Mac Alister Jigsaw

[Deleted member 174758]

I hadn't thought of taking the existing anti-splinter tape and moving it over by a mm or so. Chuffin genius. Top man, thanks.

My pleasure. I was taught that ruse by a Yorkshireman (naturally!). You'll potentially also need to do this every time you change blades. I'd have also recommended that when you get your blades resharpened you find someone with a CNC blade grinder and get a bunch of them ground at the same time, specifying that you want them all with the same kerf (they can do this). I have two sets for the TS55 with 5 blades in each set. But I guess you don't really use that many blades, do you?

 

[Deleted member 174758]

..

 

[ETAF]

resharpened you find someone with a CNC blade grinder and get a bunch of them ground at the same time,

I had all my Freud blades sharpened (Mitre saw & Circular saw) , Sep 2020 , as i had been doing quite a bit of DIY during lockdown. they collected from doorstep and returned to doorstep a week later
Cover a lot of West Sussex I think , and free collection / Delivery , but they choose the days
I did not know they could change the Kerf , interesting , but i still dont have a tracksaw
But I found as a DIYer , that saxtonblades
https://www.saxtonblades.co.uk
produced just as good a cut finish, seem to last as long, and not much difference in price, although better for planet.

I hope the OP does not mind, hijacking his thread a bit

I posted a link to the company - MODs please remove if considered spam, as i had personal experience of the company thought it may help others

Saw Sharpening | Littlehampton Cutting Tools | West Sussex

Littlehampton Cutting Tools shares over 40 years experience in the sharpening of metal cutting circular saw blades (HSS) and TCT blades for cutting all types of materials.

www.lct-saws.co.uk

 

[Deleted member 174758]

I think @opps will be OK with that...

This thread has got me thinking about a couple of vintage B&D jigsaws I picked up just before COVID. One of them had an interesting design with a big, and hopefully rigid, blade holder/motion rod design. The other was a reasonably clean, not much used, bright red DN340X jigsaw. This is probably a rubbish tool but it was such an odd colour for a B&D tool (it was made early in their light grey/teal period in 1981) that I bought it.

How's that for a weird colour for a Black & Decker tool?

 

[opps]

You've reminded me of something I'd forgotten - filing screwdrivers so that they fitted screw heads properly... Not really necessary with Pozidrives

Japanned heads you carried a wee pot of Humbrol black gloss and a brush for. They always seemed to flake off

You have reminded me that I needed to order some JIS bits. I am pretty sure (read: convinced) that much of the (newer) window furniture that I remove for the purpose of painting (from the far east) that I come across on sliding sash windows is supplied with JIS screws rather than pozi. In the past I have managed to "get away" with Phillips bits when pozi drives wouldn't work. Most window restorers that I know normally bin the supplied screws and use their own PZs, but some clearly don't.

I only wanted short 1/4" JIS 1, 2 and 3 bits (to fit in to a magnetic holder) but ended up having to purchase a slightly larger set. Only £15.17 inc (VAT and free but slow) delivery though. I hadn't realised that one of the "benefits" of leaving the EU is that ALL imports now are now VAT liable. The Low Value Consignment Relief of £15 has been scrapped...

Anywho, ordered some Vessel bits, they seem to have a pretty good reputation.

12.39￡ 5% OFF|Vessel 5pcs Go-sai Screwdriver Bit Set 1/4 Inch Hex Shank Japan Tools No.gs5p Series - Screwdriver - AliExpress

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com

www.aliexpress.com

I have not previously ordered direct from a Chinese based website (the products are supposedly Japanese), so I paid via paypal. Estimated delivery time is 25 days. No biggie.

 

[opps]

My pleasure. I was taught that ruse by a Yorkshireman (naturally!). You'll potentially also need to do this every time you change blades. I'd have also recommended that when you get your blades resharpened you find someone with a CNC blade grinder and get a bunch of them ground at the same time, specifying that you want them all with the same kerf (they can do this). I have two sets for the TS55 with 5 blades in each set. But I guess you don't really use that many blades, do you?

My saw still has the original supplied blade. Yeah, it is no longer "sharp", hence I have been cutting the Iroko worktops in 4 passes. Is it really worth getting the existing blade sharpened? I just assumed that it was just as cheap to buy a new blade (once you factor in postage).

Edit:.. after reading @ETAF 's post. I may well look in to it.

Thanks to both of you.

 

[opps]

I had all my Freud blades sharpened (Mitre saw & Circular saw) , Sep 2020 , as i had been doing quite a bit of DIY during lockdown. they collected from doorstep and returned to doorstep a week later
Cover a lot of West Sussex I think , and free collection / Delivery , but they choose the days
I did not know they could change the Kerf , interesting , but i still dont have a tracksaw
But I found as a DIYer , that saxtonblades
https://www.saxtonblades.co.uk
produced just as good a cut finish, seem to last as long, and not much difference in price, although better for planet.

