Do-it-yourself table for a jigsaw (devices for sawing). Making an auxiliary device for a jigsaw with your own hands A device for even cutting with a jigsaw

To perform a curved cut, a jigsaw is used, and in order to achieve the convenience of production processes and increase productivity, it is equipped with an electric drive.

All kinds of accessories are supplied with the power tool that simplify the cutting procedure and improve the quality of the cut. Such devices can be either obtained along with a jigsaw, bought separately at a power tool store, or made independently.

Jigsaw sole

After the cutting tool, the base occupies the main place in the jigsaw. This structural element of the device is called the sole. It serves as a stop for the entire tool, which ensures convenient cutting.

The soles are stamped and cast. Cheap models of electric jigsaws are usually completed first, the aluminum casting base is much stronger, more reliable and more convenient to use. The sole can be with an anti-splinter insert and without it.

Such a device can be made by hand. To do this, it is enough to cut a Plexiglas plate according to the size of the sole, drill holes in it for fastening and exiting the cutting tool, then install it on the base. This will prevent chipping on the surface of the material and provide a smoother cut by reducing saw blade deflection.

On some models of electric jigsaws, a sole tilt mechanism is installed. With it, you can make bevel cuts at an angle of 15, 30 and 45 °.

Electric jigsaw guide

A guide ruler for a jigsaw can be purchased at the store. It is a special aluminum profile with a T-slot on the underside for unhindered movement of the clamps.

On the upper side, the guide has two T-slots, into which devices are inserted for fixing the power tool and its free movement along the ruler. Clamps are supplied with the guide, fixtures are sold separately.

The ruler is attached to the workpiece with clamps, the cut is carried out with an electric jigsaw. If there is no device for fixing the tool, then during the cutting process, the jigsaw is pressed against the guide with the side of the sole.

You can make a guide line at home. For this you need:

1. Take a bar without knots, 1.9 meters long. This is a more acceptable size, because cutting sheets of chipboard, chipboard in width is 1830 mm.
2. All surfaces of the beam are processed in compliance with strict perpendicularity relative to each other.
3. After that, a groove is made from the bottom side and a T-shaped profile is inserted. Clamps will be placed in it for attaching the ruler to the workpiece.
4. Graduation is attached from the outside. To do this, you can use metal rulers, attaching them with self-tapping screws with a round head.

Cutting is carried out by moving the jigsaw with the edge of the sole resting against the side surface of the guide line.

Nozzles for electric jigsaw

Jigsaw attachments are nothing more than a regular saw blade. The jigsaw cutting tool can be classified according to the following criteria:

• physical properties of the processed material;
• the shape of the teeth;
• file geometry;
• tooth pitch;
• saw blade width;
• saw blade thickness.

Each material has its own hardness and resists the cutting process differently. Wood and plastic are soft, while metal and its alloys, as well as some polymers, are hard. Therefore, there are several types of saw blades for electric jigsaw, corresponding to the hardness of the material being processed.

The quality of the cut depends on the shape of the saw blade tooth. If the teeth are small, then cutting is recommended to be done slowly. As a result, the cut is accurate and accurate. The presence of most large teeth makes it rough, one might say, rough. But such an operation is carried out quickly.

The geometry of the tooth directly depends on the technological process of saw blade production. They can be milled and polished. The use of one or another technology for the manufacture of blades depends on the material and the required quality of the cut.

The thickness, width and pitch of the saw blade teeth have a great influence on the quality and speed of the cut.

Universal miter box from Bosch for power tools

Another great accessory for a jigsaw is the Bosch Saw Station PLS 300 portable device. This is nothing more than a universal miter box.

It is convenient to cut laminate, parquet or ordinary boards up to 30 cm wide and 2.5 cm thick on it. In addition, narrow slats and skirting boards can be cut. The design of the device allows cutting at an angle from 0 to 90°. In addition to wood, the machine can cut aluminum profiles and ceramic tiles.

Rip fence for electric jigsaws

A mandatory fixture on a power tool is a parallel stop. This device allows you to perform a parallel cut relative to the edge of the workpiece. The fixture is a rectangular bar with a perpendicular stop at its end.

