Cutting wooden blinds with a jigsaw - good or bad idea?

[OM2]

I've got an extra set of venetian blinds.
I need to cut to size to make fit my window.
The slat width is 50mm all wood.
i remember asking on another thread and the advice was stay lower than 50mm (or something like that)

Is it a good idea to use a jigsaw to cut?
I searched youtube. I couldn't see anyone else doing.
There were videos of using a circular saw though.

I thought I would ask here before trying.

Thanks.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

Those slats can be really thin so were I doing this with minimal kit I'd probably take a fine tooth saw blade, such as an Irwin Japanese flush cut saw to it instead as I know that won't spelch out on the cut (use one on slivers, hardwood pellets, etc a lot) - but beware as these are pull cut saws and can take some getting used to. These used to be available through Screwfix, alas no more, but Axminster still do them (follow link above). A gents or jewellers saw (depending on availability) may be another way to proceed as these cut on the push stroke and are very fine toothed

With a jigsaw you'll need to be able to turn the orbital action off (if your saw has that), slow the speed right down (not possible with a fixed 1- or 2-speed jigsaw), ideally fit an anti-splinter insert (if one is available for your saw) and use a T101B/U101B fine tooth blade to get a decent cut. Even then you may find the spelching unacceptable.

As to a saw, yes, they could be done better than on a jigsaw on a mitre saw (not a table saw or a portable saw), but you'll need a very fine tooth blade and a false bed/false fence combination to ensure minimal break-out. I have done this sort of cut on mitre saw with plantation shutter slats and it can be done, but you do need to dismantle the shutter so that you can cut the slate individually

 

[Keithmac]

I had to trim 5 wooden blinds when fitting ours, to keep all the slats together I drilled a 4mm hole on the waste side and left the drill bit in to lock them together.

Used a fine tooth hand saw to do the cut and left a very nice edge.

Jigsaw would be a nightmare, worth buying a nice hand saw to avoid wrecking the blind imho.

 

[foxhole]

Have cut individual slats with metal shears ( like heavy duty scissors) which worked well. Or tape slats together and chop saw thru tape ( fine blade ).
Remember, though a pain, ideally take off same amount from each end , unless you are removing less than around 30mm,

 

[OM2]

Thanks for the replies

I guess the recommendation is a fine hand saw?

I've got a big hand saw from screwfix.
Something like this https://www.screwfix.com/p/irwin-jack-500-universal-saw-8tpi-22/69735

I guess tisthis isn't a good idea to use?
Should I look to invest in a fine hand saw?

I could think of taking to local DIY shop, but the blinds are pretty long. Not sure if will fit in car. Maybe would actually. It's less than 2m wide.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

That is not a fine tooth saw. You need to use something more appropriate to the scale of the task you are undertaking like a gents or beading saw:

which will have a 6 to 8in (150 to 200mm) long blade which will have 15 to 20 tpi. Alternatively a small dovetail saw:

will work just as well, or something like the Japanese-style flush cut saw I linked to above. The teeth need to be small enough that you don't end up ripping the wood apart

 

[aveatry]

As foxhole has said I have cut 12 sets of blinds (separately) by taping all the slats of each blind together in the closed position very tightly with masking tape. As they are squashed together it seems to help stop any splitting. I would defiantly not use a jigsaw. A very fine tooth wood saw is best. I did try one with a hacksaw but it left a blue edge !. After cutting the bunch I lightly sanded as a block and then again each slat separately. Any cuts that look not as good as I would want are not really noticed when the blind is up.

 

[OM2]

Guys... I never got round to cutting the blind yet.

Will do this weekend.
This saw on Amazon is it OK for the job: www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B003UGO2DW

Or maybe this dovetail one:
www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0001IX8NC (I think that is the one shown in the pic above)

 

[EddieM]

Have cut individual slats with metal shears ( like heavy duty scissors) which worked well. Or tape slats together and chop saw thru tape ( fine blade ).
Remember, though a pain, ideally take off same amount from each end , unless you are removing less than around 30mm,

That would have been exactly my approach too.

 

[aveatry]

Guys... I never got round to cutting the blind yet.

Will do this weekend.
This saw on Amazon is it OK for the job: www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B003UGO2DW

Or maybe this dovetail one:
www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0001IX8NC (I think that is the one shown in the pic above)

Rather than that saw you will be better with a finer tooth saw. You go by the "point count" and that one is 12 points.
This one is 16 points https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bahco-PC-10-DTR-Dovetail-Right-10in/dp/B0001IX8NC/ref=sr_1_5?crid=3KOGIUWQS8V6I&keywords=tennon+saws&qid=1554283514&s=diy&sprefix=tenn,diy,171&sr=1-5 but you may not find much use for it after this job unless you do a lot if DIY.
So I would suggest a tennon saw which would be more useful for other jobs after and come in fine tooth versions. Like this 15 tooth. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spear-Jackson-B9810-10-inch-Predator/dp/B0043YJB4K/ref=sr_1_6?crid=3KOGIUWQS8V6I&keywords=tennon+saws&qid=1554283514&s=diy&sprefix=tenn,diy,171&sr=1-6
I used a tennon saw for mine.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

Guys... I never got round to cutting the blind yet.

Will do this weekend.
This saw on Amazon is it OK for the job: www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B003UGO2DW

Or maybe this dovetail one:
www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0001IX8NC (I think that is the one shown in the pic above)

First one is too big, too coarse a tooth - second one would be far better (much more like a gents saw). You need a very fine tooth, probably 18 to 25pt and minimal side-set of the teeth to avoid massive break-out on small timbers

 

[blup]

Or these:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stanley-ST...=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B0001IWB1M

Clamp the slats together, sit them upright, mark the cutting line, then transfer that line to each slat individually and cut with tin snips. A little more time consuming but maybe a little safer for a first time effort

Blup

 

[OM2]

i just saw this old thread of mine
the blinds had been lying around for a good 4/5 months.
i went to screwfix. bought a fine saw for £10.
a fine saw is a fine saw - they're all the same.
i did a test saw.
OMG. damn. they're not all the same. darn it.
out of frustration, i got out my jigsaw and sawed.
and erm...... heck it as all OK!
i clamped down before i sawed.
i was very careful sawing.
maybe some minor, very minor nicks - not visible.

RESULT!
i went to put up the blind...
i cut it too short.
grrr!
i fixed that though by padding top and left with 1cm of wood.