jigsaw that is offers a decent amount of features for its price. It looks good, it does a lot of tricks and it’s very affordable. But is it the jigsaw you’re looking for?
Of course when reading any review of a tool, it’s always important to consider it in the context of what it is that you like and the way you work. Everyone is different and your approach to woodwork is likely to be different from mine, or from a friends. Most importantly, you need to think about the types of materials that you’re going to be working with. If you tend to cut through sheet metal, then you need saws that have adjustable speed settings and long cutting lengths. For thicker would, you just need more power.

But if you only ever cut through thin bits of wood and you’re mainly working as a hobby, then you won’t need to spend a lot of cash on power or speed and you can save some money that way. Likewise, you might decide that lightness, versatility and battery life are things that are more important to you. Again, that means compromising on power most likely but that’s not an issue for a lot of people.

Keep all this in mind and consider the PORTER CABLE PCC650B. Does it suit your needs?

Lightweight & Good Looking – What else?

The PORTER CABLE PCC650B is a nice looking jigsaw that has a powerful-looking body. It’s all dark and light grey with a few red highlights and has lots of detailing. All this combines to make it look a bit like a Transformer toy, which is going to appeal to some people.

It’s also relatively small and light, with a nice grippy handle along the top and an easy-to-reach trigger. We found the design to be pleasant to use on the whole and this helped during long jobs.

What’s more important than the look of a tool though, is the way it works. And this is where things get a bit more ‘run of the mill’. Here, you’re looking at a jigsaw that goes up to 2,500SPM, which isn’t anything to write home about. Of course, a cordless tool like this does represent some loss of power in the majority of cases though. And what’s more, is that it’s not so much about the power, as what you can do with it. And this tool manages to put its power to good use in a number of ways.

Firstly, the PORTER CABLE PCC650B impresses with its three orbital settings. This essentially means the blade can be set to move in a slightly more elliptical manner, which makes it more effective at cutting through tougher woods. It also has a variable speed trigger, which means you can change the power on the fly – handy for working with different materials (although it’s a little too easy to apply more power than necessary).You also get a few extra features and design elements that are very welcome. These include a tool-free blade release, which is something to always be on the look out for (it just makes it much quicker to swap your blades while working) and there’s also a dust blower to keep your work surface clear.

Pros and Cons

This tool is a great choice for anyone who wants something fairly basic that they can use for a range of jobs at home. It’s not terribly exciting: it doesn’t do anything out of the ordinary and power is middling. But it’s also great to use, light and portable. It’s affordable too and in short, good value for money.

The biggest criticism is that it would be nice to be able to lock the speed setting so that it’s not constantly on analog control. It’s just a little too easy to squeeze the trigger harder than intended and then speed up. But that’s more of an issue for fine craftsmanship.

Conclusion

Overall, this is a great jigsaw for the price. This obviously isn’t for professional woodworkers but then it makes no claim to be. For hobbyists and those looking for something with a few additional features, the PORTER CABLE PCC650B has pretty much everything you’re looking for.



source http://www.toolerant.com/porter-cable-pcc650b-review-a-good-no-frills-jigsaw/

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