Jigsaw or circular saw - what's best for...

[The Jeep]

Hi - I tried to cut a kitchen worktop (mentioned in my previous post) with a Bosch GSR135 jigsaw fitted with a T101BRF blade, using a piece of wood clamped to the material as a guide, but ran into big problems...

The blade started deviating to the left about half-way through the cut (300mm), but, as the guide was resticting the machine itself from deviating, the blade collided with the metal guide on the jigsaw, producing sparks, knackering the blade and melting the plastic splinter guide.

After calling the Bosch helpdesk, I was left with the impression that jigsaws are not meant for straight cuts - is this true? I have to make a couple of very fine precise cuts in order to join two worktop sections together (40mm chipboard with hard, glossy plastic surface) and am wondering what's the best method - a circular saw? If so, any particular size & type of blade? Any suggestions would be much appreciated!

 

[big-all]

you done it exactly right
the only comments i can make is the blade must be new pendulum on push gently and take breathers every few inches [pull saw back check for on line cutting]

experiance would have told you the saw tightening up was the blade wandering

circular saw work top upside down front edge to back teeth protruding 3mm[43mm in this case] worktop fully supported so when the blade cuts through theres no strain

 

[The Jeep]

Thanks big-all - I'm going to go with the circular saw solution, as I can't afford to run into problems with the jigsaw again!

You suggest front edge of upsidedown worktop should be to the rear - with the jigsaw, you start the cut from the front edge (radius curve) so as to avoid splintering of the laminate: shouldn't this also be the case with the circular saw?

 

[big-all]

the circular saw breaks out on the surface facing the base plate
if you think of it the leading edge off the saw is cutting forwards and upwards at the same time
so it cuts into the front edge and rips out the top edge] that is actualy the under edge ]

where as your worktop "down cut"jigsaw blade cuts in a forwards and down wards direction breaking out underneath
hence front to back but the right way up

 

[The Jeep]

Thanks for that, big-all. Interestingly, I bought reverse cut blades for my jigsaw (i.e. down-cutting) and also flipped the worktop over (in my ignorance - I could also draw the line on the chipboard surface, not easy on glossy black) - and it still cut OK, i.e. no splintering. Maybe I was just lucky, though! But jigsaws are definitely NOT the tool for straight, guided cuts I now realise...

 

[big-all]

if its sheet material or normal wood your less likely to get wander as you tend to follow or cross the grain
mdf blunts blades but cuts quite easy

chipboard and worktops blunts blades very quickly and have lumps off compressed chips with hard areas and even somtimes metal including nails and screws[allthough they are usualy shreaded ]

so in a worktop you have the worst material the worst thickness and a blade going blunt before you get to the other side off the worktop

you should be just fine cutting you boards and wood with a strait edge unless the jigsaw is crabbing[not cutting parralel to the edge of the base plate]

and if your cutting cutouts for sinks and hobs you should always cut from the top for the wandering reason
if you cut from underneath and the blade wanders the gap may show

 

[The Jeep]

Thanks again, that all makes sense. How do you suggest marking a line on a hard glossy black surface?

 

[big-all]

masking tape if your talking cutouts then draw on that

 

[Gary_M]

In my experience, and if you have not got much cutting to do, you are better off just using a hand saw - as long as you have a good eye to follow a line of course

 

[Lower]

jigsaw is no good for what you're talking about if you are actually planning to join the work top. I doubt that a circular saw will be either. You really need a router and a decent jig to really get a decent join.

What sort of joint are you planning to make? join to lengths end to end or something else?

 

[big-all]

jigsaw is no good for what you're talking about if you are actually planning to join the work top. I doubt that a circular saw will be either. You really need a router and a decent jig to really get a decent join.

What sort of joint are you planning to make? join to lengths end to end or something else?

he just wants to butt join with metal trim




which reminds me "the jeep"

the trim is full depth so no gluing buiscuts or doweling
just mending plates and securing onto the cabinets underneath making shure youve cut a 4mm recess for the mending plates [and squint screw heads] where required on the carcases

 

[Tozzy]

I believe jigsaws are mainly for horizontal cutting and circular saws for vertical cutting. Imagine a plank of wood . I've been told that circular saws do give a more accurate and straight cut.

Always saw on the side of the guide line. Allow for thickness of blade.

 

[masona]

It can be done with a jig-saw if you take your time, the problem with jig-saw blade, you must let the blade do the cutting without any force otherwise the blade start to panic and goes left or right & smoke but you're right the circular saws do give a more accurate and straight cut

The most common problem is blunt blade.