The process of owning and operating a power tool is combined with the constant replacement of consumable work items.
The saw blade gradually loses its carbide taps, becoming ineffective; drills for a drill tend to break or grind off from constant contact with one or another dense material; a cutting disc for a grinder, lasts no more than ten minutes of intensive work.
File classification
The purpose of the jigsaw is similar to the purpose circular saw- execution of a cut in a particular material. However, unlike a circular saw that can only make a straight cut, a jigsaw allows you to make circular and curly cuts. This possibility is largely due to consumable tool - with its file. Thin metal small blades and small teeth allow the jigsaw to maneuver in any material.
Most use a jigsaw for sawing wood blanks and wood-based products - chipboard, fiberboard, using appropriate wood saws. However, using special files, the tool can also handle metal, plastic, cut Decoration Materials- such as tiles, stone and porcelain stoneware.
Wood saws.
Many jigsaws, regardless of brand, have an article consisting of two capital letters and two digits separated from each other by a fraction.
Example: LE 80/800. LE - "electric jigsaw". The number 800 indicates the power of the position in watts. But the figure 80 indicates the maximum thickness of a wooden product that a jigsaw can cut using the saw that comes with it. That is, in this case, the thickness is 80 mm.
Important: The number given in the article reflects the thickness of the wooden one! blanks. Modern jigsaws are capable of cutting metal, plastic and aluminum, but the maximum thickness of products in the case of processing products from these materials will be much smaller, and its value is never reflected in the article number of the model.
Marking of saw blades for wood:
- T101D: The most popular file model. It has large teeth, a large step and is designed for rough cuts.
- Т101В: It has smaller teeth than the previous model and is intended for a clean cut.
- T101BR: Same size and pitch as previous model.
- T119VO: The cross-section of this model is very thin, which gives it the ability to perform curly cut.
The shape and size of the teeth of this model allows it to cut not only standard wooden blocks and boards, but also plywood of a large section.
Typically, this type of file is used for working with plywood and plexiglass.
The difference is that the position of the teeth is reversed. Allows to process materials such as laminate, glued wood.
The size of the teeth is very small, which allows the file to leave a clean and even cut on materials such as plywood, chipboard, fiberboard.
There are models of long jigsaw files. For example, such as the T 345 XF. This version allows you to easily cope with a board thickness of 100 mm.
Files for different types work on wood, metal, plastic
Metal saws.
The thickness of the processed metal product is much less than the same value for wood blank... For the jigsaw model LE 80/800, given above, this characteristic will be 6 mm. A very small value compared to the fact that the maximum thickness of the wood for the same tool position will be 80 mm.
Classification of files for metal:
- T118A: The strong structure of its material and a very fine tooth allow for the ability to cut metal.
- Т224D: Designed to work with aluminum products, the thickness of which can reach 20 mm.
In addition to metal products, the size of the teeth of such a file makes it possible to work with plastic.
Diamond files.
Saw blades of this kind are designed to work with fragile materials that tend to crumble during the sawing process. It is about materials such as tiles, slate and ceramic tiles. A diamond-coated blade can also cut metal, but such an application will lead to the fact that the consumable element will quickly fail and will require replacement.
Peculiarity diamond files consists in the fact that their blade is completely devoid of teeth. Cutting occurs due to diamond dust crumbs.
As a rule, the abrasion of three Latin letters - DIA is applied on the saw blade with abrasive diamond dusting.
Diamond coated and DIA lettering. Designed for ceramics.
How to insert a file into a jigsaw
Changing the saw blade is a fairly common procedure, provided the tool is used regularly. Lost efficiency jigsaw blades cannot be restored - it is much easier to purchase this consumable at the nearest tool store and replace it. Buying is not a problem.
Fortunately, we have not observed a shortage of such products for a long time, and the cost of a saw blade will clearly not hit the pocket.
But replacing the file for an inexperienced jigsaw user can cause some difficulties. In order to avoid them, we will consider the main options and features of replacing the saw blade.
Shoe mount.
On many household jigsaw models, the saw is attached with a quick-clamping block, which secures the saw blade with two front adjusting screws. Such a clip for a jigsaw file is a slightly outdated design, however, it is not devoid of advantages, the main of which is its versatility - blades of any type and size are suitable for such a saw holder.
The disadvantage is that if the adjusting screws are unevenly tightened, the file may be skewed, which will lead to a curvature of the cut.
The latter feature, however, can be considered as a positive factor in some cases. The fact is that the jigsaw stem can bend during operation. So, using the degree of freedom that the saw attachment allows, you can use the same adjusting screws to bring the saw blade into a vertical plane.
