Choice correct file for a jigsaw for wood largely determines the performance and accuracy of cutting the material. It is worth clarifying right away that cutting blades for jigsaws come in a variety of shapes, types and sizes. That is, each material needs its own file.

Let's try to classify the cutting blades and see how, for example, a saw for metal differs from that for wood. How to choose a canvas for a particular wood material will also be discussed in this article.

Features of files for power tools

The thickness and density of each material is different, which immediately imposes some specific requirements on the quality of the steel sheets. This also includes the size and shape of the files, as well as the angle of inclination of the teeth. There are simply no universal models, so you should not buy into clever marketing moves about "omnivorous" canvases.

Even if you have the finest quality jigsaw blades for wood at your disposal, they are unlikely to cut the metal properly. Likewise, they will only partially cope with chipboard or plastic (you have to cut long and hard).

Steel

All cutting blades, and jigsaw saws for wood, including, differ from each other in the quality of steel. Each model has a marking spraying on the shank, where the material of manufacture can be determined by the code.

For example, Makita jigsaw blades are always made of high-quality carbon steel marked "HC S". This type of canvases is suitable for any wood material, be it wood, fiberboard, chipboard, plywood or even plastic. In our case (wood), it is not so much the hardness of steel that is important as its elasticity.

The "HS S" marking means that the blade is made of hardened and high-speed steel, which is the best option for working with metals of light and middle group... The material of such files is noticeably harder, but lacks elasticity, that is, it is more fragile.

Marking "BIM" (biferrum) implies the presence of both of the above properties, that is, in one person, both hardness and plasticity with flexibility. Such blades are used for cutting metals of the older group and some complex alloys. On the shelves of some brands you can find jigsaw files for wood (Bosch, Gross) with such markings, but you will be sawing with them for a very long time (and expensive), so it is better to use ordinary "HC S".

The inscription "НМ" means that the blades are made of hard alloys. Files of this type are mainly used in the ceramic field, where there is a lot of work with tiles and similar materials.

Canvas size

Wood materials are, as a rule, thicker than the same metals or plastic, so jigsaw files for wood go, as they say, with a margin, that is, long. If the material is rough, like ordinary boards, then it is better to use thicker canvases, and for curly cutting- thin. The former are noticeably easier to drive in a straight line, while the latter are more convenient to turn.

Teeth

Blades with large teeth are designed to work with soft wood, and it should be noted separately that the larger the fangs and the distance between them, the wider the cutting step, that is, the cut will be rougher. The same rule works in the opposite direction: fewer teeth - more beautiful cut.

In addition, the width of the setting of the fangs affects the quality of the saw to a large extent. The smaller it is, the more accurate and accurate the cut will be. But it should be borne in mind that a very small distance significantly increases the operating time, making it more time consuming. It is also useful to note that files with small wiring require higher speeds from electrical equipment, so you must make sure that neither the tool nor the material is burnt.

In their shape, the teeth can be either oblique (at an angle to the edge of the blade), or straight, like an isosceles triangle. Moreover, in stores, instead of the usual layout, you can find “wave” cutting, where each next tooth is slightly shifted to the side from the previous one (they are often found on the shelves of the Makita brand). Such canvases are used mainly for a clean cut: tabletops, kitchen fronts and some other small elements made of wood and chipboard / fiberboard.

If we summarize the features of the choice of blades by teeth, we get the following picture:

• rare tooth - soft wood and curly cut (thick and thin file, respectively);
• medium frequent tooth - neat sawing chipboard, plywood and treated wood;
• small frequent tooth - cutting plastic and metal in a straight line;
• medium beveled tooth - clean saw at small radii (tabletops, small chipboard elements, plastic).

Shank

Several types of shanks can be found on the market. The most common type is a blade with a semicircular base and two stops closer to the teeth. These files are universal and will fit most jigsaws.

Some brands produce cutting blades exclusively for their tools with some kind of specific shanks. Therefore, during the purchase, be sure to check with the seller for this moment. The same rule is true for buying a tool of this kind: it is better to look for something universal and not bother with finicky consumables.

What files exist for a jigsaw and how to choose the best option for a particular case, every craftsman who has this tool in his household should know.

There are many factors influencing the choice cutting blade: material to be cut, its thickness and density, required cut quality, etc. In order not to be mistaken when buying, you should consider specifications files, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of a particular model.

Cutting blade material

The first thing to look for when choosing a file is the material from which it is made.

Each cutting blade from renowned manufacturers has its own markings. Knowing how to decipher it, you can easily determine whether the file is right for you for the upcoming work.

The marking indicating the material for making the canvas looks like this:

File application table.

1. HCS. Such files belong to the woodworking tool. They are made of high-carbon steel with ductility and resilience. They can cut wood, chipboard, plywood and plastic. When choosing such a canvas, one should pay attention not to its hardness, but to its flexibility.
2. HSS. Hardened steel products that can be operated at high speeds. They are used for processing durable materials, including metals of various densities. Despite all its toughness, hardened steel is quite brittle and must be handled with great care.
3. BIM. Bimetallic blades, which are made from a mixture of high-carbon and hardened steel, due to which they have all the advantages of the first two types. Depending on the shape and size of the teeth, they can be used for both wood and metal work.
4. HIM. They are made of high-strength alloys, due to which they are characterized by high strength and rigidity. They are mainly used for cutting ceramic tiles.

