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 we are considering jigsaws in this article, and this is practically stationary devices, which often have their own specific place in the workshop, for 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 at 90º and stability so that it dampens 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, provided correct selection and installation of nail files, allow cutting even in rather 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.
Except home use, they are widely used in furniture production and manufacturing plants musical instruments. However, quite often they are replaced 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 - the function is useless.
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 be used as independent tool, which 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 is alternatives manufacture of 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 the work will be a large number of 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;)
Many people know from childhood the fun of sawing with a jigsaw. The technology is simple. But despite the seeming ease and simplicity of work, you can get very beautiful lace made of wood or plastic. This is a very slow process that requires perseverance and patience. To facilitate labor, jigsaw machines were developed. They are functionally divided into two groups: with manual and electric drive.
Muscle-driven jigsaw device
Homemade machine is easy to make. You can find many drawings of this plywood product. Jigsaw, do it yourself and under hand tool in a short time, a simple but functional device is assembled.
The scope of jigsaws is extensive. They are used for cutting figured products from a variety of materials. And also machines are needed when cutting lumber. In this case, the outer contour of the workpiece remains intact. If you use different nail files, then homemade jigsaw perfectly handle natural wood, plywood, chipboard, plastic, metal, in particular aluminum.
Examples of drawings of a do-it-yourself jigsaw machine, which works on muscle strength, have been repeatedly cited in various magazines of the Soviet era.
Nail files for such a jigsaw machine are produced in the form of a flat blade.
The main parts of the machine:
- Stanina (A).
- A working table with a slot for a saw (B).
- Large drive pulley acting as a flywheel (D).
- Small drive pulley. The drive is combined with a crank mechanism (D).
- Levers (B).
- A pedal that spins the flywheel through the crank assembly (E).
- Saw Tension Unit (G).
The master, constantly pressing the pedal with his foot, spins the flywheel. Through the belt, the movement of the flywheel is transmitted to the second pulley. Which, in turn, makes the crank mechanism with the saw blade move.
If the flywheel is correctly balanced, without distortions and with a uniform, correctly selected mass, then the nail file achieves good smoothness. Such a plywood sawing machine allows you to quickly produce many simple similar products. Cutting time and effort is significantly reduced.
With this design of the machine, the size of the initial workpiece is limited. It depends on the length of the levers (B). When the pattern becomes more complex, it is necessary to rotate the product around the saw.
Since the foot drive does not provide a completely uniform stroke and limits the freedom and imagination of the master, most often such machines are replaced with electric ones.
The design of the electric jigsaw
Electric jigsaw tape - this is a household universal fixture for the manufacture of souvenir products, furniture, various interior items. There are many options for the manufacture of such machines. But the main elements on which product quality and ease of use depend are the electric motor and the blade of the blade.
Main structural elements:
- Saw blade.
- Crank mechanism.
- Drive part.
- Tape tensioner.
- Bed or desktop.
- Various accessories.
Device and principle of operation
Alteration from a manual jigsaw
The first step is to make a desktop for the mechanism. Suitable for these purposes a metal sheet or thick plywood. Holes are drilled and cut out in the worksheet for the cutting tape and fasteners.
Then the jigsaw table is placed on regular table. After fixing, you can assemble the guide rails. To reduce vibration, just cut the rubber gasket right size and put between the jigsaw table and the main surface.
The above design is convenient in that it can be easily disassembled, and it can be used again as a manual jigsaw.
Since the standard apparatus has springs that tension the saw, a rocker is needed. One end of the rocker arm is attached to the cutting element of the machine, and the other is under spring tension. These simple actions will easily turn ordinary electric jigsaw into the machine.
When using the device, it is important not to forget to turn off the pendulum stroke before starting cutting.
Sewing machine assembly
From a sewing machine, you can also quickly and easily assemble a homemade jigsaw machine. Moreover, this device has interesting feature- a nail file stroke regulator, since there is a speed switch on sewing machines.
