Bloody jigsaw blades!

[derekcohen]

I hate my jigsaw. It's a good quality Makita, but this is more than I can say about the cuts it makes. For example, yesterday I was cutting through 19mm MDF, trying not to push the blade too fast, using a brand new fine/multitooth Vermont blade for a smooth cut (which I do obtain), and it still will cut off plumb. This is my constant frustration - it will not cut plumb. I get better cuts from my hand saws. The blades seem to flex too much, or is this my imagination. What am I missing? Are there other blades I could try?

Yours in frustration

Derek (in Perth)

[Jim Carroll]

The flex comes from not having any support at the bottom of the blade so it can wander any way it chooses . If you are cutting an arc it will splay out to the side. Pushing too hard will also make it wander. You may have to choose a coarser blade and spend a little time cleaning up the cut.

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Jim
Turn it up

[soundman]

There are a couple of limitations to jigsaws and misconceptions I have been bitten by I have learnd the following.

The right blade makes all the diference.

The best cut I have had on thick stock was from a blade with big sharp teeth. It seems that the tooth pitch should be selected for material thickness rather than desired finish. As per hack saw>


I have found very little sucess using guides with jigsaws. I can hand hold straighter and more reliably.

All shortcommings of a jigsaw seem worse the thicker the stock.

Having speed control helps heaps.

My latest jigsaw has speed and pendulum action, I have found the appropriate selection of these can make all the diference.

Some of the expensive jigsaws are more difficult to control and get to perform than some of the cheapies.

Finaly if you want a realy accurate square cut use a router and a guide or template.

Cheers

[Tim the Timber Turner]

One of the rules one I was taught is when selecting TPI (Teeth Per Inch) on a saw blade is to always have 3 teeth in contact with the material being cut.
However if you try and cut thick material with a fine blade the sawdust cannot get away from the kerf. The result of this is the teeth overheat and go blunt real quick. For thick material one should select a blade with not many teeth and plenty of gaps for removal of the sawdust.
I suspect the above information would apply to any type saw blade that was used in a straight line ie: bandsaw, scrollsaw, hand saw, hacksaw or jigsaw.
I agree with Soundman, select for material thickness not the quality of the finished cut.
The above wouldn't apply to circular saws of which I have no experience of except that many years ago I fed a lump of 4x2 into the wrong end of the first model Triton Saw bench. That scared me off saw tables for life.
One last point I only run one size blade on my Bandsaw. 1/2" 3 TPI It is a good general purpose blade.
My 2 bobs worth.

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Some days I turns thisaway, somedays I turns thataway and other days I don't turn at all.

[Robert WA]

My experience with jigsaws cutting anything more than 6 - 8 mm material is that as soon as you get the blade type, speed, oscillation etc correct and the cut is square, the blade breaks and you start the process again.

[derekcohen]

Thanks for the helpful advice. I changed to some solid blades, with a thicker kerf, and teeth I would only have previously used for ripping. Lordy, made all the difference! Why didn't I do this years ago?

Thanks again.

Derek (in Perth)

[DPB]

I agree with the advice offered by Tim.

However, the greatest improvement in using my jig saw came when I mounted it in my Triton Jig-Saw Table. It seemed rather strange at first using the Jig-Saw in an upside down orientation. But the big improvement comes due to the blade being "controlled" by two hardwood blocks. This prevents the blade from wandering out of vertical thus prducing a much truer cut.

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Woodchuck Canuck
Good luck is the residue of good planning!

[JackG]

Guides and templates are useless for jigsaws, they induce lateral pressure which is not what we want, the direction of the cut is determined by the angle of the blade or rotation on a vertical axis. Appropriate sharp blades as explained and only forward motion should produce plumb cuts.

My 2c worth..

Jack

[philige]

I've been making a lot of 50mm thick (very large and heavy) blue gum furniture and found the easiest way to round of edges on tops was to flip it over and mark and cut the bottom as well, leaving minamal beltsanding.

[Robert WA]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by philige:
[B]I've been making a lot of 50mm thick (very large and heavy) blue gum ...

I am in WA, down south, and have been trying to get some milled blue gum for a particular project for months. No supplier I have contacted has any and many say it is just not available.
Where, and who, is your supplier.

