Just got myself a new jigsaw(£70). When starting a cut the blade wanders to
the left about 8mm and stays there, happens everytime, no matter what
direction. Even when using a guide.....

See pics here http://www.imagehosting.com/show.php...igsaw.jpg.html.
This cut was made using a guide, I've just moved it back so youi can see the
poor cut.

What's to blame? jigsaw? blade? me?

In article , says...
Just got myself a new jigsaw(£70). When starting a cut the blade wanders to
the left about 8mm and stays there, happens everytime, no matter what
direction. Even when using a guide.....

See pics here http://www.imagehosting.com/show.php...igsaw.jpg.html.
This cut was made using a guide, I've just moved it back so youi can see the
poor cut.

What's to blame? jigsaw? blade? me?





I've had the same problem with several jigsaws. Invariably I end up
lifting the safety flap and watching where the blade actually goes
rather than where the guide indicates it is supposed to be going. I
don't know the cause either.
--
David in Normandy.
(The free MicroPlanet Gravity newsreader is great for eliminating the
cross-posted rubbish)

"mark" wrote in message
...
Just got myself a new jigsaw(£70). When starting a cut the blade wanders
to
the left about 8mm and stays there, happens everytime, no matter what
direction. Even when using a guide.....

See pics here
http://www.imagehosting.com/show.php...igsaw.jpg.html.
This cut was made using a guide, I've just moved it back so youi can see
the
poor cut.

What's to blame? jigsaw? blade? me?





Take it back and exchange it for a circular saw,if there's one power tool
that I don't have its a jigsaw basically because they're useless for cutting
long lenghts of wood straight.

In article ,
says...

"mark" wrote in message
...
Just got myself a new jigsaw(£70). When starting a cut the blade wanders
to
the left about 8mm and stays there, happens everytime, no matter what
direction. Even when using a guide.....

See pics here
http://www.imagehosting.com/show.php...igsaw.jpg.html.
This cut was made using a guide, I've just moved it back so youi can see
the
poor cut.

What's to blame? jigsaw? blade? me?





Take it back and exchange it for a circular saw,if there's one power tool
that I don't have its a jigsaw basically because they're useless for cutting
long lenghts of wood straight.




Must agree. My jigsaw wanders to the left so have to steer it to the
right. It can also wander with the depth of the cut too depending on
what I'm cutting. Doing the cut out hole in worktops for a kitchen sink
being a prime example. The cut is not at 90 degrees to the surface.
--
David in Normandy.
(The free MicroPlanet Gravity newsreader is great for eliminating the
cross-posted rubbish)

mark wrote:
Just got myself a new jigsaw(£70). When starting a cut the blade wanders to
the left about 8mm and stays there, happens everytime, no matter what
direction. Even when using a guide.....

See pics here http://www.imagehosting.com/show.php...igsaw.jpg.html.
This cut was made using a guide, I've just moved it back so youi can see the
poor cut.

What's to blame? jigsaw? blade? me?

Probably not you.

Cutting against a guide is one of the harder jobs to do with a jigsaw
since the machine is restrained from moving side to side. Hence any bend
in the blade can't be compensated for and it tends to snowball. You
could try cutting freehand along a line instead.

There are also jigsaws and jigsaws. If you are prepared to pay top money
for one (£100+) then the results you will get are in a totally different
league to that which you can obtain with the lower end models. The usual
recommendations from those that have used them are either one of the
bosh blue barrel bodied style (GST range) or the Makita 4340 range.
These are a class above pretty much anything else.

Poor blades can also make this worse. Some are stamped from sheet metal
and have a burr on one side - these always want to cut crooked! A good
quality sharp blade will help.


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

"David in Normandy" wrote in message

Take it back and exchange it for a circular saw,if there's one power tool
that I don't have its a jigsaw basically because they're useless for
cutting
long lenghts of wood straight.




Must agree. My jigsaw wanders to the left so have to steer it to the
right. It can also wander with the depth of the cut too depending on
what I'm cutting. Doing the cut out hole in worktops for a kitchen sink
being a prime example. The cut is not at 90 degrees to the surface.
--
David in Normandy.
(The free MicroPlanet Gravity newsreader is great for eliminating the
cross-posted rubbish)

You have probably done the hole for the sink now? but if and when I happen
to get a job of that ilk I prefer to use a router which can give you a
precise cut with inner straight edges,although its quicker to cut out the
hole first with a jigsaw and then route the hole to required lines I still
prefer to use the router for each and every cutout.

