How to insert blade in a Makita 4329 jigsaw?

[MM]

I bought a new Makita jigsaw recently, but only now got around to
using it. It's an orbital jigsaw. The "scotch yoke"
plunger-with-roller (the bit that moves up and down) is sprung loaded.
This is probably to do with the orbital action, if invoked.

When you insert the jigsaw blade, ensuring the blade fits in the
roller groove, you can push against the edge of the blade (forward to
aft direction) and the yoke/roller assy moves against the spring.
Release the blade and it springs forward again, maintaining good
contact with the blade's rear edge.

Now, what is the correct way of putting in the blade? Should the blade
be just lightly resting against the roller (A)? Or should it be very
slightly tensioned against it (by the sprung-loaded mechanism) (B)?

Reason I ask is, if I insert it as in (A), the blade wanders to the
left like crazy, even when I use a fence. When I adopt (B), it
doesn't. It cuts a nice, straight line. I'm using genuine Makita B 10
saw blades.

MM

[t***@gmail.com]

Never heard the term "orbital" for a jigsaw, but i have a Makita with pendulum action and what sounds like the same blade fitting arrangement. The blade is held snug against the roller, but not with great force.

A fence with a jigsaw is a nightmare and i would never use one. The blades are flexible and so if you force a straight line cut with a fence, the cut may remain straight on the upper surface, but the blade will tend to depart from perpendicular to the surface (i.e. a slanted cut). This doesn't happen during freehand cutting because you are constantly correcting the cut direction (i.e. hunting, albeit within a very narrow range of movement, if you're good at it), rather than forcing it.

A jigsaw is not a tool for cutting a perfect straight edge. It is for curved and awkward shapes, or for making an approximate straight cut (can be made perfect using a router or other tool, afterwards).

Terry.

[MM]

Post by t***@gmail.com
Never heard the term "orbital" for a jigsaw, but i have a Makita with
pendulum action and what sounds like the same blade fitting
arrangement. The blade is held snug against the roller, but not with great force.

Makita refers to it as an orbital jigsaw, but, yes, it's equivalent to
pendulum action, as far as I can tell. This is the first jigsaw I've
bought with this "feature". (Actually, it's only the 2nd jigsaw I've
ever bought.) Maybe Makita chose "orbital", as it's a term more DIYers
would recognise than "pendulum".

Post by t***@gmail.com
A fence with a jigsaw is a nightmare and i would never use one.

Okay, but with my previous AEG (as mentioned, it was 40 years old) a
guide or fence worked very well and blade deviation was minimal.

Post by t***@gmail.com
The blades are flexible
and so if you force a straight line cut with a fence, the cut may remain straight on the
upper surface, but the blade will tend to depart from perpendicular to the surface
(i.e. a slanted cut). This doesn't happen during freehand cutting because you are constantly
correcting the cut direction (i.e. hunting, albeit within a very narrow range of
movement, if you're good at it), rather than forcing it.

With freehand cutting one just needs lots of practice, I suppose...

Post by t***@gmail.com
A jigsaw is not a tool for cutting a perfect straight edge.

Yes, I'm amazed about that, having read the same statement all over
the web. I have only ever owned a jigsaw, never a circular saw, so
apart from handsaws, the jigsaw is all I have (although I'd quite like
a bandsaw, but can't justify the cost). Maybe I was spoilt by the
excellent AEG non-"orbital" jigsaw I bought in West Germany in the
1970s.

Post by t***@gmail.com
It is for curved and awkward shapes,

Something I never need to do!!

Post by t***@gmail.com
or for making an approximate straight cut (can be made perfect using a router or other tool, afterwards).

That neither. I only want straight cuts in plywood or MDF. If I'm
sawing, say, a real wood floor board or similar, I use the handsaw.

MM

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Post by MM

Post by t***@gmail.com
A jigsaw is not a tool for cutting a perfect straight edge.