The color of the file can also indicate the material of manufacture and the purpose of the file:

• white (BIM) - for cutting wood and metal;
• gray (HCS or BIM) - for processing wood and materials based on it;
• blue (BIM or HSS) - for cutting metal;
• black (HIM) - for special tasks (sawing ceramic tiles, strong steel, etc.).

Jigsaw files marking

Saw blades designed for woodworking are marked with the letters HCS.

On the tail end of any jigsaw blade, there is a letter and number marking. The first is the letter "T" or "U", which denotes the type of attachment of the blade to the tool: T-shaped or U-shaped. It is followed by numbers indicating the length of the file:

• 1 - short canvas (up to 7.5 cm);
• 2 - standard cutting element (7.5-9.0 cm);
• 3 - extended file (9-15 cm);
• 7 - long file (more than 15 cm).

The longer the product, the thicker the workpiece can be cut with it.

After the numbers, there are letters again that indicate the size of the teeth:

• A - the smallest teeth (great for cutting laminate);
• B - larger teeth (used for processing wood, fiberboard, chipboard and plywood);
• C and D are the largest rough cut teeth.

Some manufacturers use two letters instead of one letter at the end (for example, T101BR). The second letter means:

• О - for curly cutting;
• R - with a reverse tooth (improves the cut quality);
• F - bimetallic products (considered the most durable and reliable);
• X - a universal blade (it can cut both wood and metal);
• P - thick files (used for corner cutting).

For example, the marking T118AF means that the selected model has a T-shaped mount and fine teeth, its length is up to 7.5 cm, and the material of manufacture is bimetal.

Types of saw shanks.

When choosing a cutting blade for a jigsaw, you need to know what material it will work with. This tool able to cut not only wood and materials based on it (chipboard, fiberboard, plywood, etc.), but also plastic, slate, brick, metal and even tiles. At the same time, for each material to be processed, there is its own type of saw, with which the jigsaw will work with best efficiency... There are also universal cutting blades that are equally well suited for, for example, wood and metal.

Wood saws. Depending on the purpose, such products are divided into two groups:

• for fast cutting;
• for a clean cut.

If you are faced with the task of sawing a large amount of wood, while spending a minimum of time, then the best option would be a cutting blade with large teeth.

The larger the teeth, the faster the cut will go. However, with an increase in the speed of work, the cleanliness of the cut decreases, so here you have to choose between speed and quality.

If speed of work is in the first place, then the best option would be a canvas marked T101D. With it, you can quickly cut wood up to 7.5 cm thick, for thicker material you can purchase the T244D or T344D model.

For a clean cut good option is the file T101B. It is often used for professional purposes when assembling furniture and in other works that require a high-quality cut. This product can also cut thick workpieces, but you will spend twice as much time on it than using, for example, the T244D model.

The canvas on the laminate. When laying the laminate, it is important that the cut is free of burrs. This can be achieved with the T101BR file, which is equipped with a reverse tooth. However, if you do not have this model at hand, and you need to cut the laminate with something, you can do with the usual T101B canvas. Only in this case, before starting work, it is recommended to paste over the place of the intended cut with ordinary tape, which will save the processed material from chips, burrs and other defects.

Metal saws. They have fine teeth and a blue tail. If you will work with metal 3 mm thick, buy a file T118A. It is also suitable for cutting plastic. For thicker material it is recommended to use a T123X cutting blade and T227D for aluminum.

Tile saws. Marked as T150RIFF or T130RIFF. Instead of teeth, carbide spraying acts as a cutting part. You need to know that it is recommended to use a jigsaw for cutting tiles only in extreme cases, since the work will be slow and dusty. For lack of specialized tool for cutting tiles, it is better to use a regular glass cutter.

Cutting blade shape

A certain shape of the teeth is suitable for various tasks, which differs not only in the type of sharpening, but also in the setting method:

1. Milled set teeth. This blade is perfect for cutting wood. Divorce is carried out by analogy with a conventional hacksaw. This allows the kerf to widen slightly, thereby preventing overheating and jamming of the tool in the thickness of the tree.
2. Wave-set milled teeth. In this case, not a single, but a group setting is performed (for example, 4-6 teeth each). These saws are used for cutting metals.
3. Ground teeth without setting. Ideal for fine cutting. This canvas allows you to achieve high quality cuts in wood, laminate and plastic.
4. Set teeth with grinding. Such a product is used for fast cutting when there are no special requirements for the quality of the cut.

Jigsaw file manufacturers

To choose the right file for electric jigsaw, it is necessary to pay attention not only to the technical characteristics and product labeling, but also to the manufacturer. On the market construction equipment cutting blades are presented in a wide range of European, domestic and Chinese models.

Chinese files are not of the best quality, they quickly grind and overheat. Their only advantage is their low cost. However, it will be cheaper and easier to pick up one high-quality canvas for 300-400 rubles than to purchase a set of 20-30 Chinese products for 150-200 rubles. But, if you still need to saw, and there is no file at hand, you can sharpen the old one.

