Bosch really put everything into their 1590EVSK orbital jigsaw. Now, depending on what you do for a living (or in your do-it-yourself project world), a jigsaw may not be your standard go-to tool. However, with 4-stage orbital control, tool-less blade changes & bevel adjustment, and variable speed control with trigger lock, the Bosch 1590EVS jigsaw is a one-stop jigsaw shop. We’ve used lots of jigsaws before, but Bosch’s take on this staple seems to put it on higher ground and leave nearly nothing out of the mix. There is also a lot of metal on this jigsaw, and it’s a serious tool for those wanting to perform detail and curved cuts with control and precision.
For those looking for a more recent model, check out our Bosch Barrel Grip Jig Saw 1591EVS Preview.
The tool comes with a couple of handy wood jigsaw blades, a thin kerf blade for precision cuts, and a rather nice carrying case that holds the saw, user manual, non-marring overshoe, accessories and leaves plenty of room for the power cord.
Changing blades on the Bosch 1590EVSK is easy. There is a blade ejection level at the front of the jigsaw. Activating this ejects the blade easily and opens the precision control guides. These guides are simply guides that provide lateral control over the blade to keep it steady when cutting thicker pieces of wood. It even works with bevel cuts. The precision control guides are activated via a button on the left front side of the jigsaw. Insertion of blades is completely tool-less and, once lined up with the guide roller, T-shank blades automatically latch into the plunger.
The trigger is continuously variable, with the variable speed dial setting the maximum blade stroke speed. This results in roughly the following equivalent speed options for settings 1-6 on the dial:
- 1 – 500 spm
- 2 – 500-800 spm
- 3 – 500-1400 spm
- 4 – 500-1900 spm
- 5 – 500-2400 spm
- 6 – 500-2800 spm
The orbital blade selector lever varies the amount of orbital motion applied to the jigsaw blade during a stroke cycle. A higher orbital setting will typically result in a faster cut, but at the expense of precision and the cut being clean. Just below the orbital level is the chip blower lever. Typically you’ll want to keep this on and it will blow air over the cutting line, enabling you to better see the cut as you drive the saw forward.
The kit also includes a non-marring overshoe that slips over the standard metal shoe and allows precision cutting on more delicate surfaces (like countertops). It comes with an anti-splinter clear insert which presses down at the point where the blade connects the material and helps alleviate any splintering of the top surface during the reverse stroke motion. There is an optional dust extraction kit (model #JA1005) that attaches the base of the tool to a vacuum cleaner or shop vac hose. A circular/parallel cutting guide (model #JA1003) is also available to aid in precise cuts.
