DIY electric jigsaw

In detail: do-it-yourself electric repair jigsaw from a real master for the site my.housecope.com.

Knowledge typical power tool malfunctions is necessary for both the home craftsman and the professional. Knowing how to correctly identify the source of the problem and quickly repair the tool saves time and money. And knowing the reasons leading to a breakdown allows you to act proactively, preventing such modes of operation in which the tool will be prematurely damaged.

The jigsaw is a versatile power tool suitable for working with a variety of materials. It can work with wood, metal, plastic, etc. Such versatility is ensured by the use of a huge variety of saw blades, which are available for all occasions. During operation, the jigsaw and its components are subjected to high mechanical stress. The experience of service centers for the repair of power tools, as well as professional advice help to identify main malfunctions of jigsaws and causes their occurrence.

Support roller breakage... The saw blade, fixed in the jigsaw, is its main working element that performs useful work. The jigsaw is attached to the jigsaw support roller, and this roller bears the greatest load when cutting the material.

Reasons why the support roller can be overloaded and prematurely damaged:

using a low-quality file;
using an overly blunt file;
using a file that does not correspond to the nature of the work being performed.

As a result of overheating, the roller may simply jam. Otherwise, the roller itself may be cut with the saw blade.

Video (click to play).

Methods for preventing this breakdown

use only high-quality components;
change the canvases in time, without waiting until they become very dull;
use canvases that correspond to the nature of the work performed;
operate the jigsaw carefully, avoiding excessive cutting forces, and follow the manufacturer's recommendations.

Breakage of the blade fixation unit... Toolless saw blade retention is a convenient feature found in many jigsaw models. Allows you to quickly change the cutting tip without wasting a lot of time. The problem is that this unit can fail due to the frequent ingress of dust generated by the jigsaw during operation.

Preventive measures

periodically clean the web mount from dust;
lubricate it, if necessary, with WD-40 greases;
use the ability to connect a vacuum cleaner or dust collector to a jigsaw.
Damage to gearbox components... The reason is all the same dust that can get inside the gearbox through the ventilation holes and lead to breakdowns. As in step 2, a vacuum cleaner or dust collector can help.
Kink or bend of the support rod... Breakdown can be prevented by developing a culture of accurate power tool handling. In particular, the jigsaw must not be dropped; try to avoid collisions of the body and stem with protruding parts of the processed material.
Broken teeth on the jigsaw collet... Occurs when an attempt is made to tighten an incompletely inserted file. Here, nothing but mindfulness will help.
Premature wear of the armature worm gear jigsaw and its main helical gear. It occurs when the cutting process itself begins even before the engine reaches full speed. Warning: Do not bring the jigsaw blade close to the material to be cut until normal travel speed is reached.

By following these simple tips, you will extend the uptime of your jigsaw.

Among the hand tools used in the household, the jigsaw is the most popular. This is an electrically driven device designed to produce a curved cut.

Demand determines supply. The power tool market is represented by a wide range of both household and professional models from domestic and foreign manufacturers. Any equipment requires technical maintenance and repair if necessary.

Using examples of real breakdowns and methods for their elimination presented in this article, the user will learn about the repair of jigsaws from different manufacturers in general.

The design of jigsaws from different companies is not much different. It consists of a body, a sole, a saw blade, a cutting tool mechanism, a gearbox and an electric motor that drives the working body of the tool.

The difference in the models of a particular manufacturer lies in the design features of some units. It is natural that the malfunctions and the reasons for their occurrence are also identical.

Knowing the most common power tool failures and the preventive measures to prevent them will help both the novice DIYer and the experienced professional.

Among the typical failures of electric jigsaws are:

Sawing curvature.
Change in shape or destruction of the support roller.
Breakage of the cutting tool attachment.
Damage to the gears of the reducer.
Destruction or bending of the support rod.
Broken teeth on the jigsaw collet.
Early wear of the armature worm gear.

Image - DIY electric repair jigsaw

The jigsaw is designed to perform rough curvilinear cuts, so it's not worth talking about the ideality of sawing. Although in models of hand tools from different manufacturers, this indicator is also different. When using cheap models, they don't pay much attention to this, and the cut turns out to be completely crooked. You need to deal with this in service centers, but you can try to get rid of the curvature at home.

The platter roller can break if you use poor quality saw blades or a blunt tool. The use of a cutting tool in an inappropriate load mode. This can result in a jammed or cutting of the platter roller.