The most popular and reliable jigsaw files are products from Makita, Bosch and Praktika.

Several useful tricks for working with a jigsaw:

Jigsaw what is it? - historical reference

The popular makit jigsaw had a predecessor, which was completely forgotten. The manual jigsaw was replaced by laser cutting, jigsaw, and milling.
You can cut wood, plywood, plastic, ceramics, sheet metal with a hand jigsaw. Earlier, in schools, during labor lessons, children practiced cutting homemade products with a jigsaw - frames, shelves, dolls and other homemade products. There was no time for gadgets ...

Jigsaw design

A jigsaw is a U-shaped arc (1), at the ends of which clamping screws (4) are located. A handle (3) is attached to the lower end of the jigsaw. A file (2) is fixed between the ends of the jigsaw arc using clamping screws, which is installed with some tension (until it rings).
A jigsaw with a wooden arch has a third screw - tension, which serves to tension the file between the ends of the arcs, since a jigsaw with a wooden arch does not have sufficient elasticity to pull the file to a working condition.

Jigsaw blades (a, b, c) are produced from high quality carbon steel. but despite this, cutting with a jigsaw is enough painstaking work that requires patience and attention. Hastened a little and trine! It is necessary to insert a new file.

What can you do with a jigsaw?

The modern jigsaw has supplanted the manual jigsaw from many areas of activity, but if you need an accurate, curvilinear saw - a conventional, manual jigsaw is not replaceable.
Craftsmen still use a jigsaw in jewelry production.
for cutting complex shapes from gold and silver. Sawing various shapes from plywood and wood with a jigsaw for handicrafts is a great hobby, hands are busy and nerves like ropes.

It largely determines the accuracy and productivity of cutting the material. The technical characteristics of the files discussed in the article and the key differences between them will help you choose the right blade for different types works.

A file for a specific job is chosen in two ways: firstly, they are guided by the inscriptions, and secondly, they look at the size, teeth and setting.

We read the marking

There is no single standard for the alphanumeric marking of jigsaw blades, but most manufacturers adhere to the European classification from Bosch or indicate it in addition to their own designations.

Decoding of marking

Saw blades are made from various grades of steel that affect the purpose of the blades and are indicated by logos:

1. CV (HCS) is a resilient alloyed alloy for cutting wood, synthetic and wood-composite products.
2. HSS is a tough high speed steel for hard materials.
3. BM (Bi-Metal) is a compound of the first two grades of steel that can withstand significant loads and is suitable for many operations.
4. HM - hard alloy for cutting tiles and building blocks.

The purpose of the canvas is also indicated by the marks:

1. Wood - soft sawn timber, fiber boards.
2. Hardwood - solid wood, laminated panels.
3. Inox - stainless steel.
4. Alu - aluminum.
5. Metal - tin, profile and pipes.
6. Plaster, fiber - fiberglass.
7. Soft-material - rubber, polystyrene, carpets.
8. Acrylic - plexiglass, polycarbonate.

Sometimes there is an inscription on the file that specifies the type of work:

• basic - standard blade for a high-quality cut;
• speed - a file with set teeth for fast cutting;
• clean - blade without setting for a clean cut;
• progressor - a file with different teeth for cutting various materials;
• flexible - flexible blade for cutting metal;
• special - for cutting ceramics, plastics and other special jobs.

We cut wood materials

Cutting wood and everything that is made from it is the main purpose of a jigsaw. Therefore, a larger assortment saw blades is produced specifically for wood and is subdivided according to the type of work.

Fast cut

Certain construction work with wood does not require any special care, such as sawing laths or dismantling an old window frame. More important here is the speed provided by the blades for fast cutting with characteristic features:

1. Coarse teeth - up to 6 mm.
2. Fairly divorced - about 1 mm.
3. Long blade - from 60 mm.
4. Width - up to 10 mm.

For thick workpieces, similar canvases with large incisors are used, but without routing - they move less from the vertical. In principle, the thicker the file, the better it holds perpendicularity.

Advice. For cutting along the grain, a blade with an oblique tooth is better, and with a straight tooth, for a cross cut.

Clean cut

An operation such as trimming a furniture board or parquet board requires a smooth and precise cut. Similar tasks are performed with lower productivity, but better quality, using blades for a clean cut, having:

1. Teeth less than 3 mm.
2. Minor divorce.

Most of the files are cut for retracting, so the material is placed reverse side... To mark and cut from the face, you need a reverse tooth blade. It is not very convenient for them to work - in addition to maintaining the direction of the cut, they have to overcome the pushing force of the tool.

Advice. Cutting the panels laminated on both sides almost without chips allows a specialized saw with two rows of teeth.

Figured cut

It is problematic to cut small radii with a wide blade. Cutting saws have a beveled back side, which facilitates turning, without chipping, they pass roundings and differ in appearance:

1. Small (up to 2 mm) tooth.
2. Narrow working part - up to 4 mm.
3. Small in length - up to 40 mm.

We cut polymer materials

PVC pipes and window sills are sawn with saw blades for wood or metal with a large tooth. Fine-toothed files are also suitable, but you will have to cut at the minimum speed, otherwise the sawdust will soften and clog the blade - you will no longer get sawing, but a cut with heated metal.

