How to use a hand jigsaw

Working with a hand jigsaw for beginners

As a rule, no woodwork these days is impossible to imagine without a jigsaw. a special device with which you can plan out the desired shape of wood, as well as qualitatively sand the wooden surface. That is why such tools are so popular.

There are two basic kinds of these sawing tools. handheld and electric. It is impossible to say unequivocally which variant is better. After all, depending on the complexity and jewelry of the work it is advisable to use a jigsaw of a certain type.

The manual device is most suitable for small parts that need to be given complex shapes. It is with the help of a hand saw it is possible to reach a high level of sawing on plastic and wood of the most complex patterns, which will not do the tool that works from the mains.

How to work with a jigsaw properly? Knowing how to work with it is a very useful thing, especially when it comes to functional sawing of large parts and workpieces made of wood. Working with an electric tool to a large extent saves time that is spent, for example, on sawing boards for the frames of houses and windows.

How to draw on a workpiece

Not everyone, even the creative types, can boast brilliant artistic skills. For some people, the very act of cutting with a hand jigsaw is a much easier task than drawing the outline of the future craft. Fortunately, the drawing on the surface, can be performed in several elementary ways, accessible to almost everyone. Transfer the outline of the model with tracing paper. You can find these at stationery stores, at an average price of 150 per pack of 50 sheets, which is enough for several hundred crafts.

Glue the paper with a drawing on double-sided tape or glue. In the second case, after sawing, the glued paper, will have to be removed with sandpaper. Double sided tape, you can carefully peel it off.

Safety rules

When working with a hand jigsaw, it is necessary to make sure that its handle is securely locked. How firmly and securely it lies in the hand of the craftsman determines the safety of the process. It is equally important to fix the work table on the workbench. Only after you have carried out these moments, you can move on to work.

Sit upright and do not lower your head too far back. The minimum safe distance between the working surface and the master’s face while sawing. 40 cm.

Do not make any jerky movements with the tool. Move the jigsaw smoothly, keeping the pressure equal in all areas.

Electric jigsaw: how to use it

An electric jigsaw is a hand-held power tool used to make straight or curved cuts in wood, metal, plastic and other materials. Choosing the jigsaw is not a difficult task. But to work with the tool effectively and safely, it is important to learn how to use an electric jigsaw correctly. I will tell you about that in this article.

Choice of blade and working mode

Choosing the right jigsaw for the right material is the first half of a successful job.

• For wood, use standard medium-sized saw blades with upward pointing teeth. To avoid damaging the face layer, saw from the back side. One more way is to choose a back cut saw with teeth pointing downwards. But it is not comfortable to work with such a saw because of the high kickback and vibration.
• To cut metal, buy a special saw with a fine and frequent tooth that looks like a hacksaw for metal. Other material can be cut with the same jigsaw, but the cutting speed will suffer.
• To cut tile and ceramic tiles more often use a tile cutter, but sometimes you have to turn to the help of a jigsaw. Tile saws do not have teeth, they are coated with an abrasive compound.
• For curved cuts, choose a thin saw blade to increase maneuverability and reduce the jigsaw’s turning radius.

The second half of successful work lies in the right choice of jigsaw mode.

• For wood, set the maximum stroke frequency and connect the pendulum mechanism. The exceptions are: hardwoods need less speed and decorative wood (laminate, parquet) needs the pendulum mechanism to be disengaged.
• When cutting metal, turn off the pendulum as well, but reduce the cutting frequency to half of the maximum (in steel up to 1/3). Use additional cooling that acts as a lubricant (oil, soap solution).
• Set the stroke frequency for cutting plastic or plexiglass to 40% of the maximum, do not forget about cooling.
• Tile and ceramic require the pendulum to be turned off and not to exceed 30% frequency.

How to work with the jigsaw?

How to work with your jigsaw depends on the shape of the cut.

• Cutting in a straight line. Position the jigsaw close to the start of the cut line. Turn the jigsaw on and gently guide it along the drawn markings.
• Cutting parallel to edge. Use a guide ruler against or away from the edge. The base of the tool slides parallel along the ruler.
• Bevel sawing. Set the desired angle of bevel within 45 degrees to either side, fix the level, guide the tilted jigsaw with the ruler.
• Curved or circular sawing. Make a cut inside the circle through the center along the radius line. When sawing a circle, the spaces left over will fall out to make it easier to work.

Tricks and tips for working with an electric jigsaw

There are a few general rules for working with an electric jigsaw.

• Heavy vibration is generated while the jigsaw is in motion. Use clamps to hold the blade so the material doesn’t move away and the cut is straight.
• You should not use force when working with an electric jigsaw. The tool moves on its own, your job is to guide the saw along the marking line. Excessive pressure causes the jigsaw to overheat, leading to malfunctions.
• Engine airflow is reduced at low speed, causing the tool to overheat. Take breaks and use coolant when working with capricious materials.

