jigsaw for thick hardwood

[cerdeira]

Hi,

I really cannot have a bandsaw (no space and small budget) so I'm considering purchasing a jigsaw to cut curved pieces from rough sawn hardwood planks with a maximum thickness of 80mm. I can tolerate 1 or 2 degrees in blade deflection off square but wanted a jigsaw that just wouldn't bog down cutting wood this thick.

I've been looking at Bosch GST 135BCE could you recommend it? or would you suggest other one?

thanks.

J. Cerdeira

 

[Karl]

I am certain that you won't find the product that you are looking for - I don't believe it exists.

80mm hardwood cut is too much for a jigsaw, with or without blade deflection.

Cheers

Karl

 

[Slim]

My Brother in law has just bought the Bosch. He says it is brilliant. The website states a maximum cut depth of 135mm in wood. So, I would imagine 80mm would be ok.

 

[OLD]

Jigsaw approx £134 or bandsaw ebay link

 

[skipdiver]

I bought a bosch jigsaw once and it wouldnt cut straight in 3" softwood.Don't know if it had a fault or not but took it back and swapped it for an AEG Atlas Copco.This cuts much better but i doubt if it would cut straight in 80mm hardwood.Blades tend to wander when they become hot and especially when cutting curves.Think you would be better with a small benchtop bandsaw.

 

[harryc]

I agree a jigsaw will probably not be up to the job in 3" hardwood. However I doubt if any bench top bandsaw is going to be much better either :!:

Harry

 

[neilyweely]

i have the makita 4350 (i think) and it is quoted as cutting up to 135mm also. However, I have used this to cut thick ply and it was awful. Then, when I changed the blade for a better quality, thicker hilti blade it performed MUCH better.

I have also had the bosch, 135 and 2000, and IMO the makita is an altogether better machine. I think it has a square drive shaft, and this may be what improves the whole performance of it. Whatever it is it works better than any other jigsaw I have had, and I've had a few.

Of course a band-saw will cut better; the blade is held top and bottom and thus is inherently more able to cut without any lean. The difference is cost and ease of use/size/weight. You really are at two different ends of a spectrum.

HTH, not sure it's what you want to hear, but fear this is the case.

Neil

 

[salvage]

Hi,

I really cannot have a bandsaw (no space and small budget) so I'm considering purchasing a jigsaw to cut curved pieces from rough sawn hardwood planks with a maximum thickness of 80mm. I can tolerate 1 or 2 degrees in blade deflection off square but wanted a jigsaw that just wouldn't bog down cutting wood this thick.

I've been looking at Bosch GST 135BCE could you recommend it? or would you suggest other one?

thanks.

J. Cerdeira

ANY Jigsaw will NOT cut anywhere near 80mm without the blade wandering dramatically - it is not the tool but the blade itself which will
undermine your efforts

 

[Harbo]

I borrowed a friends big DeWalt which was supposed to be the "Bees Knees" - could not cut through 40mm worktop without a lot of difficulty and certainly not accurately!

Rod

 

[Gary M]

Hi Cerdeira,

The Bosch GST 135 BCE is one of (If not the) best on the market(I have one and can thoroughly recommend it). The Festool is also, but twice the price.

Bosch state that this machine will cut up to 135mm (Hence 135BCE) but i think this is refereing to softwood.

A jigsaw is only as good as the blade you are using. Fact.

these are the only blades capable of the cut you are enquiring about (Festool do their version, but again twice the price) I use the smaller version T144DP for 40mm worktops which they cut with ease and perfectly square. The blades are alot thicker and more aggressive than normal.

Let the blade do the cutting (don't force it), use the pendulum action and don't try to cut tight radii without relief cuts.

If you do decide to buy this machine, use the blades i have linked, If the results aren't what you want, return the jigsaw as its not fit for its purpose as far as you are concerned.
I wouldn't think Bosch would have a problem refunding you.
HTH
Gary.

