A jig saw comprising: a motor housing including a motor having an output shaft, the motor being configured to rotate the output shaft about a drive axis, a gear housing (48a, 48b) defining a gear compartment; a pinion gear supported by the gear housing (48a, 48b), the pinion gear being coupled to the output shaft for rotation about the drive axis; a bevel gear supported by the gear housing (48a, 48b) in the gear compartment for rotation about a bevel axis perpendicular to the drive axis, the bevel gear having a geared portion located on a first main surface of the bevel gear which is meshingly engaged with the pinion gear; a crank pin extending from the bevel gear at a position offset from the bevel axis; an articulating housing pivotably supported by the gear housing (48a, 48b) for pivotal movement about the bevel axis; and a plunger member supported by the articulating housing for reciprocating movement along a reciprocating axis, the plunger member including i) a yoke end portion coupled to the crank pin in the interior space and ii) a blade holder end portion located to the articulating housing; wherein the reciprocating axis and the drive axis reside in the same plane throughout pivotal movement of the articulating housing with respect to the gear housing (48a, 48b); characterized in that the crank pin protrudes from the first main surface of the bevel gear; the yoke end portion includes walls (108, 110) oriented perpendicular to the reciprocating axis that are spaced part to define a slot in which the crank pin is translatably received; as the crank pin rotates with the bevel gear, the crank pin is configured to engages the walls (103, 110) of the yoke end portion so that movement of the crank pin in directions that are relatively parallel to the reciprocating axis results in a reciprocating movement of the plunger member along the reciprocating axis; and the walls (108, 110) are configured to allow the crank pin to translate within the slot in directions perpendicular to the reciprocating axis as the crank pin rotates with the bevel gear. a motor housing including a motor having an output shaft, the motor being configured to rotate the output shaft about a drive axis, a gear housing (48a, 48b) defining a gear compartment; a pinion gear supported by the gear housing (48a, 48b), the pinion gear being coupled to the output shaft for rotation about the drive axis; a bevel gear supported by the gear housing (48a, 48b) in the gear compartment for rotation about a bevel axis perpendicular to the drive axis, the bevel gear having a geared portion located on a first main surface of the bevel gear which is meshingly engaged with the pinion gear; a crank pin extending from the bevel gear at a position offset from the bevel axis; an articulating housing pivotably supported by the gear housing (48a, 48b) for pivotal movement about the bevel axis; and a plunger member supported by the articulating housing for reciprocating movement along a reciprocating axis, the plunger member including i) a yoke end portion coupled to the crank pin in the interior space and ii) a blade holder end portion located to the articulating housing; wherein the reciprocating axis and the drive axis reside in the same plane throughout pivotal movement of the articulating housing with respect to the gear housing (48a, 48b); characterized in that the crank pin protrudes from the first main surface of the bevel gear; the yoke end portion includes walls (108, 110) oriented perpendicular to the reciprocating axis that are spaced part to define a slot in which the crank pin is translatably received; as the crank pin rotates with the bevel gear, the crank pin is configured to engages the walls (103, 110) of the yoke end portion so that movement of the crank pin in directions that are relatively parallel to the reciprocating axis results in a reciprocating movement of the plunger member along the reciprocating axis; and the walls (108, 110) are configured to allow the crank pin to translate within the slot in directions perpendicular to the reciprocating axis as the crank pin rotates with the bevel gear.