First, at the bottom of the machine, you need to find the thread weaving knot. To do this, unscrew a few screws. Inside, the cotter pin is knocked out and the drive shaft is removed, which is connected to the weaving complex. After completing this procedure, the top panel is unscrewed. The groove along which the needle traveled expands slightly to fit the saw blade. The nail files themselves are slightly shortened to the size of the length of the needle. To fix the saw itself, you can make an adapter. But the easiest way is to grind off the upper part of the cutting blade and sharpen the lower one. After that, you can insert the nail file in place of the needle and get to work.
When working with jigsaws of any type, you should not forget about the safety rules. Do not leave the device turned on for a long time unattended.
If the master long hair, then it is better to pick them up or use a special cap. It is better to roll up sleeves on clothes. The room must be well ventilated. In the room where carpentry work takes place, a first aid kit with first aid for cuts must be kept.
Here is the general scheme of the jigsaw machine.
I had a homemade machine tool, I have already briefly written about it. Since I am a furniture maker, I made it from the remnants of LMDF. Cheap and cheerful :). I did not care at all about the appearance, as long as I worked. And he did a good job! On it, I understood all the nuances of cutting out from the array hard rock wood such as walnut, oak, ash. Everything would be fine, but at the drive, and they were served by a Krees 350W construction jigsaw. 15 years of experience! At the drive, the speed regulator has "covered itself", it turns on immediately to the maximum and immediately tears the file. I did not find a native proprietary regulator. What kind of regulators I have not tried, and dimmers for chandeliers and regulators from shv. machines, vacuum cleaners. The desired result, namely a wide range of adjustment, I could not achieve.
The photo shows the principle of operation of the jigsaw. the construction jigsaw transmits oscillatory movements to the rocker, on which, in turn, the file is fixed.
In the end, I gave up. The Moor has done his job, the Moor must go. I decided to buy a new jigsaw drive. All Chinese versions of jigsaws are not suitable, adjustment on them is one name. I found what I was looking for in the Makita brand store. Jigsaw 450 W. Wide range of adjustment, and does not yell like Chinese jigsaws! Quietly works!
Here is my new drive, Makita 4327.
I found a new drive, but it didn’t work to put it in place of the old one, the height is not suitable. I decided, rather than redo it, it is better to make a new one, taking into account the elimination of the inconveniences identified in the process of working on the old one.
1. Increase the clearance from the file to the frame (on the old one it was 27 cm.) For this you need an elongated rocker.
2. Increase the vertical stroke of the saw blade for good chip removal. (on the old one, the saw stroke is 18mm.)
3. Appearance! Schaub was not ashamed to take pictures. :)
And so! machine is ready!
Here is my new machine!
The clearance from the file to the frame is 45cm! 30mm vertical stroke! Dream!
Trial cutting. The result is excellent! The Makita regulator does a great job. The machine works by noise like a household sewing machine.
The desktop jigsaw is designed for sawing various parts having a complex configuration, from sheet materials. This tool is able to work with MDF, chipboard, fiberboard and many others. Also, jigsaws can cut out the internal contours of parts, if you first make a small hole. This tool has a wide range of applications, as it is able to provide high performance work that can not be achieved with a conventional hacksaw.
Design features
The device diagrams of all jigsaw machines are usually the same. Having carefully examined the drawings, which depict this tool, you can see its following structural units:
- bed, which is also often called the body. It is designed to accommodate all structural elements unit;
- drive mechanism;
- crank mechanism. It is necessary to convert the rotational energy of the motor shaft into the movement of the file used during operation;
- double rocker. Equipped with fasteners for sawing and tensioning device;
- Desktop. In some modern models it has a turning mechanism that moves to a given angle.
How to make a machine from a jigsaw?
To make a jigsaw from a manual jigsaw, follow these instructions:
- First you need to make a table where a home-made jigsaw will be installed in the future. To do this, use any durable sheet material- thick plywood, metal and others.
