A jigsaw is a hand-held tool that cuts various types of materials (wood, metal, chipboard, plastic, tile, etc.). It works by reciprocating the file.
There are two types: network and battery. It has a housing that includes a flat platform, facing down, and in the upper part of the handle. An engine with a mechanism that converts the rotational motion of the motor shaft into the reciprocating motion of the rod with a saw blade, are located inside the housing.
Terms of use
Almost everyone knows the general rules on how to use a jigsaw, but there are many important features in working with this device. Of course, it all depends on the material with which the power tool works, but below are some general recommendations.
Tips for using a jigsaw:
- No need to press in the direction of the cut, the jigsaw itself must move freely. If the tool does not go, the file is dull. With excessive pressure on the file, it will go to the side and ruin the cut.
- Here's how to use the electric jigsaw for sawing to the finish: the pendulum stroke is set by the regulator to 0, and if thicker boards are sawed in the direction of the fiber, the regulator is set to 1.
- The pendulum mode is used in cutting along the fiber, helping the file not to go sideways.
- During operation, the part must be fixed with clamps. Since you can work with a jigsaw with one hand, some novice specialists, in order to save time, hold the part in the second. But in this position it will be impossible to conduct the power tool in a straight line. For a more accurate cut and work safety, the part is fixed.
- In the process of working in a short period of time, a lot of dust and sawdust is formed, so the use of glasses for protection will not be amiss. If a sliver (especially a metal one) gets into the eye, then not only the cut, but also the vision will be damaged.
- In the rules on how to use a jigsaw, you can not fail to mention that you need to cut not along the intended line, but next. Thus, the cut comes out more accurately and you can get by with marking the inclusion of tolerance for the cut itself.
- To make the cut on the front side more smooth and beautiful, during operation the part is placed face down. However, this rule does not apply to thick workpieces. And if there are doubts about the possibility of strictly following the markings on the reverse side, then it is better to use special inserts.
- Sometimes just using a jigsaw as the main tool is not enough. It is necessary to choose the most suitable tool for each manipulation. For example, in woodwork, if the task is simply to cut exactly a long part in the direction of the fibers, a circular (of course, if any) or a hacksaw will be more appropriate than a jigsaw. After all, the hacksaw, although coarser, but cuts more directly.
- During the cutting of metal blanks, it is advisable to use the maximum frequency of the stroke, and completely disable the pendulum mechanism.
- How to use a jigsaw from the experience of professionals when working with plastic? You can take into account that a high frequency during the cutting process leads to melting, so you need to choose the lowest possible frequency.
- To make the cut exactly straight, you can use the limiter guide. Such a device is mounted on the sole of the power tool and pressed against the edge of the part.
- If you have to deal with the cutting, then the hole for the saw is drilled at the beginning of the marking. The saw is introduced into this hole and the cut is started in accordance with the marking.
- To cut the bevel, you need to know how to use the jigsaw at an angle: for this purpose, it was possible to tilt the sole to what angle is specifically conceived.
- When the jigsaw is powered from the mains, it is very important that the cable is free to move.
Additional tips for choosing a saw
The quality of the saw blades should be even better than the quality of the jigsaw itself, because it is blunt teeth that easily bend in different directions, which can ruin the work of even the most experienced craftsman.
In addition, it makes sense to choose different saws for different types of sawing:
- For straight saws, wide blades are suitable, which have greater stability and, accordingly, ensure a smooth line in the end.
- The more important the cleanliness of the cut itself, the finer the teeth selected on the blade.
- If it is necessary to achieve a perfectly clean cut line, absolutely without a single chip, choose a blade with a reverse tooth stroke.
- If you need fast and rough sawing, large saws are used that have widely spread cutters.
- Files without wiring are quite productive and convenient to work with thick workpieces.
- If both productivity and sawing quality are equally important, then files with teeth installed with a moved pitch will help (the step is large below, and as it approaches the front of the part it gradually fades).
Step-by-step instruction for curvilinear cutting
If everything is more or less clear with a direct cut, then for sweat cutting it will be necessary to “sweat” a little.