The use of the device consists in setting the stop at a distance corresponding to the size of the future cut and fixing the rod on the sole of the tool with a screw. In inexpensive models of jigsaws, a parallel stop is included with the tool; in expensive models, this accessory is usually not available, and it has to be purchased separately. The cost of such a device is rather big, so many craftsmen prefer to make the device with their own hands.

Do-it-yourself parallel stop for a jigsaw: instructions

• For manufacturing, a metal strip 2 mm thick and 350 mm long is required. The width of the strip is selected according to the size of the bracket on the sole of the jigsaw. If there is none, you will need to make it yourself.
• To do this, it is necessary to drill 2 holes with a diameter of 4–5 mm in the sole of the power tool. Then they cut threads into them. Then, from a strip 2 mm thick, 2 brackets are bent along the rod profile, having previously drilled holes in them for fasteners and a fixing screw. A thread is cut in the screw hole. The brackets are installed on the sole of the jigsaw and fixed.
• After that, a corner 80–100 mm long is welded perpendicular to the bar. The bar is bent in the opposite direction through the upper shelf of the corner. In this case, the distance between the surface of the corner shelf and the underside of the rod should be equal to the thickness of the sole of the jigsaw. The free end of the device is inserted into the brackets on the sole and fixed with wing screws.

DIY jigsaw compass

Another device that will not be superfluous in a carpentry workshop is a compass for a jigsaw. Not very often, but sometimes you have to cut round parts. It is quite difficult to make a circle even in marking. But a hand-made device will help with this.

1. You need to take a sheet of thick plywood and cut off a strip from it with a width equal to the sole of the jigsaw. The length of the workpiece is arbitrary. Depends on the size of the radius of the future circle.
2. Then you need to install a jigsaw on the edge of the strip. To do this, you need to make a propyl.
3. After installation, the sole of the power tool is framed with slats and attached to the strip in the places of technological holes.
4. A line is drawn on the plywood from the middle of the canvas, the required radius of the circle is measured on it and a self-tapping screw is screwed in.
5. After that, install the fixture on the workpiece with a self-tapping screw in the center of the circle. If necessary, drill a hole for the saw blade.

By moving the jigsaw around the axis of the self-tapping screw, a circle is cut out.

Electric jigsaw: LED cutting line lighting

When operating a jigsaw in poorly lit places, illumination of the cut line is desirable. Such a device can be made by hand.

The lighting scheme is very simple and will require a few inexpensive parts:

1. LED (you can use two).
2. Capacitor 0.22 uF, 400 volts.
3. Diode.
4. Discharging resistor 500–1000 kΩ.
5. Resistor 1 kOhm.

The circuit is connected to the button for turning on the power tool instead of the interference capacitor 0.22 uF 250 volts. The capacitance could be left, but in our circuit there is already a 0.22 microfarad 400 volt capacitor, so it is better to remove it in the fight for free space.

A discharge resistor from 500 kΩ to 1 mΩ is connected in parallel to the capacitor. At the next stage of work, a diode is included in the circuit with the cathode to the capacitor and in parallel to it the LED with the anode to the capacitor. A 1 kΩ resistor is installed behind them.

The peculiarity of this resistor is that during operation it can heat up, so it is better not to use low-resistance devices. Heating occurs within 10 minutes of continuous operation of the tool, so install the resistor so that it does not touch anything. It only takes a few seconds to cool down.

Since the circuit is connected to the start button, the backlight starts working even a little faster than the engine turns on. You can use two LEDs in this circuit, then the light will be much brighter. In this case, the LEDs are connected in series.

After reviewing the information provided in the article, the master will be able to improve the quality of the cut and facilitate operations using a jigsaw as a whole by purchasing or manufacturing various devices.

A jigsaw is an essential household tool. The good news is that there is a huge selection of models of this product. There are manual, electric hand and stationary tools, the purpose of which is the curvilinear cutting of various materials from chipboard to metal. This is achieved by various elements included in the design of modern electric jigsaws. Consider some of the jigsaw fixtures called guides.

