Standard blades for manual jigsaws have a length of 130 mm, while in the assortment of modern manufacturers you can find options with a length of 150 and 160 mm. Types of files are classified according to two main parameters: their dimensions and tooth configuration.

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

Dimension of files for manual jigsaw similar to easel: #2/0 to #12. But practice shows that the most best options for manual sawing there are numbers #3 to #9.

What files are better?

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

Let's understand the basic concepts

The marking of saw blades for a manual jigsaw contains basic information that allows you to choose the blade that is best suited for a particular type of wood and the project as a whole. To decipher this marking, it is important to get acquainted with the key concepts.

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

reverse tooth - a blade with a reverse tooth that cuts the material during the return movement of the file, thereby preventing the formation of chips on the wrong side of the sawn product. They are especially relevant when using plywood blanks.

Tooth setting – designed to prevent jamming of the file in the workpiece, which in turn ensures trouble-free sawing (especially sharp turning and curved lines) and minimizes the formation of chips. The width of the cut when using such files increases slightly, which should be taken into account when preparing the project.

File classification

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

1. Standard (Standard Tooth) - classic files, the teeth of which have the same size, direction and distance from each other.
2. Files with a missing tooth (Skip-tooth Blades) - the absence of teeth provides effective chip removal from the surface of the workpiece and increases sawing speed. Unlike the classic options, they heat up less and wedge less often.
3. Blades with double teeth (Double-tooth Blades) - these blades cut a little slower, but leave a perfectly smooth cut line. They also effectively remove chips and overheat less.
4. Reverse files (Reverse Skip-tooth) - blades, part of the teeth of which is directed upwards. They cut the wood when the jigsaw moves back, which reduces the number of chips on the back of the workpiece.

Dimension table

The table below contains basic information regarding the dimensions and markings of modern saw blades for manual jigsaws. Referring to it, you will know how to choose the right blade number for cutting wood of a specific thickness.

Despite the motley palette of options, the gold standard for sawing with a manual jigsaw is the blade number #3 , #5 and #7 .

At first, it can be difficult for beginners to control the file, which constantly leads to the side. Without gaining proper experience, it is advisable to use canvases With great value TPI: they cut more slowly, but allow better control of the cut line.

Working with files with a reverse tooth is not the best solution for a beginner. It takes some experience to master this blade. Otherwise, the workpiece will bounce up and sawing will be very slow.

What to choose for thin plywood?

When working with thin material blades with the maximum number of teeth per inch are used. Thin blades with a high TPI value cut less aggressively, exert little stress on the fragile edges of the workpiece, and do not lead the jigsaw to the side. These characteristics make them optimal for sawing fine details and patterns out of thin plywood.

Today, every craftsman has a jigsaw in his home assortment. This device is quite useful, because it will easily allow you to accurately and accurately perform any manipulations with the material. When buying a jigsaw, as a rule, the majority also purchase saw blades "in reserve", the purpose of which they have no idea.

But when it's time to test the jigsaw in practice, then the choice of the required canvas occurs by the “poke” method, since it is quite difficult to immediately figure out which file is needed. For the right choice of a tool such as a jigsaw, you should know the type of canvases, their marking and other nuances.

Markings

Knowledge of labeling will give you the opportunity to choose the right blade for a jigsaw, since it can tell quite a lot, including about its purpose. To do this, you only need to carefully look at the canvas and decipher the symbols that are indicated.

Marking, as a rule, from a set of Latin letters and numbers. In the marking, in the first place is the Latin letter, which indicates the type of shank.

The most common letters that you can see on the canvas are "T", "X". The most used is the marking with the Latin letter "T", and indicates that the tool shank has a T-about different shape. Quite rare is the canvas with the letter U.

Immediately after the letter comes a series of numbers, you should pay attention to the first one. The numbers indicate the length of the canvas:

• standard canvas 75 mm long;
• medium file 90 mm;
• elongated file 150 mm;
• long file, the size of which is more than 150 mm.

Immediately after the numbers, there are again letters that will help you find out the size of the teeth. The size of the teeth is indicated by the following letters:

• "A" - small teeth;
• "D" - large;
• "B", "C" - medium teeth, so to speak, an intermediate option.

