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Independent Tool Review
by Peter Brett - March 2005
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Sparky FSPE81 Jigsaw
Name-Calling Won't Hurt
On the face of it the “Sparky” has all sorts of connotations to we English. The name “Sparky” on an electric power tool might suggest the very opposite of what we would want. We like our power tools to be safe and reliable and not at all sparky as we use them in our daily business. But the relatively short history of manufacturing is full of names that have proved to be either meaningful or meaningless. The success of the re-branding of Skoda cars is a case in point. Kodak was deliberately chosen because it had no meaning in any language, whereas Esso had to be changed to Exxon in some countries because it was rude! The point is really that you can’t always take a name at face value unless you have tried it first. My feeling is that Sparky will become a name associated with good value and competent products that have a certain workmanlike, durable qualities that will appeal to demanding light trade consumers.
Originating in the old East Germany and with an historical connection to the well respected AEG brand, Sparky is now producing a range of power tools under its own name. The name “Sparky” has a definite meaning for the old Communist Eastern Europe, where its products were near universally used, but the new “Sparky” company has taken on the challenges of the market economy and is getting some recognition for its efforts. It has the advantages of being based in Europe, of possessing its own more sophisticated manufacturing facilities and therefore able to maintain rigorous quality control of its products, as well as being able to maintain its own research and development programme.
The first impression I had of the FSPE81 jigsaw was very favourable. Although it did not come in a fancy custom fitted case, it looked and proved to be, very well made and designed. It follows a traditional jigsaw pattern, and is available with the button handle as well. The handle and body are made from robust blue-black ABS which is well put together. There are no seams or sharp edges showing and no signs of flex or weakness. The gear and plunger casing is made of well-finished magnesium and holds the motor and handle together very firmly.
The switchgear is simple and effective. A large trigger, big enough for two fingers, operates the motor and a thumb operated lock-on button works very positively. Perfectly placed at the front of the handle, a numbered dial switch selects the 7 electronically controlled speeds. With speeds ranging from 300 to 3200 strokes per minute it is possible to saw plastics, wood and metal at the correct speeds with the correct blades. Quick blade changing is possible by pulling up the collar on the plunger, inserting the blade and releasing the collar. While there are more sophisticated quick release systems available on more expensive products, this system works well and grips the blade positively. I found the more I used it the easier it got. A large roller supports the blade, and a four position pendulum switch allows the user to select pendulum action for faster cutting in softer materials.
The base is a rather small to my mind and made of pressed steel, but it has a positive system for setting the angles of cut. By unscrewing the hex bolt underneath with the key supplied, the notches in the base can be set to the common angles of 15, 30 and 45 degrees. The base also accommodates a removable dust extraction tube. This is again fairly rudimentary, but it is effective and stays in place. In conjunction with a good dust extractor and the front transparent guard in place not much dust escapes, although jigsaws are always going to problematical in the dust extraction stakes. For bevel sawing a separate guard is provided that allows the base to be set at an angle. Provision is made for a fence for circle and straight cutting, although the fence is not supplied with the saw.
I guess that millions has been spent by various research and development teams to come up with a solution to stop the blades of jigsaws wandering in the cut. None of these systems is foolproof (with the emphasis on the fool) but they are usually found on top of the range jigsaws that cost a lot more. This Sparky model has a conventional system of blade support and therefore needs to be used with a sharp blade and relief cuts to get a right-angled cut in curves. Nevertheless, it is capable of it and with a good quality blade its chances are greatly improved.
At all speeds the motor is commendably smooth. Most of the vibration is due to the inevitable cutting action of a jigsaw. At high speeds and in metal, the user would be advised to wear ear-protection because the motor tone rises to a bit of a screech. At lower speeds I was amazed at how smooth and quiet the motor was. It is certainly a far better motor than I have experienced in some of the Far Eastern tools I have reviewed.
So, who would find this Sparky jigsaw appealing? It is a no-nonsense well- made workhorse of a saw. It is not the most sophisticated, but neither is it a basic model. It has genuine capacity (80mm in wood, 5mm in steel and 15mm in aluminium) and should therefore be capable of meeting the demands of tradespeople and keen DIYers. It is not a cheap throwaway, at a price of about £99.00, neither is it prohibitively expensive. It is tough enough to take the knocks on site and in the back of a white van. It will cut through joists and worktops accurately with care, and it has the backup of a sales and service team who are keen to establish the Sparky brand in the UK. Worth a go? I think so.
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