Quick-release fastening.
A more modern file attachment point is the quick-clamping one. This design allows replacement without removing the tool cover. The process flow is very simple:
- Pull back the lever located on the tool body - in this case, the rod is automatically extended to the plane of the sole.
The saw shank is inserted into the holder.
- With a special hex key we fix the blade by turning the adjusting screw. You can immediately tighten it to failure, and then, gradually weakening, achieve the desired position.
For all the seeming simplicity and convenience of this design of the attachment point, there are points that can be called disadvantages. If the previous block system is universal in the sense that all standard sizes of the saw blade are applicable to it, then in the case of a quick-clamping design, only consumables with a specific shank shape are used.
On the other hand, such a consumable is found everywhere, so you should not consider this nuance as an obvious drawback. Another point is that the file in this type of mount has a slight longitudinal play. It can be compared with the degree of freedom of the drill, which, being in the chuck of the hammer drill, has the ability to move longitudinally. This feature does not affect the quality of the jigsaw.
In the photo, the moment of inserting the blade into the mount while the lever is pulled
There is another type of fastening, which does not apply to quick-locking, and consists in the fact that the file is fixed with only one screw, in contrast to the first case, where there are two screws. This design is quite rare and is found, for example, on a jigsaw of the Protool brand.
Protool has a different mount than other jigsaws
Jigsaw blades DeWALT DT2216-QZ / DT2220-QZ
These DeWALT blades belong to the XPC series and are designed for working with wood. High quality steel guarantees durability and long service life. The optimized tooth geometry, as well as the increased blade stiffness, improves controllability, cut accuracy and reduces the likelihood of inadvertent blade exiting the material during cutting.
Large interdental cavities increase cutting speed and are cleared of chips faster. Bimetallic blades DT2220-QZ with working length 75 mm are recommended for processing wood, chipboard, plywood and plastic up to 60 mm thick. The unique plunge point geometry allows clean plunge cuts to be carried out comfortably while avoiding kickback. DT2216-QZ saws with a working length of 54 mm are designed for fast and accurate curvilinear cutting of wood, chipboard and plywood up to 15 mm thick.
With the help of an electric jigsaw, curved and straight cuts are made during processing different materials- from wood to glass and steel. The tool itself is versatile, but this does not apply to jigsaw files. For each individual task, you need a specific canvas. In order not to be mistaken with the choice of this element, you need to know how the canvases differ from each other.
Features of the classification
Nowadays, high demands are placed on the tool. Speed of work, productivity, evenness and accuracy of the cut are important. All jigsaw files can be divided into several groups according to the following criteria:
- web width;
- shank type;
- material of the workpiece to be processed;
- shape and pitch of teeth;
- web thickness.
Now in more detail about this.
Shank type
Shanks differ in the type of attachment... There are different options:
- T-shaped or "Boshevsky". Exactly Bosch the idea of its creation belongs. As the company is a leader in its field, other manufacturers have also started to produce T-shank jigsaws, now these models have flooded the market.
- U-shaped. It is less common than the previous one, but also often - the second most common. American version, suitable for older types of jigsaws. Compatible with models with shoe and screw terminals.
There are also Makita and Bosch shanks. These are already outdated samples that are suitable only for old-style instruments and "their" manufacturer.
Processing material
The material of manufacture can be called the main classification feature that most accurately separates jigsaw blades ... Allows you to describe in detail the features of the operation of canvases:
There are universal saw blades that handle both wood and metal with equal success, since there are large teeth on one side of the file, and small ones on the other. This canvas will not provide curly processing and impeccable sawing. If abrasive particles are present in the material, as in gypsum or cement, the blades become blunt about such very quickly.
Here you need products with hard alloy soldering on the cutting part. Cardboard or rubber is cut with "toothless" saws that resemble knives. The cut is made with a wave and grinding.
Difference in tooth shape
In addition to the material, the files differ in the shape of the tooth... The possibility of use also depends on this. The teeth are as follows:
By width, thickness and pitch of teeth
The width is selected taking into account the requirements for the results of the work. Wide products are more stable, so they can cut at high speeds without deviations. If you need a well-cut curve, narrower files are also suitable, with which it is easy to make turns. The teeth should be located on the drive axis - this makes the tool more controllable.
The thickness determines how much the file will be deflected from the vertical. Thick blades are the best for a perpendicular, straight cut, but they are unlikely to work with jigsaws with a quick clamping mechanism.
