Choosing a jigsaw. What type of jigsaw to choose

Every master has a list necessary tools. As a rule, these are 5-6 main mechanisms, and an electric jigsaw is included in it.

This device is very functional, versatile and very mobile. If necessary, it can replace a whole row, and this is especially important for any employee.

In work with electric jigsaw there won't be any difficulties. And people who are far from repair and construction work can also cut something out with pleasure.

During repairs, it is often necessary to quickly and efficiently assemble a stage, shelving or table, and a jigsaw is a great helper in this regard!

An electric jigsaw is used for rectilinear And figure sawing various materials such as:

The workspace is well lit built-in light bulb, which turns on automatically after pressing the start button. Also, works great debris and sawdust removal system.

Of the pros and cons You can consider the weight of the jigsaw, about 2.6 kg, and its dimensions. Its length is 30 cm. The body of the jigsaw itself is quite thick and resembles a small grinder. Because of this, you have to hold the device with both hands, and this is not very convenient when performing certain tasks. construction work. To disable the start button, you need to grab it with your hands, because you simply cannot get it from the working position.

Makita 4351FCT jigsaw is powerful and functional construction tool. When purchasing, many people wonder which jigsaw to choose for professional work. Now we can safely say that this jigsaw is more suitable than others for these jobs.

Electric jigsaw BOSCH PST650

• well-fixed metal platform;
• adjustable blowing of debris and sawdust;
• vibration protection system;
• good stabilization of the saw blade.

But there is also minuses. Not all saw blades can be installed in the quick-release chuck of the BOSCH PST650 jigsaw. But those that fit are fixed very securely.

Considering the ratio, price and quality, this good jigsaw will become an indispensable assistant in the house and will last long time without any serious failures or breakdowns.

Jigsaws are used both in construction and in everyday life and are therefore considered universal tool. With their help, materials of different densities and properties are processed. When installing doors, installing various wall panels and flooring, as well as when installing drywall or wooden parts of the roof, jigsaws are used.

This tool is light in weight. It is easy to use and allows you to cut curly or straight lines on a variety of materials. The jigsaw has electric drive, which increases its scope of application. In order for the work to be done efficiently, it is necessary to choose the right tool. Which jigsaw model should you choose? What criteria and functions should you pay attention to first?

Types of jigsaws

Depending on their purpose, these tools can be used for domestic or professional use. Household tools have little power and resource use. Often household devices are equipped with a small set of functions. Their functionality much less professional devices. For example, if household jigsaws can cut wood up to 70 mm thick and metal up to 4 mm, then professional jigsaws can easily cut wood up to 135 m thick and metal up to 10 mm. When it comes to cutting softer metals, professional tools can handle thicker workpieces.

These differences determine the price of the instrument - models for professional use are more expensive. The cost is also affected a set of additional features and functions, as well as the manufacturer's brand.

Design Features

The performance of a jigsaw depends on its design, device internal parts, as well as on the type of material components. There is an electric motor inside the tool, which various models has a varied design. Some models have an open motor, others have a closed motor. The difference is that open is subject to constant contamination with dust, which affects its performance and operational use.

Further inside the device there are several gears, through which the rotating movement of the motor with the help of a flywheel transforms into reciprocating movements of the rack with a mechanism installed on it, which is responsible for firmly fastening the files.

Depending on the type of material used in the production of gears, jigsaws come with plastic or metal gears. Necessary give preference to metal- the material from which all important structural parts of the jigsaw are made. Plastic can only be used for some parts of the body.

Characteristics of jigsaws

When choosing this tool, you need to pay attention to the following main characteristics:

Additional functions

It is necessary to choose a specific tool model, taking into account the availability additional functions, which facilitate the use of the device and improve its convenience.