Stages of curvilinear cutting:
- The file is selected. When the degree of rounding is not very large, then the standard version of the canvas is suitable. In the case of a sharper rounding, it is necessary to use narrower canvases. However, it is also important to find a middle ground here, because an excessively narrow blade will resist sideways removal during sawing.
- As mentioned earlier, the cut starts with drilling a hole for the saw.
- If the radius is small, then in the process of work it will be necessary to keep a reference point depending on the position of the canvas, because all sorts of marking points can lead to the wrong course.
- Moving along the marking, the jigsaw is guided by turning around the axis of the part. No lateral effort is required. You cannot push the tool forward - it should go quietly.
Wood work
How to use a jigsaw on wood? Here, too, there are a couple of secrets:
- The stroke frequency is selected to the maximum, and the pendulum stroke will only spoil the appearance of the cut line and leave a large number of unnecessary burrs.
- Since wood is a soft material, one cannot overdo it in work by pushing a jigsaw or putting additional pressure on the sole.
Work with metal
Sawing of metal parts is carried out with the help of files with small cloves. The stroke frequency is selected low, the pendulum stroke is not used at all. In the process, the metal vibrates, so it is pressed with clamps to the plywood or clamped inside two sheets of plywood, forming a “sandwich”.
To reduce friction and prevent overheating of the material, literally a drop of oil is applied in the direction of the saw. This will improve the speed and quality of the cut, as well as facilitate the work process.
How to measure angles
When you need to accurately measure the angles, there is nothing else to do but use the Stayer protractor leash for the jigsaw. It is metal, with two-sided marking of the canvas. It has a system of stationary mounting, which greatly facilitates the work.
Standard Causes of Failure
It is of great importance how they use the jigsaw at home or in production, because a careful attitude to the tool is the key to its long and productive work. The most common causes of tool failure:
- High degree of load. This happens when the employee overdoes it, who presses too much in the horizontal feed. Result: a not very strong holder is damaged, the rod is out of order, the file is immobilized.
- The power tool is not properly maintained. As a result, the bearing wears out, the cam block is erased, the gears become unusable.
- Electrical components are out of order. This refers to the start button, usually associated with the regulator at revs in the engine.
- Long enough time for the work process. In this case, the collector motor surfaces deteriorate, the brush is erased. Relevant parts cannot be repaired after this; they must be replaced.
General repair rules
Now we turn to the part on how to use and repair the jigsaw.
Repair of any problem begins with a parsing tool. It is not at all difficult to do this, because the case is easily divided into 2 parts and all mechanisms are in the public domain. First, dirt is always removed and grease changes, and after that the direct repair process itself begins.
Stock change
In standard models, the stem is a thin metal plate having a complex shape. With a high load, it is likely that it will burst. The item is subject to replacement, which can easily be found in the market or in the store. When the jigsaw is disassembled, it is advisable to fix on the camera how exactly everything is assembled inside it and in what order, so that later, after repair, unnecessary details are not found. Further, the part is removed and rushed to the market so that there is an opportunity there to buy exactly this. After installing a new stem, grease is applied.
Brush change
A pair of removable brushes should always be included with the jigsaw and stored in the rear of the engine. To get them, just open the tool body. Brush replacement process:
- Worn out old brushes get out.
- Contact areas are blown and wiped off dust and other contaminants.
- These parts are wiped with alcohol.
- New parts are being installed.
After that, you can safely begin to perform work.
Change the start button on the speed controller
This operation is quite simple. To change the old button to a new one, you will need:
- Open the power tool housing.
- The jigsaw button must be freed from the wires. Today's jigsaw models have facilitated this process by simply unscrewing the terminal block screws without using a soldering iron.
- The old part is removed, and the new is set in its place in the reverse order.
- All wires are connected back to the already new start button.
- You can start using it.
Conclusion
So, we figured out how to properly use the electric jigsaw and maintain. As you can see, this is a fairly simple process. But first you need to know all the nuances of this operation. This is the only way to get a high-quality result of work.