To avoid such a problem, you need to use well-sharpened cutting blades of acceptable quality, observing the optimal cutting conditions and following the recommendations of the manufacturer.

As a rule, almost all models of jigsaws are equipped with a toolless saw blade fixation unit. This simplifies the process of changing cutting tools. But the operation of the mechanism in conditions of constant dustiness leads to the ingress of wood chips into it, and this leads to the failure of the device.

In order to exclude a breakdown of the unit, it must be constantly cleaned of dust and lubricated with a special compound such as WD-40. During operation, it is necessary to use a vacuum cleaner by connecting it to the tool.

Failure of the gearbox elements is the result of wood dust entering through the ventilation holes. Here, as in the previous case, you cannot do without a dust collector.

Breakage or bending of the support rod occurs during the careless use of the power tool. This can happen when it falls or unintentionally collides with the jigsaw body, directly the support rod with protruding elements of the machined surfaces.

Tooth decay on the collet of an electrically powered jigsaw can only occur through the fault of the performer. This is the result of an attempt to inadvertently tighten the not fully inserted cutting blade.

The armature worm gear will not last long if the cutting process is started before the tool motor reaches its optimum power.To prolong the life of the mechanism, do not start work before reaching full engine speed.

It is worth paying attention to the domestic production of the Interskol jigsaw. It is produced in Izhevsk. For domestic use, this is a perfectly acceptable option. It has many positive qualities, and the most impressive is its low cost. But there are also disadvantages.

This is the curvature of the cut. What is the problem and can you get rid of it? The blame was the quick-release fastening of the file. The fact is that it is designed for the maximum saw blade thickness. All thinner cutting tools in the mount just dangle.How to get out of this situation? It is necessary to replace the quick-release mount with a simple device with ordinary bolts. It is not difficult to make it. You need to take a square rod, cut off two blanks, drill holes in them and connect with two M5 bolts with nuts. The procedure for attaching the saw blade will be somewhat more complicated, but the tool will produce an even cut.In addition, you can modify the very design of the tool and limit the movement of the file in the transverse plane.

take sheet aluminum and cut the plate to fit the sole of the jigsaw;

in the front part of the workpiece, it is necessary to make a cutout according to the size of the working area of the cutting tool. File all edges; make bevels on the inner longitudinal edges of the cutout;

from plexiglass, you need to cut a plate to the size of the working area of the saw blade. File all sharp edges and make reverse bevels on the outer longitudinal edges;

the aluminum plate must be marked for its installation on the sole of the jigsaw. Drill and chamfer holes for the installation of countersunk head screws;

a piece of plexiglass must be inserted into an aluminum plate, after having made a cut at the place of its position.

The saw blade will now restrict its lateral movement in the cutting area during operation, which will give it even more straightness.

In many jigsaws, a cooling fan blows air through the air duct to remove sawdust from the cutting area. In slightly other models, the sawdust is removed from the sawing area using a household vacuum cleaner hose connected to the back of the jigsaw.

Electric jigsaws are made with one-speed or continuously variable speed control for sawing various materials. In such jigsaws, the number of working cycles for moving the saw blade is controlled by a trigger switch. It also serves as a power switch.

To maximize the effect of using a jigsaw, adhere to the following recommendations:

-Replace the files as soon as they become dull. Blunt saws not only cut poorly, but also cause increased stress on the electric motor and gearbox.

-Use special saws for cutting various materials.

-Do not neglect the recommendations for choosing the optimal speed for cutting different materials.

-Lubricate the support roller with a drop of machine oil in time.

-Clean the jigsaw from dust and chips with a brush.

Clean the ventilation grill and sawdust drain holes.

Jigsaw leads to the side

1. Dull and bent file. Replace this file as soon as possible.

2. The saw blade support roller needs adjustment. Image - DIY electric repair jigsaw

On some jigsaw models, the support roller can be adjusted back and forth so that it only touches the rear edge of the saw.

3. Incorrect cutting technique. Excessive pressure on the jigsaw in the direction of sawing can cause the saw to misalign. Therefore, do not push the instrument too far forward, but do it little by little.

Jamming of the support roller of the rack

If you forget to lubricate the platter roller, it may jam after a while. If subsequent lubrication does not work, then the roller must be replaced. To replace the roller, remove the file and place the jigsaw on the table so that you can separate the two halves of the case. Image - DIY electric repair jigsaw

Remember the position of the parts and wires. Slide the roller out of its groove and install a new one. Reassemble the case without disturbing the position of its internal components. Image - DIY electric repair jigsaw

The jigsaw stops suddenly during operation.

