A plywood jigsaw has not faded away for decades. Craftsmen manage to make a real work of art from ordinary plywood. But here’s what I wanted to draw your attention to: while our man creates a work as a result of considerable physical effort, making millions of reciprocating movements with an ordinary jigsaw, his foreign colleague placed all the burdens on the shoulders of a small but very convenient mechanism, completely concentrating on aesthetic side his brainchild.

Many people have not heard of power jigsaws or know they exist, although they have actually been around for many years, even before electric saws were a thing. This does not mean the hand-held jigsaws that are now familiar to everyone, but stationary ones.

Below are three examples of these antique jigsaws. These examples are really interesting, but there were many early models, some of which were made of wood, some of which were with foot driven, as in these paintings, and some used a flywheel that was rotated by hand.

Now our brothers use more advanced technology, naturally with an electric drive. This includes adjusting the speed of the blade, lighting, blowing and sucking sawdust from the workpiece (nice, right?), and drilling holes. There are household ones with a price starting from $120, and there are also professional ones that cost more than 1500, again green ones.

In principle, this equipment can be bought from us, or in extreme cases, via the Internet, even cheaper. But many people now simply cannot allocate a certain number of green presidents from the budget to purchase a jigsaw, and some prefer to make such a jigsaw themselves. And since our “Home Crafts Club” was created for such people, it is for them that I am posting an article on how to make a tabletop jigsaw from the magazine “Do It Yourself” for 2003.

The tabletop jigsaw is designed for cutting wood and sheet metal: aluminum, copper and even steel. You can install in it both standard blades for a manual jigsaw, and homemade ones made from band saws, hacksaw blades for metal, etc. This significantly expands its capabilities and makes it an indispensable tool in any home workshop (photo 1).
The jigsaw has three speeds - 706, 1323 and 1730 working strokes per minute. A 120 W electric motor is used for the drive. The stroke length of the saw can be set to 12 mm or 24 mm - it is switched by rearranging the crank of the drive mechanism. The saw has the ability to tilt 45° both left and right. The tilt adjustment mechanism is designed so that the jigsaw work table always remains in a horizontal position. When the saw is positioned vertically on the machine, materials up to 66 mm thick can be processed, and when tilted at 45°, materials up to 44 mm thick can be processed.

Rice. 1. Diagram of the jigsaw and its drive mechanism

The work table has quite large dimensions - 500x870 mm, which is very convenient for work, as it allows you to process large parts. The table is made of a steel plate 8 mm thick. The design turned out to be very heavy and therefore it is better to install the jigsaw in the workshop
stationary on a special stand or on a durable table.
The jigsaw structure is shown schematically in Fig. 1. It is based on a C-shaped frame with two levers swinging on axles, mounted on a common platform with an engine and a crank drive. The upper and lower swing arms form a parallelogram frame, with the help of which the jigsaw blade is fastened, tensioned and moved up and down (working stroke). The oscillatory movement up and down is provided by the crank mechanism, which is driven into rotation by an electric motor through a V-belt drive.

Rice. 2. Design of the machine bed (angle 50x50 mm) and dimensions of the work table plate (steel sheet 8 mm thick)

The base of the machine is a flat rectangular frame measuring 870x500 mm, welded from a 50x50 mm angle. Racks are welded in the corners of the frame
330 mm high, on which it is laid on top and secured with screws with countersunk heads work table plate - Fig. 2.

View from the rear pillar of the turntable.

A tilt-and-turn platform with a C-shaped frame and all the parts of the electric drive mechanism are suspended from the base of the machine. This device ensures that the saw is installed at an angle to the plane of the work table plate. The details and principle of its operation are clearly visible in photos 2 and 3, and the design of the front and rear rotary struts is shown in Fig. 3.

