An electric jigsaw is an indispensable tool in the arsenal of any craftsman. They can cut almost any surface in everyday life. The quality of the saw depends on the right choice consumable which is the cutting blade. Depending on the choice of the material to be cut, the final choice of a jigsaw file depends. The types and features of canvases can confuse any beginner. This article will help you understand this variety.

Files differ in shape and material from which they are made. Structurally, they are a small strip of metal, on which the shank and the cutting edge can be distinguished. Based on this, morphological parameters can be distinguished that affect the choice: the type of shank, the shape and type of the cutting edge, dimensions.

Classification by shape

Shank type

The shank is the part of the jigsaw blade that attaches it to the tool. They differ only in form. It is imperative to pay attention to their appearance, otherwise it will not be possible to fix the new canvas. There are the following types of shanks:

The most common is the T-type shank. Since it was invented by the Bosch company, it is also called "Boshevsky". Due to the fact that this corporation has the largest market share for jigsaws, many companies are trying to move to this standard. If you choose between files according to the shank model, then the T-shaped one will be the best option... It will fit almost all jigsaws, including domestic manufacturers, such as Interskol.

The American standard among shanks is the U-shape. Most older instrument models work with it. To fix it, a screw or shoe type of fastening is used. Makita shank files are especially popular. They only fit the old jigsaws of the company of the same name. Likewise, Bosch jigsaw blades, which only fit their old jigsaw models. Structurally, their shape is equipped with an additional T-shaped stop.

Canvas size

Cut edge shape

Saws have different cutting edge shapes depending on the type of material they are working with. In addition to the shape, the method of setting the teeth also differs. The wider they are set, the faster the material is cut. The quality of the saw border gets worse. All files can be divided into the following groups, according to the type of their edges.

• Classic routing with milling... The teeth are set apart. In the classic version, they are alternately bent to the right and then to the left. Due to this, the canvas does not heat up as much as an ordinary flat one. The saw cut can be obtained very quickly, but the quality of the work will not be accurate. Such files are intended for soft materials.
• Classic wiring with grinding... The teeth are set apart, then ground. The cutting line is wide. Designed for fast cuts of average quality. It is better to choose such files when working with wood and its derivatives (chipboard, fiberboard, etc.).
• Wavy routing with milling... The teeth are set apart along the wave. The result is relatively compact groups sharpened segments, whose length is equal to the half-period of such a bend. Within one bend, the teeth follow each other, lining up along the bend contour. Designed for a beautiful cut in wood, chipboard, plywood, soft metals and plastics.
• Conical grinding without set... The teeth in such a file are not divorced, but simply polished. Inner surface the grinding turns out to be diluted, and the outer one goes along the cone. Designed for accurate cutting of plastic, wood and laminate.

Type of processed material

Wood and its derivatives

Sawing wood, chipboard, plywood was the main function of jigsaws from the beginning. You can saw wood with almost all types of saws. In order for such work to be effective, and the sawing was of high quality for wood, special types canvases. Depending on the priorities in the process of work, they are divided into several groups.

When performing such work, a certain trick is used: the material is turned face from a jigsaw. In this case, chips can be almost avoided. There are files with reverse teeth. It is more difficult to work with such files, but the workpiece does not need to be turned over.

1. Figured cut... Curved shapes can be cut using narrow saws. They fit very easily into the groove, allowing you to cut along a wide variety of curves. Blade characteristics should be as follows: very narrow blade with cut back side, fine teeth. The length is selected according to the thickness of the material.

Metal

Initially, jigsaws were intended for sawing wood. Over time, their power and speed began to increase, and the variety of saws made it possible to produce blades with very fine teeth. Due to this, the specific force per tooth during the saw cut increased. The latter made it possible to work with harder materials such as non-ferrous metals and steel. Relatively thin inserts can be cut with jigsaws.

When performing work on metal, a number of rules should be observed:

• saw is very slow, without excessive pressure;
• if the file becomes dull, you should immediately change it, otherwise the jigsaw will quickly fail;
• teeth on the canvas should not be more than 1 mm.

