How can I adjust my jigsaw cutting depth

[Reynardine]

How can I adjust my jigsaw cutting depth?

Currently, I'm using progressor blades for wood cutting and they work fine only they are very long and they cut 50 or 60mm below the jigsaw "shoe".

The reason I care is that I want to cut some of my floorboards along the mid-joist-line, but without cutting down into the joists. My floorboards are around an inch thick so I want to cut 26mm deep but no deeper. If I use my current jigsaw and blades they might cut half way through my joists

[ I'm fairly clumsy so am trying to avoid circular saws/angle grinders if possible. ]

 

[big-all]

the simple answer is you cant
you can only do things will reduce the reach by angleing the saw whilst ballancing on the nose off the baseplate
not for the faint hearted

i have a blade i cut and ground short that i use for floor boards
but you have to be carefull because the blade has a 1" stroke and the blade is for cutting 22mm boards the blade leaves the floor in every stroke so progress has to be carefull

 

[Deluks]

Nail down a couple of bits of wood either side of the blade, to act as 'runners' Thus raising the height of the machine.

 

[chappers]

or just cut the floorboard alongside the joist and then nail or screw a support, for the cut board to the joist.

 

[Reynardine]

thank you for your guidance & excellent advice

 

[mattysupra]

use a circular saw. A jigsaw should not be used for this as you will damage the jigsaw and if you get to close will knock your teeth out if it jumps back at you.

 

[mattylad]

But if you realy must, screw a bit of the right thickness woood down first, marked where you need to cut.

That way you dont also get splinters ripping up.

 

[Diyisfun]

If yopu have a grinder, you can shorten a blade, to what ever length you want.

 

[big-all]

If yopu have a grinder, you can shorten a blade, to what ever length you want.

you must be realy realy carefull as the blade will leave the work in the up stroke providing the pendulum is on and the machine is at full revs you can cut at around 150- 250mm a min as the blade falls back into the slot the the forward swinging blade made on the up stroke

 

[2scoops0406]

Use a circular saw, as Matty said, I understand your concerns about them, as they're scary beasts (well they are to me anyway) but as Norm would say read and understand how to correctly blah blah, less chance of injury. And remember this ....... always wear etc etc.

 

[big-all]

on floorboards i always use a circular saw and finnish the small corners with the cut down blade in the jigsaw

this saves the extended slots where the blade curves up at the begining and end off the of the cut

obviously if your only cutting accross a few boards i use just the short jigsaw blade