No Wonder My Jigsaw Bounces!

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  • leehljp
    Just me
    • Dec 2002
    • 8429
    • Tunica, MS
    • BT3000/3100

    No Wonder My Jigsaw Bounces!

    I bought a corded Bosch jigsaw a few years ago and it sure does cut well, and smooth!

    But since I have quite a few cordless 18V Lithium flavored power tools, I bought a cordless Ryobi jigsaw about 2 years ago. It cuts but it sure is not a Bosch! It bounces all over the place; just seems so unbalanced or something! Today, I needed to make a couple of 6 inch circular cuts in a 2 x 3 ft sheet of 3/4" plywood. It bounced so bad in the first 3 inches of cut that I thought - should I get a new blade or pull out my corded Bosch? I spotted a new "in the package" blade next to my Bosch and decided, what the heck, let me try the new blade.

    Then as I was getting ready to take the old blade out of the Ryobi, I noticed - All of the teeth were pointing DOWN - away from the saw. When did I buy THAT blade? Did I KNOW that I was buying a downward cutting blade, when I bought it? Must have been at least a couple of years ago about the time I bought the Ryobi Jigsaw. NO WONDER it was bouncing around. It was cutting on the down stroke - pushing the jigsaw UP!

    I switched the blades out and Wow, it is like a different machine.

    I looked up DownWard cutting jigsaw blades and found out they are for cutting laminates.

    It sure helps to have the RIGHT blade!
    Last edited by leehljp; 03-15-2019, 03:09 PM.
    Hank Lee

    Experience is what you get when you don't get what you wanted!
  • capncarl
    Veteran Member
    • Jan 2007
    • 3564
    • Leesburg Georgia USA
    • SawStop CTS

    #2
    I wasn’t aware of a down cut blade available for jig saws. It’s for laminates? I bet it still jumps and carries on on laminates too!

    Comment

    • leehljp
      Just me
      • Dec 2002
      • 8429
      • Tunica, MS
      • BT3000/3100

      #3
      A couple of links to downward cut jigsaw blades:

      https://www.amazon.com/IVY-Classic-2...gateway&sr=8-5


      these are for "straight cutting wood and PVC pipe
      https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FSCMFLW...7-f5289a200bc0

      Now that I know about downward cutting blades, that changes the techniques in which I should cut - use intentionally more downward pressure on the jigsaw.
      Last edited by leehljp; 03-15-2019, 07:53 PM.
      Hank Lee

      Experience is what you get when you don't get what you wanted!

      Comment

      • Carlos
        Veteran Member
        • Jan 2004
        • 1893
        • Phoenix, AZ, USA.

        #4
        Originally posted by capncarl
        I wasn’t aware of a down cut blade available for jig saws. It’s for laminates? I bet it still jumps and carries on on laminates too!
        You push down, and go slower. Works great, as laminates cut fast anyway.

        I sold my Bosch jigsaw when I bought the DeWalt 20v, never used it again. Batteries have replaced all of my AC powered tools. I just cut 8/4 Bubinga with the DeWalt circular today, didn't slow it down.

        Comment

        • Slik Geek
          Senior Member
          • Dec 2006
          • 669
          • Lake County, Illinois
          • Ryobi BT-3000

          #5
          I noticed I had bought one of those downward cutting jigsaw blades a while back before I opened the package. I wondered "How did I not notice that?" Glad to hear I'm not the only one who didn't notice that when I bought it.

          Comment

          • capncarl
            Veteran Member
            • Jan 2007
            • 3564
            • Leesburg Georgia USA
            • SawStop CTS

            #6
            Lee, I believe I would keep one of the downward cutting blade in an older “loaner” saw. It would be good for chuckles when friends come over and want to help, and would be ideal for the neighbor that borrows a tool and keeps it months before he brings it back.

            I had some left hand twist drill bits for a while. Occasionally one of them would get picked up and would present a simular problem, wouldn’t cut at all. It was hard to distinguish the problem because they were screw machine length with a short flute. The only time I saw the application they were intended for was on a machine that drilled multiple holes at one time. The spindles were driven by a long double sided cog belt that turned every other spindle left hand rotation.... hence the need for left handed bits. I gave most of them to my mechanic work buddies that wanted to use them for drilling out broken off bolts. A lots of time the left hand twist feature would unscrew the broken out piece before it was drilled very far.

            Comment

            • capncarl
              Veteran Member
              • Jan 2007
              • 3564
              • Leesburg Georgia USA
              • SawStop CTS

              #7
              What is the advantage of cutting laminates backwards? Doesn’t mess up the finish side? I’ve alwys tried to cut materials with a finish like that upside down.

              Comment

              • Carlos
                Veteran Member
                • Jan 2004
                • 1893
                • Phoenix, AZ, USA.

                #8
                Exactly, it doesn't damage the surface. Imagine you're cutting an already-installed countertop...you're not cutting from the bottom. Also even if not installed, a laminate top often has corners and curves that you can cut through from the top, but not the bottom.

                Comment

                • woodturner
                  Veteran Member
                  • Jun 2008
                  • 2047
                  • Western Pennsylvania
                  • General, Sears 21829, BT3100

                  #9
                  Originally posted by capncarl
                  What is the advantage of cutting laminates backwards? Doesn’t mess up the finish side? I’ve alwys tried to cut materials with a finish like that upside down.
                  I'm curious about how common it is to cut laminate with a jig saw. Seems like the more common way is to apply the laminate then use a flush trim laminate bit in a router to cut it to final size.
                  --------------------------------------------------
                  Electrical Engineer by day, Woodworker by night

                  Comment

                  • Carlos
                    Veteran Member
                    • Jan 2004
                    • 1893
                    • Phoenix, AZ, USA.

                    #10
                    I have no idea on how common it is, but the reason I've needed it is to cut things that are already built and/or installed. Like cutting in a sink hole, and things like that.

                    Comment

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