- They do it on the table through holes designed for the cutting blade and various fasteners.
- The resulting jigsaw table is installed and securely fixed on a suitable wooden table.
- The resulting table is equipped with guide rails.
- A manual jigsaw is fixed at the bottom, which allows you to replace the drive mechanism of the machine and many of its other structural elements.
Everyone can make such a jigsaw machine with their own hands. Its advantage lies in the fact that at any time this unit can be quickly disassembled and only hand tools can be used.
Homemade jigsaw table-machine from a manual electric jigsaw
How to make a more professional tool?
Homemade jigsaw can have all the qualities that are present in professional equipment. To make it, you need to follow these instructions:
- The bed is made from any durable material - 12 mm plywood, plastic, textolite and others. It should consist of a base, a body to accommodate all structural units and a desktop.
- On the other hand, a rocking chair with an eccentric is placed. They need to be interconnected using metal plates with sleeve-type bearings. The resulting structure is installed with screws.
- The intermediate shaft is formed from several bearings.
- The metal pulley is very tightly put on the shaft and the screw connection is fixed.
- To change the movement characteristics of the rocking chair, 4 round threaded holes are made on the eccentric flange. They should be placed from the center line at different distances. The amplitude of the movement of the rocking chair is regulated by the location of the screws.
- The rocking chair is formed from wooden yokes, which are attached to the rack on a swivel joint.
- Small cuts are made at the rear ends of the rockers. They are designed to install voltage screws.
- The front ends of the rocker arm are designed to install the file. It moves with the help of special metal hinges. Before fixing the file, it is installed in a groove placed on the desktop.
- The rocking chair is made from a single piece of durable material. At its upper end, a groove is made for installing the rocker arm, and near the lower end, a small rectangular hole is cut out for mounting the second rocker arm.
How to make a machine from a sewing machine?
From a sewing machine, an excellent jigsaw is obtained, which is equipped with a saw blade movement regulator. It is not difficult to make it if you follow these instructions:
- From the bottom of the machine, the thread weaving mechanism is dismantled. In some models, it may be located elsewhere.
- To dismantle this assembly, it is necessary to remove a few bolts, and then remove the cotter pin and drive shaft.
- The top protective panel is unscrewed. After that, the groove along which the sewing needle moves must be expanded to fit the file parameters.
- The cutting element itself is also slightly modified. It is cut according to the length of the sewing needle.
- It is not necessary to make an adapter for installing the cutting element. Instead, you can grind off the upper incisors a little and process the lower area of \u200b\u200bthe blade.
- The nail file is inserted into the needle holder and work begins.
All the presented options for the manufacture of jigsaw machines are very successful. The resulting units are highly productive, and it is not difficult to make them. Depending on their skills, each master will be able to choose best model homemade equipment.
Video: Sewing machine jigsaw
Cutting plywood with a hand jigsaw requires attention and time. The result is beautifully practical products.
To process material in order to create decorative elements used hand saw. As a result of processing wood, plywood, plastic, handicrafts are created that have practical use and aesthetic value.
Figure sawing is an exciting hobby that brings practical, moral and material benefits. From plywood and wooden blanks you can make:
- a vase for sweets;
- basket;
- desktop stand for postcards;
- lamp;
- hanger in the hallway, living room;
- photo frame;
- needle bed;
- bread box;
- panel;
- candlestick;
- stand for hot, for eggs;
- casket.
Beginners for carving can choose light patterns, simple circuits, drawings of crafts, sketches that have a pleasant appearance. After mastering the sawing technique, you can try your hand at jewelry models with openwork fragments.
Using a jigsaw, you can make platbands for home design. A variety of sketches allows you to create this element, which will provide the decoration of the interior. By curly cutting, you can make crafts from wood.
You can cut out beautiful decor elements from plywood. Using stencils for a jigsaw, it is easy to make photo frames, mirrors and much more from blanks. Handmade will complement the design of the room, emphasize the chosen style.
