When choosing a jigsaw, the main criteria will be the following:

• Reliability and convenience of clamping the file. It happens that you pick up a Chinese jigsaw - and it sits well and cuts quickly ... And if you change the file a couple of times - and the thread in the mount is over. So in the budget segment, you can’t do without attention to this node.
• The quality of the drive mechanism itself: these are the initial backlashes (the larger they are, the worse the file follows the trajectory, up to outright curvature), and the reliability of the support rollers.
• The presence of a pendulum: in cheap models, the file usually only moves up and down, on the reverse stroke it rubs uselessly against the workpiece. A sign of a good jigsaw is the retraction of the file by the pendulum mechanism a little back during reverse.
• Airflow efficiency: without it (or with a “purely symbolic”), it will be extremely inconvenient to work, especially with complex cuts: a fast-moving file will instantly cover the markings with sawdust.
• Convenience: well, where without it? Let's take a closer look at the level of vibrations for each model.

And yet - which electric jigsaw is better to buy? You have probably already noticed an interesting thing - sometimes, when you are going to buy an inexpensive amateur instrument, you can buy something of a higher class with a small surcharge. When buying a jigsaw, this is very important: their mechanism is quite sensitive to the quality of workmanship and assembly, which can be repeatedly seen from the reviews of the owners. Small savings can result in pain with correcting the curvature of the cut or finding replacements for worn parts - so maybe you should not save on yourself?

For the first time, a jigsaw, as an electric tool, began to be talked about in 1946, when BOSCH released its first development. The justified demand for the electric jigsaw allowed him to start his march through all the countries of the world.

An electric jigsaw firmly occupies one of the top places in the arsenal of a home craftsman. One good electric jigsaw, if necessary, can replace several low-functional ones, producing in operation:

• straight and curved sawing chipboard sheets, fiberboard, plywood, plexiglass, drywall, plastic, etc.;
• sawing boards, wooden slats, small bars;
• giving the necessary shape to the laminate, parquet, lining;
• curved cutting ceramic tiles, finishing plates from natural stone using special file with diamond coating;
• cutting sheet metal using a saw for metal and the use of special skill and skill (the last two functions have a professional electric jigsaw).

Criteria for choosing the right jigsaw

The tool is referred to as a simple mechanical device, the main working body of which is a working saw blade fixed in a slider. The slider, in turn, receives reciprocating motion from the gearbox and motor, which are placed in the housing. Its lower part is the sole, the handle is fixed on top.

1. The basic indicator that determines how to choose the right jigsaw for your home is power. Instruments household level characterized by a value from 200 to 350 watts. A weak tool cannot work with hard materials, the saw may jam. But, having won in power, you can lose in weight - more powerful jigsaws are much heavier. Household tools are not suitable for cutting metal, solid wood.

2. A household jigsaw equipped with a cast platform is more reliable than a tool with a stamped base. Support material - preferably aluminum with the ability to rotate 45 linear degrees. Such a support is necessary for precise fixation of the jigsaw when cutting at a certain angle.

3. When choosing a tool, you need to pay attention to the design of the stem. More than half of all breakdowns are associated with the failure of the stem itself. It is preferable to choose a jigsaw with a rod of round or square section.

4. Convenience of quick change saw blade is achieved due to the presence of a keyless way of attaching the file. This method can be provided with a variety of designs, and it is almost impossible to strip the thread when changing the file.

5. Adjustment of the frequency of web strokes can be carried out either with a trigger (the speed depends on the pressing force), or with the help of electronic adjustment with a wheel located on the body. Both methods have their admirers, but keep in mind that the minimum frequency (less than 1000 rpm) is unsuitable for working, for example, with plastic.

6. If it is planned to carry out work in a mode remote from the mains, it is important to provide for a design with functioning when powered by battery. Some models of jigsaws come with 2 batteries and a charger.

7. Ergonomic handles are half the success and pleasure of work. When buying, you need to try out where the hand is more comfortable - on the handle-bracket or mushroom-shaped handle. The mushroom handle is preferable for curvilinear curly cuts.

8. Some manufacturers provide the instrument with LED light. When performing ultra-precise work in low light conditions, it is necessary to opt for these models.

