How To Use A Jigsaw Tool? Tips & Safety 2024

Are you here while searching for a handy machine to cut your wood or metal objects? Your search will definitely end here. Jigsaws are highly versatile functioning tools that are not only used to cut wood pieces but can also cut other metallic objects. It gives us a variety of cuttings, such as round corner cut, straight edge cut, and the internal cuts in the material. Read more to get the detailed Guidance on How To Use A Jigsaw Tool

Jigsaws can also cut plastic objects too. Jigsaws are powerful energetic tools that can easily cut straight lines to shapes in the wood and curve lines to designs. It works efficiently with high power and speed to enhance your carpentry. Most people give priority to the jigsaws as they are affordable and inexpensive compared to other woodworking or cutting tools.

How To Use A Jigsaw Tool

Here in this article, you will find all the necessary descriptions and safety measures you need to keep in mind while using Jigsaw.

Necessary Items You Need

Jigsaw

You need to get a good brand jigsaw to ensure you are working with a trustworthy product that gives you a nice cut and safety.

Blades

Blades should be of high quality so that they would not interrupt or stop during the cuttings you are going to make.

Wrench Or Screwdriver

This would be a necessary tool for the tightening of the blade and fixing it in the jigsaw.

Necessary Accessories You Need For Safety Measures

Gloves

Get good quality gloves to get the protection of your hands and nails. The dust would not enter the nails nor the blade wood affects your hands.

Mask

You should have proper masks for your face, they should be made in a way that they should allow the air to pass through and not the dust and dirt of wood.

Glasses

Glasses are necessary for your eye protection. Make sure to get high frame glasses. It would not cause your eye any infections and wouldn’t allow dust particles to go in.

After collecting all the necessary supplies, let us move towards the procedure of cutting wood or metal objects by using a Jigsaw.

Procedure of cutting wood/Metal by Jigsaw

1. Selection Of The Correct Blade

Different blades are available for different types of materials you are cutting onto. To get the perfect smooth cut, select the best suitable blade which is specifically designed for that product, such as;

• If you have to cut through wooden material, you should go with the carbon steel blade.
• Similarly, if you want to cut through metal objects, you should select the bi-metal blade which is a harder blade and it has hardened steel teeth.
• Get the specifically made metal cutting blades.
• Then you have a fine-tooth blade for clean, clear, and smooth cuts.
• A coarse blade will help cut the wood fastly.

2. Tightening And Fixing The Blade

After careful selection of the blade and before foxing the blade, make sure the jigsaw is unplugged from the socket. Keep this in mind for your safety. There are different ways of attaching a blade to the jigsaw.

Older jigsaws have a bolt that has to be loosened to set the blade and then tightened up. Whereas the newer jigsaws consist of a lever that works by loosening the grip on the blade when it is pulled down.

Fix the blade in the jigsaw and pull up the lever if you have a newer jigsaw type and tighten a bolt if you have an old jigsaw brand. Please have a look at the best jigsaws available in the market.

3. Marking The Material You Need To Cut

Mark the item which you want to cut on by using a pencil. You can use a compass or geometrical shapes to get the perfect drawing of the shape you want to cut. Make a line, a curve, or a design that you want to cut, with full attention and care, so you would be getting an excellent, accurate measurement according to your need and project. Recheck the measurements and get ready to work with a jigsaw.

4. Adjust The Speed

There is a dial located at the front of the machine. Use this dial to adjust the speed of the jigsaw. There are numbers mentioned there. If you select the highest number the speed would be maximum, if you select the low numbers, the speed of the jigsaw would be slower. During the starting of the jigsaw, set the speed to the lowest numbers. And when you will get used to it, select the high numbers.

Select the slow speed option for metallic objects so they would not melt or damage the material. And use a fast-speed setting for the products of wood and laminate to cut.

5. Clamping Of The Material

Make sure to tightly clamp the material which we are going to cut onto the wood or your workplace and tighten it properly. In this way, your wood plank or the object you are cutting will fix the table. And it will not move unnecessarily to rotate or disturb the cut we want to make.

6. Cutting Of The Material

After fixing the required blade, adjust the required speed settings, do the proper marking of the product you want to cut, now it’s time to cut. Before turning in the trigger of the jigsaw, ensure that the blade of the jigsaw is not touching the wood or metal you want to cut. Hold the jigsaw in an accurate line with the material you want to cut.

Press the trigger and wait until the blade speeds up and reaches full speed. When you see that the jigsaw is at its high speed, move the jigsaw to the mark and let it cut along the diagram. Do not apply any pressure as this would result in damaging or breaking the blade. Do not force your blade.

Ensure you cut along the complete design before moving away from the blade or turning off the trigger. If you want to stop the blade in between the cuts. Do not forcefully pull the blade up without turning off the trigger but slowly pull the blade up or move the blade away from the already made cut.

7. Cleaning Of The Area

Make sure to clean up all the areas where you are working and ensure to sand all the corners to avoid getting any hurdles and splinters. Sweep the area and make it clean by appropriately placing everything in its place properly. Dispose of any scrap properly if you have.

Your Cut Has Been Made.

Safety Measures

• Try to wear safety glasses before starting working with the jigsaw.
• While setting the blade, keep your jigsaw unplugged.
• Avoid moving near the blade when the machine is on.
• Wear proper hand gloves to avoid getting hurt.
• Do have a proper dust mask to make sure you are not directly in contact with dust.
• Keep your children and older people away from the jigsaw to avoid any mishap.
• Use the jigsaw with complete attention and consciousness to make sure you are operating the machine safely.
• Try to clamp down the cutting material on the table, so that it wouldn’t move or make a movement while cutting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which way do the teeth of a blade go on a Jigsaw?

The standard all-purpose cutting blade has its teeth facing upward to get the cut on the blade’s upstroke. Make yourself familiar with the direction of the teeth. The best choice for all-purpose cutting.

Do you push or pull a Jigsaw?

There is no proper setup for pushing or pulling a Jigsaw. Make sure to apply a little pressure on your blade while cutting. Most jigsaws have triggers: you push it harder, it will get speed up, you apply little pressure, it will slow down.

Can you use a jigsaw without a clamp?

It’s an important step to clamp down the material onto the table to avoid any irregular or unnecessary movement of the jigsaw. This can result in damaging the blade or making the wrong cuts. You would end up getting wrong cuts.