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Video of Festool's "Freeze-Frame" Jigsaw in Action

By Rain Noe - April 29, 2011

in Hand Tools

When you're cutting wood with a power jigsaw, sometimes the up-down motion of the fast-moving blade becomes so blurry that you start to lose sight of the line you're trying to cut. I never considered this a solveable problem, which is probably why I don't work at Festool.

Festool's super-engineers have added a "Stroboscopic LED"—essentially a strobe light—to the front of their Carvex jigsaw. The light is timed with the motion of the blade, freeze-framing it in the same position at each cycle, so once you get going it looks like the blade's not moving at all:

Nuts, right? Don't get too excited if you're in North America; while the Carvex is available in Europe, Festool has just announced they won't be bringing it to U.S. or Canadian shores anytime soon.

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J_ok

13 years ago

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I'm with @j, this is a clever solution to a problem that *doesn't exist*. With the exception of sawdust interference, I have never once lost my cutline while using a jigsaw, ESPECIALLY not because of the motion of the blade.
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M4RK

13 years ago

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Actually, this is why it is necessary by law to have more than one florescent tube light in any work shop - people were cutting there hands off until the 70's because they thought circular saw blades had stopped spinning - this is true.

Maybe ok for a jigsaw, but thats about it...
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j

13 years ago

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If you're too mesmerized by a moving blade, then you probably shouldn't be using a powertool.
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Nerdspeed

13 years ago

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This is a pretty cool application, but the technology is old hat to anyone who's used a timing strobe on a motorcycle or car.
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Imran Shamsul

13 years ago

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not safe for epileptics?
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Jon Hart

13 years ago

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I'm torn- I love the concept, but am concerned about the safety. Something about a blade that looks stationary makes it so touchable, and we all know that we shouldn't touch a moving saw blade!
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Saczew

13 years ago

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This is amazing. Definitely a must-have. Glad I am living in Europe;)
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