Rice. 3. Front and rear racks of the turntable, providing the ability to tilt the saw to the plane of the work table

The front rotary stand is a semi-ring with a semicircular guide groove, screwed from below to the table. This design of the front desk made it possible to get rid of protruding parts above the flat surface of the desktop. The rear swivel strut has a conventional design.
Both swing arms are made of steel pipe external diameter 27 mm with wall thickness 2 mm. They have almost the same design - fig. 4. Each lever is welded from two pieces of pipe. A boss with a hole of 010 mm is welded in the middle part

Rice. 4. Upper and lower swing arms

for the axle on which the lever is mounted on the C-frame. (Instead of welding, you can use soldering to assemble the arms brazing, for example, PSR. But in this case, the round shanks of the central bosses and end plugs must fit inside the pipe sections by at least 15 mm, otherwise the soldering strength may be insufficient.)

Rice. 5. Installation unit for the rotary axis of the upper arm on the C-shaped frame.

The installation unit for the upper arm axis is shown in Fig. 5. The lower arm axle is mounted on the C-frame in a similar manner. Here, as in all other units with rotating parts, protected ball bearings (608) are used, which do not require maintenance or additional lubrication, and in case of failure, can be easily replaced with new ones.

Front tilt-and-turn platform post.

The clamp parts are made of annealed, high-carbon tool steel (see Fig. 6 and Photo 4). It is not recommended to use regular structural (mild) steel for these parts. Soft metal clamping clips cannot securely hold the saw blade. Both halves of each clamp have a rather complex shape. They grind them into lathe using a 4-jaw chuck.

Rice. 6. Upper and lower saw clamping devices.

Install clips for clamping the saw on bearings pressed into round sockets at the ends of the upper and lower arms (see Fig. 4 in No. 3, 2003). A device for tensioning the saw is installed at the opposite ends of the levers (Fig. 7 (see also Fig. 1, photo 2 in No. 3, 2003). The tension mechanism uses protected ball bearings (608), pressed into the corresponding sockets of the upper and lower arms. Adjust the tension of the saw by screwing the rod with the stop into the shank of the shackle attached to the end of the lower lever. A spring that tightens the ends of the arms lifts the upper arm when the saw breaks.

Upper saw clamp

The main elements and parts of the drive are clearly visible in photo 5 (see also photo 1 in No. 3, 2003), and the design of the crank mechanism is in Fig. 8. Rotation from the engine to the crank mechanism is transmitted using a V-belt drive (8x710 mm V-belt is used). Three pulleys are installed on the shafts of the engine and crank mechanism, the dimensions of which are designed to provide three speeds - 706, 1323 and 1730 working strokes per minute - at a rotation speed of the engine shaft of 1497 rpm.

Rice. 7. Design of the saw tension mechanism.

The drive mechanism (photo 5 and Fig. 2 in No. 3, 2003), which ensures the oscillatory movement of the saw up and down, consists of a crank and connecting rod. The crank assembly and the connecting rod connection with the lower arm have the same design (see views I and II in Fig. 8). Both units are secured with screws and can be easily removed or moved to another position. This made it possible to simplify the adjustment of the saw stroke length.

The length of the working stroke is changed by rotating the crank socket to a position closer to the axis of rotation of the secondary shaft (see Fig. 8, view A). To do this, unscrew bolts B and C and loosen bolt A. Then turn the crank assembly housing in the direction indicated by the arrows and tighten all the screws back into place. The saw stroke length can be set to 24 or 12 mm, which corresponds to the offset of the crank center by 10.2 and 5.1 mm from the axis of rotation of the secondary shaft.

Crank drive mechanism.

In addition to the careful and precise manufacturing of all jigsaw parts, it is very important to correctly assemble and adjust the drive mechanism. We are talking about vibration, which inevitably accompanies the operation of any crank drive. The fact is that the counterweight provided in the design, which is installed on the same shaft with the crank (see Fig. 8), turned out to be insufficient to compensate for vibrations when operating at high speeds.
Therefore, the drive mechanism was supplemented with another device - a balancing lever with two additional movable weights. Month-

Rice. 8. Design of the drive mechanism.

Crank drive mechanism.
then the installation of the balancing lever and the method of connecting it to the drive mechanism are clearly visible in photo 1 (see No. 3, 2003). The lower lever, connecting rod and crank assembly from the second set of parts, manufactured “in reserve”, were used as a balancer. The balancer lever crank assembly is installed on the side of the pulley block “out of phase” with respect to the position of the main drive crank (Fig. 8). When the main drive connecting rod moves up, the balance arm connecting rod should move down.