The pitch of the teeth is the distance between their tops. In most countries, the TPI ("teeth per inch") step designation is accepted. Measured by the number of teeth per inch of length. If the TPI is 5, for example, there are five teeth per inch of blade. For cross-cutting wood, it is more advisable to use a saw with TPI 7-4. For routine work 7-9 is enough. An extremely accurate cut will help to make a file with TPI13-10.
It is necessary to take into account the thickness of the workpiece - 6-8 teeth must work at the same time, otherwise the blade will vibrate, and the saw cut will come out ragged.
Especially for those who are just mastering the basics of carpentry, it will be very useful to familiarize themselves with the marking of the files. After all, the appearance of the canvas does not always give an idea of its purpose.
Most manufacturers label products using the Bosch system. Marking is done on the shank and includes letters and numbers.
The first letter indicates the type of shank:
- U-shaped;
- T-shaped;
- Fein standard;
- M - for Makita jigsaws.
After that, a number is put that indicates the length:
1 - no more than 75 mm;
2 - 75-90 mm;
3 - 90-150 mm;
- A - small;
- B - medium;
- C or D - large.
The last letter provides important additional information:
- P - exact cut;
- F - working part made of bimetallic alloy of special strength;
- O - narrow back;
- X - progressive pitch of teeth;
- R - reversible direction of the teeth.
The shank color also says a lot:
- Gray - for wood processing.
- Blue is for metal.
- Red is for plastic.
The steel of the blade is represented by a combination of letters on the neck:
- CV - chrome vanadium steel;
- HM - hard alloys;
- HSS - high speed steel;
- BM (BiM) - CV and HSS connection (strong and durable);
- HCS (CV) - high carbon steel.
Often there is letter designations, directly speaking about its purpose. With basic knowledge of English language there will be no difficulty in decoding these letter combinations. It's about the following:
With knowledge of the specifics of the product, you will choose the most suitable file that will serve long time and will accurately fulfill the task. If you need a jigsaw a couple of times a year, it is better to purchase a universal model for rough work, and entrust the curly accurate cutting to the craftsmen.
Processing of abrasive materials.
Processing of metal products of various hardness.
Processing of wood products.
Cutting tools (they have a combined blade and are used for wood and metal products).
Processing of stainless steel.
Processing of various plastic items.
For processing products from fibrous materials.
Fibrous materials are classified into:
laminate;
ceramic products;
cement.
The performance of a jigsaw depends on the size and pitch of the teeth on the blade, which is used to process the material.
When buying a cutting blade, consider the length or thickness of the material to be cut. The length of the file should be 5 mm more than the thickness of the material, plus the stroke of the jigsaw.
Back to the table of contents
Cutting shape
The teeth of a jigsaw file are its cutting part. It can be divided into:
File characteristics table
Table of characteristics of saws for wood.
The cutting part, in which the teeth are milled, set apart. The set of teeth, which are bent one through one to the right and left, prevents heating of the cutting tool, helps to remove sawdust that forms as a result of cutting. The width of the saw blade is made professionally, if it leaves a cut equal to one and a half thickness of the blade. Such varieties are used for quick cutting of wood, plastic, metal products of various hardness.
Cutting part with milled teeth in the form of waves. The adjustment of the cutting tool is not done through the tooth, but several pieces in opposite directions from each other. Such a blade is used when it is necessary to obtain a clean and even cut. This is important when cutting plastics, non-ferrous metals and other non- solid materials.
Cutting part with ground teeth. It has a conical shape. Such cutting tool, with conical processing used for "fine" cutting of plastics and various types of wood.
Cutting part with set teeth is ground. Such a cutting tool is used for fast, careless sawing of small diameter wood (up to 50 mm). It is used to work with fiberboard and chipboard.
For the convenience of consumers, manufacturing firms have developed a special marking and apply it to the tail of the cutting device. This marking uses groups of letters and numbers.
Back to the table of contents
Explanation of designations
Saw blade markings
The first number indicates the length of the cutting blade. It can take a value from 1 to 7. The number 7 "says" that the file is more than 15 cm long.
The letter behind the first number indicates the size of the teeth (A, B, C, D). The “A” symbol denotes very small teeth, and any metal cutting tool has this designation.
F - the most expensive cutting tool (bimetal blade);
R - cutting tool with teeth in the opposite direction;
X - a universal blade for metal, plastic and wood products;
P - the thickest blade, this cutting tool is used when cutting various materials at a selected angle, they do not bend due to their thickness, the cut is perfectly even;
O - blade for a curved cut.
Naturally, for processing various materials manufacturing firms make canvases from different brands become.