Sometimes there is more than one last letter, but a few. In this case, the last letter indicates the quality of the consumable. The quality of the consumable is indicated by the following letters:

If you are interested in the fabric material, in this case, the following markings, which can be seen under the T-shaped protrusions of the tail and the canvas, will help. Three Latin letters will tell about the material from which the tool is made. This marking is divided into four options:

What to look for when choosing a jigsaw blade?

Tooth shape

Such a nuance as the "shape of the teeth", should not be ignored, since from their configuration it is possible to determine the capabilities of the purchased jigsaw. Before making a purchase, it is worthwhile to realize for what needs this or that canvas is purchased. A huge number of small teeth will significantly improve the quality of the cut, but at the same time the speed will be reduced. A blade with large teeth will greatly speed up the process, but the cut will be rather sloppy. According to the shape of the teeth, the canvas can be divided into the following groups:

Blade width and thickness

Such a nuance as the width and thickness of the jigsaw blade, should not be ignored when choosing a jigsaw, since criteria such as the quality and speed of producing various kinds of work depend on these two nuances. Both wide and narrow products have their positive aspects. wide file quite strong and stable. When using it, you can not worry that it will deviate from the intended course. Narrow canvases make it easier to perform various maneuvers compared to wide ones. Thickness is also important, because the thicker the web, the greater its stability.

Canvases for wood

The purpose of the jigsaw- direct work with wood, well, with those materials that are made on its basis. Jigsaws for wood have many varieties. Jigsaws are distinguished, both in terms of the size of the teeth, and in their sharpening, as well as in the shape of the file. There are two main varieties:

They are distinguished by the following parameters:

1. Blade length. This parameter determines the actual thickness of the cut.
2. Blade width.
3. The size of the teeth directly affects the cleanliness of the cut.
4. Orientation of the teeth.

Cloths for metal

Blades for electric jigsaw usually made from high speed steel. Such a product is quite solid and has a bluish tint. The file has a different tooth shape and the geometry of the blade itself. Depending on what kind of cut is needed, products with rather small teeth are used, which are exactly the same size. As a rule, a blade with such teeth is used for soft metals.

If the choice fell on a product that has teeth with varying geometry, the file is used for cutting harder metals. Such a product has teeth, where the pitch and size increases towards the edge. The advantage of this option is the direct simplification of the cut, since such a structure of the teeth, as it were, cuts the metal, while each of the teeth performs its own function. This file structure reduces the load on the tool as much as possible, therefore, increasing its resource. The same function is performed with a slightly curved canvas at the bottom.

All, without exception, jigsaw blades for metal have small teeth. These products have a certain marking, where you can always see the Latin letter “A” in the last or penultimate place. This letter indicates the strength of the metal. Before choosing a file for cutting metal, you need to understand what material it will be intended for. Because the harder the metal, the smaller the tooth should be.

When choosing a jigsaw file, it is worth considering the peculiarity of the material, because the wrong tool will not bring the desired result. To choose the right file, it is important to study the following marking list:

• T111CHCS - a carbon steel product that is used for cutting wood and plastic (length 75 mm, tooth pitch 3 mm);
• T119B0HCS - carbon steel, designed to work with soft woods (length 56 mm, tooth pitch 2 mm). Typically used when performing fine work, curly cutting;
• T101BHCS is a carbon steel blade used for cutting soft woods. The advantage of such a blade is an even cut (length 75 mm, tooth pitch 2.5 mm);
• T101BRHCS - also used for the manufacture of carbon steel, the main nuance of the blade are reverse teeth. Designed to work with soft woods (length 75 mm, tooth pitch 2.5 mm);
• T118AHSS - used for the manufacture of hardened steel and is designed for hard metals (length 50 mm, tooth pitch 1.2 mm);
• T144D HCS - carbon steel is used, the blade has set teeth. The direct purpose of the blade is cutting hard and soft woods. (length 75 mm, tooth pitch 4 mm);
• T127DHSS - uses hardened steel, designed to work with non-ferrous metals. The blade has milled set teeth (length 75 mm, tooth pitch 3 mm);
• T118GHSS - Made from hardened high speed steel. The main difference lies in the wavy teeth and is used for hard metals. (length 50 mm, tooth pitch 0.8 mm);
• T118BHSS - made of hardened high speed steel, the shape of the teeth is phrased wavy. Main use for cutting hard metals (length 50 mm, pitch 2 mm).