Reducing vibration to an acceptable level is achieved by adjusting the position of the moving weights on the balancing lever. The balancing procedure can take quite a lot of time to select the optimal weight of the weights.
In addition to wood, this stationary jigsaw can cut a wide variety of sheet materials, including aluminum and steel. It is convenient and easy to use.

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The idea of ​​​​creating a homemade jigsaw is most often due to the disadvantages that factory hand tools have. You can make a small one with your own hands table machine, which will include a pusher, a reciprocating motor, and a saw tension system. In this case, you do not need complex drawings - once you understand the essence, it is easy to achieve the result.

The desire to create a homemade jigsaw may arise for several reasons:

1. There is no power supply in the workshop, but it is possible to use low-power internal combustion engines.
2. There are pneumatic motors, but the compressor power is not enough for a serial tool.
3. The electric motor is powered by batteries or solar panels, the power of the source is not enough to use the power tool.
4. It is required to obtain saw motion parameters that are unattainable when using a serial tool.

Designing a jigsaw is not difficult. A typical structure looks like this:

The installation is easy to adapt to any torque source. A pair of pulleys (one is located on the engine shaft, the other drives the crank mechanism) allows you to vary the gear ratio, reducing the load on the power unit and allowing you to get required speed(they are also responsible for the number of saw strokes per minute) on the actuator.

A machine built according to the above diagram may have the most different configuration, the material of manufacture is also selected individually. An example of a finished installation looks like this:

Disadvantages of a manual jigsaw

The manual jigsaw is designed for shaping straight cuts. In this case, as the rollers, rod, and pusher wear out, the saw may wobble, deviate from a straight line, and change the angle of attack. Regardless of the quality of the tool components, the following features are always present:

1. When the saw becomes dull, there is a deviation from a straight line when cutting material of uneven density (for example, chipboard low quality). The saw is capable of leaving the cutting line when it encounters a knot in the wood.
2. When trying to make a curved radius cut, you can observe the following picture: the upper cutting line, which the worker follows, follows an exact trajectory, the lower one deviates, goes to the side, the radius becomes larger. The higher the wear of the tool and the lower the sharpness of the saw, the more pronounced this phenomenon is.
3. Some materials cannot be worked using a pick-up or bottom feed of the saw. The carpenter is required to move the tool forward extremely evenly, which is impossible to do very accurately; as a result, the saw beats along the entry and exit path.

It is even more difficult to work with thin ones intended for figured cuts saws. If there is no practice, achieve good result quite difficult, especially on thick slabs or wood materials. Let's look at how you can make a carpenter's job easier and the result better.

Standard solutions

The machine is made from a manual jigsaw based on a simple table. This device is common and mass-produced; samples can be seen in the photographs below.

The mechanics of work are simple:

• The jigsaw clearly fixes the tool, ensuring that there is no influence of the human factor (the hand can move the jigsaw unevenly).
• The presence of a support allows you to move the device without deviations along the trajectory.

With the help of a table, jigsaws begin to cut in a straight line, but the capabilities of such a device are limited. If you remove the side stop and try to guide the workpiece, forming curved cut, the same saw deflection problems arise. The problem can be solved by using a simple saw, rigidly fixed with a pair of rollers. Making curved cuts is now convenient and fast. What homemade and industrial products look like of this type shown in the following photos.

Tension devices for curved cuts

To perform very thin and precise shaped cuts, you can make a jigsaw machine with a tension system saw blade. The idea of ​​creating it yourself is as follows:

1. Very used thin saw, ideally for a manual jigsaw.
2. A clamp is attached to the rod of the power tool, which will tighten the cutting blade.
3. The trajectory stabilization system will regulate both one freedom of movement and two (horizontal and vertical).

Used as a tension block hand jigsaw clamp, to which an adapter is made, which in turn is inserted into clamping fixture power tool rod. To ensure adjustment of one freedom of movement, a pair of angles and a bolt are used. The result of the implementation of the idea is presented in the following photo.