Peculiarities

The operation of the jigsaw can be adjusted by the following elements.

• The slope of the sole, due to which it is possible to perform oblique cuts. Used quite rarely.
• Stroke frequency, thereby adapting to the material. If you work with wooden materials, then use the maximum frequency, in other cases - the average.
• The pendulum movement of the canvas. This controls the vertical and longitudinal movements of the tool.

But the accuracy and quality of the cuts are ensured and controlled just by the guide elements of the jigsaw. These include the following devices: guide rail, support roller, ruler and laser illumination. The latter, however, is not present on all models of jigsaws.

Consider in detail the various jigsaw guides.

support roller

This part of the tool is a wheel that guides the main working body (sawing) and at the same time serves as a support for it, absorbing the efforts on the saw from the sawing process of a particular material. The function is actively revealed with a large amount of work and dimensions of the workpiece. When using the pendulum stroke, the saw blades begin to move more efficiently - not only up and down, but also back and forth. At the same time, dust and sawdust are better removed in the sawn groove, which means that the jigsaw produces a better cut.

The support roller is a necessary part in a jigsaw, without it neither a high-quality cut, nor a long operation of the engine, saw blades and other elements is possible. Due to frequent jamming and jamming in the material of the file, overheating of the moving mechanisms and overload of the electric motor would occur. And this all leads to their rapid wear and tear.

For the quality of the video, the following rules must be observed:

• cutting blades must be of good quality;
• thread modes must comply with the instructions attached to the tool;
• do not allow wood chips to get into the roller, and after work, clean the product from dust and debris.

Guide bar

This is a simple detail that resembles a ruler of large sizes, it can be up to 1.5 meters long. They are made from metal, usually aluminium. It has a groove in which the sole of the jigsaw is located and it moves along it. The guide may have rubber strips on its base that prevent sliding on the workpiece. Tire clamps are small clamps.

Some features when choosing a tire for a jigsaw:

• the price is determined by the size, quality of the materials used, as well as the brand, which indicates the durability of the tires used;
• it is important to use only products of trusted companies in order to avoid damage to the main equipment and situations associated with injuries;
• when using significant forces when cutting, the tire and material can be damaged;
• Lack of lubrication causes the tire to overheat.

There is a feature when choosing a tire for each tool. There are a wide variety of them on the market, but each brand releases this accessory only for its specific models, thereby minimizing the versatility of the jigsaw accessory.

Parallel stop

The device necessary for a straight cut: aligns the edges, makes a quality cut at the edge of the workpiece. The emphasis is similar to the letter "T", consists of a strap for fixing and a long ruler fixed on the body of the jigsaw.

Such a structure is installed parallel to the plane of the file, and the unit itself must fit snugly against the surface of the workpiece.

You can make a quality cut with this additional device only in the following cases.

• The plane for the support should be flat and parallel.
• The jigsaw should not move to the side during operation.
• The stop must be rigid and durable in use.
• It is necessary to press the shoe firmly against the support when working with the tool.

Ruler

The guide ruler is a product with an aluminum profile, having a length of 1 meter. Often comes with clamps. Clamps are universal - they are inserted from both sides of the ruler and are well tightened, fastening it to the workpiece. The jigsaw in its kit has a parallel stop, which was mentioned above, with a bar for fixing at one end. This device is inserted into the groove of the guide ruler and it turns out that the jigsaw is fixed with the guide.

Accordingly, using a fixed ruler, it is easy to cut with a jigsaw an ideally even or parallel line along the workpiece. If there is no stop in the jigsaw set, then the jigsaw is pressed against the ruler with the side of the sole and the necessary work is carried out.

laser pointer

This auxiliary device is necessary in order to be able to saw in hard-to-reach places or in poor lighting conditions. You can mount lighting in the unit yourself, but it is better to choose a jigsaw with a laser function if you are professionally engaged in such work.

The laser pointer makes it possible to cut the part along the intended path. Such a pointer is protected by a special screen that allows you to operate the device for a long time.