I hope the OP does not mind, hijacking his thread a bit

I posted a link to the company - MODs please remove if considered spam, as i had personal experience of the company thought it may help others

Saw Sharpening | Littlehampton Cutting Tools | West Sussex

Littlehampton Cutting Tools shares over 40 years experience in the sharpening of metal cutting circular saw blades (HSS) and TCT blades for cutting all types of materials.

www.lct-saws.co.uk

Thanks, I will consider getting my existing blade sharpened. I may even consider getting some of my Heller titanium bits sharpened.

Out of interest, years ago, my stepson decided to use some of my Festool lip and spur bits to drill through some MDF, whilst the MDF was sitting on a concrete floor... Does anyone know if it possible to (at a reasonable price) to get those reground?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

What has surprised from refurbishing a number of old power tools me is how accurate some of the DIY jigsaws from the 1980s were in comparison to their modern counterparts, B&D in Germany made some really quite decent saws for a while, presumably until the bean counters caught up with them

Yep, I have one - I think they were called the Pro range. Nice bit of kit, quite battered, but still working like new.

 

[opps]

I think @opps will be OK with that...

This thread has got me thinking about a couple of vintage B&D jigsaws I picked up just before COVID. One of them had an interesting design with a big, and hopefully rigid, blade holder/motion rod design. The other was a reasonably clean, not much used, bright red DN340X jigsaw. This is probably a rubbish tool but it was such an odd colour for a B&D tool (it was made early in their light grey/teal period in 1981) that I bought it.

View attachment 273552


How's that for a weird colour for a Black & Decker tool?

Your post has reminded me that my Festool Trion doesn't have a wheel with a slot to support the blade at the bottom. rather (for the benefit of people other than you) it has carbide bits that blade runs against.

When I first used the longer (and thicker) Carvex blades,I had to visit FOG (the festool owners group forum) to ask why the back of the blades were glowing red. I didn't previously realise that you can use the supplied allen key to compensate for the thickness of the jigsaw blade. I haven't really thought this through, but I guess that any jigsaw with a slotted wheel is likely to allow blade deviation.

Festool Pendulum jigsaw PS 300 EQ-Plus 230V TRION online

Festool Pendulum jigsaw PS 300 EQ-Plus 230V TRION ➜ Powerful and consistently accurate ✔ Improved smooth running ✔ Designed to fit in your hand ✔ All information directly from the manufacturer ➨ www.festool.co.uk

www.festool.co.uk

 

[Deleted member 174758]

Is it really worth getting the existing blade sharpened? I just assumed that it was just as cheap to buy a new blade (once you factor in postage).

On environmental grounds, certainly. Otherwise, what do you pay for an new blade? I pay 22p a tooth for sharpening - so for a 28 tooth blade it costs £6.16 + VAT (£7.39), for a 48 tooth costs me £10.56+VAT (£12.67). Much cheaper than a new blade. Replacement tips brazed-in were 65p a pop last time I had some done. I drop mine off and collect them sometimes, but they only charge a flat £10+VAT (£12) an order for collection and delivery regardless of whether or not it's a single blade, or 20 of them. Ultra-thin blades like those used on cordlesses can't be reground a lot of the time, but the 2.2mm blades Festools have can do 3 to 5 sharpenings. That's potentially quite a saving if you send 10 blades in a time like I sometimes do (mixture of Festool, table saw and mitre saw blades - once or twice a year)

Recently had a letter that prices are going up due to fuel costs, carbide prices having gone up a lot, etc, so I'm not looking forward to that

 

[ETAF]

As you know i'm just a DIYer , I purchased Freud blades when screwfix/toolstation had them on a sale
I had a 60T , 80T for my mitre saw 250mm
and also purchased again when on offer a 165 for the circular saw

I just looked up the price on screwfix/toolstation to replace , and what i paid on 5th Nov 2020 - to have all 3 blades sharpened , I'm sure the prices have changed now
250 x60T = £43.99 - sharpen = £21.84
250 x80T = £64.98 - sharpen = £16.39 - this was specifically purchased when I put down a considerable (to me anyway - an entire ground floor) laminate flooring
165 x 48T = £32.99 - sharpen = £13.13
includes VAT

They also collected and returned free of charge
There may be an extra charge if they needed to do anything to the teeth, which they did not

Saxtonblades 165x48T - the only ones i have actually purchased, and to me seemed as good as the freud = £11.99, (mainly used on Moisture Resistant MDF, 12/18mm and 18mm Marine plywood) - orders over £10 are free delivery