On Sat, 22 Sep 2007 13:27:47 +0100
"mark" wrote:

Just got myself a new jigsaw(£70). When starting a cut the blade wanders to
the left about 8mm and stays there, happens everytime, no matter what
direction. Even when using a guide.....

See pics here http://www.imagehosting.com/show.php...igsaw.jpg.html.
This cut was made using a guide, I've just moved it back so youi can see the
poor cut.

What's to blame? jigsaw? blade? me?


Non-professional under about £200 are never going to cut straight. I
don't know why, the mechanisms seem the same, but they just never do.
You can constrain the base all you want, but the blade will wander off
on it's own sweet way and the cut is always out of true to the face
too. Use a circular saw, even very cheap ones will cut straight.

R.

In article ,
says...

"David in Normandy" wrote in message

Take it back and exchange it for a circular saw,if there's one power tool
that I don't have its a jigsaw basically because they're useless for
cutting
long lenghts of wood straight.




Must agree. My jigsaw wanders to the left so have to steer it to the
right. It can also wander with the depth of the cut too depending on
what I'm cutting. Doing the cut out hole in worktops for a kitchen sink
being a prime example. The cut is not at 90 degrees to the surface.
--
David in Normandy.
(The free MicroPlanet Gravity newsreader is great for eliminating the
cross-posted rubbish)

You have probably done the hole for the sink now? but if and when I happen
to get a job of that ilk I prefer to use a router which can give you a
precise cut with inner straight edges,although its quicker to cut out the
hole first with a jigsaw and then route the hole to required lines I still
prefer to use the router for each and every cutout.




Yes, sounds like a better way of doing it. The last sink I did, the
angle turned out so far off 90 degrees that there wasn't much left for
the fixing clips to hang on to.
--
David in Normandy.
(The free MicroPlanet Gravity newsreader is great for eliminating the
cross-posted rubbish)

David in Normandy wrote:
In article ,
says...
"David in Normandy" wrote in message
Take it back and exchange it for a circular saw,if there's one power tool
that I don't have its a jigsaw basically because they're useless for
cutting
long lenghts of wood straight.




Must agree. My jigsaw wanders to the left so have to steer it to the
right. It can also wander with the depth of the cut too depending on
what I'm cutting. Doing the cut out hole in worktops for a kitchen sink
being a prime example. The cut is not at 90 degrees to the surface.
--
David in Normandy.
(The free MicroPlanet Gravity newsreader is great for eliminating the
cross-posted rubbish)

You have probably done the hole for the sink now? but if and when I happen
to get a job of that ilk I prefer to use a router which can give you a
precise cut with inner straight edges,although its quicker to cut out the
hole first with a jigsaw and then route the hole to required lines I still
prefer to use the router for each and every cutout.




Yes, sounds like a better way of doing it. The last sink I did, the
angle turned out so far off 90 degrees that there wasn't much left for
the fixing clips to hang on to.

For what it's worth, having tried cutting the sink (and later, the hob)
from a 40mm worktop with a jigsaw, and giving up, going to the effort of
making a jig out of 12mm mdf for the sink (and hob)) and using the
router, I would not now entertain the idea of using anything other than
the router. A brilliant power tool, if you excuse the amount of mess
that it makes, and the potential for losing the family jewels.

John Rumm wrote:
mark wrote:
Just got myself a new jigsaw(£70). When starting a cut the blade
wanders to the left about 8mm and stays there, happens everytime, no
matter what direction. Even when using a guide.....

See pics here
http://www.imagehosting.com/show.php...igsaw.jpg.html. This cut
was made using a guide, I've just moved it back so youi can see the
poor cut.

What's to blame? jigsaw? blade? me?

Probably not you.

Cutting against a guide is one of the harder jobs to do with a jigsaw
since the machine is restrained from moving side to side. Hence any bend
in the blade can't be compensated for and it tends to snowball. You
could try cutting freehand along a line instead.

There are also jigsaws and jigsaws. If you are prepared to pay top money
for one (£100+) then the results you will get are in a totally different
league to that which you can obtain with the lower end models. The usual
recommendations from those that have used them are either one of the
bosh blue barrel bodied style (GST range) or the Makita 4340 range.
These are a class above pretty much anything else.

Poor blades can also make this worse. Some are stamped from sheet metal
and have a burr on one side - these always want to cut crooked! A good
quality sharp blade will help.


A coarse cut blade helps. A bigger kerf allows the blade to clear itself
more easily. Wrong tool though

mark wrote:
Just got myself a new jigsaw(£70). When starting a cut the blade
wanders to the left about 8mm and stays there, happens everytime, no
matter what direction. Even when using a guide.....