For thin plastics and plexiglass, a metal file with small teeth is suitable. For a thick one, you can take a canvas on a tree, turn off the pendulum mechanism and cut at low speeds. Figured sawing of polymer sheets is carried out with a narrow saw blade on wood.

We work with metal

To cut galvanized profiles and sheet metal products, wave-cut saws are used, similar in profile to canvases for hand saw... They differ in small (up to 1 mm) teeth, deflected not through one, but in groups of 3-5 pieces.

At permanent work take three blades: for steel, aluminum and for non-ferrous alloys. If you rarely cut metal, then one file is enough for steel, which is also suitable for ebonite and PCB.

In general, a jigsaw is not very suitable for cutting metal: the tool is heavily loaded, and the process is slow. Rather, this is an extreme method, justified only occasionally, for example, when cutting sandwich panels with bimetallic files with small incisors at the edges and large ones in the middle.

Canvases for specific tasks

Drywall and cement-containing materials will quickly plant any file, with the exception of specially designed carbide-tipped blades, which also cut insulation well.

A hole in the tile is cut with a file on ceramics without teeth with carbide spraying. It is also suitable for working with glass fiber reinforced polymers.

Cutting part of blades for cardboard, rubber and others soft materials made not by teeth, but by ground waves or just like a knife.

For sawing combined materials, special files are intended, one half of the blade of which is equipped with small teeth, and the other with large ones.

Advice. The length of the file is chosen based on the thickness of the material. To prevent the blade from pulling out and breaking, its end must come out of the cut line in any position of the jigsaw pendulum.

For household needs, a set of 5-10 files for various purposes is enough. Just starting to use a jigsaw, they acquire an inexpensive set, master the subtleties of working with different types of canvases and, on the basis of their own experience, select necessary files... Still, there are no rigid recommendations, often one canvas copes well with tasks that are atypical for it. Here you can experiment, but think first.

For those who have a jigsaw in their household, from time to time should purchase files for it. There are many varieties and manufacturers. The most common types of saws, of course, for wood, besides them there are canvases for metal, tiles... In order not to get too confused in the choice, we will consider the most popular files in everyday life, made by Bosch. In terms of price / quality ratio - a good choice... The letter "T" in the marking designates the type of shank - T-shaped. The most common type of file.

Wood saws... There are several types, it all depends on the nature of the work being done.

For example, if you need to cut a bunch of boards as quickly as possible, a file with a large tooth is best. The larger the tooth, the faster the cut will be, but less accurate, the cut is not very smooth, but if you are making a fence, or building a barn, then accuracy, in principle, is not needed.
For these purposes, you can take a file with the T101D marking. It is suitable for boards up to 75mm thick.
If the board or block is up to 100mm, a 244D file is required.
For boards up to 200mm - long file 344D.
It can be seen that the larger the number in the marking, the more the file is intended for a thicker board.
It is necessary to take into account what is required for a thick board.

For a clean cut, you need a file, for example, T101B.

Clean cut file Т101B

Her teeth are noticeably smaller, respectively, the cut is smoother. This is suitable for assembling furniture, where you need an accurate and even cut, without chips.
It is often used for cutting fiberboard, plywood, chipboard.
It can also cut thick boards of course (up to 75mm), but it will take longer than with files with a large tooth.

Laminate file.
It has reverse tooth, directed in the opposite direction in comparison with other files. This is done in order to avoid chips with front side laminate flooring, do not spoil appearance... Shallow tooth - for a clean cut. It is marked T101BR.

The letter "R" - stands for reverse (reverse). And so it is no different from the simple T101B tree.

Shape cut saws.

Their teeth are always small, they are used for cutting out a radius, a circle, and are used in the manufacture of furniture. In shape, they are noticeably narrower than all the others, this is done so that the file does not jam when turning the jigsaw.
From personal experience I can say that I sawed a circle in a fiberboard plate for a sink, the cut turned out to be very accurate and even.
The marking of such files with the letter "O" in the name is T119BO.

They always have a small tooth, so that it is easier to recognize them, their shank is blue. If you cut metal up to 3mm, a file T118A is suitable, it can also be cut plastic, for metal up to 6mm - T123X, for aluminum - T227D, its tooth is larger.

Combined file.

You can cut both wood and metal like this. Her tooth is small on one half of the canvas, large on the other. Marking T345XF.

Ceramic tile file... It is marked T150RIFF, T130RIFF. It has carbide spraying along the edge.

Carbide-coated

Most often, the files are clamped into a jigsaw using a 3mm hex wrench, sometimes there is a quick-clamping mechanism.

As for prices: the most common files cost about 25-40 rubles, long for a thick board about 80 rubles. A file on ceramics stands out from the general row, its price is 150-170 rubles. Prices are valid for 2012.

The combination of accurate cutting of workpieces with a good working speed is possible only with the right choice of a cutting blade for each specific operation... When choosing files for a jigsaw, you need to understand their technical parameters and the key differences between them.

When purchasing consumable accessories for a jigsaw, they first study the marking of the product, then they look at the shape of the shank, the geometry of the blade, the type and size of the teeth.