• When working with thin metal sheet, use wood plywood as a substrate. Experiment with jigsaw speeds to get a clean, straight cut.
• Saw most materials from the wrong side upward. This is how you achieve a smooth, splinter-free cut. This is especially true for decorative materials.
• Move the saw not along the drawn line, but next to it. A smoother cut and no need for seam allowances.
• Do not forget safety equipment. An electric jigsaw produces a lot of dust and dirt, always wear protective gloves and goggles to protect your hands from splinters and your eyes from foreign objects.

Follow the rules of the jigsaw, comply with safety rules, select the saw blade and the mode of operation depending on the material, and then the jigsaw will be easy and efficient to use.

Sawing features

An electric jigsaw is good for straight sawing. The tool can also be used to make various angled cuts and cut an oval or a circle in the workpiece. Making each type of cut has its own peculiarities.

Circular and oval elements

The contour of the figure is applied to the prepared blade. After that, using a drill a hole is made in the workpiece, into which the cutting element of the jigsaw is inserted.

The sawing process begins and ends in the hole that has been made. If several holes are drilled, a circle or an oval can be sawn in parts.

Straight

This is the easiest cut with an electric jigsaw. A marking is made on the blade and the tool is guided smoothly along it.

For straight sawing material, the highest speed can be set. Before starting the work, it is recommended to secure the workpiece.

Angular

This kind of sawing of material is performed when the sole plate is pre-set at the required degree of slope. After fixing the desired angle, proceed in the same way as for straight cuts.

Working conditions

Electric jigsaw diagram.

When you start to work with a handheld tool, you should pay attention to the material you are in contact with. As for the electric model, it is endowed with a speed mode, it also requires mastering. If you have thick materials to cut, stop at slow speed and watch how you cut. When the surface to be cut is thin, you can select the faster mode. For example, if you are cutting a laminate with an electric saw, then the optimal mode will be the 4th (last). Jigsaws are usually sold with mode 1 installed initially.

If you have to saw a wooden surface, check for the presence of nails, as they largely spoil the tool. What to do if the jigsaw suddenly jams during work?? In this case do not press the button, and manually remove the saw from the place where it is clamped.

How to use a jigsaw

As a rule, no woodwork these days is impossible to imagine without the jigsaw. a special device with which you can plan out the desired shape of wood, as well as qualitatively sand the wooden surface. This is why these tools are so popular.

There are two main varieties of such tools for sawing. manual and electric. No one can say for sure which is the best. After all, depending on the complexity and jewelry of the work it is advisable to use a jigsaw of a certain type.

The handheld device is best suited for small parts that need to be shaped into complex shapes. It is with the help of a hand device can achieve a high level of sawing in plastic and wood complex patterns, which will not do the tool, which works from the mains.

How to work with a jigsaw properly? Knowing how to work with it is a very useful thing, especially when it comes to functional sawing of large parts and workpieces made of wood. Working with an electric tool saves a lot of time you would spend, for example, on sawing boards for house frames and windows.

Jigsawing with a jigsaw stand.

Secret 1. When you work with any part you have to hold it very securely in place so it doesn’t move when you saw. For this, use a vice that can be adapted to your size.

Secret 2. When sawing, try to press down on the workpiece so that the wood or plastic comes off in a very thin layer. If you push too hard, the material may break and the saw may break.

Pressing too gently will cause the quality of the workpiece to deteriorate.

Increase your sawing power steadily from edge to edge while sawing, and turn the workpiece continuously so that the sawing process is evenly distributed.

Secret 3. Choose one sawing direction for yourself. At the beginning you should not turn it, because it can damage the part and the saw itself. And after your hand gets used to it, you can twist the handle slightly. But only the angle of rotation in this case should not exceed 15 degrees.

Secret 4. If you saw longitudinally and crosswise, standing up and moving the handle down is best. But if you start sawing horizontally you can not avoid misalignment of the piece.

Secret 5. If your workpiece is so shaped that the saw tends to occasionally bump into the edge of the part and get stuck there, then you need to turn the pin clamps on the side and reduce the pressure on the saw.

Secret 6. When making a cut of a certain shape inside the workpiece without damaging the edges, it is necessary by means of an electric drill to make a hole in the planned place so that the saw can fit there. Then it is removed from the device, inserted into the hole, and then the tool is attached to it again. Now you can safely saw the workpiece from the middle.

Secret 7. To keep the saw from jumping out of the jaws from time to time you need to fix it with the twist of a knob. Just don’t overdo it so it doesn’t break. When you feel the saw firmly in tension and the grip is just a little harder, that will be enough.

Secret 8. If you just want to saw wood in one direction, then choose the maximum sawing tension on the handle of the tool. And for planing workpieces you can choose a lower tension.