See pics here
http://www.imagehosting.com/show.php...igsaw.jpg.html. This
cut was made using a guide, I've just moved it back so youi can see
the poor cut.
What's to blame? jigsaw? blade? me?

First of all a jigsaw isnt the tool for the job. Jigsaws cut curves,
circular saws cut straight lines. I doubt that anybody could achieve a
straight line square cut with a jigsaw.

As John Rumm says, decent jigsaw like the Makita 4341 with a quality blade
(Makita/Bosch) will do an entirely different job.

I'd almost given up on jigsaws until I bought the Makita after advice from
members of this group. Made on a different planet.
http://www.dm-tools.co.uk/product.ph.../sn/MAK4351FCT

What jigsaw have you got?


--
Dave
The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk
01634 717930
07850 597257

On Sep 22, 1:27 pm, "mark" wrote:
Just got myself a new jigsaw(£70). When starting a cut the blade wanders to
the left about 8mm and stays there, happens everytime, no matter what
direction. Even when using a guide.....

See pics herehttp://www.imagehosting.com/show.php/1168352_jigsaw.jpg.html.
This cut was made using a guide, I've just moved it back so youi can see the
poor cut.

Hi,

Which jigsaw did you buy and what blades are you using?

For straight cuts using a guide I use decent blades like Bosch T101D
and NO pendulumn action. Even these can wander if they're bent or
twisted in the slightest.

Even with decent blades getting perfect cuts in wood over 30mm thick
can be a little tricky.

cheers,
Pete.

On 22 Sep, 15:04, TheOldFellow wrote:
On Sat, 22 Sep 2007 13:27:47 +0100

"mark" wrote:
Just got myself a new jigsaw(£70). When starting a cut the blade wanders to
the left about 8mm and stays there, happens everytime, no matter what
direction. Even when using a guide.....

See pics herehttp://www.imagehosting.com/show.php/1168352_jigsaw.jpg.html.
This cut was made using a guide, I've just moved it back so youi can see the
poor cut.

What's to blame? jigsaw? blade? me?

Non-professional under about £200 are never going to cut straight. I
don't know why, the mechanisms seem the same, but they just never do.
You can constrain the base all you want, but the blade will wander off
on it's own sweet way and the cut is always out of true to the face
too. Use a circular saw, even very cheap ones will cut straight.

R.

I remember working with my brother some 18 yeas ago and being
introduced to a Festo jigsaw for cross-cutting big slabs of hard wood
prior to making piece parts for furniture.

It was a fantastic machine that cut a straight line without any
assistance - you just kept the power switch on and gently kept it on
line. They were expensive machines then and still are, but it
reinforces my opinion that where jig saws are concerned in particular,
the price does have an impact on performance.

But personally I can't afford or justify that sort of money for the
little use I make of a jig saw so I battle on with a cheap one,
knowing it's limitations and wishing for better.

Rob

On Sat, 22 Sep 2007 14:56:13 +0100, John Rumm
wrote:

There are also jigsaws and jigsaws. If you are prepared to pay top money
for one (£100+) then the results you will get are in a totally different
league to that which you can obtain with the lower end models. The usual
recommendations from those that have used them are either one of the
bosh blue barrel bodied style (GST range) or the Makita 4340 range.


Where do green barrel Bosch jigsaws weigh in? That's what I have

"David in Normandy" wrote in message
...
In article ,
says...

"mark" wrote in message
...
Just got myself a new jigsaw(£70). When starting a cut the blade wanders
to
the left about 8mm and stays there, happens everytime, no matter what
direction. Even when using a guide.....

See pics here
http://www.imagehosting.com/show.php...igsaw.jpg.html.
This cut was made using a guide, I've just moved it back so youi can see
the
poor cut.

What's to blame? jigsaw? blade? me?





Take it back and exchange it for a circular saw,if there's one power tool
that I don't have its a jigsaw basically because they're useless for cutting
long lenghts of wood straight.




Must agree. My jigsaw wanders to the left so have to steer it to the
right. It can also wander with the depth of the cut too depending on
what I'm cutting. Doing the cut out hole in worktops for a kitchen sink
being a prime example. The cut is not at 90 degrees to the surface.
--
David in Normandy.

Fraid this is a "me too" post. I end up holding the jigsaw at a 15-20 degree angle to the line of the
cut, to keep it straight.
Maybe its the type of vibration, or the angle of the teeth on up and down strokes. Annoying.