Plastic

Examples of polymer materials are PVC pipes, plastic panels... For cutting them, you can use blades with large teeth. If you cut plastic with a fine-toothed file, the material may heat up and the plastic will begin to melt. You can even work with a wood saw at low revs. Thin leaves of plastic or plexiglass are sawn with a fine-toothed file also at low speeds.

Unusual materials

Blades without teeth with a special diamond coating can be used for sawing ceramic tiles... With their help, the saw cut edge will have complex bends. If the cut needs to be straight, it is best to use a regular tile cutter. The diamond coating prevents the file from becoming blunt from abrasive elements of the material.

Ordinary canvases also quickly become blunt from drywall. To cut the latter, you should use coarse-toothed saws with soldered special alloys. Soft materials (cardboard, rubber) are sawn with blade-shaped blades with a wavy edge, which is simply sharpened and does not have any teeth.

There are files with an unusual shape of teeth, which in their appearance follow the contours of the letter M. Such a blade works with wood and metal. In this case, the direction of movement can be both direct and reverse. If you have no idea what material you have to work with and the saw cut needs to be made of small length without quality claims, then you can purchase universal files. They are made of high-speed steel.

Marking

Several symbols and numbers are located on the tail of the file. They determine the type of blade material and key characteristics of the cutting edge. In addition, the purpose is specified by color coding, inscriptions on the blade and the file neck. Since it is the Bosch company that is the leader in the production of cutting blades for jigsaws, its method of marking has become common. This is not a standard, but other manufacturers are trying to adapt to it.

Shank symbols

The combination of letters and numbers is positional. This means that the element number in the label has its own meaning. Since each position can have a different number of values, it makes no sense to bring them together in a single table. Everything available options listed below as lists.

The first letter defines the type of shank and can take the following values:

• T for T - shaped;
• U for U-shaped;
• M for Makita shanks.

The third and fourth characters define the purpose of the canvas. There is no single rule for filling them out to date. Therefore, in order not to mislead readers, it is better to skip them. For example, values ​​0 and 1 can correspond to wood. At the same time, 1 and 2 represent steel. As a result, a value of 1 can correspond to wood and metal at the same time. Bosch jigsaw blades have not yet set the standard in this case.

The fifth character defines the size of the teeth:

• A - small;
• B - medium;
• C, D - large.

The sixth and subsequent characters define the specification of the web and can be combined. Here is a list of their main meanings:

• X - for progressive teeth;
• O - for canvases with a narrow back side;
• R - reversible teeth arrangement;
• F - the cutting edge and working surface are made of a special durable alloy;
• P - for files with a neat and precise cut.

Between work surface and the shank is the saw neck. It can be printed with letters that determine the type of alloy from which the canvas is made. The most common alloys are:

There is often confusion in the designation of alloy types, for example, with CV symbols, some manufacturers indicate carbon steel, while others mark alloys made of chromium and vanadium.

Color and text coding

The purpose of the file can be determined by the color of the shank or by the inscription on it. Variants color coding determine the type of material with which the canvas should work:

• gray - wood and derivatives;
• blue - metals;
• red - plastic.

Duplicate inscription some manufacturers are printed directly on the working part of the canvas. The scope will be clear to those who are at least a little familiar with English language... Here are some examples:

The inscriptions can indicate not only the material, but also the set of teeth. For example, "clean" means that the teeth are practically unset.

Summary table of the most common types

It is impossible to present files of all types in the form of one table, especially taking into account all the listed characteristics. A set of the most common types is shown in the following table.

Table 1. The most common types of files and their area of ​​application. Legend: "V" - specially designed for working with material, "+" - can be used.

As you can see from the table, there are canvas models that are specifically designed for metals or wood. But they can be applied to other materials as well. Plastic can be cut with almost all types of canvases.

How to make the right choice

If the file is bought for daily work, then it is better to take a special version for a specific type of material. Moreover, you always need to have a stock. For example, if you plan to perform a lot of work on sawing wood materials, then it makes sense to take several types of jigsaw saws for wood with different tooth pitch and blade thickness. For cutting chipboard, you may even need a file for metal. For those who work with a jigsaw from time to time, it is worth having a couple of universal blades in the arsenal.