The saw provides clearly vertical movement, good tension can be created, but there is a mandatory runout in the horizontal direction. The canvas comes with a pick-up and does not move in a straight line.

The development of this idea is in the next photo. Here the part that fixes the trajectory moves, and the metal clamp provides structural rigidity and mechanical resistance.

The system is stabilized in two degrees of freedom, the cut made with its help is neat and precise. By using a diamond-coated cord for a hand jigsaw, you can cut glass without creating messy chips on the edges.

Accessories for extremely delicate work

If you need to work extremely delicately and slowly, you will need to reduce the force on the cutting blade while maintaining strong tension and precise movement of the file. For this, a homemade jigsaw is equipped with spacer devices with long shoulders.

In this case, the power tool does not operate in the cutting zone, but at some distance. This allows, depending on the wishes of the carpenter, to regulate the force, speed and amplitude of movement of the saw. One of the options for implementing the idea is shown in the following photo.

Depending on the needs of the master, the structure can be made of steel, have additional fixing zones, and the power tool cannot be installed rigidly, but with the ability to move within its support beam.

In practice, such solutions are rarely used. For fine work, which are carried out constantly, it is much more profitable to purchase a specialized band saw, which will ensure quality and productivity.

As can be seen from the presented designs, a jigsaw can even be made from a sewing machine with a moving rod.

1. Manufacturers, models
2. JET JSS-16
3. JET JSS-16e
4. Kraton WMSS-11-01
5. Holzstar DKS 501 Vario
6. Scheppach SD1600V
7. Scheppach Deco Flex
8. PRORAB 4000
9. Proxxon DS 460
10. Hegner Multicut-2S

A jigsaw tool is used to cut various building materials, form shaped parts used in carpentry shops when assembling furniture.

Manufacturers, models

The most commonly used tabletop jigsaws are Bosch, Makita, JET, DeWALT, Corvette, Proxxon, Excalibur, Zubr. The equipment demonstrates stable operation and good performance. Yes, electric jigsaw machine Bosch has a long lasting operational period, different high quality assemblies. DeWALT equipment is characterized by smooth, uninterrupted operation. The Zubr table jigsaw is equipped with an adjustable pendulum saw stroke, which improves the quality of the cut surface.

The stationary electric jigsaw machine Anchor Corvette copes with inclined, longitudinal, cross cut. The German tabletop electric unit Einhell is sold in 53 countries. Dremel jigsaws are equipped with a wide range of saw blades, with which you can make parts of complex configurations.

When choosing, you need to study the features of the equipment, know for what purpose the electric jigsaw is being purchased, and how often it will be used.

JET JSS-16 (RUB 10,560)

The JET desktop jigsaw machine is used in home workshops and small carpentry shops for curved cuts of workpieces. It is possible to install saws with different fastenings. The stroke rate range is adjustable from 400 to 1600 strokes per minute. This provides high-quality processing plastic, plywood, chipboard, natural wood.

JET JSS-16e (RUB 12,320)

A jigsaw with an asynchronous motor copes with straight and radius sawing of wood of various hardnesses and polymer materials. Working speeds - 400–1800 passes per minute. Safety is guaranteed by a transparent casing, a fan for removing sawdust ensures the cleanliness of the working area.

Kraton WMSS-11-01 (RUB 5,679)

The machine is designed for forming decorative parts from wood, sawing wood in the longitudinal, transverse direction, along an inclined line. The desktop can change the angle of inclination, cutting file installed in two positions. The tabletop jigsaw has a large frame reach, so it can process large workpieces.

Holzstar DKS 501 Vario (RUB 8,700)

The desktop jigsaw is designed for cutting external and internal contours of various configurations, including complex curved shapes. It is also used for cutting parts made of soft wood and plastic bases. The cutting line is cleaned by an adjustable wood dust removal system. It is possible to connect a vacuum cleaner.

Scheppach SD1600V (RUB 9,800)

A distinctive characteristic of the machines is a low level of vibration, stable cutting of parts from various materials. You can choose the angle of inclination of the desktop depending on the nature of the work. The compactness of the equipment allows it to be used in small workshops and at home.

