Tool Reviews

Jet 22" Scroll Saw (2016)

Have you ever driven a luxury car after driving an economy car for a while? Both cars will get you where you need to go. But the luxury car makes the trip far more enjoyable. That is the difference between the Jet Scroll Saw and other saws I have used. You can, I have, used lesser saws to make projects. Any working scroll saw can be used to make boxes, but a nice saw, like the Jet, makes the process a lot more enjoyable. The saw has many high end features, including a large throat clearance, minimal vibration, a powerful motor, easy blade changes, and positive stops at typical table angles. None of these are strictly necessary to create beautiful scroll saw boxes. But they sure make the process a lot easier and a lot more fun. Below is a brief summary of the highlights of this saw that I found while using this saw to write this book.

Throat Clearance

22” throat depth. Wow. I cannot count the number of times on my previous saw that I had to back out of a cut when the work piece unexpectedly caught up on the back of the saw. With 22” of throat depth, the Jet saw made this issue a thing of the past for all but my biggest projects. It is not necessary to have this much clearance, but it sure is a nice feature.

Vibration (or the lack thereof)

The table on the Jet Scroll Saw is cast iron. A cast iron table is the difference between a workable saw and an amazing saw. The extra weight and density absorbs the vibration, allowing for smooth, straight cuts without the work piece bouncing all over the place.

Another nice thing about this saw is they removed the insert around the blade. Many saws have a disposable plastic insert that mounts in the table. Jet removed this, and just made the table the support around the work piece. I was not sure about this change at first. But the opening is small enough that even fine details and small pieces recieve the support they need. This is a nice innovation.

The motor and mechanical parts of the saw also move very smoothly. It is like driving a luxury car. The power is strong and precise without rattling or vibration.

Overall, an awesome saw that is definitely worth the investment.