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 that influence the choice of a cutting blade: the material to be cut, its thickness and density, the 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 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. Used for processing durable materials, including metals different density... Despite all its rigidity, hardened steel is a rather brittle substance that must be used 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.

The tail of any jigsaw blade is marked with letters and numbers. 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:

• O - 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 is 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 the 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 number 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, the T101B file is a good option. It is often used in professional purposes when assembling furniture and for other work requiring 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 using a jigsaw for cutting tiles is recommended only in extreme cases, since the work will be slow and dusty. In the absence of a 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 the usual hand 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 blade 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 an electric jigsaw, you need 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 do not have 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.

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. With a hand jigsaw, you can cut wood, plywood, plastic, ceramics, sheet metal... 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 arc has a third screw - tension, which serves to tension the file between the ends of the arcs, since a jigsaw with a wooden arc does not have sufficient elasticity to pull the file to a working condition.

Files for hand jigsaw(a, b, c) are produced from high quality carbon steel. but despite this, cutting with a jigsaw is quite 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, the jigsaw cannot be replaced. In jewelry production, craftsmen still use a jigsaw to cut out 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.

Manual and jigsaw have long been "stuck" at home craftsmen. These are very useful devices that will allow you to accurately and accurately cut almost any material of various thicknesses and configurations. But before proceeding with the work, it is necessary that the jigsaw file is correctly chosen. However, it is rather difficult to make the right decision right away. This is due not only to a large selection, but also huge amount types of canvas.

Some general information

If you have a jigsaw and no files, then this is a useless tool. If you have a whole set of files, you can cut almost any material. Do not think that the jigsaw is designed to work only with metal or plastic products. While it can be argued that it is quite advisable to have both a manual and an automatic tool, a little later you will understand why. With the right skill, you can do straight and curly cut on chipboard, ceramics, metal and so on. But it should be understood that for each type of material there is its own jigsaw file. For example, the assortment of the BOSCH company provides a variety of blades that can work with plywood, plastic, etc. Of course, each material has a different thickness, density, hardness and other parameters, this imposes certain requirements on the quality of the blade steel.

Jigsaw blades

It is quite logical that without a file you will not be able to complete the work you need. Today, all blades for hand tools are divided into two large groups:

• for woodwork;
• for metal works.

Each of these groups is divided into subgroups. For example, a blade for wood can be for quick sawing. This is one of the most common and popular nail files. Its peculiarity is that a large amount of material can be processed with such a blade at high speed. For example, with such a file it is not a problem to cut a workpiece 20 cm in diameter. However, this tool leaves behind a significant number of defects, so it is advisable to use it only for auxiliary work or the construction of buildings.

But files for a hand jigsaw of a clean cut allow you to get a high-quality surface. This is achieved due to the large number of small teeth, as a result of which the cut is smooth and practically without defects. However, in this case, the maximum diameter of the workpiece should not exceed 7.5 cm. There are also files for the laminate. They have a unique arrangement of teeth that do not leave any marks behind.

Metal blade

It is one thing to process a material such as wood, quite another to process metal. Please note that the saw blade is not suitable for sawing metal sheets... But learning to distinguish between files is extremely simple. A jigsaw blade for metal has a blue shank, which is the main hallmark... The teeth are very small, allowing you to work with sheets of 6 mm thick.

Combined canvases are increasingly being sold today. According to the manufacturers, they are well suited for working with wood and metal. But we can say with confidence that this is not the best solution, since the work performed is somewhat difficult and stretched out in time. In any case, a jigsaw file for metal must be made of quality material.

Electric, table and hand jigsaws

It should be understood that, despite the same purpose, the files for this tool have fundamental differences. For example, the blade for a hand jigsaw is quite thin and long, and also fastened on both sides. In a jigsaw, it is shorter and thicker, and also has a completely different installation method. If the tool is hand-held, then you should always have several spare files. This is due to their fragility. They break really often and at the most inopportune moment.

