The jigsaw comes under the most commonly found tool in both commercial and residential terms.
While it is the most commonly used, learning how to choose the perfect jigsaw tool remains the most difficult part for many of us.
While there are many different opinions for different uses, let’s discuss some of these tips and tricks to choose and use the jigsaw tool.
First up, let’s discuss what a Jigsaw tool is
A jigsaw tool has the power to make your life effortless; you can use it to saw wood, plastic, metal or even gypsum board.
Powerful electric jigsaw
This single tool can perform both straight and curved cuts. The way you can ensure a more quality cut is by using diamond blades, which you can then even use to cut the ceramic tiles.
With this many uses with such a versatile, single tool it becomes the most used tool in commercial as well as residential jobs.
A jigsaw has so many pros to it but also come cons too. For example, it has a restriction with power usage due to which you cannot use it to cut beams or thick board, for that, you have to look for other options such as a circular saw, as this has more power usage than the jigsaw.
Now let’s see how to choose and use a Jigsaw
1) First and foremost, look for comfort. For this you have to look for the type of handle you want to use or which is more comfortable to hold and to work with for you. So before buying try your hands on both kinds of handles, i.e. barrel handle jigsaws and top handle jigsaws.
Test them out in the shop and see how heavy they are and how you think it would feel to use it for an extended period of time.
Using a jigsaw to cut wood
2) Then look for the use that you need the jigsaw for, as jigsaw tools cannot be used to cut beams or thicker boards. Make sure you are getting the most suitable tool for the jobs you know you will need it for.
3) Before buying, it is recommended to take some time and familiarise yourself with how jigsaws work. Knowing a little goes a long way to ensuring you are asking the right questions.
Once you are familiar, you can look around online to see what options you have for buying jigsaws. There are lots of websites out there that have lists of the best jigsaws to buy which are quite helpful, especially when the author is a DIYer.
Precise cutting with a jigsaw
4) There can sometimes be a bit of a trade off in terms of speed vs precision. Make sure that the jigsaw you purchase has an adequate number of settings which will allow you precise control over the speed of the blade and, therefore, how precisely it cuts.
Think about what type of material you are going to be cutting the most. For larger, more dense and thicker materials and items you will need to have a faster and more powerful saw.
5) The position of the teeth on the blade of the jigsaw machine also makes a lot of difference, such as how aggressively it cuts. It can also cut one of two ways. When the blade has teeth facing upwards, this will cut on the up-stroke.
While if the blade has teeth facing downwards then the blade will make the cut downwards with less aggression. Also for moderate cuts, there are blades on the market which have both types of teeth on a single blade.
Measure up and cut accurately
6) Ensure you are purchasing the correct blade type for your specific machine. For example, if you have “T” type shank jigsaw than buy the blades that fit it not the straight shank type.
7) Always keep a tight grip on the jigsaw and never move the jigsaw manually. Doing so can lead the jigsaw to perform a less than ideal cut and it could also result in an accident.
So always keep your grip tight your shoes on a level surface to the cutting surface and allow the jigsaw to do the work for you, this way you will have the best result out of the jigsaw.
8) Jigsaws range in power output from 300watts to 1500 watts, where the most powerful ones are only required by professionals.
So if you have to buy a jigsaw for residential work and if you have planned to use it on metal then buy a machine with around 600 or 700 watts as these jigsaws will be adequate for most jobs around the home yet not too powerful and therefore expensive.
9) Always make sure to check the length of the cord if you are buying a corded electric model and not a cordless one. Just think through what you intend to use it for the most and decide what length you will need or even if you can get a cordless one.
10) If you do decide to purchase a cordless machine, make sure that the run time is long enough and check that you get a spare battery.
Also, the power output is going to be significantly lower with a cordless machine so ensure it will be sufficient to do the job properly.
With these tips and tricks, you can make up your mind about what you require and what you need to buy. While everyone has their own requirements these general tips and tricks can come handy for new and untrained buyers.
