Without a jigsaw, many woodworking operations are impossible. Compact and lightweight, it allows you to manufacture products of even the most complex geometries. Sometimes, for example, with large volumes of work, it is more convenient to work with this tool not as a manual jigsaw, but in a machine format. Such equipment is presented in the catalogs of many manufacturers. household power tools, but if necessary, you can make it yourself.
Selection of equipment - main points
First, it’s worth answering the question: what material will the master most often work with? An electric motor power of 50-90 W is sufficient for most types of wood, but if you plan to process hard wood and significant volumes, pay attention to the 120 W options. Stepwise adjustment of engine speed (blade speed) is desirable; choose models with a smooth change in this parameter.
The ability to adjust the speed is needed to adapt the machine to work with different types of wood - heating of the material, which will ruin the cut, is eliminated. In addition, by gradually increasing the speed, the master concentrates on a complex procedure, and the engine operates in a gentle mode, which increases its service life.
Some models provide the ability to cut not only in a horizontal surface, but also at an angle, and a special scale will allow you to select the most accurate position of the workpiece. Semi-professional and household machines allow you to change the tilt of the desktop up to 45° in one direction, professional ones - up to 45° in both directions.
Pay attention to the work surface. It should be massive enough so as not to sag under heavy workpieces, very smooth (so the part slides over the base without problems) and polished so as not to stain the workpiece.
When choosing equipment, it is important to remember the nominal number of revolutions. Many craftsmen mistakenly believe that it must correspond to at least 1650 reciprocating movements of the saw in 60 seconds - only with this indicator the cut will be perfectly smooth, without chips or nicks. However, modern tabletop machines from famous manufacturers guarantee an ideal cutting line even at speeds of 700-1400 strokes per minute.
Don't forget about the maximum stroke saw blade– the thickness of the processed parts depends on this value. Additional options are also important:
- Availability of engraver – extra. shaft for particularly precise cuts and the manufacture of fine crafts;
- removal of wood dust and shavings from work surface;
- illumination of the cutting area.
How to navigate models from different manufacturers?
On modern market There are many models of jigsaw machines, but there are several main “players”, and each of them has its own characteristics, advantages and disadvantages.
Corvette models from the Encore company are machines household class and for use in industrial conditions are not suitable, but this is quite functional equipment, equipped with a rotating worktop for performing an inclined cut at the desired angle, fixed by a stop with a degree scale.
Although the machines of this model are not designed for processing massive workpieces, the manufacturer offers a 150 W drive. The motor is a commutator type, quite noisy and prone to overheating, unable to work without interruption and requiring regular brush replacement.
The amplitude of the saw stroke is 40 mm, the oscillation frequency is 700 per 60 seconds (in some modifications a second speed is added - 1400 per minute for selection optimal mode when processing wood of different hardnesses). The files supplied with the equipment are not of impeccable quality, so it makes sense to immediately replace them with analogues from a third-party manufacturer.
Household machines also include Zubr models, which are compact enough even for use in a city apartment. The main feature of this equipment, which can be called its disadvantage, is noticeable vibration, which interferes with high-precision cutting.
Zubr machines are capable of processing plywood, solid wood, plastic, and thin aluminum in a horizontal plane and at an angle. They also perform drilling, grinding and polishing; for this purpose, the delivery set includes an additional work table and a flexible shaft with a chuck.
Overheating of the cutting tool is prevented by the built-in cooling system; there is an electromagnetic switch to prevent accidental activation. The files used in Zubr machines are special, reinforced, and have pins at their ends.
The working surface is separated from the operator by a transparent casing to protect it from dust and chips, and the cutting area is cleared of sawing products by blowing to improve visibility. Efficient waste disposal is provided. The motor used is a commutator type, quite resistant to overloads. Its brushes are designed for long-term use, but their quick replacement is still provided in the equipment.
RSW jigsaws are designed for creative carpentry workshops. Among their features are minimal backlash and the most accurate trajectory of the cutting tool. The equipment provides everything for efficient work operator: fencing and lighting working area, the ability to remove sawing products using a conventional vacuum cleaner.
In RSW machines, the file has an unusual arrangement - with the teeth down, pin files are used, and they can be replaced without a key. Also among the features of the equipment is the presence of the most powerful engine in the category of similar professional machines.
JSS jigsaw machines from the JET brand are intended for craft workshops, art studios and serious hobbies. They provide a stable cutting angle, the speed of movement of the cutting tool is infinitely variable by the built-in electronic system.
