Thread: Jig Sawing

You do need a straight guide to get really accurate (for a jigsaw) and then hope that the blade is sharp as they can lose the set/ get blunt on one side. YOu can get from carbatec and I gues MIK a guide that will take a slide which fits a jigsaw, but with the same system you can also get a base that fits the circular saw.

Thanks for your response
So the straight edge keeps the blade in line?
I was obviously watching the and following the pencil line on the top side of the timber but the blade was bending away from this line on the underside of the timber
Jim

You could also just clamp a straight piece of timber to the board and run the edge of the jigsaw along it. You can't get a perfectly straight cut without some sort of guide.
They are more for cutting curves anyway.

Originally Posted by Gumby

They are more for cutting curves anyway.

I think Gumby's got it right. Why use a jigsaw to cut straight lines if you have a circular saw?

Simon

Two things I have found.
Blade selection, If you want to go straingt a wide blade with nasty big teeth.
If you want to do curves a narrow blade with small teeth.

Feed presure, if you push too hard the blade will flex backward the from one side too another.

I've never had much luck with guides on jigsaws ( I get better results free hand) & I seem to think they don't realy like thick stuff

The grain of the wood also kills jigsaw straight lines

Why use a jigsaw to cut straight lines if you have a circular saw?

Because some times a area to be cut cant be accessed with conventional means, I dont like plunging Circular saws its dangerous and more inaccurate than a jigsaw.
Ever owned or made a sub box for a "Kicker" square subwoofer?

I reckon Soundman has it. It ain't keeping the saw in a straight line, but keeping the blade vertical where the problem seems to lie.

Useing a good quality blade wif big nasty teeth that have lotsa set will help. Push slow and steady and things will improve.
That doesn't mean don't use a straight edge, that will keep the saw going in the right direction.

In the end use a CS with straight edge for straight cuts, jigsaw, free hand for roundy roundy cuts.

As I said I am a novice woodworker and that's why I raised the question

Thanks for all that

Thanks - No to the sub woofer

I wouldn't fret if I was you. I had the same problem when I made some shelves in the built in cupboards. Over 19mm chipboard the blades bent up to 10mm......New beefy blades......

At that stage i didn't own a circular saw...

But by keeping the pre-machined edges to the outside all went together pretty well, jeeze the plasterboard on the walls was warped!

It's pretty amazing what a few tubes of no more gaps and a coat of paint can do.

Originally Posted by Fantapantz

I wouldn't fret if I was you.

He's not fretting, he's jigsawing!

I aggree but still if you band-sawing with your jig-saw when you should use your circular saw there would be no fret sawing cause you would be coping sawing.

I can't cope!