There are also saws for The tool itself is stationary and is great for cutting wood. The canvas in this case is more similar to that used in hand tools. However, it is less brittle, so it breaks less often. These saws are designed for workpieces with a maximum diameter of 4 cm for wood and 0.2 cm for metal products.

Jigsaw blades marking

Special designations on the canvas can say a lot. Firstly, this way you can find out what material the product is made of. By the way, this is very important, especially when performing important work. For example, if HCS is written on the body, it means that the blade is made of and is intended for cutting soft materials, in particular wood, chipboard, plastic, etc. But, for example, the inscription HSS indicates that the file made of high speed hardened steel. It is a hard, but at the same time quite brittle material that can be used to work with both aluminum and steel of small thickness.

But the marking of BIM jigsaw files means that the blade is bimetallic. Basically, it is a combination of HCS and HSS. Such a file has improved properties, but also a high cost. The HM mark means that such a blade can be used for particularly hard materials, for example, cutting ceramic tiles, etc. In principle, it is not so difficult to understand the marking, if you remember this, then choosing the appropriate blade will be extremely simple.

Learn more about the right choice

When buying, you should always pay attention to the blade shank. Naturally, it has only one mount, unlike a hand saw. Although today the world famous company "Bosch" produces with two stops. In any case, it is advisable to first read the instructions, where it will be written what is suitable for your instrument. For example, the Makita company produces jigsaws with a mount that is fundamentally different from other models. At both ends there are specially cut circles of different diameters. Naturally, you can't put a file with a different type of attachment on a jigsaw.

You need to understand that the canvas can have different lengths. For wood cutting, this is usually 51-126 mm, for metal - up to 106 mm. The selection should be based on the thickness of the workpiece to be machined. The thicker it is, the longer the canvas should be. For example, thin jigsaw blades are used to make a figured cut in wood. They are quite fragile, but give more options to the operator.

Blade for working with laminate

Today many people say that for processing parquet boards or laminate flooring, an exceptionally clean cut is required. Someone may advise using almost a diamond-coated canvas. However, the price of such a tool is very high, for a set of 5 files you will have to pay several thousand rubles. In principle, sometimes the jigsaw itself can cost so much.

So, it is not at all necessary to purchase an instrument that is too expensive. A blade is usually sufficient for a clean cut. Of course, there will be a chip of about 1-2 mm. However, in most cases, the laminate is covered with skirting boards, which are significantly larger than the chip. For this simple reason, don't overpay. When buying jigsaw files for laminate, pay attention to the quality of the product. Many modern canvases burn very strongly when working with wood, chipboard and laminate. Therefore, make a purchase with a small margin.

Something about the shape of the teeth

The tooth configuration of the blade determines the capabilities of the tool. A large number of fine teeth improves the quality of the cut, but significantly reduces the speed. If there are few teeth and they are large, then such a cut will be extremely sloppy, but very fast. Conventionally, according to the shape of the teeth, the saws can be divided into the following groups:

• Divorced (milled) - used for cutting soft materials such as wood and plastic, as well as non-ferrous metals. The layout contributes to the fact that unnecessary heat does not accumulate, and the sawdust is removed from the cut and the blade.
• Wavy (milled) - used for clean cutting of aluminum, soft materials (wood, plastic) and non-ferrous metals. In this case, the setting is performed in groups, that is, several teeth in a row in one direction.
• Conical ground (ground) - good decision for a clean cut in wood and plastic. The non-working edge is sanded. These are typical laminate jigsaw blades.
• Ground, set teeth are one of the best solutions for rough cuts in wood, chipboard, blockboard, etc.

Width and thickness of the blade

When choosing, it is extremely important to pay attention to the width of the file. Not only the quality, but also the speed of the work performed depends on this parameter. If the canvas is wide, then it will not only be stable, but also more durable, and also practically will not deviate from the intended plane. Of course, this is also fast cutting, so don't forget about that. At the same time, narrow saw blades provide good maneuverability compared to wide ones. The location of the teeth on the axis of the jigsaw drive allows you to better follow the intended plane with minimal deviations.