The manufacturer offers its branded files with pin fastening, but JSS JET equipment can also work with “regular” ones. These machines are suitable for cutting complex shapes, but the workpieces processed should not be excessively large. Their materials are wood, chipboard, plywood, fiberboard, hard and soft plastics.
The blade tension lever is located in the upper part of the machine, which increases the convenience of working with it, and the cutting blade is installed in two versions - across and along the longitudinal axis of the equipment. Dust and sawdust are easily removed with an adjustable nozzle connected to the dust extraction system. The work table can be installed at an angle; to control the accuracy of its position, there is a transport scale and a stopper.
How to build a jigsaw machine on your own?
Such equipment can be made at home with your own hands; craftsmen even create such machines from old sewing machines. If you have certain skills, the drawing and design diagram are developed independently.
As a table, you can use a tabletop, a workbench, and if they are not available, a homemade structure made of laminated plywood with a thickness of at least 10 mm. From it you should build a kind of table with a working surface size of about 500x500 mm and a height of legs of about 400-500 mm. They can be two or three solid or four separate. In the first case, the design resembles a box, in the second - traditional table on a reduced scale).
The necessary parts are cut out with a hacksaw or circular saw, into a single system individual elements fastened with self-tapping screws. In the table cover, you should use a drill to drill holes for fastening the tool and for the file. You will also have to make mounting holes in the sole of the jigsaw. After this, you can bolt it to the tabletop so that cutting part was brought vertically upward.
The advantage of such a homemade jigsaw machine is the clear fixation of the tool and the guarantee that the master’s hand will lead the cut along the desired path.
This version of the machine does not always form the correct curved cut - the file can deviate, especially if a massive workpiece is being processed. The problem is solved by rigidly fixing the cutting tool with a pair of rollers that need to be placed on an additional part.
It is made from bars with a cross-section of about 50x50 mm. which are connected into an L-shaped element using a furniture corner and self-tapping screws, attached to the work table, and at the free end a bent metal plate with rollers made of bolts and bearing parts is placed with rigid fixation.
What to do if you need curly and very precise cuts?
To perform extremely precise, very fine figured cuts a homemade jigsaw machine must be equipped with a cutting blade tension system. Among the features of this device:
- the fork should be used very thin - for hand jigsaws;
- the rod of the electric tool must be connected to the clamp that tensions the saw blade using a special adapter;
- As a tension block, use the clamp of a regular hand jigsaw.
In terms of design, the machine differs little from that described above. It is necessary to build a work table with a hole for the cutting tool and attach a clamp to the table top, and place an electric drive underneath.
If cuts are needed especially precise and thin, which implies extremely delicate and slow work, it is necessary to reduce the force on the files while simultaneously ensuring strong tension and precise movement. For this purpose, a homemade machine should be equipped with spacer devices on long arms instead of the traditional clamp of a manual jigsaw.
The spacer structure and the arms holding the file are made of wood or steel. Otherwise, the design of the machine resembles a model with a manual clamp.
Jigsaw machine is a device that provides high-precision implementation of operations related to the processing of workpieces from different materials. Using such a machine, you can make smooth or curved cuts of varying complexity on sheet workpieces. When cutting on the inner surface, the outer edge of the material does not change. This machine can be used to work with timber, plastics, and some types of metals. If you have to use a jigsaw frequently, this machine is the perfect choice. would be better suited for this purpose.
Design and operation
The main components of the entire structure of the machine are the table, motor, saw, crank and tensioning mechanisms. In addition, there are additional functional elements.
The material being processed must be on the work table. The material from which the countertop is made is very important. Choose a cast rather than stamped table. There may be additional rotating mechanisms, with which you can change the angle of inclination of the table and cut. The dimensions of the table are determined maximum dimensions processed workpiece. Most models have a saw length of 300 to 400 mm.
Power power unit affects the list of materials that can be processed on a jigsaw. If you plan to process not only wood, then you need to choose models with a power greater than 200 W. For the home handyman A 150 W device will be sufficient.
The jigsaw is the main working unit of the equipment. The file is selected depending on the type of cut and the density of the workpiece; in addition, you need to take into account the width and thickness. Small-sized devices can cut timber up to 50 mm thick; more powerful professional machines can handle workpieces up to 100 mm thick.
The torque created by the motor is converted by the crank mechanism into the movement of the sawing unit. Stretching device tensions the saw as it moves across the material.