Types of canvases - decoding of inscriptions

Some manufacturers use the European standard from Bosch to classify products, others indicate it in addition to their marking.

The inscriptions indicate the purpose of the file for any material:

1. Wood - Medium density softwood and composite boards.
2. Hardwood - laminated hardwood.
3. Fiber, Plaster - fiberglass products.
4. Acrylic - polycarbonate, plexiglass.
5. Metal - galvanized profile, sheet metal, pipes.
6. Inox - stainless steel.
7. Alu - aluminum.
8. Soft-material - cardboard, rubber, carpets, polystyrene.

Inscriptions indicating the grade of steel used in the manufacture:

1. HSS is a high quality grade for fast cutting of hard materials.
2. HCS - alloy steel for cutting wood and composites.
3. Bi-Metal (BM) is a blade consisting of the previous two grades and is suitable for most applications.
4. HM - carbide saw blade for cutting blocks and ceramics.

Marking specifying the type of work:

1. Clean - for a clean cut.
2. Basic is a common file suitable for a variety of tasks.
3. Speed ​​- for fast and straight cutting.
4. Flexible - flexible metal file.
5. Progressor is a versatile blade with teeth of different shapes.
6. Special - canvas for plastic, ceramics or other specific materials.

Jigsaw blades for wood

Fast cutting of a bar or board, which does not require smooth edges, perform long canvas with large teeth, with a wide working part and a fair set. Such a canvas is useful for construction work in which speed is important. For example, when breaking an old window or cutting battens.

It is better to cut along the fibers with a blade with oblique incisors, and across - with straight ones. A cut in a thick board will move less from the vertical if you use a file with large teeth without setting.

Saw blades for fine cutting of wood have small teeth and a small set. These canvases can be used to gently cut a furniture panel or parquet board. A minimum of chips on the laminated panel is ensured by jigsaw files, on which the cutters are located in two rows.

The blade with a reverse incline of the cutters cuts the material with the downward stroke of the pendulum, which allows you to mark and saw from the face. In fact, this is not very convenient - you have to hold the jigsaw harder, overcoming the pushing of the blade out of the cut line.

Figured cutting is performed with narrow saws with a semicircular back side. These blades have small teeth and a short length. They pass curved sections without chipping and easily turn in the cut.

Electric jigsaw blades for metal

For cutting profiles and sheet metal, blades with a wave-like arrangement of teeth are designed, reminiscent of saws for a hacksaw for metal. Their incisors are small and separated in groups of several pieces. Special bimetallic blades with large teeth in the middle part and small ones along the edges are used for cutting sandwich panels.

Files for polymers

Thin plastic, ebonite, plexiglass and textolite are cut with a cloth for metal. Thick plastic workpieces are cut with a saw in wood, turning off the jigsaw pendulum and setting low speed. A curvilinear cut of polymeric materials is performed with a narrow canvas for wood.

Window sills and PVC pipes are cut with a large-toothed file at a medium stroke rate or a fine-toothed file at a low speed, excluding material heating.

Special jigsaw blades

For cutting drywall and materials containing cement, blades with carbide tips are intended. They cut insulation mats well. Cutting tiles or cutting glass-fiber-reinforced plastic is possible with a blade without cutters, coated with a carbide compound. The jigsaw blade used for rubber, carpet, cardboard and similar soft materials is similar to the blade of a knife.

The length of the file is selected based on the thickness of the material being processed. The tip of the blade must always come out of the cut, regardless of the stroke of the pendulum.

In a home workshop, a set of 6-10 files is enough. To begin with, you can purchase an inexpensive set of canvases for various purposes and master the subtleties of work. Then, based on your experience, choose the right files for your jigsaw.

The process of owning and operating a power tool is combined with the constant replacement of consumable work items.

The saw blade gradually loses its carbide taps, becoming ineffective; drills for a drill tend to break or grind off from constant contact with one or another dense material; a cutting disc for a grinder, lasts no more than ten minutes of intensive work.

File classification

The purpose of the jigsaw is similar to the purpose circular saw- execution of a cut in a particular material. However, unlike a circular saw that can only make a straight cut, a jigsaw allows you to make circular and curly cuts. This is largely due to the consumable material of the tool - its file. The thin metal of the blade and the small teeth of the small size allow the jigsaw to maneuver in any material.

Most use a jigsaw for sawing wood blanks and wood-based products - chipboard, fiberboard, using appropriate wood saws. However, using special files, the tool can also handle metal, plastic, and cut finishing materials such as tiles, stone and porcelain stoneware.

Wood saws.
Many jigsaws, regardless of brand, have an article number consisting of two capital letters and two numbers, separated from each other by a fraction sign.
Example: LE 80/800. LE - "electric jigsaw". The number 800 means the power of the position in watts. But the figure 80 indicates the maximum thickness of a wooden product that the jigsaw can cut using the file that comes with it. That is, in this case, the thickness is 80 mm.

Important: The number given in the article reflects the thickness of the wooden one! blanks. Modern jigsaws are capable of cutting metal, plastic and aluminum, but the maximum thickness of products in the case of processing products from these materials will be much smaller, and its value is never reflected in the article of the model.

