Cutting chipboard with jigsaw

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Hi everyone.

I need some basic advice please.

I have been cutting down some laminate chipboard wood for shelving in a bathroom unit and I have not been happy wiht the finished cut.

Althoug the cut is a straight line across the board the actual cut looks slightly curved / angled when you look down it. It looks to me as though the blade is curving slightly during the cutting process. It almost looks live a bevel cut.

Do you think this is a sympton of trying to force the jigsaw across the wood rather then letting the jigsaw go at its own pace?

Does varyng the speed of the blade /pendulam action help?
 
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Do you think this is a sympton of trying to force the jigsaw across the wood rather then letting the jigsaw go at its own pace?
Yes, you must let the blade do the cutting at it own pace otherwise the blade got no choice but to force out as the jig-saw is pacing too fast.
 
A jigsaw is not the best tool for cutting an even straight or perpenidular cut - the blade will wander however lightly you push it.

You should use a circular saw, or as its just a shelf, a hand saw and then finish the edge.

Or a router will reduce melamine edge chipping
 
new blade helps. Bu the thing is, you have to push down on a jig saw because that is how it works, if you dont push down the saw will jump up and down and the blade stay still (ok, not that still) , and it will not cut. But agree its not the right tool for strait lines
 
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Thanks for the advice guys, I think I sussed what the main problem was.

I was clamping a staight bit of metal to the wood to use as a guide for the jigsaw. This mean't that the jigsaw had no room for minor movement and therefore mean't that the blade had to do the moving instead.

I reverted to free hand in the end, took it very slowly and finished with a result I was happy with.
 

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