Such a convenient backlight can be turned on by pressing the button on the jigsaw. There are models in which the laser lights up when the tool is started, and goes out when the work is completed. It is necessary to pay attention to such features of jigsaws when choosing the most suitable option for yourself. Some manufacturers produce removable laser pointers that can be removed from the product if necessary and work without it.

However, it is worth warning that there are models with a laser that correctly shows only the first few centimeters of the cut, and then it starts to frankly “lie”. But, for example, at the Stumer unit, the laser is installed with high quality and thoroughly fixed. If the laser shows the direction incorrectly, then the device can be disassembled and aligned with the required direction. It will be correct if you try out the operation of this device when buying.

In most cases, the process of direct and figured cutting of materials requires the utmost precision of the tool. This statement is most true for an electric jigsaw. The thin saw blades used in this machine can easily change the cutting angle, which can adversely affect line accuracy. The clarity of the edges of the product and the evenness of the cutting line depends on the skills of the operator, the serviceability of the device and the saw. Next, we will tell you how to get the planned contour with perfectly clear edges and what to do if the jigsaw leads to the side.

Why does the jigsaw cut crooked

As usual, it is better to start with yourself and your approach to sawing. Often, novice craftsmen rush things and wanting to speed up the cut, they put a lot of pressure on the jigsaw. The tool does not have time to evenly bite into the material and create a clear groove for the file, which begins to follow the path of least resistance and makes unpredictable movements. This problem is especially common when working with thick timber (from 40 mm) and Soviet-era varnished plywood.

This is one of the reasons why the jigsaw leads away. What to do about it? The answer is obvious. Apply as little pressure as possible to guide the tool along the line and set the maximum RPM (when working with wood). Pendulum mode usually does not affect the evenness of the cut, if its design is good.

You can check the reliability of fixing the element by simply pulling it with your hand. Loosening of the rod or roller by more than 1 mm determines that this device is not capable of producing a perfectly even cut. The greater the backlash of the parts, the less accurate the cutting line they form. Correct this problem, should be based on the circumstances. If the part itself is worn out, it can be replaced with a similar one. It is difficult to fix the breakdown if the attachment to the mechanism is worn out. Not every modern Kulibin undertakes such repairs, and usually this problem is solved by purchasing a new tool.

To get an absolutely even cut, it is not necessary to be a master or have a professional tool with original consumables. For such purposes, there is a very simple and useful device, which we will discuss below.

Guide rail for jigsaw

The jigsaw guide is an elementary, at first glance, device that looks like a large metal ruler or rule. The main difference between the tire and the above devices is a special groove along which, like on rails, the sole moves with a jigsaw installed on it. Most guides have rubberized strips that prevent slipping on the surface of the material, and as an additional fixation, they are attached with small clamps. The average length of such devices is from 1.5 to 3 meters, and can be increased by another, similar ruler, using an adapter.

DIY jigsaw guide

For the convenience of using an electric jigsaw, various devices can be used. It is quite easy to assemble such devices for a jigsaw with your own hands.

For the convenience of using a jigsaw, you can use a workbench to mount the tool.

Tool attachments

The use of additional devices can not only improve the accuracy of manufacturing various parts, but also greatly facilitate the process of using a jigsaw. Such devices include the following:

• replaceable plates;
• extension;
• Desktop.

A locksmith's workbench for attaching a jigsaw can be made of wood or metal.

Very often, interchangeable inserts are supplied with many models of hand tools. They are designed to improve the quality of sliding of the saw part over the body of the workpiece. A good extension cord can be purchased at any electrical store for affordable money. But the desktop is much more difficult to choose. A good table will facilitate the processing of not only small workpieces, but also help to perform a high-quality cut of large-sized parts.

It is difficult to find a similar device that would meet individual needs in the store. In addition, it will have a rather high cost. Also, not all countertops are equipped with a mechanism that allows you to quickly dismantle the tool.

But you can solve these problems with the help of assembly with your own hands. This is not a very difficult task: anyone with minimal skills in locksmith tools can handle it.