Scheppach Deco Flex (RUB 13,975)

The sample is equipped with a flexible shaft, which ensures finishing of lumber. It is used to cut out complex furniture elements. The stroke speed is adjustable in the range of 550–1650 rpm, the cutting depth is 500–405 mm.

PRORAB 4000 (RUB 6,825)

Desktop jigsaws cope with sawing wooden, plastic, and metal workpieces. They are highly stable: they have a wide support base. The cooling system of the working element prevents the saw from overheating due to friction.

Proxxon DS 460 (RUB 34,500)

The jigsaw unit is equipped with a stable cast steel structure and a magnesium rocker arm. To replace the cutting element, the aluminum table moves 8 cm horizontally. The machine can be equipped with saws with pin and flat ends, which ensure high-quality cutting of wood, plastic, metal, and plexiglass.

Hegner Multicut-2S (RUB 52,720)

A professional electric jigsaw is easy to use and has a clean cut. The unit is equipped with a set of original saws capable of cutting wood, polymer materials, metal blanks. If desired, the machine model is supplemented with a speed controller, which increases the cost.

The table shows the characteristics of the models trademark"Bison" and jigsaws "Corvette".

	Power/W	Number of strokes/min	Wood cut depth/mm		Price / rub.
Bison ZSL-90
Bison ZSL-250

An electric jigsaw is a tool that recent years has firmly taken its place in the arsenal of almost every owner. And if you haven’t taken it yet, then this article will come in handy, because choosing a good tabletop or manual jigsaw that would meet all your goals is quite a difficult task.

Hand jigsaw for wood - first cutting lessons

All boys learn what a hand jigsaw for wood is at school during labor lessons. This is one of those tools that you can trust even to a child without fear for his safety. The simplest structure of a U-shaped frame with fasteners on the edges is actually intended for the most delicate work in the art of sawing - although an electric jigsaw speeds up the work significantly, it is not always able to cut out the thin curl you need. Therefore, in any workshop, a manual jigsaw will always take its place of honor, and besides, making such a jigsaw with your own hands is not particularly difficult.

In sawing hand tools there is one feature - for convenience and speed of work, the miniature saw blade must be tensioned like a string, eliminating possible sagging. It will be inconvenient to work with a sagging blade, and the blade will most likely break at the first jam. The direction of the teeth is strictly against the downward movement of the blade. The thinner the blade you choose, the finer and smoother the carving will be.

Which jigsaw to choose - main characteristics

Before you go to the market, find out for yourself what basic characteristics of the tool you should pay attention to when choosing a jigsaw. Engine power - of course, this parameter should be taken into account first. The minimum and maximum thickness of the material being cut and the cutting speed depend on it. The quality of the cut also depends on the engine power. For household tools, a completely normal power is from 280 to 550 W.

Pendulum movement is a function that not all jigsaws have, but its presence is mandatory for serious tasks. If in normal mode the jigsaw moves the file only up and down, then a jigsaw with the pendulum movement turned on deflects the blade from the cut back during the lower stroke and feeds the blade towards sawing on the upper stroke. Due to this, the cut is better cleared of shavings and saw wear is reduced, and cutting with a jigsaw becomes an easier task.

The amplitude of oscillation is adjustable when cutting different materials, for example, for softwood and plastics, the maximum mode is selected, while with greater thickness of wood, cutting soft metals and chipboards, the amplitude decreases.

This function is completely disabled when it comes to working with sheets of metal or cutting steel. Number of moves – when deciding which jigsaw to choose, pay attention to this factor. Single-speed jigsaws can only work properly when working with wood; when cutting metal, the tool’s motor may fail. Therefore, for greater functionality, it is recommended to buy devices with as many better adjustment and the widest range. The broader the latter characteristic, the more versatile the tool becomes.

In some jigsaws, the number of strokes is regulated by a fixed switch, which sets the speed preset by the manufacturer. But jigsaws are considered more professional, in which the speed is regulated by the force of pressing the start button located on the handle under index finger. However, even in such models it is possible to operate at fixed speeds. The maximum power of the tool is turned on when working with wood, the average number is selected for working with soft metals, such as aluminum, and ceramics provides a minimum number of strokes.

