Let’s first clarify a few things so that we all understand what we’re talking about. It’s a little difficult, but traditional “jigsaw puzzles” were originally carved out on a “scroll saw” known as a “jigsaw.” The term “jigsaw” currently refers to a portable hand-held woodworking energy equipment, whereas the term “scroll saw” refers to a stationary woodworking machine. Another way to look at it is that with a jigsaw, the device is supplied to the workpiece, but with a scroll saw, the workpiece is delivered to the machine. Another name for a jigsaw is a “saber saw.”
I’ve been using jigsaws for far longer than I’d like to confess. The first one was lying about my father’s carpentry shop in the basement of my boyhood home. I got an inexpensive one from Sears a few years later. That jigsaw provided me with the short-term use that all jigsaws provide, but there have been recurring and unpleasant difficulties with no clear solutions: First, because the blades lacked guidance, they would constantly deviate from the shortest line, particularly when I was attempting to trace curving pencil lines. Second, while cutting curves in thick materials, the jigsaw blade would bend towards the curve’s skin. Third, early jigsaws lacked orbital pendulum motion and would load up and burn the blade and stock. You needed a screwdriver to change the blades, and you had to be careful not to lose the set screw.
Today’s high-quality jigsaw puzzles have eliminated all of these drawbacks and are revolutionary in comparison to prior designs from many years ago. I’ll limit my thoughts to high-quality jigsaws, but keep in mind that there are still low-cost jigsaws available with the faults I just mentioned. Having said that, listed below are the key elements to search for in your upcoming puzzle:
The themes of blade monitoring and blade guides are towards the top of my list. Take a close look at how each jigsaw manufacturer has tackled these difficulties because you are unlikely to have a chance to try out your next jigsaw before purchasing it. Look for specifics: Some manufacturers just state, “better blade monitoring,” without explaining how this is accomplished. Others are eloquently descriptive.
Wood splintering is another issue with all jigsaws. Most, but not all, jigsaw blades are intended to cut on the upward stroke, which means that splintering usually occurs on the long side of the board or plywood. Splintering can be reduced in two ways: (1) fine-cut blades and (2) anti-splinter inserts put within the saw foot immediately adjacent to either side of the blade. Positive-cut blades reduce slowly, so if speed is essential and you’re using a more aggressively-toothed jigsaw blade, a splinter insert is a must until you intend to sand and/or rout away the fragmented region later.
With all jigsaws, frequent blade changes are unavoidable. In the sake of production efficiency, this sequence of must be as rapid and simple as possible. Screwdrivers, Allen wrenches, and set screws are no longer in use. You require a jigsaw that allows you to swap out blades quickly.
If you are keenly aware and need to reduce airborne dust in your work area, you may need to collect it directly at its source by attaching a vacuum hose to the jigsaw. In such a case, look for a sawdust port and ensure that it is compatible with your vacuum hose. Personally, I prefer to put on dirt filters to avoid the bother of dragging a vacuum hose behind the jigsaw when attempting to regulate the machine alongside bends.
I mentioned orbital pendulum motion earlier, and without it, I may not even consider buying a jigsaw. A Bosch barrel grip mannequin was my first orbital machine. I was able to try one out in a woodworking store while on a business trip, and it came home with me to Hawaii in my bag. This is why: The seller had some eight-quarter White Oak and encouraged me to cut some bends in it. On the machine, there were four orbital settings, with the first being “no orbital motion” and each one following that being more aggressive than the one before it. I began a cut with the orbit in the “off” position. As expected, the machine slowly worked its way through the material, and I knew that if I pushed it much more, the jigsaw blade would either burn or shatter. Then, at the salesperson’s recommendation, I set the orbit lever to “4”, which is probably the most aggressive, and made one other change. The blade glided through the thick oak as if it were butter. There is a little more splintering than previously, but not by much. American, you’ve been offered!
An oscillating jigsaw has the advantage of having a longer blade life. When a blade becomes trapped inside a minimize, it has nowhere to travel to disperse heat. The pendulum action oscillates the blade out and in of the slicing face, allowing cool air to enter while the blade is temporarily moved away from the material. At the same time, the accumulated sawdust is allowed to fall out of the cutter, ensuring that the blade is always slicing new wood rather than prior sawdust. That is why it could move faster and cooler.
Most decent jigsaws, but not all, incorporate Digital Pace Management (ESC), which is an important feature. ESC functions similarly to cruise control in your car: it maintains a constant speed in the face of changing load conditions. The more force you apply to the jigsaw, the more electrical energy is provided mechanically to the motor, preventing the saw blade from decelerating. The comparison is your car on cruise control driving up a hill.
Many jigsaws are now available in two distinct body styles: barrel grip and top-handle (generally known as D-handle). I’ve had both, and I prefer the barrel grip style since it’s easier to control when making efficient cuts. A low center of gravity and a firm grip, much like when using a router or any other hand energy gadget, translate to improved management. With a top-handle jigsaw, your hand is on the high of a higher machine, increasing the likelihood of tipping over. The center of gravity is as low as it can be with a barrel grip jigsaw. For more control, there’s a knob on high, directly over the jigsaw blade, to your opposite hand. The big, spherical barrel is easier to grasp than the narrower D-Deal with.
