DEWALT 5.5-amp Jig Saw (DW317K)

The DW317 from DEWALT delivers a standard package of suites without excessive accoutrements.  The 5.5 amp motor is adequate but admittedly less than the competition.  Nevertheless, you shouldn’t have any issues cutting through most materials with an appropriate blade and speed.  Speaking of speed, the DW317 includes an adjustment dial that lets you variate the speed from zero to 3,100 strokes per minute.  The industry standard 1″ stroke should let you tackle most jobs.  Note that the DEWALT uses a t-shank blade and works well with a set like DEWALT’s 14-piece t-shank set. 

The housing of this saw is as solid as it comes.  The full metal casing provides confidence in cuts that most of the competition cannot.  DEWALT lives up to its reputation for quality tools with the saw body it provides in the DW317.

The four-position blade setting allows you to adjust the aggressiveness of the cut.  The most conservative setting keeps the blade in a strict up-and-down movement while the most aggressive setting introduces a forward-and-back movement that cuts deeper and faster.  We tend to reserve this aggressive setting for rough cuts while using the standard 0-setting for finer cuts.  Like most jigsaws, more aggressive cuts introduce more tearout, so keep that in mind when balancing speed vs. quality of cut.

A forward-facing lever allows for tool-less blade changes that are both quick and easy.  There isn’t a dust blower or work light, which isn’t the end of the world, but we definitely notice these creature comforts when they’re missing.