Additional features of the power tool are designed to increase comfort and convenience when working. This is the presence of a pendulum mechanism (used for the intensification of threaded work), a device for turning and fixing the saw blade, highlighting the operation zone, blowing off sawdust and cleaning it with a vacuum cleaner.

Popular manufacturers of electric jigsaws

The dilemma is which jigsaw to choose if there is a large assortment from different manufacturers- is solved with close acquaintance with the products of world brands.

So, in the production of electric jigsaws, the standard for T-shank is supported by the famous brands BOSCH, Festool, DeWALT, AEG, Makita, Kress, Hitachi, Protool, Hilti. Features of the tool from the BOSCH company - the use of the SDS system (allows you to replace files without special tools), battery power.

DeWALT manufactures products with universal files suitable for working with different materials. In addition, the models have the ability to dampen vibration, adjust the air flow.

The Japanese manufacturer Hitachi (Hitachi) produces tools with wireless power, the presence LED backlight, 4-position pendulum mechanism, air removal of sawdust.

Electric jigsaws of the German company AEG are distinguished by the presence additional features: pendulum stroke, blowing sawdust, ultra-fast fixation of the blade clamp, vibration damping, lock button in the on state.

The tools of the American company Black & Decker differ air-cooled, the presence of protection of the power cord from breaking, low weight, the presence of a protective screen.

Previously, in order to assemble the entire set necessary tools it was necessary to acquire simple and primitive things. Today, without a tool with an electric motor, it is impossible to organize repairs and construction. good instrument for processing wood, drywall, tin and much more, at home, is electric jigsaw. For those who don't know what it is, let's just say it's a small electric saw with drive. How to choose an electric jigsaw for the home?

Hello dear readers of my blog. Today we will talk about the choice of such a tool as a jigsaw. It is virtually indispensable for household and should be in every owner.

Now there are a lot of different manufacturers offering such products, but how not to make a mistake in choosing and not to purchase a low-quality tool. To do this, you need to know at least a little what a jigsaw is, what functions it has and for what purposes it serves.

But don't give up on right approach choosing an electric jigsaw for the home is not difficult. I hope this article will help you make the right choice.

Which jigsaw to choose for home household or professional

First of all, you need to decide for what purposes you need this instrument, and how often you will use it. I understand that you need a jigsaw to cut, but sawing can be done in different ways.

Someone can choose a tool to cut plywood with a thickness of no more than 20mm, and someone cuts a board with a thickness of 50mm or more, for these cases completely different models are needed.

In the first case, any household model is suitable, and in the second, a serious professional tool. So you need to clearly define the scope of work in order to choose the right jigsaw for your home.

To make it clearer, I’ll explain it this way: You don’t need a professional tool if you use it, roughly speaking, once a year, but I also don’t recommend you take an amateur model if a lot of work will be done with a jigsaw. In principle, this rule applies to any instrument. It will be an unsuccessful investment of money that you just lose.

• household models designed for rare use, have a low power reserve and the thickness of the material cut. It also does not include additional features such as a quick file change, a laser pointer and many other useful things. They have a fairly low price.
• Professional Models designed for high and long loads have high power and cutting thickness. They have many additional features. But together with all the advantages they have a high price.

In general, we will not focus on what is household and what is a professional jigsaw, just make a choice based on your needs and scope of work. Very often people write reviews about the fact that Chinese jigsaws are bad.

As I already wrote in the article, you should not pay attention to the country of the manufacturer, since now all the famous companies have already moved their factories to China, but they monitor the quality of the products. It is fundamental not to buy Chinese because of where it is not made correctly. Let's move on to the characteristics of jigsaws.

The main characteristics of electric jigsaws

This is the most important, these characteristics should be paid attention first of all. In most cases, they determine the quality and class of the instrument. Let's look at all the characteristics separately.

Cutting power and thickness

The very first thing to do is to look at the power of the tool, the higher it is, the thicker the material the jigsaw can cut. Jigsaws of high power are able to withstand long-term high loads. The higher the power, the more the unit can withstand.

Power varies in the range from 400W to 1000W, maybe a little more or a little less, but the picture looks like this. A tool with a power of up to 500 W is considered a household one, and above 500 W a professional one.