Such a marking can be found directly at the foot of the jigsaw file.

Naturally, when files for a jigsaw are selected, you can’t remember all the nuances and criteria. When buying files for a jigsaw, pay attention to following points:

Speaking of the manufacturer you can safely say "Bosch", "Makita", "Practice". Electric jigsaws from these manufacturers have proven themselves well for their quality and durability. When choosing a file, remember its intended purpose, otherwise the goals set will not come true. Knowing the types of files used, and paying attention to the markings, the method of attachment, as well as the manufacturer, the correct choice is guaranteed.

The electric jigsaw is a high-speed device, which is why do not neglect the safety rules!

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

And of course, we will pay attention to the marking, therefore, after reading this article, you will begin to figure out which file is suitable for which work. After all, it is 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 Bosch models, since they are of good quality and their price is very 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 fastening, that is, T-shaped (Fig. 1). It also happens U, is much less common (Fig. 2).

The numbers on the shank mean:

The first number is the length:

• 1 - standard short, length up to 75 mm.
• 2 - medium 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 A, for example T118A means - a file with a T-shank, a short, very small tooth. Further, respectively - B - a slightly larger tooth (most often these are files with a small tooth for plywood, chipboard, fiberboard and wood for a clean cut). Files with the letters C and D - with the largest teeth, for wood for rough sawing.

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

• F - from bimetal (the coolest, high quality)
• R - with reverse tooth
• X - universal for wood, metal and plastic.
• O - for a curved cut (cut a circle, for example, usually thin, so that the file can be turned straight during sawing).
• P - thick options for sawing strictly at the exact chosen angle (thick, do not bend, so they cut perfectly). A bright representative - T144DP, is much more expensive than standard ones.

woodwork

The main purpose of an electric jigsaw is sawing 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 saw ordinary boards and you don’t 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 sawing 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 sawing a board or bar with a thickness of 70 mm (for example) will not work as usual, you will need an elongated one.

Well, the third nuance when choosing is the thickness, standard files are not thick, but there are thickened ones (they cut much better, because 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.

See the photo for a standard set of nail files:

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

For metal.

T118A - a standard metal file, has a very fine tooth (like metal blades). You can cut metal up to 3 mm, though there is a terrible rattle, so use protective headphones. Highly recommend. Also, due to the fact that the tooth is very small, it is also recommended to cut plastic, many finishers do this.

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

In addition to the standard saw blade for metal, there are special options for some other metal. For example, an aluminum file has a larger tooth, so that the teeth do not clog. After all, aluminum is a soft metal, so the standard for metal is very quickly clogged with chips.
T224D - for aluminum, special. It says Alu on it.

Sawing on tiles, stone and porcelain stoneware.

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

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

The combination of accurate sawing of workpieces with good working speed is possible only with the right choice of 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 equipment for a jigsaw, they first study the marking of the product, then 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, while others indicate it in addition to their labeling.

The purpose of the file for any material is indicated by the inscriptions:

1. Wood - soft wood and medium density composite boards.
2. Hardwood - laminate, hard wood.
3. Fiber, Plaster - fiberglass products.
4. Acrylic - polycarbonate, plexiglass.
5. Metal - galvanized profile, tin, pipes.
6. Inox - stainless steel.
7. Alu is aluminium.
8. Soft-material - cardboard, rubber, carpets, polystyrene.

Inscriptions indicating the steel grade used in the manufacture:

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

Marking specifying the type of work:

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

Jigsaw blades for wood

Fast sawing of timber or boards, which does not require smooth edges, is performed long canvas with large teeth, with a wide working part and a fair divorce. Such a canvas is useful in construction workin which speed is important. For example, when breaking an old window or cutting bars of a crate.

Sawing along the fibers is better with a blade with oblique cutters, 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 wiring.