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Desktop Assembly

The manufacture of a working supporting device begins with the preparation of its countertop. To do this, it is better to use an MDF sheet, the thickness of which is 8 mm. It is better to refuse the use of laminated chipboard. This is due to the fact that the thickness of such a sheet is 12-16 mm. Too large a tabletop will reduce the length of the working part of the file: the optimal dimensions of the tabletop should be 350x350 or 400x400 mm.

A hole should be prepared in the center of such a countertop. The diameter of this hole should allow the thickest file, with long teeth, to pass through it. Its optimal width should be 20-25 mm. This will allow the file to move freely without fear of breaking it.

To fix the jigsaw with your own hands to the countertop, you can use the rails. These slats should wrap around the sole on 3 sides, back and sides. In addition, the fastening of the rails must be made in such a way that it allows the sole to be moved in the longitudinal direction. To do this, you need to select a quarter from the rails using a cutter.

Multilayer plywood can be used as support legs. This will make the legs wide, with an enlarged supporting part.

In the lower part, they need to be connected with a base, which can also be made from the same plywood sheet.

Next, you need to install and secure the tool. Under his handle you need to install a small gasket. Such a gasket is best made of plastic. Such a gasket will improve not only the quality of fastening, but will also serve as a spacer.

The presence of a spacer will help reduce the load on the mounting rack part. Moreover, it will help eliminate the deflection of the tabletop during sawing. The use of a spacer will reduce vibration during operation, which will improve the quality of the saw seam.

At this stage, assembly work can be considered completed and proceed to testing the finished product. On such a table, installing a jigsaw with your own hands will not take much time. Moreover, the small overall dimensions of the structure will allow you to store it in any pantry, and if necessary, you can easily get it for operation.

The era of the electric tool did not come with the first electric drills, but when the electric motor became an attribute of a tool of a narrower focus: scissors, hacksaws, a wrench and, of course, a jigsaw.

Moreover, the electric jigsaw was one of the first in this series. Today it is one of the most popular tools in the home (and not only) workshop. And first of all, we are talking about a hand tool.

But in this article we are considering jigsaws, and these are almost stationary devices, which often have their own specific place in the workshop, because for comfortable work they require a base with the given parameters: height so that the arm placed on the desktop has a bend at the elbow of 90º and stability to dampen the vibrations of the machine itself.

What are jigsaws for?

Jigsaw machines are primarily designed for sawing parts or elements of complex configuration in sheet material: wood, plywood, MDF, fiberboard, chipboard, plastic, aluminum. Also, with their help, the internal contours of products are cut out with preliminary drilling of the material being cut.

Such a tool, unlike manual or electric jigsaws, leaves both hands free for those working on it, which greatly facilitates the work and allows you to perform it with the greatest accuracy. Most jigsaws, subject to the correct selection and installation of nail files, allow cutting even in fairly thick workpieces, with strict observance of an angle of 90º with respect to the plane of the workpiece.

Also, many models have an inclined table, which makes it possible to perform complex patterns at strictly specified angles other than straight, which is almost impossible when using manual or electric jigsaws.

In addition to home use, they are widely used in furniture production and musical instrument manufacturing enterprises. True, quite often they are replaced by laser machines, but the burnt edges left by the latter do not make their use ubiquitous.

General drawing, structural features of desktop jigsaws

The most common layout for jigsaw machines is as follows:

It includes:

• a frame (or body) on which all components and mechanisms are attached;
• drive, often from the electric motor with a V-belt to the crank;
• a crank mechanism that converts the rotational movement of the motor shaft into the reciprocating movement of the file;
• double rocker with a tensioner and attachments for sawing;
• desktop, sometimes with a mechanism for turning in a horizontal plane at a given angle.

Previously, miniature jigsaws with a somewhat simplified design were on sale, but it was precisely because of it, which led to a quick failure of the saw blades due to their short stroke, that their production was discontinued.

Most of the currently produced desktop jigsaws work with files 200 - 350 mm long and have a working stroke of 30 to 50 mm.

The differences between the machines mainly consist in the power of the electric drive (from 90 to 500 W - for most models), as well as the type and methods of attaching saw blades. Optimal, in our opinion, is a power of 150 watts.

And files, in addition to length, can vary in width (from 2 to 10 mm), type of shank (with or without pins) and thickness (from 0.6 to 1.25 mm).

