Great difficulty cutting 18mm MDF with T101B jigsaw blade

[MM]

Is there a recommended blade for cutting MDF? Using a new T101B, even with a fence, causes an uneven kerf and the blade seems to "bend" away from the board. Never had the problem sawing real wood.

[Andy Burns]

Circular saw available, instead of jigsaw?

[ÂÂÂÂ]

No, I only have hand saws and a jigsaw. I don't have much MDF to cut, but when I do, another shelf, for example, it's frustrating to say the least. Since posting, I've found variable pitch blades (De Walt) on Amazon, which include MDF in the materials it will cut, so perhaps that could be the answer. NB: There's not much of a problem with thin MDF (say, 6mm to 10mm), but the thicker boards do present a problem.

[Andy Burns]

Accept you're going to get a less than perfect sawn edge, and plane it square?

[newshound]

You don't need to be cutting many shelves to justify getting something like this

or keep an eye on Lidl / Aldi for offers.

When you do, google "sawboard" and make that your first job.

[Andy Burns]

Or buy from a larger B&Q that offers a cutting service

Then, on literally the first cut after making the sawboard, watch as the magic smoke pours from the saw's motor, buy a replacement saw and then make another sawboard to match the dimensions of the replacement saw ... That bloody Mr Sod.

[Brian Gaff]

If you have ever tried to cut a round hole for a speaker out of that stuff, you will know its bloody near impossible!

Brian

[ÂÂÂÂ]

What I've just done is (a) use a new blade! And (b) only *guide* the jigsaw along the fence with hardly any forward pressure. Takes ages to cut 1/2 a metre, but the cut is actually very clean and straight. Still might try those other blades I saw on Amazon, though.

After I'd cut the MDF boards to size I needed some basic shelves from bog-standard melamine chipboard and the jigsaw sailed through those like a hot knife through butter.

The jigsaw, by the way is 40 years old. It's an AEG I bought in Germany in the early 1970s while resident as a guest worker there. Still works perfectly.

[ÂÂÂÂ]

Sorry, circular saws frighten me to death. I could never use one. Quite fancy a bandsaw, however.

[ÂÂÂÂÂ]

It was bloody difficult enough cutting a half-round crescent out of melamine chipboard a few weeks back. Diameter was about 30cm. In the end I just cut well on the inside of the line in steps, then finished off with a rasp.

[stuart noble]

Try a coarse cut blade with a wide set. Fine blades are hopeless on mdf

[harryagain]

Jig saws are of very limited use. Cutting curves and that's about it.

Get a circular saw and some TC tipped blades.

[The Medway Handyman]

+1

[The Medway Handyman]

Jigsaws are not designed to cut straight lines, that's a job for a circular saw. Makes me laugh when you see a fence included with a jigsaw.

Even a top of the range £120 Makita jigsaw won't cut as straight a line as a £30 circular saw. Almost, but not quite.

[michael adams]

Blades designed for a smooth finish are often too thin.

Try Bosch 144D's which are really thick blades, and go slowly rather than forcing the saw. In this way you can still get a fairly good finish as the blade runs against the same edge a number of times.

I've only ever used cheap and cheeful jigsaws myself, and the biggest mistake I've found is to try and push the saw too hard through the work given the relatively low power of the motor.

Unlike the expensive jobs you see featured in Youtube videos zipping through 28cm worktops, as if they were butter.

In the past the Bosch website had comparative tables for all their blades with the blade thickness/set/kerf - which is how I selected the 144D's, in addition to the usual length and TPI. But the site now appears to be dumbed down or maybe it was only ever on the German site.

michael adams

...

[robgraham]

Having been brought up from my teens with a circular saw - big b****r my Da d made for a serious house renovation in the 1950's - and only progressed t o a bandsaw about 6 years ago, I have more fears of it than the circular sa w. The noise and clear movement of the circular saw blade is a clear remin der of its threat whereas the bandsaw just hums and the blade cannot really be seen moving.

Rob

[tony sayer]

In article ,   scribeth thus

Amazing if it does. I bought a new Makita last year excellent tool this one and it does cut straight:)...

jigsaw.html

[newshound]

It's actually rather easier to put your hand through a bandsaw while feeding material. Keep your hands above the plate and it is not so easy to damage yourself with a circular saw. Unless you rest the workpiece on your knees, of course. Big table saws can have a hell of a kick if abused, less of an issue with handheld saws.

[fred]

Couldn't disagree more.I find a bandsaw infinitely safer than a table saw a nd I own and use both regularly. The real danger with table saws is kick ba ck.

I've had long pieces of wood thrown back at me from kickback. And incidenta lly kickback from a hand held circular saw is much more dangerous than with a table saw. With a handheld machine its the machine that gets thrown abou t,and you will still be holding it switched on and running

With a circular blade raised for a 2" cut there is much more dangerous rev olving blade exposed than the 2" of bandsaw blade which will have its own b uilt in safety shield from its guide post.

To me, anyone stupid enough to damage themselves on a band saw is just that , stupid enough.

[tony sayer]

In article , fred scribeth thus

But have to you seen this one!..

Enjoy!...