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Reviewed / Jackson Ruckar
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Credit:
Reviewed / Jackson Ruckar
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DeWalt’s quality and thoughtful design resulted in the DCS334B: a safe and responsive jigsaw, albeit at a premium price. Read More
The Hart HPJS01 offers a lot of power and versatility at a reasonable price. Read More
The Ryobi P5231 offers more power than similar jigsaws but the price of its battery and charger make it less appealing than it could be. Read More
When compared to saws that cost half as much, the Bosch JSH180B doesn't make the cut. Read More
The corded Craftsman CMES612 offers more power and a more comfortable handle than its cordless counterpart. Read More
During a DIY project, if you need to make a curved cut, create a hole in the middle of a piece of material, or cut into something in a tight spot, you're going to want a jigsaw. Similar to a reciprocating saw, jigsaws are a versatile tool capable of making clean, precise straight or curved cuts, plunge cutting to create a hole in the middle of a piece of wood or styrofoam insulation or sawing in small spaces that other saws simply can't reach.
The DeWalt DCS334B is currently the best jigsaw you can buy.
The Hart HPJS01 surprised us with how capable it was, considering its modest price.
Accurate cutting guide
Able to plunge cut
Speed dial controls
No trigger lock
Expensive battery system
Extra blades in box
Able to complete plunge cut
Clean cutting lines
Safety lock on trigger
Jigsaws with similar performance sell for less
Completed plunge cut, Comfortable handle
Speed setting dial is located on the trigger
Clear markings for degrees
Comfortable handle
Not able to complete plunge cut
Limited feature set
Uses metal loop instead of plastic for blade retention
Safety lock on trigger
Makes clean cuts
Underpowered
Couldn't complete plunge cut
Hard to predict cut line
Clean cut on drywall
Trigger controls blade speed
Underpowered
Plastic blade retention loop
There's a lot more to using a jigsaw than simply pulling the trigger.
Generally, a jigsaw is made up of at least six visible parts:
Some jigsaws might have extra features, like a LED light, a variable cutting speed dial, lock button (some work as a trigger lock, others allow for the saw to run without a finger on the trigger), orbital control (changes the size of the ellipse the blade travels through), or blade guide (to help you accurately predict your cut line).
With most jigsaws, the default movement of the blade is up-and-down. However, some jigsaws offer an orbital setting. In these cases, the manufacturer is offering users the option to use an elliptical blade motion which pulls the blade away from the material being cut, on the downward stroke. This setting is often used when cutting more delicate materials, like thin laminates, or for making careful, controlled cuts.
Jigsaw cuts are usually straightforward—line up with a cut line marked on your material, start the saw blade moving before touching your material with it and, as you cut, follow the marked line. Straight cuts are obviously easy, but if your cutting path includes a sharp corner, slow down before making the turn with your saw.
If you are cutting material away, however, things get a bit more interesting.
A plunge cut can be used if you want to cut a hole out of the middle of your material—cutting a hole in a countertop for a sink is a good example of this. For this cut, rest the saw on the front part of its shoe. Then, pulling the saw’s trigger, tilt the tool down into the material you want to cut. You should know that some jigsaws aren’t able to make a plunge cut. A common method for getting around this is to use a drill to make a hole in the material you’re working with to give your jigsaw’s blade a place to dig into.
Different types of material require different blades. One of the easiest ways to tell the differences between blade types is the number of teeth per inch (TPI). The higher the TPI, the cleaner the cut but, the slower the cutting goes.
For particularly fragile material (like laminate or thin wood veneer) blades that cut on the upstroke can help reduce splinters and rough cuts. Blades for cutting metal, plexiglass, and tile are labeled for those materials and frequently have high TPI counts. a visual explanation of TPI and blade types, check out this video from See Jane Drill.
If you plan on cutting through hard materials, like metal or doing demolition work, a reciprocating saw might be a better fit.
Rebecca Boniface
Contributor
Rebecca Boniface is a certified PADI dive instructor, full-time nomad, and DIY enthusiast.
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