CRAFTSMAN 5A Corded Jig Saw (CMES610) review

The CRAFTSMAN CMES610 is the 5A corded jigsaw in the brand's current US category. Its exact product page describes a variable-speed trigger up to 3,000 strokes per minute, four orbital settings, and compatibility with both T- and U-shank blades. CRAFTSMAN lists one wood blade with the saw. The following is a source-based configuration assessment, not a report of ownership, hands-on use or test cuts.

What the exact model listing establishes

CMES610 is a separate model from the 6A CMES612, not a battery or accessory package of that saw. The CMES610 page lists the 5A saw and a wood blade, and states a three-year limited warranty. The product page's assembled-weight field is 5.54 pounds; that is a published specification, not an independent weighing. The page does not identify a model-specific stroke length or a battery-powered option, and there is no battery platform to pair with it.

The most useful buying distinction from the closely related category entry is control and documentation, not a promise that the higher amp number cuts faster. CMES610's manual explains speed through trigger travel and does not document a separate maximum-speed dial. CMES612's manual describes a seven-position speed limit dial as well as its trigger. Both are corded top-handle saws with multiple orbital settings, but their exact operating instructions and package lists differ. A nominal amperage or maximum SPM figure does not establish a comparative cut rate, edge finish, vibration or endurance.

Trigger speed and a four-position action dial

The official product page gives CMES610 a 0–3,000 SPM trigger range. Its model manual describes four action positions: 0 is straight up-and-down travel, while positions 1, 2 and 3 add progressively stronger orbital motion. The trigger and action control serve different purposes. Trigger travel varies the speed; the separate dial selects whether and how much forward motion is added to the blade stroke.

CRAFTSMAN's manual describes orbital motion as a more aggressive option for soft materials such as wood or plastic, with faster progress possible at the cost of a less smooth cut. It explicitly warns against orbital cutting on either hardwood or metal. Those limits matter more than the fact that the tool has three orbital positions: hardwood and metal belong in the documented straight-action plan. The manual's speed guidance also differs by stock, advising higher speeds for wood, medium speeds for aluminum and PVC, and lower settings for other metals. Use a blade designed for the material and follow the manual's precautions; those general notes are not a cut-quality guarantee.

T- and U-shank support is not the same as the supplied blade identity

This model has a documented compatibility advantage for shoppers who already have both common blade styles: the exact CMES610 page says the saw accepts T- and U-shank blades. Its package list, however, calls the included item only a wood blade. It does not say which shank that blade uses. If the box must contain a ready-to-fit blade for a particular cut, check the actual blade label or ask the seller rather than infer the shank from the saw's broad compatibility claim.

The manual's metal section recommends a blade suited to the stock and gives specific advice for thin-metal work and aluminum. That supports a cautious soft-metal use case, not every alloy or thickness. The reviewed material plan therefore includes straight-action aluminum/soft-metal work but does not assign hard metal, cast iron or ceramic capability. While the manual warns that hardwood must not be cut in orbit, it does not supply a species-by-species hardwood capacity. Its general maximum cutting-depth specification is 3/4 inch (19 mm); that is not a promise that every material can be cut at that depth.

Bevel setup and the limits of dust information

The manual says the shoe can be set to either side up to 45 degrees. The adjustment procedure calls for loosening a clamping screw with a hex wrench and then securing the shoe again; the exact CMES610 package list does not include a wrench by name. Do not begin an angled cut with a loose or removed shoe. The manual does not give a detent table, so intermediate marks or stops should not be invented from the maximum angle alone.

CRAFTSMAN's exact product-page specifications mark dust collection as unavailable. The linked manual does not describe a cutline blower, adapter, hose connector or external-vacuum setup for this model. That leaves dust handling as a gap in the checked evidence, not an invitation to assume a fitting from a similar-looking tool. If collection or cutline clearing is essential, verify an exact compatible attachment with the manufacturer before relying on this saw.

Who should compare the CMES610?

The CMES610 is a candidate for a buyer who wants a corded top-handle format, a 0–3,000 SPM trigger, selectable straight/orbital action and explicitly documented T/U-shank compatibility. The source-backed plans cover general wood and plastic, hardwood in straight action, and cautious soft-metal work in straight action. It may also suit a shopper who wants a beveling shoe but is prepared to verify the wrench and use the exact manual's setup procedure.

Look carefully at the blade shank in the box, the bevel wrench, dust-management needs and the actual material thickness before buying. The current CRAFTSMAN pages do not provide a model-specific external-vacuum route, stroke length, blade-shank identity for the included blade or a material-specific capacity table. No current price, inventory, customer rating, measured performance or hands-on result is claimed here.

Primary-source notes

• CRAFTSMAN CMES610 exact US product page
• CRAFTSMAN CMES610 N638237 instruction manual
• CRAFTSMAN CMES612 exact US product page for the control/package comparison