Jig saw for metal cutting?

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celticpride2133

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Jan 30, 2012
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I've been struggling with a porta band saw for a while now and was wondering if anyone had any experience with using a jig saw with a metal cuttin blade, if so does it work fairly well? any other recommendations on using a jig saw to cut metal? thanks
 
celticpride2133 said:
I've been struggling with a porta band saw for a while now and was wondering if anyone had any experience with using a jig saw with a metal cuttin blade, if so does it work fairly well? any other recommendations on using a jig saw to cut metal? thanks
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I would much rather use a portaband than a jig saw.

What's the problem with the bandsaw ?
What blades have you tried?
 
A jig saw is possible to cut metal to length but really does not work well at all. The small contact area of the blade heats up too fast and even with cutting oil you need to go real slow so as not to burn out the blade. It will also catch the steel if you try to make anything more than the slightest of curves. Better off with a hacksaw.

I hope that the struggles you are having with a port-a-band are with the purchase of one.
 
I thought I would try a jig saw when I started, but was very wrong. The jig saw ran way too fast and ate blades.
Make sure you are using good bi-metal blades on your band saw.
 
I have used a variable speed jig saw that I locked on a low speed, using a Lenox Master Grit blade. These are tungsten carbide grit edged, and cut G-10 well, too.
I only used it for making cuts in a large sheet that could not be connected on the band saw. The rest of the cuts were made using the band saw.

They make these blades for band saws, but they aren't cheap. On my next band saw blade order from Lenox, I was thinking about getting one with a gulleted edge for the big wood cutting band saw (set to the slower speed) for cutting G-10 and other composites. I was also planning to get one for the metal cutting band saw in a continuous edge. From Lenox they run $107 for a 64.5" blade, and $170 for a 105" blade.
If anyone has experience with these as band saw blades, and can tell me what kind of grit life I can expect it may help me decide if I want to do this.
 
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