Files for fine cutting of wood have small teeth and a small divorce. These blades can be used to carefully saw furniture panels or parquet boards. A minimum of chips on the laminated panel is provided by jigsaw files, on which the cutters are located in two rows.

The blade with the reverse inclination of the cutters cuts the material with the downward stroke of the pendulum, which allows you to mark and cut from the front surface. In fact, this is not very convenient - you have to hold the jigsaw harder, overcoming the ejection of the blade from the cut line.

Figured sawing is performed with narrow files with a semicircular back side. These blades have small teeth and a short length. They pass curved sections without chips and are easily rotated in the section.

Blades for electric jigsaw for metal

For cutting profiles and tin, blades with a wave-like arrangement of teeth are intended, resembling saw blades for metal. Their incisors are small and set apart in groups of several. Special bimetallic blades with large teeth in the middle and small teeth at the edges are used for cutting sandwich panels.

Files for polymers

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

Window sills and pipes made of polyvinyl chloride are cut with a saw blade with large teeth at medium speed or fine teeth at low speed, excluding heating of the material.

Special jigsaw blades

For sawing drywall and materials containing cement, blades with carbide tips are intended. They cut well thermal insulation mats. To cut a tile or cut a glass-fiber-reinforced plastic, a blade without cutters, coated with a carbide composition, is capable. The working part of jigsaw blades, used for rubber, carpets, 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 swing of the pendulum.

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

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 tips, becoming inefficient; drill bits for a drill tend to break or grind off from constant contact with one or another dense material; a cutting disc for a grinder is enough for no more than ten minutes of intensive work.

File classification

The purpose of the jigsaw is similar to the purpose circular saw- making 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. In many respects, this possibility is due to the consumable material of the tool - its file. The thin metal of the blade and small teeth of small size allow the jigsaw to maneuver when processing any material.

Most people use a jigsaw for sawing wooden blanks and wood-based products - chipboard, fiberboard, using the appropriate wood files. However, using special files, the tool can also process metal, plastic, 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 number 80 indicates the maximum thickness of a wooden product that a jigsaw can cut using the file that comes with it. That is, in this case, the thickness is 80 mm.

Important: The number in the article reflects the thickness of the wood! 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 model article.

Marking saw blades for wood:

• Т101D: The most popular file model. Has large teeth big step and is designed for making 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 large-section plywood.

• T101B: Has finer teeth than the previous model and is designed for a clean cut.

Typically, files of this type are used to work with plywood and plexiglass.

• T101BR: Same tooth size and pitch as previous model.

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

• T119BO: The cross-section of this model is very thin, which makes it possible to make curved cuts.

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.

There are models long files for electric jigsaw. For example, such as the T 345 XF. This variety allows you to easily cope with a board thickness of 100 mm.

Files for different 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 workpiece. For the LE 80/800 electric jigsaw model given above, this characteristic will be 6 mm. A very small value compared to the fact that the maximum thickness wooden blank for the same tool position will be 80 mm.

Classification of saw blades for metal:

• T118A: The ability to cut metal is made possible by the strong structure of its material and a very fine tooth.

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

• T224D: Designed to work with aluminum products, the thickness of which can reach 20 mm.

Diamond saws.
Files of this kind are designed to work with fragile materials that tend to crumble during sawing. We are talking about materials such as tiles, slate and ceramic tiles. A diamond-coated blade allows you to cut metal, but such an application will lead to the fact that the consumable element will quickly fail and require replacement.

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

Diamond plating and inscription DIA. Designed for ceramics.

How to insert a saw blade into a jigsaw

Replacing the saw blade is a fairly common procedure, provided that the tool is used regularly. Jigsaw blades that have lost their effectiveness 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 seen a shortage of such products for a long time, and the cost of a saw blade is clearly not affordable.
But replacing a file for an inexperienced user of a jigsaw can cause some difficulties. In order to avoid them, consider the main options and features of replacing the saw blade.

Shoe fastening.

For many models of household-grade jigsaws, the saw blade is fastened with a quick-clamping block, which fixes the saw blade with two front adjustment screws. Such a clamp for sawing a jigsaw is a slightly outdated design, however, it is not without advantages, the main of which is 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 saw blade may be skewed, which will lead to a distortion of the cut.