The operating principle of this device is quite simple. The workpiece is mounted on the table, then, under the control of the master, the saw makes the cut.
A jigsaw for wood has a number of advantages over other more simple devices. First of all, the device guarantees a high-quality cut. The machine makes it possible to carry out longitudinal, transverse or angular cuts with maximum accuracy, with the formation of a smooth edge. Another advantage can be called the fact that the master’s hands remain free, therefore, the workpiece is easier to control, therefore, with a certain level of skill, you can get the most complex bends. It is also worth noting that the presence protective covers minimizes the possibility of obtaining herbs.
Files for a jigsaw most often have a length of up to 35 cm and can cut material up to 10 cm in thickness. The width of the files can be very different - from the thinnest two-millimeter to the coarse ten-millimeter, with a thickness from 0.6 mm to 1.25 mm. Please note that even the thickest and widest files will easily break if the necessary tension of the file along its entire length is not ensured. Leaf and coil springs are responsible for tension.
Quite often such a machine has air pump, which cleans the cutting line from sawdust by blowing, as well as the drilling unit. The block is extremely useful, because with its presence the master is not distracted by the connection electric drill and drilling holes - everything is done on the working plane of the machine. But such machines also cost more.
There are several options for creating a jigsaw machine with your own hands. For the most simple machine A jigsaw table can be created quite quickly. The main advantage is simplicity. The device is simply mounted on a tabletop or workbench and can be easily disassembled when work is completed. The downside is small area. The simplest machine has the following components:
- plywood sheet
- mounting screws
- several clamps.
As working basis You can take a sheet of laminated plywood, in which you need to drill holes for mounting fasteners and for the saw itself. Plywood should be taken with a thickness of over 10 mm. In this case, it is also necessary to drill holes for the mounting screws in the sole of the jigsaw. Homemade design attached to the workbench using clamps. It is worth noting that the screw heads for fastening must be recessed into the surface of the sheet so that they do not interfere with operation. Such a device can easily cope with the processing of small workpieces, the thickness of which does not exceed 30 mm. A drawing of such a machine can be found on the Internet and assembled with your own hands in your workshop or garage.
The second version of the machine has the following components:
- chipboard bed
- vacuum cleaner tube
- piece of laminated plywood for the machine cover
- confirmants.
This option is a little more difficult to assemble, however, this task is completely solvable. The bed is made from chipboard. It has a back wall and two sides. In order to get to the power button it was not difficult; there was no need to install the front wall. In the back wall you need to drill holes for the vacuum cleaner tube and cord. It is better to cut the cover for the device from a piece of laminated plywood 10 mm thick. After this, the entire structure is fastened with confirmants. The jigsaw itself can be installed in a similar way to the previous option. On a machine created in this way, you will be able to process larger workpieces. Of the minuses, we note that when working with large workpieces, the jigsaw saw can deviate in both directions and even backwards. Consequently, the quality of the cut decreases. However, this can be dealt with. You just need to install a bracket on the homemade machine, which is a stop. In this case, the jigsaw blade will move between two 11 mm bearings screwed to an L-shaped steel strip. The back of the canvas will rest against the wall of the bracket itself. Such a system will prevent the web from deviating from the specified trajectory.
The bracket must be attached to the frame, which is created from 50 by 50 mm bars. The frame is lowered or raised, it all depends on the length and thickness of the workpiece being processed. To ensure the mobility of the frame, it together with the stop must not be firmly fixed to the side of the machine, but pressed against it with a hardboard, steel or textolite plate. Next you need to install vertical stand frame between the hardboard and the frame. The machine will become even more convenient if you attach an additional limit bar to it, with which you will cut the material into blanks of equal thickness and length. This limiter is attached to the machine using clamps. It can be made from wooden beam, as well as aluminum or steel corner.
To create a table for a jigsaw from chipboard, you need to have certain carpentry skills, because the process of connecting its frame with legs must be done in a tongue-and-groove manner. The tenon-groove itself can be replaced with a connection using dowels, wood glue and self-tapping screws. The cover must be removable to ensure access to the tool during repairs. To create a multifunctional machine, it is worth providing a place for mounting a milling manual typewriter. For the table you will need the following materials:
- block 80 by 80 mm
- block 40 by 80 mm
- a piece of laminated plywood or laminated chipboard sizes 900 by 900 mm.