Marking of saw blades for wood:

• T101D: The most popular file model. It has large teeth, a large pitch and is designed for rough cuts.

The shape and size of the teeth of this model allows it to cut not only standard wooden blocks and boards, but also plywood of a large section.

• Т101В: It has smaller teeth than the previous model and is intended for a clean cut.

Usually, this type of file is used for working with plywood and plexiglass.

• T101BR: Same size and pitch as previous model.

The difference is that the position of the teeth is reversed. Allows to process materials such as laminate, glued wood.

• T119VO: The cross-section of this model is very thin, which gives it the ability to make a figured cut.

The size of the teeth is very small, which allows the file to leave behind a clean and even cut on materials such as plywood, chipboard, fiberboard.

Models exist long files for a jigsaw. For example, such as the T 345 XF. This version allows you to easily cope with a board thickness of 100 mm.

Saw blades for various types of work on wood, metal, plastic

Metal saws.
The thickness of the processed metal product is much less than the same value for a wooden blank. For the jigsaw model LE 80/800, given above, this characteristic will be 6 mm. Very small value in comparison with the fact that the maximum thickness wood blank for the same tool position will be 80 mm.

Classification of files for metal:

• T118A: The strong structure of its material and a very fine tooth allow for the ability to cut metal.

In addition to metal products, the size of the teeth of such a file makes it possible to work with plastic.

• Т224D: Designed to work with aluminum products, the thickness of which can reach 20 mm.

Diamond files.
Saw blades of this kind are designed to work with fragile materials that tend to crumble during the sawing process. It is on materials such as tiles, slate and ceramic tiles. A diamond-coated blade allows cutting metal, but such an application will lead to the fact that the consumable element will quickly fail and will require replacement.

The peculiarity of diamond files is that their blade is completely devoid of teeth. Cutting occurs due to diamond dust crumbs.
As a rule, the abrasion of three Latin letters - DIA is applied on the saw blade with abrasive diamond dusting.

Diamond coated and DIA lettering. Designed for ceramics.

How to insert a file into a jigsaw

Changing the saw blade is a fairly common procedure, provided the tool is used regularly. Lost efficiency jigsaw files cannot be restored - it is much easier to purchase this consumable at the nearest tool store and replace it. Buying is not a problem.

Fortunately, we have not observed a shortage of such products for a long time, and the cost of a saw blade will clearly not hit the pocket.
But replacing the file for an inexperienced jigsaw user can cause some difficulties. In order to avoid them, we will consider the main options and features of replacing the saw blade.

Shoe mount.

On many household jigsaw models, the saw is attached with a quick-clamping block, which secures the saw blade with two front adjusting screws. Such a clip for a jigsaw file is a slightly outdated design, however, it is not devoid of advantages, the main of which is its versatility - blades of any type and size are suitable for such a saw holder.

The disadvantage is that if the adjusting screws are unevenly tightened, the file may be skewed, which will lead to a curvature of the cut.

The latter feature, however, can be considered as a positive factor in some cases. The fact is that the jigsaw stem can bend during operation. So, using the degree of freedom that the file attachment allows, you can use the same adjusting screws to bring the saw blade into a vertical plane.

Quick-release fastening.

A more modern file attachment point is a quick-clamping one. This design allows replacement without removing the tool cover. The process flow is very simple:
- Pull back the lever located on the tool body - in this case, the rod is automatically extended to the plane of the sole.

The saw shank is inserted into the holder.

With a special hex key, we fix the blade by turning the adjusting screw. You can immediately tighten it to failure, and then, gradually weakening, achieve the desired position.
For all the seeming simplicity and convenience of this design of the attachment point, there are points that can be called disadvantages. If the previous block system is universal in the sense that all sizes of the saw blade are applicable to it, then in the case of a quick-clamping design, only consumables with a certain form shank.

On the other hand, such a consumable is found everywhere, so you should not consider this nuance as an obvious drawback. Another point is that the file in this type of mount has a slight longitudinal play. It can be compared with the degree of freedom of the drill, which, being in the chuck of the hammer drill, has the ability to move longitudinally. This feature does not affect the quality of the jigsaw.

In the photo, the moment of inserting the blade into the mount while the lever is pulled

There is another type of fastening, which does not apply to quick-locking, and consists in the fact that the file is fixed with only one screw, in contrast to the first case, where there are two screws. This design is quite rare and is found, for example, on a jigsaw of the Protool brand.

Protool has a different mount than other jigsaws

Jigsaw blades DeWALT DT2216-QZ / DT2220-QZ

These DeWALT blades belong to the XPC series and are designed for working with wood. High quality steel guarantees durability and long service life. The optimized tooth geometry, as well as the increased blade stiffness, improves controllability, cut accuracy and reduces the likelihood of inadvertent blade exiting the material during cutting.

Large interdental cavities increase cutting speed and are cleared of chips faster. DT2220-QZ bimetallic blades with a working length of 75 mm are recommended for processing wood, chipboard, plywood and plastic up to 60 mm thick. The unique plunge point geometry allows clean plunge cuts to be carried out comfortably while avoiding kickback. DT2216-QZ saw blades with a working length of 54 mm are designed for fast and accurate curvilinear cutting of wood, chipboard and plywood up to 15 mm thick.

