Jig saw blades

[David Allinson]

Hi consructors.
I know from experience that sometimes it is difficult to get exactly the blade to suit the job. You are then driven mad as the blade keeps breaking or cuts so slowly you lose concentration!!
 Your troubles are over.
This chap supplies a huge range. There must be a blade for every sort of  job. Buy loads at these prices and you will never run short again!!

http://www.mikesworkshop.com/blades.htm

I don't know of there is a supplier in Europe with such a wide range and prices, perhaps someone can let us know if there is.

Happy sawing.
Regards
David A

[Red_Hamish]

Hello all, David thanks for sharing this site with us. As you'll have seen the range for Scroll Saws is very impressive. However if you really want JIG saw blades then I can really recommend the range from Bosch. There is virtually a  guaranteed Jig saw blade for any application.

Regards

Jim

[David Allinson]

Jim.
Thanks for the note on Bosch blades.
Perhaps I should have also used the term "scroll saw" blades. Just after I
sent the last message I realised that jig saw often refers to the hand
held ones and not necessarily to the bench mounted ones using super thin
blades.
Hope that it is clear that I am refering to scroll saw blades.
All the best
David A



Hello all, David thanks for sharing this site with us. As you'll have seen

the range for Scroll Saws is very impressive. However if you really want
 JIG saw blades then I can really recommend the range from Bosch. There is
 virtually a  guaranteed Jig saw blade for any application.

 Regards

 Jim

 --------
 enjoy the world of Radio Control Model Boating at www.paddleducks.co.uk
 and www.edinburghmodelboatclub.org.uk>

 

[Bill Hudson]

Jim.
.
Perhaps I should have also used the term "scroll saw" blades. Just after I
sent the last message I realised that jig saw often refers to the hand
held ones and not necessarily to the bench mounted ones using super thin
blades.
Hope that it is clear that I am refering to scroll saw blades.
All the best
David A  

[/quote]


David I grew up with the name jig saw rather than scroll saw.  A scroll (which I first learned to use 70 years ago) saw was more in the likings of a coping saw and hand held.  Now days the name "jig saw" seems to belong to the hand held power saw that used to be called a "saber saw" AKA "jitter saw" when they first came out on the market many
years ago.  

Bill

[Red_Hamish]

Hello all ,wow this could become quite a wee discussion in itself  
A Scroll saw (power) uses blades which are 5" long. As does a Fret Saw (Hand) the diference generally being the Scroll has no pins on the blade, whereas the Fret blade has pins to hold it into the slots on the frame. A Coping saw (hand) has blades which are very similar to the Fret saw and are 5 1/2" - 6" long. Jig saw blades are either clamped into a block (U shaped with a hole) on the plunger (older type) or have the more common T clamping mechanism. Both Jig saw blades can be either very thin & narrow up to about 3/8" deep and 6 1/2" long .
A Reciprocating saw / Sabre saw has a  larger 1/2" tang & tailed version of the Jig saw blade with a hole in the tang. The Recip blade can vary in length from 4" to 14" and have many tooth forms for all types of material. We now even sell them suitable for cutting house bricks (don't work on our local granite) and there are some very weird uses requested of us on  weekly basis. I hope this helps some in their quest for the elusive "right" blade for whatever you want to cut.

cheers

Jim

[Bill Hudson]

Jim,

You left out Jeweler's saw frames. As a miniaturist and model builder I keep three frames on/near my bench at all times. This is the type of saw I always associated with as being a fret saw.  Fret work being extremely fine saw work and usually done by hand held saw.  

But as to defining a saw as fret or scroll by whether it is hand or powered or if it has pins in the blade or not is pretty confining.  I had a treadle fret saw (so the name plate called it) which could be powered using a pulley mounted on the drive shaft.  It  could use either plain end blades or pin end blades.  I could clamp a very fine jeweler's saw blade in it and by  rocking the pedal, could do some really fine fret work. Clamp in a heavier  1/8" wide, course toothed blade with a pin in each end and I could saw (with a lot of huffing and puffing) out a scroll on a pump handle (rear spring support on a carriage) from 4" square black walnut.  It also depends on which catalog it was advertised in as to whether it was listed as a scroll saw of fret saw.  I also think the terminology differences might be regional or even different according to the country.  I keep my spare tire in the trunk of my car.  
 
For the fun of it, a little information from one of my old catalogues.

My 1896 N. O. Nelson  Mfg.Co. of St Louis, Mo. Catalog lists four different power scroll saws.  Two have wing nut chucks for the plain end blade.  The No, 1 Victor came with a power drill attached for drilling a hole for scroll or fret work.  This saw was foot powered and weighed 280 pounds. It sold for $40.00.  The No. 4 Victor was a small bench mounted, steam powered saw using plain blades.  It sold for $30.00.

Scroll saw No. 7 was powered by foot using a single pump type foot pedal.  Pin blade. It only weighed 80 pounds and  the price was reduced to $15.00. Such a deal.

Velocipede saw No. 2 Improved (no less) had a tractor seat and was powered like a tricycle.  Pin type blades.   With a drilling attachment it sold for $28.00 with out, $20.00.

Bill