• Pendulum stroke. Almost all models have this mechanism in their design, which is designed to improve labor productivity and the operating life of the tool. Using a pendulum mechanism the saw blade deviates from the material during the cutting process, as a result of which the process of cutting the material is carried out when the blade moves in one direction. The pendulum stroke is a multi-stage mechanism that is adjustable, and in some cases can be completely disabled. The switch for this mechanism is located on the side of the tool.
• The ability to adjust the stroke frequency, which is important when making cuts on materials of varying strength. This function found in almost all models and allows, for example, when cutting wood to use a high-frequency saw stroke, and when cutting metal - a low one. On the handle of the jigsaw, at the top, there is a speed regulator.
• The presence of illumination of the work area and a laser sight. The backlight function is used when the work area is poorly lit. The laser sight feature makes certain operations much easier. For example, when cutting material in a straight line, cutting can be done along two marks made on both sides of the material. This function is used when laying laminate flooring.
• Sawdust and dust blowing function. It is indispensable when working with wood and mild steel (aluminum). Blowing sawdust from the cutting area occurs with the help of a strong stream of air, which is created by a fan designed to cool the motor. At the same time, the marks made remain visible to the master.
• The presence of a pipe that makes it possible to connect the jigsaw to a vacuum cleaner. Sometimes sawdust is removed using a vacuum cleaner. The technician's workplace remains clean. But, on the other hand, it is inconvenient for the master to carry a vacuum cleaner hose. Some jigsaw manufacturers, instead of being able to connect the tool to a vacuum cleaner, equip their devices with a bag for collecting sawdust.
• Blade changing mechanism allows you to install or remove files with one click on the lever without the help of a hexagon. This mechanism is a convenient feature for a jigsaw.
• The presence of a saw blade rotation makes it possible to rotate it at any angle up to 360 degrees relative to the standard cutting direction angle. This is very convenient when cutting out circles.
• Built-in protective screen made of transparent plexiglass protects the eyes from foreign objects.
• The function of changing the inclination of the sole to the desired angle from 15 to 45 degrees. The smaller the step, the greater the functionality of the jigsaw.
• A table for installing and securing tools on it to perform high-quality cuts.

Types of jigsaws

Correct selection of saw blades for the tool

In the work of a jigsaw, saw blades play important role. This consumable material determines the quality of the work performed. When choosing files, you need to pay attention to their markings, which are universal for all manufacturers and indicate the type of blade material.

We continue to discuss the choice the right tool for construction and home. Let's look at several models of jigsaws, find their weak and strengths, let's figure it out design features. Next, we will draw the necessary conclusions, and only then we can head to the store.

Ask any finishing craftsman to voice his personal TOP 5 of the most popular, frequently used tool, and you will hear a list that will definitely include a jigsaw. For example, for me it firmly occupies fourth place, after a hammer drill, a screwdriver and an angle grinder. The thing is that it is incredibly functional, mobile, truly universal assistant. If necessary, although with some limitations, it can replace a number of other tools, which is especially important for the home craftsman. Working with an electric jigsaw is simple and interesting; everyone can do it. Even my wife, who is far from being involved in repair and construction equipment, can sometimes enjoy sawing something out.

When our team makes its first landing on a site, the jigsaw is always with us; there has never been a case where it was not useful. But his absence is sometimes acutely felt. Usually, at the very beginning, it is necessary to make scaffolding, shelving, and a primitive table from wood.

Most often, we use a jigsaw for figured and straight cutting of all kinds of sheet materials, such as plywood, plexiglass, OSB, chipboard, MDF, gypsum fiber board, gypsum board, thin cement slabs and so on.

In the production of roofing and wooden frames we saw (often locally) a board, a batten, or a not very massive beam. In the absence of another tool, you can cut thick timber with a jigsaw - in two passes, because it is not necessary for the saw to go right through the wood.

When it comes to materials such as parquet, laminate, lining, there is nothing to talk about - a jigsaw is beyond competition.

Often, during tiling work, it is necessary to make a curved trim, go around a rounded column near which there will be no plinth, and line the box with a honeycomb exit sewer pipe. From time to time, designers throw us a fun project. Horrible dream tiler: radius or wave-shaped connection tiles, for example, to the parquet. Then it can be extremely difficult to solve the problem with grinders and tile cutters, a jigsaw comes to the rescue again - we put a diamond-coated file and millimeter by millimeter we move towards the intended goal, or rather, along the intended line.

It’s no secret that a jigsaw can cut profile metal workpieces, as well as sheet metal. Somehow this need never arose in my practice, but out of curiosity, I, of course, tried to do it. We install the metal saw, reduce the speed to minimum, remove the pendulum stroke and begin. Well, yes, it really is possible.

Unlike saber, disc, chain saw, the same router, the jigsaw is held and guided with one hand, which allows the second to fix the workpiece. Thanks to this, a fairly accurate cut is obtained at a significant speed of work, since there is no need to secure the object being processed each time, you just need markings and a steady hand of the operator. By using a saw table to mount a jigsaw, you can achieve even more impressive results in terms of precision and cleanliness of the cut. Then the file goes with its teeth down, and there are no chips on the front surface, and the workpiece is moved with both hands. In general, there are two problems when working with an electric jigsaw - the appearance of chips and maintenance. saw blade from the vertical. In most cases, they are solved by selecting the right saw blade and choosing the operating mode (blade speed and pendulum stroke amplitude). The skill of the user and the design features of the jigsaw also play an important role.