The power of the jigsaw directly affects the thickness of the cut. The cutting thickness is a value that indicates what material and what maximum thickness this model can cut. Usually they indicate the thickness of the saw cut in wood and steel, as a rule, the saw cut in wood is always larger than steel.

With increasing power, the thickness of the cut also increases. On household jigsaws, the thickness of the saw cut in wood reaches 70mm, and in steel up to 5mm. IN home life this is not a bad indicator. In professional jigsaws, you can cut wood up to 140mm thick, and steel up to 10mm. When sawing softer (such as aluminum) metals, the thickness of the cut reaches up to 20mm.

When choosing any electric jigsaw for your home, think about what thickness of material you work with most often and get a jigsaw with a slightly larger performance for a power reserve.

pendulum mode

First you need to figure out what the function is. This function lies in the fact that when sawing, the file moves not only up and down, but also pushes forward. This effect allows you to increase the cutting speed, and reduces saw blade wear. But there is also back side medals, the cleanliness of the cut is reduced significantly. Chips and burrs appear. Also in this mode, you can not cut metal.

Almost all modern jigsaws are equipped with a pendulum function. You can find out whether it is on the model or not by the presence of a switch on the side of the tool.

Usually the function goes to 3 positions, the larger the number, the stronger the tilt of the file. But there are exceptions, and on some models there are from 4 to 8 positions, but this happens only on professional models.

This mode is only suitable for straight line sawing. If you are going to cut complex shapes, then when choosing a jigsaw for your home, you should not pay attention to this function, since it will not be useful to you.

saw stroke frequency

The cutting speed of the jigsaw directly depends on this parameter. This value shows how many moves the file makes per minute. On the various models number of moves vary.

Of course, when choosing a jigsaw for the home, it is better to stop at medium or high values, since the low value of this parameter is an indicator of the low quality of the tool.

On household models, most often the saw stroke frequency is from 2000-2800 rpm. On professional electric jigsaws, this figure reaches 3000-3200 rpm.

Another important parameter is the length of the saw stroke. This is the distance from the bottom dead center of the file to the top dead center. The greater this distance, the longer the file will last you, and the better it will cut.

Handle shape

On jigsaws, the shape of the handle is also different, there are two types of bracket-shaped and mushroom-shaped. The first got its name due to the fact that its shape resembles a bracket. By the way, this is the most common type of handle, which is most often equipped with modern models. This form means one-hand operation.

The second type of handle is less common, but still found on some models. As you may have guessed, it got its name because its shape looks like a mushroom. They say that curly cuts do better with this shape of the handle.

However, it still depends on your individual needs. Take one and the other type in the store, hold it and decide for yourself what will be more convenient.

What is the sole, what should it be

The sole is the platform of the jigsaw on which it stands when sawing. The quality of the cut depends on its type. Also, a high-quality platform allows you to make cuts at an angle. There are two types of soles - stamped and cast. Let's look at each type separately.

cast

The molded sole is installed on expensive professional models. The presence of such a platform indicates the good quality of the tool. As the name implies, the sole is made by casting. It has a greater thickness and rigidity than the stamped sole.

stamped

The stamped sole is installed on a cheaper low-quality tool. Made from thin sheet material by stamping. Often has insufficient rigidity, because of this, the quality of the cut is reduced (often the cut leads to the side).

If you are interested high quality cut, then choose a jigsaw with a cast sole, but if it is more important for you to save money, then with a stamped one.

Angled outsole

Almost every electric jigsaw has this parameter. They differ only in the way they tilt. For some models, this is done inconveniently and for a long time. In places where the sole is in contact with the jigsaw, there are special screws that are loosened with a hexagon, the angle is set, and then all the screws are tightened again. Agree it is long and inconvenient.

In other models, tilting is done much faster and easier. Using a special lever, you loosen the platform, set the slope and set the lever to its original position. Note that all this is done without the help of a tool.

Again, think about how often you will use this feature, if the answer is “not often”, then you don’t need a model with a fast slope. If often, then choose a jigsaw with a quick tilt, without hesitation, it will save you a lot of time and nerves.

In conclusion, I want to say that there are inserts and overlays on the soles. They are used for sawing fragile materials so that they do not leave scratches after cutting.