In this case, the load on the engine goes exactly to low speeds, therefore, when working with metals, let the tool cool down from time to time, either in the off position or on maximum quantity moves. However, listen to the tool, the sound of the jigsaw and the ease of cutting are the best advisers.

Fastening the saw blade - be sure to pay attention to this characteristic. After all, in the future it will determine how easily you can select files for your tool. Often, the mechanism for fastening files provides the possibility of fixing the blade in the seat with a clamping hex bolt and a notch for a screwdriver or a quick-clamping mechanism. If the tool can work with files that look like a cross on the tail, then you can safely buy it. Cross files are the most common type that you will find in any store.

Choosing a jigsaw - nice extras

In addition to the main characteristics, it doesn’t hurt to pay attention to minor additions, which can make working with this tool much more comfortable. Blowing and dust extraction systems are by no means uncommon among this type of tool. The air flow from a running engine, directed in the right direction, does an excellent job of removing sawdust from the cutting line. If it is also possible to connect a dust extraction bag, the work process will become much more comfortable.

The ability to make bevel cuts is another feature that is very useful in any business. Some tools provide for work only in fixed positions, but a jigsaw with smooth adjustment of the inclination of the tool in relation to the “sole” is much more preferable.

If we remembered the so-called “sole”, that is, the platform that serves as a guide in the tool, let’s complete the review of this part. The ease of use largely depends on its quality. Cast soles are the most preferred - compared to stamped counterparts, they provide greater accuracy. Make sure that the model you buy has the ability to install an anti-splinter insert - a small part that makes cutting fragile materials easier.

All kinds of additions, for example, a protective screen and guides for cutting out round shapes, will not be superfluous in the kit. A professional tool must be equipped parallel stops and a case for storing tools and carrying all components.

Tabletop jigsaw – buy or make?

Professional-type tools are characterized by long working hours without interruption. Household ones are intended for occasional use, so they are lighter and less powerful. Accordingly, the price will be much lower.

The professional jigsaw also includes a tabletop electric jigsaw, which has many advantages over a manual jigsaw. Its main advantage is the ability to work with thin files, and therefore cut out finer patterns and complex decorative details. Convenience of work is ensured by a wide tabletop, on which you can easily process large parts and make cuts in wide workpieces. Thanks to reliable fastening, the housing is protected from unnecessary vibrations, which in turn protects the motor from overloads.

When working with a benchtop tool, you will be able to pay full attention to the material and grasp it firmly with both hands, which is impossible when working with a hand tool. However, if necessary, you can get out of the situation by making a homemade stationary jigsaw, constructing it from manual type tool, a few screws and a piece durable plywood.

The plywood will serve as a tabletop, in which, using the same jigsaw, you need to make a cut for a file and drill several holes for fasteners. It is quite possible that you will have to drill the same holes in the “sole” of the tool. We fix the tool under the plywood and attach the entire structure to the edge of the table - our desktop jigsaw is ready!

The tabletop jigsaw is an irreplaceable thing for any owner who is used to doing household chores on his own. Electric jigsaws are especially good for residents of the private sector, lovers of manual labor and country holiday. From its prototype, an ordinary hand jigsaw, a tabletop electric model gone far enough. A desktop jigsaw makes it easier and faster to cut, not to mention improving quality.

Concept of a tabletop jigsaw

A jigsaw is a saw, which is characterized by reciprocating movements of the saw blade, which acts as a working body. It has a ski designed to guide the saw blade when moving along the surface that is being processed, and makes movements at a frequency of up to 3000 vibrations per minute.

This instrument was invented in 1946. Its creator is Albert Kaufman, who replaced the needle in a sewing machine with a blade. The instrument went on sale already in 1947. A manual jigsaw has a body with a flat platform and a handle. The main difference between an electric jigsaw and a manual one is its greater functionality and cutting quality.