Thickness is also not the last parameter that makes sense to pay attention to. Blades that are too thin cannot provide the proper perpendicularity of the cut. In addition, the thicker the file, the higher its stability.

Something else

You probably know that the blade teeth must be harder than the material being cut. So, to perform work on cutting glass, ceramics, metal and stone, you will need special files. The main requirement is increased strength. It is best to use bimetallic blades for such purposes, which are 1/3 hardened steel and 2/3 high-carbon steel. The service life of such files is long enough, so they will pay off with interest. In addition, the risk of sudden breakage is much lower here than in the classic versions. But since it is not difficult to choose a file for a jigsaw, and you already know how to do it, you will not have any problems when choosing the appropriate bimetallic blade.

Conclusion

If we talk about manufacturers that have proven themselves well, then these are the companies "Bosch", "Makita" and "Praktika". Saws of these companies are famous all over the world for their high quality and excellent performance properties. If you are not afraid to spend an extra 200 rubles, then buy paintings from these particular brands, and you will not regret anything. Do not forget that all files have their own purpose; use for other purposes is unlikely to lead to the expected results. The jigsaw is a high-speed tool, so secure the blade securely and try to work with goggles and gloves. Basically, we have covered the main types of jigsaw files. Now you know that there are canvases for wood, metal, as well as combined for other materials. Paying attention to the marking of the product and the method of its fastening, you will definitely make the right choice.

Choosing the right jigsaw blade for wood has a lot to do with the productivity and accuracy of the material you cut. It is worth clarifying right away that the cutting blades for jigsaws are the most different forms, 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 for 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 shouldn't buy tricky 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, whether it be 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.

Marking "HS S" 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. senior 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 find their application mainly in the ceramic field, where there is a dense work with tiles and similar materials.

Canvas size

Wood materials are, as a rule, thicker than the same metals or plastic, so jigsaw saws for wood go, as they say, with a margin, that is, long. If the material is rough, like ordinary boards, it is better to use thicker blades, and thin ones for curly cutting. 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 you can find, instead of the usual layout, cutting "in waves", where each next tooth is slightly shifted to the side from the previous one (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 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.

There are 4 classes of files for:

• for sawing wood;
• for sawing wood with metal;
• for sawing metal;
• for sawing other materials (plastics, tile, foam, cardboard, etc.).

By mounting type - with T-shaped and U-shaped mounts. T-shaped files are the most common.

By file material:

• High Carbon Steel (HCS)
• High speed steel (HSS)
• Bimetal (BiM)
• Carbide (HM)

By the type of cut - standard (basic), clean (clean), fast (speed), at an exact angle (precision).

Basic- the most common files. They have wavy milled teeth. The price is minimal. Used when the quality of the cut does not matter.

Сlean- files with ground undiluted teeth. Used when you need to get a clean cut, without chips.

Speed ​​- files with polished set teeth. Used when cutting speed takes priority over cutting quality.

Precision- files with polished set teeth and a thick blade. Used when you need to get an even, parallel cut. Indispensable for sawing chipboard for making furniture at home.

Also distinguish:

• saws for straight and curved cuts. Curved saw blades have a characteristic bend at the top;
• files with straight and reverse teeth. Saw blades with a straight tooth are sawn during the downward stroke of the saw and therefore the top surface of the part to be sawn is chipped. Reverse tooth saws are cut on the upward stroke of the saw, so chips form on the bottom surface. When sawing with such files, it is necessary to rigidly fix the part.

The class of the file can be determined by the color of its shank on which the marking is applied:

• Gray - for wood;
• White - for wood with metal;
• Blue is for metal;
• Red - for polymers
• Black is for other materials.

File marking.

The first letter is T or U. File attachment type. Most jigsaws have a T-shaped blade attachment, but there are also U-shaped saw blades.

The first number 1,2,3,7 is the working length of the file.