The latter feature, however, can also be regarded as a positive factor in some cases. The fact is that the jigsaw rod can be bent over the course of operation. So, using the degree of freedom that the saw blade mount allows, you can use the same adjusting screws to bring the saw blade into a vertical plane.

Quick clamp.

A more modern saw blade attachment is a quick-clamping one. This design allows replacement without removing the tool cover. The process algorithm is very simple:
- We pull the lever located on the tool body - in this case, the rod automatically extends to the plane of the sole.

The shank of the file is inserted into the mount.

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

On the other hand, a similar consumable is found everywhere, so this nuance should not be considered as a clear drawback. Another point is that the file in this type of mount has a small longitudinal play. It can be compared with the degree of freedom of the drill, which, being in the cartridge of the perforator, has the possibility of longitudinal movement. This feature does not affect the quality of the jigsaw in any way.

In the photo, the moment the web is inserted into the mount while the lever is pulled

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

Protool has a mount different from other electric jigsaws

Jigsaw blades DeWALT DT2216-QZ/ DT2220-QZ

These DeWALT blades belong to the XPC series and are designed to work with wood. high quality steel guarantees wear resistance and long service life. Optimized tooth geometry, as well as increased blade stiffness, improves controllability, cut accuracy and reduces the chance of the blade accidentally breaking out of the material during cutting.

Large interdental cavities increase cutting speed and clear chips faster. Bimetal blades DT2220-QZ with a working length of 75 mm are recommended for processing wood, chipboard, plywood and plastic up to 60 mm thick. The unique geometry of the plunge point teeth allows you to comfortably make clean plunge cuts while avoiding kickback. Blades DT2216-QZ with a working length of 54 mm are designed for fast and accurate curved 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 a lot of questions. There are a lot of types of files, because with an electric jigsaw you can cut not only wood, the list is much longer. Therefore, in this article we will figure out which files are best for cutting 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 the marking, therefore, after reading this article, you will begin to figure out which file is suitable for which work. After all, it is 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 Bosch models, since they are of good quality, and their price is very 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 fastening, that is, T-shaped (Fig. 1). It also happens U, 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 - medium 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 A, for example T118A means - a file with a T-shank, a short, very small tooth. Further, respectively - B - a slightly larger tooth (most often these are files with a small tooth for plywood, chipboard, fiberboard and wood for a clean cut). Files with the letters C and D - with the largest teeth, for wood for rough sawing.

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

• F - bimetal (the coolest, high quality)
• X - universal for wood, metal and plastic.
• O - for a curved cut (cut a circle, for example, usually thin, so that the file can be turned straight during sawing).
• P - thick options for sawing strictly at the exact chosen angle (thick, do not bend, so they cut perfectly). A bright representative - T144DP, costs much more than standard ones.

woodwork

The main purpose of an electric jigsaw is sawing 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 saw ordinary boards and you don’t 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 sawing 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 sawing a board or bar with a thickness of 70 mm (for example) will not work as usual, you will need an elongated one.

Well, the third nuance when choosing is the thickness, standard files are not thick, but there are thickened ones (they cut much better, because 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.

See the photo for a standard set of nail files:

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

For metal.

T118A - a standard metal file, has a very fine tooth (like metal blades). You can cut metal up to 3 mm, though there is a terrible rattle, so use protective headphones. Highly recommend. Also, due to the fact that the tooth is very small, it is also recommended to cut plastic, many finishers do this.

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

In addition to the standard saw blade for metal, there are special options for any other metal. For example, an aluminum file has a larger tooth, so that the teeth do not clog. After all, aluminum is a soft metal, so the standard for metal is very quickly clogged with chips.
T224D - for aluminum, special. It says Alu on it.

Sawing on tiles, stone and porcelain stoneware.

Not everyone has tile cutters and grinders, so they came up with special files for jigsaws on tiles. The blade has a tungsten carbide coating 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 manual jigsaws have a length of 130 mm, while in the assortment of modern manufacturers you can find options with a length of 150 and 160 mm. Types of files are classified according to two main parameters: their dimensions and tooth configuration.