Located inside electric motor and a special mechanism that drives the blade. In stationary jigsaws there is no handle, and the platform is located on top. At the front of the mechanism there is a guide, at the bottom there is a retractable blade that moves and makes cuts.

The tool works as follows: a tabletop jigsaw file is securely secured with clamps in the slide. The reciprocating movements have a frequency of up to 3000 strokes and can be adjusted. The support platform allows the jigsaw to focus on the part being cut, so the work is carried out very accurately.

The purpose of a desktop jigsaw

A jigsaw is an integral part of every workshop and every hobbyist. Its thin file can successfully cut plywood, copper, iron, thick boards, brass, and steel. The tools come with motor, foot or hand drive and are more productive. An electric jigsaw is simply indispensable for carpenters, wood workers, furniture decorators, and drywall workers who produce complex parts.

An electric jigsaw can make straight and curved cuts on workpieces with complex shapes and various sheet materials without disturbing the external contour. Most often, tabletop jigsaws are used for cutting wood and wooden boards, figures with complex outlines made of laminate and plasterboard, plastic blanks, and also for cutting sheet metal.

Benchtop electric jigsaw makes clean cuts complex shape and works with small
details. Due to the stable and fixed position during operation, high cutting accuracy is achieved. The file has a stable motion thanks to the tension system and guides, which manual jigsaws lack. The large size of the table makes it stable, so the precise sawing direction is maintained.

Types of jigsaws

Today, the power tool market offers a wide variety of jigsaws, which differ in the nature of their application, technical specifications, type of power supply and design features. IN construction stores You can buy a desktop jigsaw to suit every taste and budget.

It is difficult to classify by design features, because each manufacturing company strives to provide its products with features that are designed to facilitate and improve the operation of the tool. In this regard, the shape of the handle is a significant parameter.

There are two established types of handles - mushroom-shaped and D-shaped. A jigsaw with a staple handle requires one-handed operation. This increases the possibilities of using a jigsaw, but has a somewhat negative effect on the quality of cutting the material.

Mushroom-shaped handles allow for more accurate cuts when holding the jigsaw with both hands, having previously secured the workpiece to be cut. The choice of a jigsaw with a certain handle shape depends on the financial capabilities and personal preferences of the buyer. You should choose the jigsaw that will be more convenient to work with.

Household jigsaws are not intended for intensive use, but the low price of a desktop jigsaw and the power that is enough for household needs make them indispensable in the household.

Professional jigsaws are characterized by high wear resistance and the possibility of daily long-term (up to 8 hours) use. The significant power of such jigsaws allows processing of materials of large thickness. Expanded equipment and improved characteristics are reflected in the price.

Among professional jigsaws, industrial jigsaws also stand out, which are characterized by greater adaptability to complex operations and drive features - for example, increased power supply voltage. Industrial models are machines that are designed for the woodworking industry.

Depending on the type of power supply, there are mains and cordless jigsaws. Network models are powered from a power supply network with standard voltage. If productivity is important to you, then you should choose a corded power tool.

Cordless jigsaws provide independence from the presence of sockets and greater mobility during operation. When purchasing a battery model, you should pay attention to the type of battery. Elevated performance characteristics inherent lithium-ion batteries. The battery capacity is responsible for the duration of operation without recharging.

Advantages of desktop jigsaws

A tabletop electric jigsaw is a stationary structure, so this type of cutting tool has many advantages. Modern models can work with wooden materials with a thickness of 40-50 millimeters. The working body is a narrow saw, which makes vertical translational and reciprocal movements. Due to the peculiarities of the notching of the teeth and the mechanics of the movements of the saw, the material is cut out by moving upward.

A tabletop jigsaw allows you to cut out complex decorative parts, make longitudinal, straight, inclined and transverse cuts. The wide tabletop allows you to process large parts and make cuts inside wide workpieces. Secure fastening protects the housing from unnecessary vibrations and allows the material to be well positioned, so the motor can operate without overload.

The advantages of desktop jigsaws include good accuracy and clarity of cuts, high safety and ease of use, wide customization options depending on the material and the required detail of the cut workpieces.

