CRAFTSMAN V20 BRUSHLESS RP Jig Saw (CMCS650B) review

The CRAFTSMAN CMCS650B is the V20 BRUSHLESS RP cordless jigsaw listed as a bare tool. The exact US page says the battery and charger are sold separately and lists one wood-cutting blade. CRAFTSMAN's product page and its model-specific manual describe a top-handle saw with a brushless motor, variable-speed trigger up to 3,200 no-load SPM, T- and U-shank compatibility, three orbital settings, an LED, a cutline blower and a beveling shoe. This is a research-based configuration assessment, not a report of hands-on use, ownership or test cuts.

Separate the saw body from the V20 package

CMCS650B is a tool-only suffix: the page identifies it as V20 compatible and expressly says the compatible battery and charger are sold separately. Its listed package is one saw and one wood blade. The V20 footnote defines 20V MAX as the battery's maximum initial voltage measured without a workload and 18V as nominal; that naming is not a claim that packs from different brands or voltage families interchange. Verify the exact compatible CRAFTSMAN pack and charger before placing an order. The saw page does not list a case or a vacuum accessory, and no battery capacity in an accessory listing would establish a runtime for a particular cutting job.

For comparison within CRAFTSMAN's current category, the CMCS600B is the brushed, lower-speed alternative and the CMCS600D1 is the same CMCS600 saw body packaged with a 2.0Ah CMCB202 battery and CMCB102 charger. The CMCS650B is a different brushless body, not a better-equipped CMCS600 kit. Its documented distinctions are its brushless motor, maximum listed no-load speed, three orbital positions, LED, tool-free blade release and keyless bevel lever. The sources do not establish relative cut quality, runtime, vibration or durability.

Mode choice has a hard material boundary

The manual defines four positions: 0 is straight action; positions 1, 2 and 3 are progressively more aggressive orbital settings. It says orbital action is designed for soft materials such as wood or plastic and may produce a faster but less smooth cut. It also states that metal or hardwood should never be cut in orbital action. That makes the material/action combination more important than simply noting that the saw has orbit: the documented plan for hardwood and metal is straight action, with an appropriate blade and the exact manual's precautions.

The manual's metal tips advise using a suitable metal blade, clamping thin metal against scrap wood, and allowing more time than a wood cut; it also refers to aluminum. These statements support a cautious soft-metal classification, not a universal metal claim, hard-metal or cast-iron recommendation, or capacity number. CRAFTSMAN does not publish a model-specific material thickness table in the cited page/manual. The product page's generic “range of materials” language is not used as a substitute for a capacity specification.

For wood, the page and manual support general wood use, but neither supplies a softwood-specific capacity. That is why the review does not promise that a softwood filter is a better fit or that any particular species will cut cleanly. Match the blade to the stock, clamp and support the workpiece, and select orbit only within the manual's material guidance.

Blade changes, bevel settings and surface protection

The CMCS650B page lists both T- and U-shank blade compatibility and a tool-free blade release. The package list calls the included item a wood blade but leaves its shank unspecified. If the supplied blade matters to your first task, check the blade label or ask the seller; the broad clamp capability does not identify the included blade's interface or guarantee every profile and length.

The shoe can bevel left or right. The model manual identifies positive stops at 0, 22.5 and 45 degrees and says the shoe can be manually positioned between 0 and 45 degrees. It uses a keyless bevel lever, a practical contrast with the hex-wrench shoe adjustment on the brushed CMCS600. The manual also describes a removable anti-scratch shoe cover for scratch-prone surfaces such as laminate, veneer and paint. The exact CMCS650B product page's package list does not name that cover, so confirm its presence rather than assuming the diagram or manual proves it ships with every offer.

Blower is not a vacuum port

CRAFTSMAN describes an integrated dust blower for cutline visibility. A blower moves debris away from the line; it is not a dust-capture system. The exact product page and linked manual do not identify a vacuum adapter, hose connection or supported external extraction setup. If dust containment is essential, treat that as an unanswered compatibility question, not as an accessory that can be inferred from the blower or the shared V20 badge. The fact library therefore gives the CMCS650B an integrated-blower plan and no external-vacuum plan.

Who should compare this one?

The CMCS650B is a reasonable candidate to inspect if you already use CRAFTSMAN V20, want a bare-tool brushless saw, need both T/U-shank blade support, and value a keyless bevel shoe or onboard LED. A buyer without the battery and charger should compare total package requirements rather than treating the lower or higher product-page feature count as a purchase advantage. If you expect to use hardwood or metal, plan straight action; if you need a documented vacuum port, a particular included-blade shank, exact cutting capacity or tool weight, the cited sources do not answer that requirement.

The source-based comparison stops at documented features. No current price, stock, seller offer, rating, measured cut, runtime, or customer experience is claimed.

Primary-source notes

• CRAFTSMAN CMCS650B exact US product page
• CRAFTSMAN CMCS650 model-specific instruction manual
• CRAFTSMAN US jigsaw category