Jigsaw device: 1 - power cord; 2 — power button; 3 - speed controller; 4 — brush assembly; 5 - electric motor; 6 — cooling fan; 7 - gearbox; 8 — eccentric hinge (reciprocating mechanism); 9 - pendulum mechanism; 10 — protective limiter; 11 — support roller for the file; 12 - air duct for removing sawdust

"Fiolent" PMZ-600 E

I have several jigsaws in my arsenal, each of which is focused on its own tasks. The main hard worker, whom we have been mercilessly exploiting for many years on the most difficult jobs, is the “Fiolent” PMZ-600 E. The engineers were able to create a very, very durable machine. It can be noted that the manufacturer from Simferopol is simply famous for its successful jigsaws, as well as grinders. PMZ-600 E is a powerful and productive device that quickly copes with any task.

Wood up to 85 mm thick, steel up to 10 mm, aluminum up to 20 mm - these are not just numbers from the passport, this is the very real thickness of the cut. The high-torque 600-watt motor moves the rod up to 2,600 times per minute at idle, generally speaking for power. Many of my colleagues have this model; no one had any problems with the anchor, brushes, or gearbox - all the filling was made with a safety margin. True, solid motor, steel counterweight, durable metal parts could not but affect the weight of the product, which is 2.4 kg, and this is quite a lot.

The jigsaw has a switchable pendulum stroke, which helps speed up work along a straight path, and if for thin materials The difference is not particularly noticeable, but with a large thickness the performance improves significantly. This option can be completely disabled for curved cuts or for sawing metal and ceramics.

The button, power lock, and speed control function properly. The manufacturer claims that this rather vulnerable unit is made in Western Europe.

I heard about complaints about the quality of the rod - someone broke, and that it requires adjustment, modification, since it can be deployed, which is why the saw tends to deviate from the working line. Everything is fine with me, the rod did not break, it cuts smoothly. It has no serious play, the file is well stabilized in the transverse direction.

The stamped sole is made well, it is securely fixed exactly perpendicular to the canvas. It is possible to move it to a 45° position, but, to be honest, I don’t use this function at all. By the way, the set included a factory plastic sole plate, which prevents the appearance of black stripes from the metal and scratches on the front surfaces. Unfortunately, after laying the second hectare parquet board it was successfully erased.

Separately, it is worth mentioning the attachment of the file. Probably used here the best option— the lock that clamps the blade is fixed with one screw. Everything happens quickly, the file is firmly fixed, without distortions. The worst thing that can happen is that you don’t have a flathead screwdriver in your household. In addition, you can use fabrics various thicknesses, which cannot be said about quick-release mechanisms.

So let's recap. “Fiolent” PMZ-600 E is an excellent jigsaw for any work on a construction site, it has been tested by time. If something happens, it is very easy to find spare parts for it, and they are inexpensive.

About a year ago, my partner was eager to get a jigsaw high class, he really liked the Makita 4351 FCT. Well, a person loves a smart instrument. Of course, I did not deny myself the pleasure of giving this unit a good test drive.

The performance of this unit is simply stunning. I tried to cut the hundredth beam - no problem, the 75th metal corner with a thickness of 6 mm - normal, without strain. Everything works very quietly, there are no vibrations, you can clearly feel the power reserve (according to the passport, the maximum saw depth for wood is 135 mm, for steel - 10 mm). A 720 W motor seems to suggest this order of things, but in practice, not all manufacturers manage to successfully transfer the large energy of the power plant to the saw set. The blade stroke is 26 mm, the speed of its movement can be set within the range of 800-2800 translational movements per minute. These indicators are similar to those of the “Fiolent” PMZ-600 E, but there is already an electronic sawing speed control system that maintains the specified parameters regardless of the structure of the materials, including dissimilar ones. Naturally, we offer a pendulum motion at our service. The developers made it three-mode, although practice shows that it is enough to have two extreme positions: “on” and “off”. The jigsaw starts without a jerk, this triggers the starting current limiter - “soft start” (the function helps with ultra-precise operations).

The jigsaw is equipped with a very high-quality sole made of cast aluminum; it is clearly fixed in the zero position and at an angle of 45°. It has an anti-slip, protective plastic lining and an anti-splinter liner. By the way, in tight places the support platform can be moved back.

The blade can be replaced without keys or screwdrivers. It's a little worrying that the holding mechanism is operated by a plastic lever, but so far everything is fine. It’s interesting that the cartridge seems to be “omnivorous” - I tried inserting blades of different thicknesses, it fixed everything reliably.

The work area is illuminated by a built-in lamp, which turns on when you press the “start” button - very convenient. The sawdust removal system works quite effectively.