Dave Gordon wrote:
"David in Normandy"says...

"mark" wrote in message
Just got myself a new jigsaw(£70). When starting a cut the blade
wanders to the left about 8mm and stays there, happens everytime,
no matter what direction. Even when using a guide.....

See pics here
http://www.imagehosting.com/show.php...igsaw.jpg.html.
This cut was made using a guide, I've just moved it back so youi
can see the poor cut.

What's to blame? jigsaw? blade? me?

Take it back and exchange it for a circular saw,if there's one power
tool that I don't have its a jigsaw basically because they're
useless for cutting long lenghts of wood straight.

Must agree. My jigsaw wanders to the left so have to steer it to the
right. It can also wander with the depth of the cut too depending on
what I'm cutting. Doing the cut out hole in worktops for a kitchen
sink being a prime example. The cut is not at 90 degrees to the
surface.

I thought that after years of buggering about with cheap jigsaws. Then I
bought a Makita 4341 for about £120. Different machine alltogether - it's a
jigsaw Jim, but not as we know it.

It laughs at 38mm worktop & cuts almost perfectly square if you take time &
care. Curve cuts in 150 x 50 softwood again almost perfectly square.

Worth the extra if you can justify the cost.


--
Dave
The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk
01634 717930
07850 597257

On 2007-09-22 21:56:36 +0100, nospam said:

On Sat, 22 Sep 2007 14:56:13 +0100, John Rumm
wrote:

There are also jigsaws and jigsaws. If you are prepared to pay top money
for one (£100+) then the results you will get are in a totally different
league to that which you can obtain with the lower end models. The usual
recommendations from those that have used them are either one of the
bosh blue barrel bodied style (GST range) or the Makita 4340 range.


Where do green barrel Bosch jigsaws weigh in? That's what I have

Generally thought to be the best of the branded "DIY" grade products -
i.e. if you ignore the generic £10 stuff.

However, you would notice a considerable difference with the Bosch blue
or Makita products.

"Mike Dodd" wrote in message
...

8 stuff about routers

A brilliant power tool, if you excuse the amount of mess that it makes,

You need a bigger vac.

and the potential for losing the family jewels.

You must use it for odd things. 8-O

nospam wrote:
On Sat, 22 Sep 2007 14:56:13 +0100, John Rumm
wrote:

There are also jigsaws and jigsaws. If you are prepared to pay top money
for one (£100+) then the results you will get are in a totally different
league to that which you can obtain with the lower end models. The usual
recommendations from those that have used them are either one of the
bosh blue barrel bodied style (GST range) or the Makita 4340 range.


Where do green barrel Bosch jigsaws weigh in? That's what I have

Me too; mine must be 20 years old - I'm sure it isn't as good as the
others mentioned, but I certainly don't have a problem with it wandering
offline.

David

George wrote:
"mark" wrote in message
...
Just got myself a new jigsaw(£70). When starting a cut the blade wanders
to
the left about 8mm and stays there, happens everytime, no matter what
direction. Even when using a guide.....

See pics here
http://www.imagehosting.com/show.php...igsaw.jpg.html.
This cut was made using a guide, I've just moved it back so youi can see
the
poor cut.

What's to blame? jigsaw? blade? me?





Take it back and exchange it for a circular saw,if there's one power tool
that I don't have its a jigsaw basically because they're useless for cutting
long lenghts of wood straight.

But circular saws ain't too good at cutting complicated curves, are
they? Horses for courses and all that.

David
(who has both circular and jigsaws)

"The Medway Handyman" wrote in message
...

What jigsaw have you got?

Sparky FSPE 85 Pro

After some further testing with higher quality blades the problem seems to
be the blade holder and the blade roller aren't correctly aligned, the
result being the blade and base aren't at 90 degree angles. It's off, and I
can see just be looking down the base at the blade from underneath. The
roller has some play on each side, but when the blade is locked into the
holder, it pushes the roller right over to one side, meaning all the play is
on the other side. I assume then, this is why the cut starts out further
right and gets pulled left.

I'll be returning it. Build quality overall for great, except for this issue
of course. I'll look into a Makita instead

On Sep 23, 1:10 pm, "mark" wrote:
I'll be returning it. Build quality overall for great, except for this issue
of course. I'll look into a Makita instead

Hi,

If you're near a Wickes it might be worth having a look at this too:

http://www.wickes.co.uk/invt/167256

Made by a Swiss company, Kress, so should be pretty good.

cheers,
Pete.