Operating procedure
To get a quality product and minimize the formation of defects, you need to work slowly, focus on the process. Before starting work, it is recommended to make sure that the thickness of the plywood is equal to the height of the groove on the printed sketch.
Stencil preparation
Schemes for sawing out with a tool can be of various sizes. To create a drawing of an interior item, such as a shelf, you will need to use A1 or A0 paper, and for toys you can use a standard sheet of cardboard.
The contour of the product is applied to the surface in compliance with the exact dimensions. Templates for sawing with a manual jigsaw can be found on special resources. But it’s easier to come up with your own compositions based on the type of workpiece. Individual approach to the development of the product scheme will emphasize the texture of the tree.
Transferring the image to the surface of plywood or boards
To qualitatively apply a contour to the surface of plywood or wood, print the template on thick paper. Transferring a drawing from an A4 drawing can be a lot of trouble if you draw an ornament with a pencil.
In order to apply contours, complex patterns, you can use auxiliary methods. One way involves the use of carbon paper. To do this, a carbon copy is placed on the workpiece. A template is placed on top and lines are drawn.
The drawing can be glued to plywood with 2-sided tape. When using adhesive, it is necessary to clean the surface with sandpaper. Affordable way involves the use of a stencil made using nail scissors. After preparation, the template is applied to the surface and each fragment is outlined with a pencil.
For convenience, the sheet is fixed with adhesive tape or insulating tape. The pattern can be applied thermally. For this, an inkjet printer is used, with which the diagram is printed. After that, the pattern is applied to the surface front side and processed with a heated iron.
Sawing process technology
Sawing out of plywood is carried out after drawing a drawing on the workpiece. Processing begins with the internal elements of the product, and then the outer contour is cut out. This order of work allows you to get a straight line, provides convenient fastening of the workpiece.
Holes for the canvas must be drilled in sharp places of the internal contour. This requires attention, as chips may form on the back. To avoid this, it is recommended not to make holes completely.
You can limit the depth with the help of an insulating tape that is wrapped around the drill. After that, turn the workpiece over and process the hole with an awl. After finishing work, the product is polished with a file or needle file.
Small items require delicate handling, so it is recommended to be smart when handling. To do this, cut off a thin strip of sandpaper and insert it into the jigsaw file instead of the canvas.
Sawing with a hand tool requires the equipment of a special machine with a clamp. This fixture is used as a base. During processing, the workpiece is fixed at chest level, which provides convenience and allows you to carefully monitor the process.
For beginners, it is important to be careful when using a jigsaw in order to work out smooth movements. Cutting blade for jigsaw fragile Therefore, it is recommended to avoid distortions, sudden movements, overheating.
When machining a workpiece, the movements must be reciprocating, and the tool must be positioned vertically. Application electric jigsaw requires fastening the workpiece to the workbench. With this equipment, workpieces with a thickness of 5 cm can be processed.
Defects in work
If the workpiece processing technology is violated, the tool may be displaced. The jigsaw may cut crookedly if the tool is tilted or mounted incorrectly. If the blade is stuck at the stage of forming curly elements, then you will need to carefully draw a new line parallel to the fragment with the defect.
A little about safety
Jigsaw for figured cutting is a curved frame. The tool is equipped with a handle, 2 mounts for the cutting blade, which allow you to cut patterns of varying complexity.
Depending on the type of work, different nozzles are selected. Thick saws are used for cutting contours, and thin canvases are used for openwork work. It is possible to mechanize the processing of workpieces with the help of an electric tool. To speed up the process, individual models are equipped with a pendulum mechanism.
A stationary electric tool that is mounted on a static surface resembles a sewing machine. The use of equipment of this type eliminates the errors of a perpendicular cut.
Sawing with a jigsaw requires compliance with safety rules. Workplace must be properly equipped. When working, it is recommended to use personal protective equipment.