1 - short (up to 75mm)

2 - medium (75 - 90 mm)

3 - long (90-150 mm)

7 - very long (more than 150mm)

The second and third digits determine the purpose of the file.

Subsequent letters:

A, B, C, D- file tooth size.

F- bimetallic files. These saws have an increased service life, they cut faster and better.

P- cut at a precise angle. Such files have a thick blade, so they cut the material strictly perpendicular to the surface.

O- curved cut

R- reverse tooth

X- a universal file for all materials

HM- hard alloy file

This classification is conditional and not always observed, therefore the most reliable way choose the right file - know its characteristics.

Wood saws

T101B - short file (74 mm) with fine teeth... Serves for sawing soft wood, plywood up to 30 mm thick. Thanks to the fine tooth, the cut is clean.

T101BR- differs from T101B reverse tooth. Serves for sawing laminate and other materials when chips are on front surface undesirable. In practice, the use of such a saw is rather difficult, since reliable support of the part being cut and sufficient pressure on the jigsaw is necessary due to the fact that the saw "cuts up", that is, when it goes down, the file goes idle, and when it goes up, it cuts. Because of this, if there is insufficient pressure on the jigsaw, the part being cut will vibrate. It is easier to use a regular file (for example, T101B) and turn the part over with the laminated side down.

T101P - differs from T101B a larger tooth (4.5 mm). You can cut the same materials, but up to 45 mm thick.

T301CD- differs in length (91 mm), which allows cutting materials up to 65 mm thick.

T101AO- short saw blade with fine teeth (1.4 mm) for clean curved cuts in wood and plywood with a thickness of 1.5 to 15 mm.

T101BIF- short file with fine teeth and bimetallic blade. Serves for sawing laminated chipboard up to 15mm thick.

T101BF- differs from T101BIF with a larger tooth (2.7 mm), which allows you to cut materials up to 30 mm thick.

T101BRF - differs from T101BF reverse tooth.

T144DP - thick file with polished, large (4 mm), strongly set teeth. Thanks to these properties, the cut is obtained even, strictly perpendicular to the surface, the file does not take away. The disadvantage of this saw is a rough cut and a large number of chips due to rather large teeth. Serves for sawing thick joinery boards (doors, countertops).

T144DF- Differs from T144DP bimetallic blade, thanks to which this saw lasts longer and cuts better. True, its cost is 2-3 times more.

T344DF- differs from T144DF only with a working length of 126 mm, instead of 74 mm for T144DF.

T345XF- universal long file (106 mm) with bimetallic blade and coarse teeth. Serves for sawing wood with nails, as well as wood, plastic, metal (including aluminum).

Metal saws

T118A- short saw blade with fine teeth for cutting metal sheets up to 13 mm thick.

T318A- differs from the T118A in the working length of the saw blade, for sawing metal pipes diameter up to 65 mm.

T118G- a file with very fine teeth (0.7 mm) for sawing very thin metal sheets (0.5-1.5 mm)

Universal files

T234X, T123X - universal saw blades for sawing various types of wood, metal and plastic.

Special-purpose saws

T118AHM- file for thin of stainless steel(up to 2 mm)

T118EHM- file for stainless steel of medium thickness (2-5 mm)

T301CHM-saw file for fiberglass up to 65mm thick

T141HM- file for plasterboard and cement-particle boards up to 50 mm thick

T341HM- differs from T141HM in working length (106 mm), which allows working with material up to 85 mm thick

T101A- file for organic glass up to 20 mm thick

T113A- file for cardboard, leather, rubber up to 50 mm thick

T313AW- file for cardboard, foam, rubber up to 100 mm thick

T130Riff, T150Riff- tile files. These saws are made of hard material and are diamond-coated for cutting wall tiles and fiberglass. The difference between these saws in the quality of the cut: T130 - coarse cut, T150 - clean.

T308B, T308BF - a specialized file that allows you to cut materials laminated on both sides. Thanks to the two rows of tines, the cut is obtained with virtually no chips. But it is relatively thin, therefore, in inexperienced hands, the file leads away and it is quite difficult to get a straight cut.