In a cheaper version, these are plastic lining; in a more expensive one, these are metal inserts.

Additional functions

I would like to talk about various additions to jigsaws separately. Although these functions are not necessary, they still make the tool easier to use. Some may seem completely useless to you, but still they exist, which means that there is a demand for them.

Keyless file change

A very handy and necessary feature. It is mainly equipped with professional electric jigsaws. Everything happens quickly and conveniently.

On conventional models, the saw blade is replaced by loosening special feints, and in keyless replacement, this happens by pressing a special lever. The principle of the description is similar to the inclination of the sole. Choose an electric jigsaw for your home with this feature and you will not regret it.

Illumination and laser cut pointer

Another addition looks like a backlight. Helps in conditions of poor lighting or its absence. There is an LED on the front of the tool that illuminates the space in front of the jigsaw. In most cases, of course, this function is not needed, but still there are cases where it is used.

Another addition may be a laser pointer that indicates the cutting line. It is positioned so that it projects the line of the cut onto the canvas that you are sawing, and you can see where the cut will be.

Speed ​​control

Adjusting the speed, in fact, means adjusting the number of strokes of the file. It is very easy to determine the presence of such a function by the presence of a wheel on which numbers are applied. You can increase or decrease engine speed by turning the wheel.

This feature is useful when sawing plastic, metal, and all such materials that need to be cut at low speeds. Usually this function is located on the top of the handle or on the side.

Stop for straight cuts and circular cuts

An emphasis for an even cut is included with almost every jigsaw. So when choosing an electric jigsaw for your home, make sure that there is such an emphasis, it will most likely come in handy.

This addition looks like a ruler with a perpendicular stop at the end. One side is clamped into the sole of the jigsaw on desired length, but with a perpendicular stop to the edge of the workpiece. Thus, when sawing, a cutting line parallel (to the edge of the workpiece) is obtained.

The same stop can be used in cutting circles. But it needs to be fixed in the center of the circle, so that it can rotate around its axis. In general, for these purposes there are special stops that are well fixed in the center of the circle. There are also 2 in 1 stops.

Removal of sawdust from the place of cut

A rather useful function, since in the process of sawing very often the cutting line is thrown with sawdust, and you do not see where to cut. This is where it will save you, the removal of sawdust.

Airflow occurs in front, in front of the jigsaw, blowing sawdust into different sides, clearing the cutting line. It happens that sawdust is sucked into a special pipeline running above the sole. A special sawdust bag is put on the end of this tube, or a special vacuum cleaner is connected.

Corded or cordless tool

Now a cordless tool is very popular, but this does not apply to jigsaws. Perhaps in the near future something will change, but now everything is as it is.

First of all, cordless jigsaws have several disadvantages. One of them is the very high price of the tool and its consumables, such as spare batteries and chargers.

Another drawback is the short battery life, so the issue of autonomy has not been fully resolved. The battery life is also limited. The advantage is that you can use the tool without electricity. It is convenient in those places where there is no possibility to connect to the mains.

In the network version of the jigsaw, there is only one minus. It lies in the fact that you will not be able to use the tool without electricity. And the advantages are obvious, it works without recharging in any mode. No need to buy any batteries and chargers.

Famous manufacturers of jigsaws

Let's look at the most popular manufacturers of electric jigsaws, both for home and professional models.

• Black& decker US company founded in 1910. Issues professional jigsaws equipped with rich functionality.
• bosfromh— German company producing both professional and household jigsaws of excellent quality. Well, the price of such equipment is not small.
• Makita, Dewalt,Fiolent–Companies producing high-quality products that can withstand increased loads.
• Interskol— Russian firm also producing jigsaws at an affordable price good quality, but with the relocation of factories to China, the quality has noticeably suffered.

Let's dwell on this number of manufacturers, since there are a lot of them, and I see no point in listing all of them. Most of these are cheap copies of well-known brands.

Well, this article comes to an end, I hope you learned something useful for yourself, and I helped you choose an electric jigsaw for your home. If you want to add something or disagree with something, write in the comments, I will be grateful to you for your opinion. Don't forget to subscribe for updates. I would like to add a video on choosing a jigsaw for the home. Perhaps that's all, thanks for your attention, good luck!