For saws cutting wood, high carbon steel (HSE - High Carbon Steel) is used. In fact, carbon is one of the cheapest and most effective alloying additives, when, as it rises in iron, the hardness increases sharply, but plasticity is lost. Carbon in carbon steels reaches 2%. The hardness of such steel is quite capable of ensuring the processing of wood.
Large teeth provide great depth cuts, but may break the edges of the tree. To prevent the wood from breaking, it is necessary to use fine-toothed saws with a minimum feed. Also, for sawing wood, the technology of sawing along the fibers or diagonally relative to them is effective.
A saw for a straight cut holds the direction well, however, it will not be possible to cut a small radius using it - such a file has a wide back, which is why it “keeps the line” so well. For a curved cut, a special thin file for a curved cut is suitable. The back of such a saw blade is much narrower when compared with a saw designed for straight sawing, often the back is even narrower than the shank. It is almost impossible to make a straight cut with its help - at a long distance it instantly takes to the side.
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Manual and jigsaw have long been "stuck" with home craftsmen. These are very useful devices that allow you to accurately and accurately cut almost any material of various thicknesses and configurations. But before proceeding with the work, it is necessary that the jigsaw file is correctly chosen. However, immediately accept correct solution pretty hard. This is due not only to a large selection, but also huge amount types of canvas.
Some general information
If you have a jigsaw and no files, then this useless tool... If you have a whole set of files, then you can cut almost any material. Do not think that the jigsaw is designed to work only with metal or plastic products. While it can be argued that it is perfectly advisable to have both a manual and an automatic tool, a little later you will understand why. With the proper skill, you can make straight and curved cuts on chipboard, ceramics, metal, and so on. But it should be understood that for each type of material there is its own jigsaw file. For example, the assortment of the BOSCH company provides for a variety of blades that can work with plywood, plastic, etc. Of course, each material has a different thickness, density, hardness and other parameters, this imposes certain requirements on the quality of the blade steel.
Jigsaw blades
It is quite logical that without a file you will not be able to complete the work you need. Today, all blades for hand tools are divided into two large groups:
- for woodwork;
- for metal work.
Each of these groups is divided into subgroups. For example, a blade for wood can be for quick sawing. This is one of the most common and popular nail files. Its peculiarity is that a large amount of material can be processed with such a blade at high speed. For example, with such a file it is not a problem to cut a workpiece 20 cm in diameter. However, this tool leaves behind a significant number of defects, so it is advisable to use it only for auxiliary works or the construction of buildings.
And here is the file for hand jigsaw clean cut allows you to get a high-quality surface. This is achieved due to the large number of small teeth, as a result of which the cut is smooth and practically without defects. However, in this case, the maximum diameter of the workpiece should not exceed 7.5 cm. There are also files for the laminate. They have a unique arrangement of teeth that do not leave any marks behind.
Metal blade
It is one thing to process a material such as wood, quite another to process metal. Please note that the saw blade is not suitable for sawing metal sheets... But learning to distinguish between files is extremely simple. A jigsaw blade for metal has a blue shank, which is the main distinguishing feature. The teeth are very small, allowing you to work with sheets of 6 mm thick.
Combined canvases are increasingly being sold today. According to the manufacturers, they are well suited for working with wood and metal. But we can say with confidence that this is not the best solution, since the work performed is somewhat difficult and stretched out in time. In any case, a jigsaw file for metal must be made of quality material.
Electric, table and hand jigsaws
It should be understood that, despite the same purpose, files for this instrument have fundamental differences. For example, the blade for a hand jigsaw is quite thin and long, and also attaches on both sides. In a jigsaw, it is shorter and thicker, and also has a completely different installation method. If the tool is hand-held, then you should always have several spare files. This is due to their fragility. They really break down often and at the most inopportune moment.
There are also saws for The tool itself is stationary and is great for cutting wood. The canvas in this case is more similar to that used in hand tool... However, it is less brittle, so it breaks less often. These saws are designed for workpieces with a maximum diameter of 4 cm for wood and 0.2 cm for metal products.
Jigsaw blades marking
Special designations on the canvas can say a lot. Firstly, this way you can find out what material the product is made of. By the way, this is very important, especially when performing important work. For example, if HCS is written on the body, it means that the blade is made of and is intended for cutting soft materials, in particular wood, chipboard, plastic, etc. But, for example, the inscription HSS indicates that the file is made of high-speed hardened steel. It is a hard, but at the same time quite brittle material that can be used to work with both aluminum and steel. large thickness.