Yes, I'm amazed about that, having read the same statement all over
the web. I have only ever owned a jigsaw, never a circular saw, so
apart from handsaws, the jigsaw is all I have (although I'd quite like
a bandsaw, but can't justify the cost). Maybe I was spoilt by the
excellent AEG non-"orbital" jigsaw I bought in West Germany in the
1970s.

Can you switch off the pendulum action? You can on mine, and that gives a
straighter cut. Slower, but better for a (nearly) straight line.

Post by MM

Post by t***@gmail.com
It is for curved and awkward shapes,

Something I never need to do!!

Post by t***@gmail.com
or for making an approximate straight cut (can be made perfect using a
router or other tool, afterwards).

That neither. I only want straight cuts in plywood or MDF. If I'm
sawing, say, a real wood floor board or similar, I use the handsaw.

A decent circular saw can give very accurate cuts. Most tend to get one of
those before a jigsaw.

[alan_m]

Post by Dave Plowman (News)
Can you switch off the pendulum action? You can on mine, and that gives a
straighter cut. Slower, but better for a (nearly) straight line.

According to then manual, it has a selection for 4 off cutting actions.

[Andy Burns]

Post by t***@gmail.com
Never heard the term "orbital" for a jigsaw

Pendulum perhaps?

[John Rumm]

Post by t***@gmail.com
Never heard the term "orbital" for a jigsaw, but i have a Makita with
pendulum action and what sounds like the same blade fitting
arrangement. The blade is held snug against the roller, but not with
great force.
A fence with a jigsaw is a nightmare and i would never use one. The
blades are flexible and so if you force a straight line cut with a
fence, the cut may remain straight on the upper surface, but the
blade will tend to depart from perpendicular to the surface (i.e. a
slanted cut). This doesn't happen during freehand cutting because you
are constantly correcting the cut direction (i.e. hunting, albeit
within a very narrow range of movement, if you're good at it), rather
than forcing it.

yup fences can be a mixed blessing on thicker cuts.

Post by t***@gmail.com
A jigsaw is not a tool for cutting a perfect straight edge. It is for
curved and awkward shapes, or for making an approximate straight cut
(can be made perfect using a router or other tool, afterwards).

To be fair the better Makita / blue Bosch versions of them can cut a
pretty refined straight line if yo need them to.
--
Cheers,

John.

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[t***@gmail.com]

I think that the main issues with straight jigsaw cuts, using a fence, are threefold:

1) tool quality
The *worst* jigsaw i ever had was a B&D "scrolling" jigsaw, where the rotational slop meant that you simply could not cut a straight line. I ruined more wood with that thing than I care to recall (some bloody minded determination to persevere with it, for years).

2) blade flex/substrate density variation
Straight, perpendicular cuts in man made materials that are uniform density/hardness throughout seems to be more achievable than for natural wood, which has knots and grain pattern that tend to re-direct a flexible blade and if the machine is fence-guided, it causes non-perpendicular cutting.

3. Substrate thickness
The thicker, the greater the effects of 1 and 2 on the cut.

Circ saws and routers are wonderful things.

Anyone used one of those mini circ saws that seem to be all the rage these days? Any good?

Terry

[MM]

Post by t***@gmail.com
1) tool quality
The *worst* jigsaw i ever had was a B&D "scrolling" jigsaw, where the rotational slop meant that you simply could not cut a straight line. I ruined more wood with that thing than I care to recall (some bloody minded determination to persevere with it, for years).
2) blade flex/substrate density variation
Straight, perpendicular cuts in man made materials that are uniform density/hardness throughout seems to be more achievable than for natural wood, which has knots and grain pattern that tend to re-direct a flexible blade and if the machine is fence-guided, it causes non-perpendicular cutting.
3. Substrate thickness
The thicker, the greater the effects of 1 and 2 on the cut.
Circ saws and routers are wonderful things.
Anyone used one of those mini circ saws that seem to be all the rage these days? Any good?

I was looking at one of those in Wickes this afternoon! £69, a Worx
tool. Screwfix do a similar product called Titan at £15 cheaper. I
looked at the Bosch one online, but it only has a 40mm blade and the
depth of cut is only 16mm. The Worx is 27mm.