Jigsaw manufacturers frequently assess motor energy in amperage rather than horsepower. This works because the amperage is a more reliable estimate of accurate energy than horsepower. When slicing thick or dense materials, the extra amperage means more energy, and energy is vital.
The jigsaw blade’s speed is measured in “strokes per minute,” or “SPM.” The more, the better.
When working with exceptionally thick or dense materials, you’ll want to consider cutting depth. Slicing depth in softwood refers to the greatest distance between the underside tooth on the blade and the footplate of the jigsaw when the blade is completely extended. Slicing depth in steel, plastic or other materials is determined by the saw’s and blade’s ability to cut through thick or resistant materials.
Jigsaws are frequently used to cut expensive and delicate materials such as veneered plywood panels, and a standard, metal foot plate may leave scratches as it goes alongside behind the blade. Some manufacturers provide coated footplates, some provide an “overshoe” for the footplate, while a few completely ignore this issue. Pay close attention to this feature if you are reducing fragile materials that are easily damaged (or lack of it.)
The next consideration is machine weight. My first instinct is to go for the lightest machine possible so that I don’t tire out so quickly after a long day of slicing. On second thinking, the sunlight weight is nowhere near as beneficial as it could be in, for example, an impact driver or electrical drill because the jigsaw’s weight is virtually always resting on the cloth being sliced. Furthermore, little weight might signal that the manufacturer scrimped on constructing resources, most likely swapping plastic components for steel to save money.
The stroke size is the distance the saw enamel travels up and down during slicing. This is nearly always one-inch, therefore it isn’t a useful measurement when comparing models from various manufacturers. In general, the longer the stroke, the faster the minimize, and the shorter the stroke, the smoother the minimize.
Jigsaws could perform bevel cuts up to 45 degrees from vertical, each left and correct. The more bevels there are, the thinner the cloth that can be minimized. Adjusting the bevel might be difficult or simple. Some jigsaws need you to remove or tighten a set screw that keeps the foot in place with a screwdriver, hex wrench, or Allen wrench. Different jigsaws are created with the adjustment mechanism incorporated in, eliminating the need for tools. When there is a possibility, and everything else has been considered, go for the latter.
Every jigsaw vibrates and makes noise. Clearly, the lower the vibration and noise, the higher the score. Vibration is communicated to the purpose of slicing and has an effect on your ability to control the minimize. Most significantly, vibration is exhausting when it enters the operator’s hand and arm. Various jigsaw manufacturers have addressed this issue in a variety of ways, but the most popular anti-vibration solution is to “counterbalance” the engine. The alternative method is to apply vibration-absorbing materials to the machine’s skin surfaces that come into direct touch with the operator’s hand(s). Padding will not, in reality, reduce the vibration conveyed to the jigsaw blade at the slicing level. Noise reduction varies by machine design, and the only way to compare them is to operate the jigsaws you’re thinking about buying.
Some jigsaws include a variable speed wheel for setting the maximum speed of the instrument for higher slicing leads to various sources. That is not the same as the pace control of the variable pace set off. The variable pace wheel setting will always limit the maximum speed on the takeoff. Most jigsaw triggers include a lock-on feature since keeping the set off on all day might cause your hand to become numb. Barrel grip jigsaws do not have a set-off, but instead, employ a lock-on type thumb change. When you set the variable speed to half-speed and lock the set screw or thumb wheel, you’ll receive half-speed at full-scale deflection until you change the setting on the wheel.
Most jigsaws are equipped with an air blower to keep chips away from the cut line. On earlier devices, the air blower was placed halfway between the operator’s chin and nostril. Some manufacturers place the blower nozzle near to the slicing purpose, while others place it on the machine’s highest point. Some have nozzles that are adjustable. The most important component is efficient chip and dirt removal so you can tell where you should cut.
A built-in mild is another useful tool for clear imaginative and prescient of the bottom line. LED lights are the best since they are dazzling white and last virtually indefinitely. Just in case they don’t, see whether they’re interchangeable and available.
There are several types of jigsaw blades available, and you must use the one that your jigsaw is designed to take. There is a differential between blade types. The T-shank is my preferred tool since it remains locked within the saw plunger. Tang shank and U-shank are two kinds. Once you’ve determined what type of blades your jigsaw requires, you should look for a supply of blade designs suitable for the task you’re doing. Tough cut blades cut through thick and coarse materials but leave a lot of splinters.
Positive-cut blades have more enamel, leave fewer and smaller splinters, but reduce slower and are often shorter in size. They might also be slimmer (from the front to the back) to allow for tighter maneuvers around severe corners. They will shatter more easily than a rough blade. Steel slicing blades are also available. Use them just for steel since they will not easily reduce wood and will load up and burn in wood. A wood-cutting blade, on the other hand, will not be able to chop steel properly. There are various specialized types of jigsaw blades available, depending on the manufacturer. Make sure you have enough of extra blades on hand at all times to avoid unexpected trips to the store in the middle of a project.
Bob Gillespie provided the source.