[philige]

I get all my timber from midcoast timbers at burleigh heads on the gold coast. Shaun the owner has turned into a good mate, as far as slabs go I,ve got my mark on a blue gum slab there thats 110mm thick,650mm wide and 3.500mmlong is going to make A great freestanding bathroom vanity for one of my regular clients. There is always a good supply in his yard and there allways nice and dry (rock bloody hard).l,ve got a good store of mixed slabs as I grab one when he stocks up with a new species. your a long way away but I will ask him if he or any of his suppliers can help you

[zathras]

"freestanding" is an interesting choice of words to describe any thing that would hold up said mentioned slab http://ubb.ubeaut.com.au/ubb/tongue.gif

I'd hope there hasn't been too much unchecked wetting of floorboards from the bath otherwise it would probably be frestanding on terrafirma in short time http://ubb.ubeaut.com.au/ubb/biggrin.gif

Ray

[philige]

There might be some turned legs or some chunky brackets, no cabnets bellow is what I meant. The floor is concrete! shesh every ones a critic, anything could come out of my mouth at that time of night.
Back to the question, let me know how much you need it could be on a truck and on your door without delay.

[zathras]

Phil(?) you really need to have another look at my post to see I was joking. I did use a couple of smilies in there.....

sheeesssshh

Ray

[philige]

One with i'ts tounge pokin out http://ubb.ubeaut.com.au/ubb/smile.gif I know what your saying though, the 50mm slab I used for the tv unit was about 6.000 long 650mm wide had to cut it up at the yard. will have some pics up soon when I get my website.

[zathras]

I'm actually just (finally) putting the finishing touches to my entertainment unit that features a coupla slabs of redgum (read 8" x 2") as top front & side edges. Certainly should be able to carry the 60kg TV set without too much complaint (unlike any of the crappo MDF/chipboard jobs you buy)

Hasn't turned out too bad and I'm especially pleased as the redgum's original destiny would have been to be used as garden retainers. Just took a bit of time picking it over at the garden centre and then storing it for quite some more time to dry out some.
A bit of machining and oiling has transformed it poles apart from its original intent.

Fortunately my unit is also sitting on a slab, hell even a couple were probably consumed over the course of its construction (beer). and maybe just a couple more once it is finally moved (heaved?) into it's resting place.

Ray

[zathras]

Oh yeah I forgot to mention, just to put the thread back on track http://ubb.ubeaut.com.au/ubb/rolleyes.gif that the front edges all have a long sweeping curve that was cut by jigsaw.

Let's just say it was a slow process ripping 40mm redgum with a jigsaw with the biggest tooth blade I had took something like 30mins to run the length of my main piece that is 2.2m long.

The beltsander was certainly my friend in cleaning up that god awful mess left behind by the jigsaw.

The worst aspect I found was that the blade being drawn up makes it damn hard to follow the line smoothly. A couple of smaller pieces I cut on my el-cheapo and now defunct from redgumitis 6" bandsaw (yes Bunnings $80 special) went a hell of a lot better, could follow line and nice smooth cut up until the death of motor.
Had to finish with the vibrator, sorry jigsaw.

Since then been considering getting something like the Carbatec Economy 14" bandsaw. Even though the $80 job was crap, It has made me aware a bandsaw is a must have unit.
Are these 14" units a good buy ?

Ray

[Robert WA]

I have a 14" bandsaw from Carbatec WA. Is that the model you are thinking of. $400, I think, and am very happy with it. I work it hard on WA hardwoods and it has met the challenge.
My biggest problem with it was putting it together. The instructions were translated from the original Chinese by a Russian into Greek and then by a Hebrew speaking Israeli into English.

[Mick4412]

I too bought a Band saw fromCarba Tec - the SW 1401 - cost me $545 at the time. I know they have them cheaper at the moment in their Melb store, and from the catalogue, the Economy model may well be cheaper again. And probably does much the same job.
I am very happy with mine, tho' the original blade lasted about 30 minutes of work, but Carba-tec have a large range of good blades for around $20 each
Mick

[This message has been edited by Mick4412 (edited 30 August 2002).]

[DarrylF]

I have a Delta 12" from Carbatec - bought it at around $400 I think when they discontinued them.

Brilliant machine, accurate, easy to tension, tracking is perfect and perfectly adjusted out of the box.

12" does 95% of what I want it to. I keep thinking that I should have bought a larger machine, but when I really look at it, the things I have to resort to the jigsaw for I couldn't do with anything less that a 20" anyway.

[philige]

I 've had the carbatec $545.00 model for three weeks now and it is doing the job, can only dream of a grown up one at the moment.

[zathras]

Thanks all for the replies re 14" bandsaw.

I didn't think I could go too far wrong as the design has been around since the ark it seems and, as somebody mentioned, carbatec have an extensive range of blades to suit.

Must do my tax return and put part of the pittance http://ubb.ubeaut.com.au/ubb/frown.gif I'll get back towards a new toy http://ubb.ubeaut.com.au/ubb/biggrin.gif

Cheers Ray