But the marking of BIM jigsaw files means that the blade is bimetallic. Basically, it is a combination of HCS and HSS. Such a file has improved properties, but also a high cost. The HM mark means that such a blade can be used for particularly hard materials, for example, sawing ceramic tiles etc. In principle, it is not so difficult to understand the marking, if you remember this, then choosing the appropriate canvas will be extremely simple.
Learn more about the right choice
When buying, you should always pay attention to the blade shank. Naturally, it has only one mount, unlike a hand saw. Although today the world famous company "Bosch" produces with two stops. In any case, it is advisable to first read the instructions, where it will be written what is suitable for your instrument. For example, the Makita company produces jigsaws with a mount that is fundamentally different from other models. At both ends there are specially cut circles of different diameters. Naturally, you can't put a file with a different type of attachment on a jigsaw.
You need to understand that the canvas can have different lengths. For wood cutting, this is usually 51-126 mm, for metal - up to 106 mm. The selection should be based on the thickness of the workpiece to be machined. The thicker it is, the longer the canvas should be. For example, thin jigsaw blades are used to make a figured cut in wood. They are quite fragile, but give more options to the operator.
Blade for working with laminate
Today many people say that for processing parquet boards or laminate flooring, an exceptionally clean cut is required. Someone might advise using almost a diamond-coated canvas. However, the price of such a tool is very high, for a set of 5 files you will have to pay several thousand rubles. In principle, sometimes the jigsaw itself can cost so much.
So, it is not at all necessary to purchase an instrument that is too expensive. A blade is usually sufficient for a clean cut. Of course, there will be a chip of about 1-2 mm. However, in most cases, the laminate is covered with skirting boards, which are much larger than the chip. For this simple reason, don't overpay. When buying jigsaw files for laminate, pay attention to the quality of the product. Many modern canvases burn very strongly when working with wood, chipboard and laminate. Therefore, make your purchase with a small margin.
Something about the shape of the teeth
The blade tooth configuration determines the capabilities of the tool. A large number of fine teeth improves the quality of the cut, but significantly reduces the speed. If there are few teeth and they are large, then such a cut will be extremely sloppy, but very fast. Conventionally, according to the shape of the teeth, the saws can be divided into the following groups:
- Divorced (milled) - used for cutting soft materials such as wood and plastic, as well as non-ferrous metals. The layout contributes to the fact that unnecessary heat does not accumulate, and the sawdust is removed from the cut and the blade.
- Wavy (milled) - used for clean cutting of aluminum, soft materials (wood, plastic) and non-ferrous metals. In this case, the setting is performed in groups, that is, several teeth in a row in one direction.
- Tapered (sanded) is a good solution for getting a clean cut in wood and plastic. The non-working edge is sanded. These are typical jigsaw blades for laminate flooring.
- Ground, set teeth - one of the better solutions for rough cuts in wood, chipboard, blockboard, etc.
Width and thickness of the blade
When choosing, it is extremely important to pay attention to the width of the file. This parameter affects not only the quality, but also the speed of the work performed. If the canvas is wide, then it will not only be stable, but also more durable, and also practically will not deviate from the intended plane. Of course, this is also high speed cutting, don't forget about that. At the same time, narrow saws provide good maneuverability compared to wide ones. The location of the teeth on the axis of the jigsaw drive allows you to better follow the intended plane with minimal deviations.
Thickness is also not the last parameter that makes sense to pay attention to. Blades that are too thin cannot provide the proper perpendicularity of the cut. In addition, the thicker the file, the higher its stability.
Something else
You probably know that the blade teeth must be harder than the material being cut. So, to perform work on cutting glass, ceramics, metal and stone, you will need special files. The main requirement is increased strength. It is best to use bimetallic blades for such purposes, which are 1/3 hardened steel and 2/3 high-carbon steel. The service life of such files is long enough, so they will pay off with interest. In addition, the risk of sudden breakdown is much lower here than in classic versions... But since it is not difficult to choose a file for a jigsaw, and you already know how to do it, you will not have any problems when choosing the appropriate bimetallic blade.
Conclusion
If we talk about manufacturers that have proven themselves well, then these are the companies "Bosch", "Makita" and "Praktika". The saws of these companies are famous all over the world for their high quality and excellent operational properties... If you are not afraid to spend an extra 200 rubles, then buy paintings of these particular brands, and you will not regret anything. Do not forget that all files have their own purpose; use for other purposes is unlikely to lead to the expected results. The jigsaw is a high-speed tool, so secure the blade securely and try to work with protective goggles and gloves. Basically, we have covered the main types of jigsaw files. Now you know that there are canvases for wood, metal, as well as combined and for other materials. Paying attention to the marking of the product and the method of its fastening, you will definitely make the right choice.