Today we will analyze the types of files for an electric jigsaw, because when choosing, the buyer has many questions. There are a lot of types of files, because you can cut not only wood with a jigsaw, the list is much longer. Therefore, in this article we will figure out which saws are better to cut a simple tree, and which chipboard or fiberboard, which files are used to cut various types of metal.

And of course, we will pay attention to marking, therefore, after reading this article, you will begin to figure out which file is suitable for which work. It's not for nothing that there are different letters and numbers on the files. What do they mean? We will analyze all this using the example of popular models from Bosch, since they are of good quality, and the price for them is quite low.

Marking

If you have ever been to a tool store, you have seen that there are letters and numbers on the shank of any file. Let's figure out what they mean.

The letter T means the type of attachment, that is, T-shaped (Figure 1). There is also U, it is much less common (Fig. 2).

The numbers on the shank mean:

The first digit is the length:

• 1 - standard short, length up to 75 mm.
• 2 - average length, up to 90 mm
• 3 - extended, up to 150 mm
• 7 - the longest (over 150 mm)

The following letters indicate the size of the teeth:
A, B, C, D

Tooth A is the smallest, so all metal files have an A, for example T118A means a T-shank file, short, very fine tooth. Further, respectively - B - a slightly larger tooth (most often these are files with a fine tooth on plywood, chipboard, fiberboard and wood for a clean cut). Files with the letters C and D - with the largest teeth, in wood for rough sawing.

There are also files with two letters at the end, for example, model T119BO, so let's analyze what the last letter means:

• F - bimetal (the coolest, highest quality)
• X - universal for wood, metal and plastic.
• O - for a curved cut (cut a circle, for example, as a rule, thin, so that the file can be turned right during sawing).
• P - thick options for cutting strictly at the exact selected angle (thick, do not bend, so they cut perfectly). A striking representative is the T144DP, which costs much more than the standard ones.

By wood

The main purpose of an electric jigsaw is to cut wood. For this purpose, there are a huge number of files and they are all different. Let's go in order.

If you need to cut ordinary boards and you do not care about the quality of the cut, its cleanliness, you work at speed (for example, sawing ordinary boards for firewood or for a fence), then buy jigsaw files with a large tooth. Thanks to this, the cutting speed will be high, and if you work with a jigsaw in pendulum mode, then everything will be just fine.

In addition, also pay attention to the length of the file, since it will not work to cut a board or a block with a thickness of 70 mm (for example), you will need an elongated one.

Well, the third nuance when choosing is thickness, standard files are not thick, but there are thickened ones (they saw much better, since they do not bend). Since most jigsaws use a standard mount (T-shaped), the name of the files for such a mount begins with the letter T.

A standard set of files, see the photo:

Well, now we will analyze each file separately, what can be sawed for it, for what work it is more suitable.

For metal.

T118A is a standard metal file with a very fine tooth (like metal blades). You can cut metal up to 3 mm, but it costs a terrible grinding, so use ear muffs. Highly recommend. Also, due to the fact that the tooth is very small, it is also recommended to cut plastic with it, many finishers do this.

These are 5 files that we constantly sell together with jigsaws. By and large, they are enough for all household chores.

In addition to the standard metal file, there are special options for any other metal. For example, an aluminum file has a larger tooth, which prevents the teeth from clogging. After all, aluminum is a soft metal, so the standard metal is very quickly clogged with shavings.
Т224D - for aluminum, special. It says Alu on it.

File for tiles, stone and porcelain stoneware.

Not everyone has tile cutters and grinders, so they came up with special jigsaw files for tiles. The blade has tungsten carbide spraying instead of teeth, which actually cuts any stone surface.

T150Riff - special for tiles, the cost is about 250 rubles. Perfectly cuts tiles.

Standard blades for hand jigsaws have a length of 130 mm, while the range includes modern manufacturers you can find options with a length of 150 and 160 mm. The types of files are classified according to two main parameters: their dimensions and the configuration of the teeth.

V general outline blades for hand jigsaws are similar to, but have one important difference: they always choose pinless files with flat ends, which can be fixed in the tool clamps and easily threaded into thin holes when creating small patterns.

The dimension of files for a hand jigsaw is similar to that of an easel: from # 2/0 to # 12... But practice shows that the most optimal options for hand sawing there are numbers from # 3 to # 9.

Which files are better?

The quality of cutting directly depends on the characteristics of the blade. Therefore, it is best to always choose products from trusted brands. Their products are made of high-quality carbon steel, the blades have clearly formed teeth with a positive sharpening angle; blades are hardened for maximum hardness and long life. Overpayment in this case turns out to be a justified investment in the convenience of work, high quality execution of the project and long service life of the blade.

Let's understand the basic concepts

In the marking of hand saw blades, basic information is laid down, which allows you to choose the blade that is optimal for a particular type of wood and the project as a whole. To decipher this marking, it is important to familiarize yourself with the key concepts.

TPI Is a value indicating the number of teeth per inch of blade. For a hand jigsaw, it is appropriate to choose blades with a high TPI. They cut wood more slowly, but allow better control of the cutting line.