First you need to measure the gap between the legs. Optimal distance 60-70 cm. The bars for the legs and drawers are obtained in the course of longitudinal sawing beams 80 by 80 mm. The height of the legs is selected at the discretion of the master. Each end of the legs and drawers must have two holes for dowels. Similar holes should be present on the sides of the legs. Next, you need to coat the dowels halfway with glue and insert them into the ends. After this, you can begin assembling the entire frame. In this case, the frame will not be disassembled.
All surfaces at contact points must be coated with glue. However, self-tapping screws won't hurt either. They will make the structure more durable. Holes for self-tapping screws must be prepared in advance. The lid is attached to one of the drawers using hinges. A slot needs to be made in the cover to facilitate removal and installation of the jigsaw.
In the back of the tabletop you need to screw two strips in which a quarter is selected. It includes the sole of the jigsaw. The strips must have holes for further installation of bolts or clamping screws. As a result, you will get a fairly simple and spacious table. Thick chipboard or plywood will help to achieve high strength of the lid. Sheets must be thicker than 20 mm.
A standard jigsaw blade is not suitable for creating complex patterns in plywood. For these purposes, a thin file is needed. It can be attached to hand power tools using an unusual device. The jigsaw, as in previous versions, is attached to the tabletop. But the thin nail file must be taut, easy installation will not work on a pendulum. To facilitate the procedure of tensioning the canvas, it is worth creating a rocker arm from a block. In this case, the tension of the file will be provided by a spring. The lower loop of the spring must be put on the transverse pin, and the upper loop is inserted into the adjusting screw, which changes the tension force of the damper.
Note that everything wooden blanks for such machines must be made of hard wood. Since a jigsaw machine does not have the ability to fasten a blade with a thin section, you can remake a piece of an old blade by pre-drilling a hole in it and equipping it with a screw and nut, as well as a clamping plate. The rocker arm must contain a vertical slot into which a second steel plate is inserted. It is attached to the rocker with screws.
For slotted thread jigsaws are used to cut out small parts from wood, plywood, plexiglass, plastics and other materials various designs and types. These can be manual (“pioneer”), mechanical and electric jigsaws. Various magazines provided diagrams of homemade jigsaw machines driven by an electric motor and even an electric drill. Read this article on how to make a homemade jigsaw.
Using a tabletop jigsaw you can make furniture, beautiful patterned shelves and much more at home. The mechanism allows you to cut smooth and curved parts from wood, plastic and dense foam materials. In order for a homemade device to fully satisfy the requirements, it is necessary to carefully select a suitable design.
Design and technical characteristics
Device of any model jigsaw machine must contain:
- saw;
- crank assembly;
- drive unit;
- saw tension device;
- Desktop;
- auxiliary mechanisms.
The material to be processed is placed on the work table. Some models are equipped with a rotating device that changes the inclination of the surface. To make it easier to mark the material with your own hands, graduations are applied to the surface.
The larger the table size, the longer the cut you can make. On average, this figure is 30 - 40 cm.
Drive power for homemade desktop machine is about 150 W.
The crank assembly converts rotational movement the drive is reciprocating and transmits to the saw. On average, the frequency of saw blade vibrations per minute is 800 - 1000. The amplitude of vertical movement is no more than 5 cm. Some models allow you to select the speed of movement depending on the properties of the material.
The file of a hand jigsaw can work with wood and plastic with a thickness of no more than 10 cm, having a length of up to 35 cm. For different types The materials and work of the files vary, their width is 2 - 10 mm.
A manual tension device secures the saw blade for uniform sawing; it consists of screw or leaf springs.
Types of machines
Structurally, all jigsaw devices can be divided:
- with lower support;
- with double support;
- on suspension;
- with degree scale and stops;
- universal.
The most common are models with a lower support. Their frame is divided into two halves: lower and upper. The cutting and cleaning module is located at the top. At the bottom there is a control module, an electric motor, a transmission mechanism and a switch. Allows you to process sheets of material of any size.
Models with double support differ in that there is an additional rail on the upper half of the bed. Such devices are good for creating oversized parts. They are easier to install than the previous option. Both models allow you to process material no thicker than 8 cm. The machine comes with a work table with angle and height adjustment.
Suspended machines are not equipped with a monolithic frame; they are very mobile. During processing, it is the cutting module that moves, not the material. The working module is usually attached to the ceiling with your own hands, so the size of the material is unlimited. Cutting tool moves by hand independently of the bed, creating very complex patterns.
Machines with a degree scale and stops are good for precision work according to drawings. The design allows you to avoid errors. Universal jigsaw machines can perform several operations associated with cutting: drilling, polishing, grinding.