 

[Paul Chapman]

to cut curved pieces from rough sawn hardwood planks with a maximum thickness of 80mm. I can tolerate 1 or 2 degrees in blade deflection off square

I think that a jigsaw would be totally unsuitable for what you want to do. The problem is that they use a fairly thin blade that is unsupported for most of its travel. I would have a re-think if I were you :wink:

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Mcluma]

A jigsaw is a no no (even if its the best in the world- sorry)

They will wander, especially in 80mm hardwood, they will wonder in 30mm hardwood :twisted: :twisted:

Any bandsaw how cheap and small is a better sollution, you need the bottom guidance.

 

[andycorleone]

My dewalt came with a very strange blade which maybe is the one that you Need to buy to cut thick materials

 

[Tusses]

My dewalt came with a very strange blade which maybe is the one that you Need to buy to cut thick materials

not if you want to go around corners !

 

[Streepips]

Why not use the jigsaw to cut the timber in thinner more managable section then laminate it?

 

[cerdeira]

Thanks for the replies.
I can see there's no consensus regarding jigsaw capabilities.

As I said I cannot afford the space for a band saw. I know I'd be much better off with one. Therefore I only have 3 options: a sabre saw which is awfully crude, a hand bowsaw which is a lot of work (I've used one before) and a jigsaw.

I'm prepared to cut way off the marked lines and finish things by hand with a spokeshave, The curves aren't tight by any means, so I just wanted to make sure that a 700W rated machine and a suitable blade would cut the stuff reasonably well without bogging down or overheating too much.


regards,

J. Cerdeira

 

[Harbo]

I think that blade is for cutting wood proud of the saw i.e. insitu skirting board?

At least that's what I used it for!

Rod

 

[Gary M]

My dewalt came with a very strange blade which maybe is the one that you Need to buy to cut thick materials

Andy, that blade is very usefull.
Its what they call a flush cutting blade, used for cutting worktops amongst other things, that are tight up to a wall. The blade is designed to cut right up flush to the front of the sole or shoe of your jigsaw. Hence its shape.
HTH,
Gary.

 

[Gary M]

Hi Cerdeira.

I have been a bit puzzled why so many members have dismissed your suggestion of using a jigsaw for cutting thick hardwood.

So i decided to do an experiment on your behalf.
Any saw, bandsaw, jigsaw, tablesaw even handsaw is only as good as the blade you are using. Using the correct type of blade for the cut you are doing is the most important factor. The machine or person (for the handsaw brigade) is secondary.

Here is my Bosch GST 135 BCE jigsaw and the Bosch T144DP blades which have a maximum cutting depth of 55mm. The blades i linked for you are longer and thicker again. They have a maximum cutting depth of 100mm, so should do you job for you.

Sorry about the poor quality pics (mobile phone).

I had a few off cuts of 2 inch beech and made a few straight cuts with no problem.

So,

Why not put the blade to the test and cut a curved cut :lol: I didnt make any relief cuts on what is a farily tight radius.

Now please bear in mind that this particular blade has a maximum cut of 55mm and i was cutting 50mm beech that i can assure you is hard.
Although not the clearest, you can see the bottom of the blade projecting through by about 3mm at its full stroke.

I let the blade cut at its own rate , which was fairly quick,with pendulm action, and to be honest i wasnt supprised with the results.

Perfectly square on the gentle radius,

And just off square on the tighter radius ( about 1.5mm)

A better view of the tighter radius.

A view of the smooth kerf left by the blade and of course the all important measurement :wink:

So as i said in my previous post Cerdeira, using the right blade, and letting it do the cutting (not forcing it) with a pendulum action and the odd relief cut when needed along with what is probably the best jigsaw on the market for the price should do your job well for you.

If you find the blade burning or needing a bit more force its blunt, bin it and use a new one.
By the way the blade i was using was still in the machine and had already been used previously to cut out sink and hob openings in a 40mm laminate worktop, which are hard on blades at the best of times.

Hope you enjoyed the experiment, as i certainly did :wink:

Cheers,
Gary.

 

[Alan Smith]

Maybe you want to get one of these

http://www.dm-tools.co.uk/product.php/s ... /sn/MAFZ5E

I know I'd have one if I could afford it.