Reverse tooth - a blade with a reverse-directed tooth, which cuts the material during the return movement of the saw, thereby preventing the formation of chips on the seamy side of the cut product. They are especially relevant when using plywood blanks.

Tooth set - created to prevent the saw from jamming in the workpiece, which in turn ensures trouble-free cutting (especially of sharp turning and curved lines) and minimizes the formation of chips. The cutting width when using such saws increases slightly, which should be taken into account when making a project.

File classification

Based on the features of the configuration of the teeth, blades for a hand jigsaw are classified into the following types:

Dedicated to all the happy owners of an electric jigsaw.
Choosing the right jigsaw file.
The scope of application of an electric jigsaw is simply huge. But for each type of work, for each type of material, you need its own, suitable nail file.
It is very easy to get confused in the marking of saws, but we will help you with the example of saw blades from the company leader in this industry. BOSCH.

File and jigsaw shank compatibility

First you need to pay attention to first letter in the file marking, which indicates the type of shank and compare with the one used in your jigsaw.
« T"- T-shaped shank, the most popular worldwide standard from BOSCH

« U»- U-shaped shank, used mainly in USA

« M"- for jigsaws Makita

The choice of a nail file depending on the material of the workpiece

Now you need to determine what you will be sawing. The material from which the canvas is made primarily depends on this. For convenience, BOSCH marks its files with the appropriate designations and shank color.

Wood- Softwood, fiberboard, chipboard
Material HCS- high carbon steel, gray files

Hardwood- Solid wood, wood board, laminate flooring, countertops
BiM- bimetallic files, gray

Metal- Ferrous and non-ferrous metal, pipes, profiles
HSS- tool high speed steel or BiM - bimetallic, blue files

WOOD and METALL- Wood with nails, tin, aluminum
BiM- bimetallic files, white

ALU- for aluminum
steel HSS, blue files

There are also black and gold nail files for non-standard materials.

The choice of a nail file depending on the type of work

For most tasks, standard universal files with an inscription
BASIC(base)

If necessary quick roughing sawing should be purchased with nail files
SPEED(quick)

For ultra-precise cut you will need files marked CLEAN. The special shape of the tooth makes the cut even and accurate.

CLEAN(clean)

FLEXIBLE(flexible) - a kind of bimetallic (BIM) files specially for metal cutting

SPECIAL(special) - SAWS for specific work (sawing ceramics, plastics)

PRECISION(precise) - for precise parallel cuts with respect to angles

For sawing laminated materials, such as chipboard, nail files are used with the letter R in the designation.

Jigsaw blades marking

In principle, these data should be enough when buying a BOSCH nail file for any purpose.
But for those who are especially curious and for professionals, we will give a decoding of the designations with all the details.
The jigsaw file is marked as follows: for example - T101D
First letter we disassembled it mount type.
T- T-shaped;
U- U-shaped;
M - for Makita jigsaws

Next digit denotes the length saw blade:
1 - the most common standard file up to 75 mm long;
2 - medium - 90 mm;
3 - extended - 150 mm;
4 - extra long, more than 150 mm
The length of the blade should be such that, during work, the tip of the file is always outside the workpiece being cut.

Second digit points to appointment files:
0 - plexiglass, polycarbonate, wood;
1 - wood, steel, non-ferrous metals;
2 - steel, non-ferrous metals, aluminum;
3, 4, 5 - nail files special purpose(drywall, cement, porcelain)
As you can see, there is no clear dependence, therefore, usually the second and third numbers are skipped when decoding files.

And here letters following the numbers deserve close attention

A, B, C, D(right after the numbers) - tooth size(Ascending);
The larger the tooth, the faster the cutting speed, but the rougher the cut.
A- small tooth. Used when a clean cut is important;
V- middle tooth. Universal nail files. Excellent cutting speed and clean cut;
C and D- the largest tooth. Files with this tooth are used for fast cutting and for soft material.

The next letter (it may not be) speaks about the features of the nail file:

F- bimetallic blade Bim
Files with such a blade have increased strength and durability.
O- a file with a narrow back forcurvilinear(curly) cut
R- canvas for precise cut at any angle. The canvas is thicker and does not bend at all
R- a file with teeth pointing in the opposite direction, it works on the movement of the file downward. This feature is essential for sawing laminated chipboard materials(the top edge is clean)
NS- "progressive" tooth pitch. Universal a file for any materials, but like everything universal - it loses in front of special ones. Convenient when you need to cut a little and all the time a different material
G- for very thin sheet metal(pitch of teeth at the blade 0.7 - 0.8 mm)
HM- with carbide inserts along the edge of the teeth
Riff- with finely dispersed carbide inserts along the edge of the blade (such as abrasive grit)

In our case, the marking T101D means:

file with a T-shaped shank type, blade up to 75mm, for wood, with a large tooth for quick sawing

The "clean" sign indicates that the spreading of the teeth is minimal and the file is suitable for fine cutting.

Most users do not need to memorize and read the symbols correctly. We have already taken care of you and have placed in the catalog the most popular and universal jigsaw files.

Files for wood

- for direct sawing of soft wood, chipboard, fiberboard up to 30 mm thick. The only file for fine chipboard cutting.