Making a machine yourself
Homemade drawing table jigsaw: 1 - rocking insert (2 pcs.), 2 - earring (2 pcs.), 3 - table, 4.6 - screws, 5 - rod, 7 - eccentric, 8 - base, 9 - earring axes, 10 - upper rocker arm , 11 - rocker axis, 12 - wing, 13 - tension screw cross member (2 pcs), 14 - tension screw, 15 - rocker stand, 16 - lower rocker arm, 17 - box, 18 - double-ribbed pulley, 19 - intermediate shaft, 20 - stand bushing, 21 - table plate, 22 - bearing with cover (2 pcs.), 23 - electric motor pulley.
In the drawing of a tabletop machine made by yourself, the number of components must be kept to a minimum, these are: a rocking chair with a fixed saw, a bed and an electric motor. You can take a motor from an old electric machine.
Holders manual jigsaw luckier. You can make a stand from a sheet of plywood and attach a jigsaw to it. To attach the jigsaw with your own hands, you will have to make holes in the base of the tool. The most simple model ready.
Now about the more complex and functional ones. The stand is made by hand from 12 mm plywood, thick plastic or textolite. It consists of a base, a box for housing the engine and mechanisms, and a work table. On the other side we place a rocking chair with an eccentric. They are connected to each other by a metal plate with bushing bearings. The entire structure is secured with screws. To mount the intermediate shaft, prepare a pair of bearings. The double-strand metal pulley is fitted onto the shaft as tightly as possible, screw connection is fixed. You can make an eccentric in the same way.
To change the amplitude of movement of the rocker, four round circles are made on the eccentric flange through holes with threads, located at different distances from the axis. By changing the installation location of the screw, the range of movement of the rocking chair is adjusted. It consists of a pair of wooden rocker arms hinged to a stand. The rear ends of the rocker arms contain through cuts; tension screws are inserted into them. A file is attached to the ends at the front and is movable due to metal hinges. Before fastening, the file is inserted into the groove of the working surface of the table.
The mechanism for attaching the file is very important. During production homemade device with his own hands he should be given Special attention. The inserted plates of the rocker arms bear constant loads when moving, so they are rigidly fixed and tightened with Grover screws and washers. The fastening earrings should not be strongly compressed by the screws, allowing the hinge axis of the plate to move.
It is advisable to make the rocking stand from whole piece material. A groove for the rocker arm is made on the upper side; a rectangular opening is cut out at the lower end for the second rocker arm. To make it easier to cut holes, you can fold the stand into two parts.
Video on how to make a jigsaw with your own hands:
Since childhood, we have been familiar with the technology of sawing with a jigsaw. The principle is simple - a stationary part is placed on a stand with a technological cutout, the cut is made by moving the saw. The quality of work depends on the steadfastness of the hands and the skill of the worker.
In this way, you can literally cut lace from thin wooden or plastic blanks. However, the process is labor-intensive and slow. Therefore, many craftsmen thought about small-scale mechanization.
A simple design from the last century
Even in the magazine “Young Technician” they offered drawings on how to make a jigsaw with your own hands. Moreover, the design does not involve an electric drive; the drive operates from muscular force, like a knife sharpener.
The machine consists of main parts:
- bed (A)
- work table (B) with slot for canvas
- lever system (B) for holding the saw blade
- flywheel (G), which is the primary drive pulley
- crank mechanism (D), combined with a secondary drive pulley, and driving the levers (B)
- pedal assembly (E) with a crank mechanism driving the flywheel (D)
- saw blade tensioner (W)
The master uses his foot to move the flywheel (D). Using a belt drive, the crank mechanism (D) connected to the lower arm (B) rotates. A file is stretched between the levers; the degree of tension is regulated by a lanyard (G).
With a well-balanced flywheel, sufficient smooth running of the saw blade is ensured, and such a homemade jigsaw machine allows you to massively cut out the same type of workpiece, saving time and effort. In those days, jigsaw files were produced in the form of a flat, unidirectional strip.
Therefore, to obtain patterns complex shape I had to rotate the workpiece around the canvas. The dimensions of the workpiece are limited by the length of the arms (B).
From a mechanical jigsaw to an electric one one step
The foot drive cannot provide real freedom of action and uniformity of the saw stroke. It makes more sense to use an electric motor for the crank mechanism. However, if you use a tabletop jigsaw occasionally, there is no point in making stationary structure with its own motor.