Secret 9. Always work in the same direction whether you are making a decorative thread or just sawing a piece. That not only makes it easier to plan, but also helps prevent jagged edges from forming on the workpiece.

Secret 10. If you are sawing complicated patterns it is preferable to work according to a previously drawn sketch on the workpiece. That way you don’t make mistakes and make the piece look as good as possible.

10 Secrets to Working with an Electric Carving Tool

To make sure you don’t have any problems with your jigsaw, here are a few key tricks.

Secret 1. When working with a power tool, do not put too much pressure on the material. It can distort the blade.

Secret 2. If you work with very hard wood or tougher materials like metal or glass, oil or at least water before sawing in the area you want to work with. This makes cutting easier and prevents the jigsaw mechanism from going bad quickly.

Secret 3. Always clamp the workpiece as tightly as possible in a vice so you can hold the jigsaw with both hands when working. This prevents the workpiece from spinning and makes the cut much smoother.

Secret #4. When working with an electric tool it is very important to have a constant cutting speed and a constant amount of pressure. If you build it all up even a little bit, as when working with a manual device, you risk damaging the mechanism and cutting the blade crooked.

Secret 5. Always try to place the workpiece face down. This helps you make the sawing area smoother and smoother.

Secret 6. It is advisable to put a sheet of non-slip plywood under the material you are sawing. That way you not only protect the sawing surface, but also reduce the vibration of the workpiece.

Secret 7. Always mark the sawing points with a pencil and a ruler before starting work. A process without pre-marking can lead to considerable distortions later on. The result is material deterioration.

Secret 8. Always try to saw not exactly along the marked line, but about 3 mm away from it. Surprisingly enough, this also results in a nearly perfectly straight cut.

Secret 9. If the material you are working with is slippery enough, turn on the pendulum mode. That way the saw does not wander from side to side.

Secret 10. It is recommended to make too long cuts with a wide saw blade. So they turn out much more accurate, and the saw does not blunt so quickly.

So, above considered on the 10 basic secrets when working with a hand jigsaw and the one that runs on electricity. If you choose the right type of tool for a particular job and follow these tips work with such a tool will seem to you quite simple and pleasant, and the result will certainly make you happy.

How to choose a jigsaw?

It is good when there is a number of older friends who already have experience working with this tool. they and the model, suitable for the price, prompt, and advise a set of replacement tools, and even directly help with the choice of model. The temptation to opt for powered versions, such as battery-powered jigsaws, is great, but you should know that beginners should not use electric jigsaws. There are a number of reasons for this:

• Lack of practical skills often leads to rapid breakage of saw blades, because they do not accept any bending loads.
• Driving jigsaws are more often purchased by craftsmen engaged in the mass production of figured wood and plywood crafts.
• It is impossible to cut complex profiles with an electric jigsaw.
• The initial skills of sawing with a hand jigsaw on wood are already fixed at the level of manual labor lessons at school, so mastering the tool will go much faster.

So, a manual jigsaw is a tool for unhurried, thoughtful and quiet work somewhere in the cottage, or on the balcony. a good alternative to mechanized options.

The first thing to do is to choose the hand jigsaw properly. The criteria for selection are usually:

• The shape of the frame: depending on its configuration it will become clear what is the maximum cutting length. Jigsaws are available that have a frame length of up to 300 mm, which significantly expands the tool’s capabilities, but also increases its weight and dimensions. For home masters who have no experience of works on shape sawing, it is necessary to get manual jigsaws with frame length no more than 150 mm.
• Frame material: when pressing the bow, the frame should spring, which is a good sign of quality. such a frame will not break when applying noticeable lateral loads to the hand-held wood jigsaw.
• Height of the frame: for strength reasons, this parameter should not be more than three times the length, otherwise the stiffness of the jigsaw will decrease, and the quality of the cutting line will be unsatisfactory.
• How the saw blade is tightened: the wing-nuts of different lengths are usually used, depending on the thread diameter. As the diameter increases, the length of the nut’s tendrils increases, making tightening more convenient. The presence of holes in the tendrils increases the accuracy of fixing. The nuts should be stamped, not cast.

Safety and maintenance of the jigsaw

Safety rules must be observed when using this tool. It is important not only to know how to properly sit when working with a jigsaw, but also how to hold it so as not to cause injury.

• sitting upright, half sideways to the saw table;
• fasten the saw securely;
• to saw on a flat surface after fixing;
• saw at a distance of 40 cm from the eyes;
• use special glasses;
• hold the handle securely so it doesn’t slip.

Knowing how to use the jigsaw correctly allows you to cut any material without much difficulty. After all, unlike a hand-held tool, it can handle the task much more quickly. The main thing is to follow the instructions enclosed to the jigsaw in order to correctly calculate the load and avoid injuries.