In general terms, blades for manual jigsaws are similar to, but have one important difference: they always choose pinless files with flat ends, which can be fixed in tool clamps and threaded into thin holes without problems when creating small patterns.

The dimension of saw blades for a manual jigsaw is similar to that of a machine tool: #2/0 to #12. But practice shows that the most optimal options for manual sawing are numbers #3 to #9.

What files are better?

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

Let's understand the basic concepts

The marking of saw blades for a manual jigsaw contains basic information that allows you to choose the blade that is best suited for a particular type of wood and the project as a whole. To decipher this marking, it is important to get acquainted with the key concepts.

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

reverse tooth - a blade with a reverse tooth that cuts the material during the return movement of the file, thereby preventing the formation of chips on the wrong side of the sawn product. They are especially relevant when using plywood blanks.

Tooth setting – designed to prevent jamming of the file in the workpiece, which in turn ensures trouble-free sawing (especially sharp turning and curved lines) and minimizes the formation of chips. The width of the cut when using such files increases slightly, which should be taken into account when preparing the project.

File classification

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

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

File and jigsaw shank compatibility

First you need to pay attention to first letter in the marking of the nail file, which indicates the type of shank and compare with that used in your jigsaw.
« T» - T-shank, the most popular, worldwide Bosch standard

« U» - U-shank, used mainly in USA

« M» - for jigsaws Makita

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

Now you need to determine what you will cut. First of all, the material from which the canvas is made depends on this. For convenience, BOSCH marks its files with the appropriate designations and the color of the shank.

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

Hardwood- Solid wood, wood-based panels, laminate, countertops
BiM – bimetal files, gray

metal- Ferrous and non-ferrous metal, pipes, profiles
HSS– high speed tool steel or BiM – bimetal saw blades, blue

WOOD and METAL- Wood with nails, tin, aluminum
BiM– bimetal files, white

ALU- for aluminum
steel HSS, blue files

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

The choice of nail file depending on the type of work

Suitable for most tasks standard universal files with the inscription
BASIC(base)

If needed quick draft cut should buy nail files
SPEED(fast)

For ultra-precise cut you will need nail files with the designation CLEAN (CLEAN). The special shape of the tooth makes the cut smooth and accurate.

CLEAN(clean)

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

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

PRECISION(precise) - for accurate parallel cutting with observance of angles

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

Jigsaw saw blade marking

In principle, these data should be enough when buying a BOSCH nail file for any purpose.
But for the especially inquisitive and for professionals, we will give a decoding of the notation with all the details.
The marking of a jigsaw file looks like this: for example - T101D
first letter we dismantled it fastening type.
T-T-shaped;
U- U-shaped;
M - for Makita jigsaws

Next digit stands for length saw blade:
1 - the standard most common 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 when working, the tip of the nail file is always outside the sawn workpiece.

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 digits are skipped when deciphering the nail files.

But letters, coming after the numbers, deserve close attention

A, B, C, D(immediately after the numbers) - tooth size(Ascending);
The larger the tooth, the higher the sawing speed, but the coarser the cut.
A- small tooth Used when a clean cut is important;
V- middle tooth Universal files. Excellent sawing speed and quite clean cut;
C and D- the largest tooth. Files with such a 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 sheet BIM
Files with such a canvas have increased strength and durability
O- nail file with a narrow back forcurvilinear(curly) cut
R- cloth for precise cut at any angle. The fabric is thicker and does not bend at all.
R- a file with teeth directed in the opposite direction, it works on the downward movement of the file. This feature is necessary for sawing laminated chipboard materials(top edge is clean)
X– “progressive” tooth pitch. Universal a file for any materials, but like everything universal, it loses before special ones. Convenient when you need to cut a little and all the time different material
G- for very thin sheet metal (tooth pitch 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 chips)

In our case, labeling T101D means:

nail file with a T-shaped shank, blade up to 75mm, for wood, with big tooth for fast cutting

The inscription "clean" indicates that the divorce of the teeth is minimal and the nail file is suitable for a fine cut.

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

Wood files

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