If you need to cut small parts, a manual jigsaw will not be very convenient. It is quite heavy, so you will have to hold it with one hand and guide the workpiece with the other. A table jigsaw does not have this drawback. Perhaps the inconveniences are the large size and the difficulty of working with large parts.

A tabletop jigsaw is a kind of mini-machine for cutting workpieces. If you purchase a jigsaw in a store, most likely it will provide the ability to select power and adjust the frequency of saw strokes. However, you can make a simple homemade tabletop jigsaw, and very quickly. You will need a hand jigsaw, a few screws, a piece of plywood small sizes and only an hour of work.

Making a tabletop jigsaw

A carefully made jigsaw will be little inferior to one made in a factory, and in some respects even superior to it. Assembling such a jigsaw is not difficult if you have the necessary materials. Next we will describe simple diagram such manipulations.

The design of the jigsaw includes the following components: handle, switch button, insulating washer, power cord, frame, heating filament, screw clamp and earring. First you need to make a frame. You will need a duralumin pipe with an outer diameter of up to twelve millimeters.

You can also use textolite with a thickness of at least ten millimeters or thick plywood for the base. But keep in mind that the lighter the frame, the more convenient the jigsaw will be to use. Be sure to provide a channel so that you can lay the power cord later. Most best shape a frame is one whose sides are tilted 45 degrees.

Next you need to make an earring. It is made of copper sheet one millimeter thick. After this, it is attached with screws to the frame where it connects to the handle. This way the screw, wing nut and shackle will form a clamp in which the heating filament can be secured. The thickness of the duralumin sheet should be up to 0.8 millimeters. It is necessary to make pressing cheeks from it, between which there is a switch button.

After this, you need to cut a gap in the plywood that the saw can fit through. It can be done using a drill. To do this, you need to drill holes along the marking line and smooth out the transitions. Instead of plywood, you can use plastic, metal, plexiglass and others. Next, you place and drill mounting holes on the plywood and jigsaw base plate.

Then you need to secure the jigsaw with screws to the plywood base so that the file can fit through the gap. You attach the structure to the table using a clamp so that the file is pointing upward. You can also secure the platform in any way possible.
The jigsaw file remains a regular one, but the possibilities for good cutting are expanded by freeing up your hands.

You can use a nichrome spiral from any household heating device (iron, for example) as a heating filament. It must be secured with tension between the ends of the frame bends. In order for the thread to heat up, you need to apply a tension of about 14 V. To control the operating mode, you can use a rheostat.

The current is determined by the thickness and length nichrome thread. Using a rheostat, you can set the optimal current strength (no more than 3-5 A), which will affect the temperature to which the filament is heated. Before starting work, it is necessary to determine the current strength. But keep in mind that if too high strength The material being cut can be caught by the flame, but if it is insufficient, it will not be taken. A self-made desktop jigsaw will allow you to cut out shapes with complex contours from various types materials.

Rules for using a desktop jigsaw

When working with table jigsaw You must adhere to some rules:

1. When cutting, do not press too hard on the tool, otherwise the needle will break at best, or you will ruin the work at worst.
2. Replace saw blades from time to time. old saw can spoil and destroy the surface of the material.
3. If you work with organic glass and non-ferrous alloys, the surface of the product must be moistened with water. This operation will speed up the process and extend the life of the saw.
4. If you are cutting a surface with a thickness of less than one millimeter, place a sheet of wood or plywood under the material being processed.
5. Before cutting, it is necessary to secure the material. It is better not to make long cuts by hand; the line may turn out to be crooked.
6. To cut different materials, appropriate blades are required, with a special pitch and length.
7. Rotate the tool by turning only the back of the tool.
8. When cutting laminate, tape is applied to the cut line, which protects the material from chipping.
9. If there is a need for curved cuts, set the jigsaw pendulum to minimum.

If you have not yet fully understood how to make a tabletop jigsaw, watch a video about this procedure. This tool allows you to cut complex parts from wood and other materials, make longitudinal, inclined, straight and transverse cuts. Using a jigsaw, you can process large parts, wide workpieces and small products, which is not superfluous at home.