Table mounted jigsaw

[Marty Backe]

Here's a video where I show a couple methods for mounting a jigsaw in a table surface

[John McClanahan]

I took the lazy route. Menards had Bladerunners on sale for half price, so I'm a Bladerunner owner. (Don't tell anyone!)

John

[Marty Backe]

That's a very good option. My approach is only useful if all you have is a jigsaw and periodically you want to use it with more control. Good price btw.

I took the lazy route. Menards had Bladerunners on sale for half price, so I'm a Bladerunner owner. (Don't tell anyone!)

John

[Jim Dwight]

Marty,

Some neat ideas. Using DeWalt track saw clamps in slots to hold the board down is clever. The zero clearance option is solid too. I have the same jigsaw and have the cast aluminum table Bosch used to offer for it. So I probably won't do exactly this but still I like the clamp and zero clearance ideas

Jim

[Marty Backe]

That's interesting. I vaguely remember that table, and just found it with a Google search. Looks like you can buy them on E-bay. How well does it work?

Marty,

Some neat ideas. Using DeWalt track saw clamps in slots to hold the board down is clever. The zero clearance option is solid too. I have the same jigsaw and have the cast aluminum table Bosch used to offer for it. So I probably won't do exactly this but still I like the clamp and zero clearance ideas

Jim

[Kent A Bathurst]

OK -

I get the creativity, the "what" and the "how".

I need some insight as to the "why"?

[Marty Backe]

I thought the 'why' was at the beginning of the video, but I probably wasn't clear enough. For small panels where I need to cut interior pieces, having the jigsaw mounted in a table avoids the need to reposition clamps multiple times as the interior cut is done. At least that's the case for the times where I use the jigsaw for interior cuts. Your mileage may vary.

You can also get superior quality cuts when you move the workpiece vs moving the jigsaw.

This is really just a display of possible uses for the jigsaw. Some people will find it useful, and some will not. I'm totally OK with that.

OK -

I get the creativity, the "what" and the "how".

I need some insight as to the "why"?

[Doug Garson]

Instead of drilling and tapping holes in the saw baseplate why not mount the saw in your first mounting location and then add a second layer of plywood the same thickness as the saw baseplate cut out to fit around the baseplate and then add the hardboard zero clearance top. This would give you the advantage of both the quick install and full support for the work piece.

[Marty Backe]

I gotta say, your post is fantastic. Sometimes when you find out about another technique you can't help but wonder "why didn't I think of that". The big downside to screwing the jigsaw into the table is the time it takes to do so. Your suggestion is great in that it should be much quicker. And of course it avoids the need to drill and tap your base. I really like it.

I'm going to experiment with your suggestion. Thanks again.

Instead of drilling and tapping holes in the saw baseplate why not mount the saw in your first mounting location and then add a second layer of plywood the same thickness as the saw baseplate cut out to fit around the baseplate and then add the hardboard zero clearance top. This would give you the advantage of both the quick install and full support for the work piece.

[Doug Garson]

Thanks, I thought your first mounting method was also a "why didn't I think of that" idea. Look forward to seeing how it all comes together.

[Doug Garson]

Have a look at Canadian woodworking and home improvement forum, there are a couple of posts by a guy who made some wooden systainers and mounted his jigsaw in the top of one of them. It's in the woodworking section "constrction of 2 wooden systainers " sic

[Rick Potter]

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Nice Marty.

I made one several years back for some quick cuts when working at rental sites, and it did come in handy. I put a piece of scrap formica on top, and put a simple cleat on the bottom to hold the whole thing in a vise. It worked out well too.

Haven't used it in a while, as I picked up a like new Blade Runner for $40.

Not good at this, but here are some pics of cuts made with the Blade Runner and a good Bosch blade. Note the cross grain cuts in prefinished ply. Sure surprised me. I used it to cut out the hole for a breadboard in the oak top rail of my new kitchen cabinets. Even with that silly little fence, it cut a nice straight line.