In some models, you can install the simplest, often called "Soviet", files for manual jigsaws, which is a big advantage. To implement just such an opportunity, owners of jigsaws that do not have it often improve the fastening of their devices by installing clamps from a manual jigsaw on them.

Most desktop jigsaws have 2 speed modes: more often - 600 and 1000 rpm, which is very useful when working with materials of different thickness, hardness and viscosity. The presence of the already mentioned turntable for 99% of the work performed on the machine is a useless function.

Also, most jigsaws are equipped with additional devices, such as:

• compressor for blowing chips from the cutting line;
• sawing area illumination;
• drilling block, etc.

It’s impossible to call these devices useless, but it’s still not worth focusing on their presence when choosing a desktop jigsaw, since the same functions can be successfully performed:

• a compressor for an aquarium, with a blowing power chosen by you, is often more efficient than a regular one;
• a table lamp or a carrier with a luminous flux that is comfortable for your eyes;
• electric drill or screwdriver.

Even more complex devices, such as engraving drills that your machine can be equipped with, generally cause some bewilderment, but we’ll say right away that it’s better to have such tools that are not tied to a jigsaw (or any other) machine. Their mobility is often more expensive than the extended functionality of this very machine. Plus, it's not all free.

We make a choice of a manufacturer of a jigsaw machine

Most often, the Russian consumer has a choice of jigsaws Proxxon, Dewalt, Hegner, Xendoll, Bison, JET, Encore Corvette and Kroton. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages. We would, in terms of reliability and compliance with the characteristics declared by the manufacturer, single out the machines of the German company Hegner. Yes, and the line of this equipment they have is more authentic than many, but be sure to insist on sea trials when buying, regardless of which machine of which company you are going to buy.

And even if it is possible to choose from 2 identical machines, demand to turn on both. Buy one that has less noise and vibration.

Do-it-yourself jigsaw machine

Finding a drawing of such equipment on the Internet is a rather trivial task, but we do not consider it appropriate to single out any specific one, due to completely different approaches to implementation, both the very idea of ​​\u200b\u200bbuilding such a machine, and the selection of materials, type of drive and other things. We will offer several concepts for a homemade jigsaw machine and briefly analyze the advantages and disadvantages of each so that you can figure out what is best for you.

• First: the easiest to implement, suitable for most tasks for the manufacture of parts with a rather complex contour at home.

There are many options for attaching a manual electric jigsaw to a tabletop that serves as the desktop of the machine. Choose any, or offer your own and share with the readers of our site, for which we will be grateful.

The video also shows how to make a complex contour using not the thinnest file. And the main drawback of this design is the impossibility of using thin files, which makes it difficult to manufacture openwork parts.

• Second: wooden. Interesting due to the fact that the material is available, easy to process and repair.

In our opinion, it is interesting to use the same manual electric jigsaw, which is rational for two reasons:

• if necessary, it can also be used as an independent tool, which was how it was made;
• the drive has a built-in speed control, oscillation amplitude, eliminates additional mechanisms that reduce the reliability of the design.

However, for those who like to craft, there are alternative options for making a wooden jigsaw.

When using a drill or a screwdriver with an adjustable output shaft speed as a drive, it will also be possible to smoothly adjust the frequency of the saw blade.

Moreover, the control of this process can be transferred to the pedal with the help of a simple device, which will make the work even more comfortable, and the cut more accurate. Such jigsaws must be well reinforced with braces and stringers and securely fastened to the floor so that they do not move during operation.

• Third: metal. There is no doubt that this concept is the most reliable and durable (provided that serious manufacturing errors are excluded), but also the most expensive. It makes sense to implement it if there will be a large number of works and you will be able to save a sufficient amount by using the materials you already have. Otherwise, there is not so much sense in making such structures with your own hands, given that inexpensive factory-made jigsaw machines can be purchased for less than 4 thousand rubles.

Of course, the latter does not matter if you are interested in the process of technical creativity itself.

Dear readers, if you still have questions, ask them using the form below. We will be glad to communicate with you;)