MM

[John Rumm]

Post by MM
I bought a new Makita jigsaw recently, but only now got around to
using it. It's an orbital jigsaw. The "scotch yoke"
plunger-with-roller (the bit that moves up and down) is sprung loaded.
This is probably to do with the orbital action, if invoked.
When you insert the jigsaw blade, ensuring the blade fits in the
roller groove, you can push against the edge of the blade (forward to
aft direction) and the yoke/roller assy moves against the spring.
Release the blade and it springs forward again, maintaining good
contact with the blade's rear edge.
Now, what is the correct way of putting in the blade? Should the blade
be just lightly resting against the roller (A)? Or should it be very
slightly tensioned against it (by the sprung-loaded mechanism) (B)?
Reason I ask is, if I insert it as in (A), the blade wanders to the
left like crazy, even when I use a fence. When I adopt (B), it
doesn't. It cuts a nice, straight line. I'm using genuine Makita B 10
saw blades.

With many of the Makita jigsaws they employ a quick change blade system
where you simply push a leaver to the side, insert the blade and let got
- it then snaps into the right place every time. Looking at the pictures
of yours, I am guessing this is not a tool free blade change?

The blade should be sprung against the restraint - such that as the
blade orbits / swings it remains in contact with the blade support at
all times.
--
Cheers,

John.

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[MM]

On Mon, 13 Mar 2017 16:04:14 +0000, John Rumm

Post by John Rumm

Post by MM
I bought a new Makita jigsaw recently, but only now got around to
using it. It's an orbital jigsaw. The "scotch yoke"
plunger-with-roller (the bit that moves up and down) is sprung loaded.
This is probably to do with the orbital action, if invoked.
When you insert the jigsaw blade, ensuring the blade fits in the
roller groove, you can push against the edge of the blade (forward to
aft direction) and the yoke/roller assy moves against the spring.
Release the blade and it springs forward again, maintaining good
contact with the blade's rear edge.
Now, what is the correct way of putting in the blade? Should the blade
be just lightly resting against the roller (A)? Or should it be very
slightly tensioned against it (by the sprung-loaded mechanism) (B)?
Reason I ask is, if I insert it as in (A), the blade wanders to the
left like crazy, even when I use a fence. When I adopt (B), it
doesn't. It cuts a nice, straight line. I'm using genuine Makita B 10
saw blades.

With many of the Makita jigsaws they employ a quick change blade system
where you simply push a leaver to the side, insert the blade and let got
- it then snaps into the right place every time. Looking at the pictures
of yours, I am guessing this is not a tool free blade change?

No, it has an Allen screw. I prefer it. That's what the AEG had.

Post by John Rumm
The blade should be sprung against the restraint - such that as the
blade orbits / swings it remains in contact with the blade support at
all times.

Aha! Now that pretty much confirms what I've found in practice. What I
did was pull back the sprung roller/blade holder *very slightly*, then
insert the blade absolutely perpendicular and tighten the Allen screw,
then release the roller. Then I get a very good cut. Otherwise, not.

MM

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Post by MM

Post by John Rumm
With many of the Makita jigsaws they employ a quick change blade system
where you simply push a leaver to the side, insert the blade and let
got - it then snaps into the right place every time. Looking at the
pictures of yours, I am guessing this is not a tool free blade change?

No, it has an Allen screw. I prefer it. That's what the AEG had.

I suppose if you only generally use one blade, an allen key type is OK.
But if changing often, a tool less one is great.

[John Rumm]

Post by Dave Plowman (News)

Post by MM

Post by John Rumm
With many of the Makita jigsaws they employ a quick change blade system
where you simply push a leaver to the side, insert the blade and let
got - it then snaps into the right place every time. Looking at the
pictures of yours, I am guessing this is not a tool free blade change?

No, it has an Allen screw. I prefer it. That's what the AEG had.

I suppose if you only generally use one blade, an allen key type is OK.
But if changing often, a tool less one is great.

Yup, love the blade change on mine - quick, easy, and gets it located
spot on every time.
--
Cheers,

John.

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