Jigsaw can be safely called one of the most commonly used tools when performing various kinds of work. Almost completely replacing the usual hacksaw, it allows you to make straight or curved cuts not only in wood, but also in other materials: plastic, metal, ceramic tile, glass, brick. On the modern market there is a large assortment of this type of product, and therefore, even before you choose a jigsaw for your home, you must at least have a superficial acquaintance with its structure and operation features.
How to choose a jigsaw
?Jigsaws come in two types - professional and household. The latter, as a rule, have less power, resource and a limited set of additional functions. Usually they are used for cutting wooden products up to 7 cm thick and steel sheets no thicker than 4 mm. How to choose a jigsaw, what type - a purely individual matter. It all depends on the nature of the work ahead.
How is the device arranged?
The jigsaw cuts the material with a special file, which reciprocates along special guides with a frequency that can be adjusted. In this case, the work process itself (sawing) occurs directly when the file moves upward. Due to this, when sawing a material with a particularly sensitive surface, there are no burrs or chips in the place of cutting. Some models have a transparent protective shield covering the file.
The jigsaw handle may have a staple or mushroom shape. Which jigsaw to choose is a matter of taste. With a staple-shaped handle, the cutting line is better visible, and mushroom-shaped is more convenient when working on inclined planes.
The whole mechanism is located on a support platform, which is a guide, and allows you to perform complex and accurate cuts, while maintaining a constant distance to the work surface. The platform can be rotated up to 45 degrees to set the desired angle of inclination of the cut.
How to choose a high-performance jigsaw? It is necessary to purchase a model equipped with a multi-stage pendulum mechanism. Giving the file additional horizontal movements, it not only increases productivity, but also extends the life of the file. However, the quality of the cut surface is degraded.
Among the additional functions, it is possible to note the illumination of the working area for the convenience of work, automatic blowing of sawdust, as well as connecting to a vacuum cleaner.
Recommendations for the operation of an electric jigsaw
- No need to press the saw blade. From this, it only gets hotter and can break.
- If the jigsaw operates at a low frequency of strokes, the cooling of the electric motor is significantly impaired, and therefore it must be cooled as often as possible.
- It is better to cut straight and long cuts with a wide blade, so the cut is even.
- So that the file does not “pull” the material, you need to change the blade more often.
- When working with metal, polystyrene, organic glass , additional cooling of the file is necessary (water, machine oil or soap solution are suitable).
- To reduce vibration when working with metal with a thickness of less than a millimeter, a sheet of plywood must be placed under it.
For this device to last a long time, it is not enough to know how to choose a jigsaw and how it works. To do this, you must strictly follow the instructions, regularly clean and lubricate it. And do not neglect the requirements of security measures.