Popular Woodworking 2006-10 № 157, страница 28

Popular Woodworking 2006-10 № 157, страница 28

ting on only one side, which will encourage drifting and bending. So take extra care in tight turns.

Advanced Jigsaw Tricks

Jigsaws are capable of some surprising operations. When making cutouts in assembled cabinets for power cords or outlets, I frequently use my j igsaw to make plunge cuts into the work. After you practice this a couple times, you'll find it pretty easy.

First, snip about 3/4" to 1" off of the blade using metal shears. A stubby blade won't whip around as much and makes a neater starting

kerf as the blade hits the wood.

Here's another useful trick: You can also use a jigsaw to make precise cuts on finished materials or on plywood with the help of some painter's tape.

Use the tape itself to mark your cutline and then cut right along its edge. The tape offers three distinct advantages:

One: When you're cutting material that has a stain and a topcoat finish on it, it's quite difficult to strike or even see a pencil line on your work. The blue painter's tape makes it easy.

Two: The tape protects the fin

ished work from being scratched by the base of your j igsaw (you also can put felt or a couple strips of tape on the base if you like).

Three: The tape greatly reduces the tendency of the veneer on a piece of plywood to chip out.

One last trick that I like my j ig-saw for: coping crown moulding. With a special coping foot from the Collins Tool Co. (collinstool. com or 888-83-8988) I can easily cope crown moulding.

The accessory base (a $29 item) allows me to rotate the tool at odd angles and keep support right up at the kerf. PW

SUPPLIES

Bosch Tools

877-267-2499 or boschtools.com

Call or visit the web site to find a dealer in your area that carries the jigsaw blades.

Collins Tool Co.

888.838.8988 or collinstool.com

The coping foot is available for a wide variety of jigsaws. Visit the company's web site for more information.

MAKING PLUNGE CUTS

(Left) Making plunge cuts looks harder than it is. With the saw off, line up the blade with the cut-line and pivot it up on its nose. Start the saw and plunge down.

(Below) Here you can see the results of the cut and how I've snipped off the end of the blade (on purpose) to make a more accurate plunge.

MAKING COPING CUTS ON CROWN MOULDING

When dealing with thin veneers or with finished goods, use painter's tape to mark your cutline. It offers protection against chipping and scratching.

The Collins Tool coping foot allows me to work from below, so I can see where the blade is cutting - and I can rotate the saw to change the angle easily.

The results are neat and tidy, much easier than using a coping saw.

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