Now about the unpleasant stuff. The jigsaw is heavy (2.4 kg) and quite large; it simply cannot fit into some places. Its length is 30 cm, plus 10 cm of the cord input casing protruding back. The body is thick, resembles a small grinder, I couldn’t grasp it properly, the device tends to fall out of my hands. Having a mushroom-shaped handle requires two-handed operation, which I really don't like. To disable the start button, which is necessarily locked, you need to grab it; you cannot reach it from the working position of your hands.

The Makita 4351 FCT is, of course, a powerful, reliable, functional tool. However, it is not suitable for construction and finishing, since you have to work a lot “on the spot”, sawing workpieces “on your knees” is not his element. A jigsaw will perform well in a workshop where the part can be securely fastened. With its help, a figured cut is perfectly performed; you can easily move the tool towards you, to the side, from below the workpiece.

The little green BOSCH PST 650 was developed by German engineers for the average home handyman. I purchased it at a large construction supermarket as an addition to the monumental “Fiolent” PMZ-600 E. I’ll say again, there was no goal to save money, I’m just collecting a set of lightweight compact tools for special application V special conditions. Practice has shown that the household series of this manufacturer can also find application in the repair and construction business.

The jigsaw immediately fit into the hand, it is truly comfortable - the thin D-shaped handle has soft rubber pads, the switches are located in accessible, expected places, everything is perfectly balanced. A sensitive large button allows you to “push” a little. The weight of the device is only 1.6 kg, which is as much as 800 grams less than the PMZ-600 E or Makita 4351 FCT. The developers used a 500 W motor for it, but the working rod was accelerated to 3100 strokes per minute (the Fiolent PMZ-600 E, for example, has 2600 strokes per minute). In short, as in the case of other household tools, the Germans relied on speed. I can easily cut beams 50 mm thick, and this is clearly not the limit (the passport indicates 65 mm for wood, 4 mm for steel).

The assets of this jigsaw include a well-fixed steel platform, including an angle of 45°, adjustable sawdust blowing, an anti-vibration system, and good lateral stabilization of the blade.

The BOSCH PST 650 is equipped with a quick-release chuck, which has one drawback - not all files can be inserted there, due to the different thickness of the shanks. At the same time, the canvases that fit are fixed very securely.

For a year and a half, the PST 650 has been working without failures. finishing works, saws beams, boards, laminate, lining. An excellent ultra-light class tool, it has rightfully earned its place on the construction site. Concerning home use, then, taking into account the price/quality/performance ratio, this jigsaw will be beyond competition.

The Einhell BPS 600E jigsaw came to us by accident and left us very quickly. It seems that he had everything for success: a pendulum stroke with three modes, a 600-watt motor, a speed controller, good frequency, a traditional design, a German name... But the quality of workmanship lets the manufacturer down irrevocably. The button broke, the rubber peeled off the handle, the rod began to play, the sole bent, the block holding the saw broke, the very rigid cord began to crack... Only the motor continues its life. This is an example of how not to make jigsaws, it is a complete failure. There is no point in buying such a tool, no matter how cheap it is.

Let's summarize. To choose the right jigsaw, you need to take into account a number of nuances. Based practical experience professional builders, we can formulate some general recommendations:

1. Determine in advance what type of work the jigsaw will be used for. In most cases, including for construction, household or semi-professional tools in the mid-price range are suitable.
2. High power necessarily affects the weight of the product. Think about whether you need it.
3. A jigsaw with a mushroom handle is better suited for work in a workshop environment. A two-handed grip involves fixing the workpiece. This tool is very convenient for making complex curved cuts.
4. D-shaped machines can be operated with one hand and are good for use in " field conditions", "local". This option is preferable for a construction site and for a home.
5. The presence of a pendulum stroke significantly increases productivity.
6. To work with a variety of materials, you will need to change the stroke frequency - it’s good to have a step speed regulator.
7. Not suitable for delicate sawing superfluous function electronic stabilization of the set speed and soft start.
8. The sole must be securely fixed perpendicular to the cutting blade. A big plus would be the presence of a plastic lining.
9. The less play there is in the working rod and support roller, the cleaner and more accurate the cut will be.
10. Quick-release fastening of the blade may have a limitation on the thickness of the shanks (not all files are suitable). The most unreliable option is a block with a slot and two screws. The key/screwdriver lock is the most versatile.
11. Directional airflow and lighting working area- very useful options.
12. Each model has its own unique ergonomics; before purchasing, be sure to shake the jigsaw in your hands and choose what suits you personally.
13. Many authorized sales centers allow the buyer to test the tool in operation; take advantage of this right.