This can happen if the power cord of the jigsaw is cut while cutting, if the cord is in front of the jigsaw or is under the workpiece. If this happens, connect the cord and insulate well. And it is best to replace the cord with a new one.

Doesn't work at all

1. There is no power supply. Check for voltage at the outlet. The plugs may have burned out or the machine on the power panel has turned off.

2. The jigsaw is not plugged in.

3. The fuse in the power plug has blown. If the power plug of your jigsaw is equipped with a fuse, then disassemble it and check its serviceability with a tester.

4. Broken power cord. To test the power cord, disconnect it from the screw terminals inside the case and connect the ends together. Use a tester to check for continuity by applying the test leads of the multimeter to the pins on the plug. If the cord is broken, then the reading will be equal to infinity. In this case, replace the power cord with a new one.

5. Thermal overheating protection has tripped. Basically, all models of jigsaws are equipped with thermal protection against overheating or, in other words, a thermal switch to protect the electric motor from overheating. It can be triggered due to contamination of the air intake grilles with dust and sawdust. Clean the grates and let the jigsaw cool down a little and after a while the thermal switch turns on automatically.

6. Defective switch. The switch is combined with a speed regulator, therefore it has a somewhat complex device.

The regulator is an electronic control circuit. You can see an example of a circuit in this article.

7. Bad contact. During the operation of the jigsaw, harmful vibration occurs, which often leads to a violation of the contact connections of the electrical installation. Disassemble the device and tighten or crimp the contact connections using pliers and a screwdriver. Image - DIY electric repair jigsaw

8. If your jigsaw is running on battery power, the battery may be dead. Charge it and test it in different modes. If charging does not help, then you need to replace the battery with a new one. When using the cordless jigsaw, do not allow deep discharge of the battery. This is very harmful to her and greatly affects its service life.

9. Defective motor. Check the motor. Read about it here.

I think self-repairing a jigsaw will save you a lot of time and money.

The device and principle of operation of an electric jigsaw
Types of faults
- Mechanical faults
- Engine malfunctions
- Replacing the stem
- Replacing the file holder
- Replacing brushes
- Replacing the start button
- Tool prophylaxis
The overall efficiency of the whole mechanism depends on each of its separately taken parts. In the case of a modern electric jigsaw, with a relatively complex design, this is the case. Each element of this device is designed to perform a specific function for the sake of the overall result - the execution of a controlled cut. If a malfunction occurs on one of the components of the mechanism, the performance of the tool may decrease, down to zero. To get your apparatus back into operation, it is enough to find and eliminate the “weak link”. We will tell you how to fix a jigsaw with your own hands and reduce further wear and tear of its parts.

To learn how to identify and troubleshoot a mechanism, you must first understand how it works. The numerous components of the jigsaw design may seem rather difficult to understand at first glance. In fact, the principle of operation of this device is very simple, especially for those who know a little about technology. Next, we will tell you how an electric jigsaw works, outlining the main points in the most popular language, understandable even to an inexperienced reader in electrics.

The mechanism of any electric jigsaw is based on an electric motor, a gearbox and a rod. These are the main elements that make the file make the necessary movements. Often a cooling fan and pendulum mechanism are connected to the engine. The function of supplying energy and in some models of speed regulation is performed by a special start button with an electrical circuit. All of the above elements are compactly and reliably placed in a plastic case, interacting with each other.

To obtain high-frequency reciprocating movements of the saw blade, the energy supplied to the power tool undergoes significant transformations in its body. Bypassing the start button, electricity goes to the graphite brushes of the engine, forcing the rotor to rotate around its axis. The torque is transmitted to a special mechanism "reducer", which converts the movement from rotary to reciprocating, directing it to the rod. The final assembly is the fastener that reliably connects the stem to the saw blade, forming a solid movable structure.

A more visual demonstration of replacing the stem can be seen in the video below about DIY Fiolent jigsaw repair.

In the video below about repairing a jigsaw with your own hands, the process of replacing a block type of fastening is clearly demonstrated.

Due to erasing, or burning of contacts, jigsaw brushes are very often the main contenders for replacement. In some models of power tools, such an operation does not require removing the case and occurs by simply unscrewing a pair of bots. Unfortunately, the quick access function is not provided on all models, so we will consider a more common option.

First of all, you need to get access to the electric motor. To do this, we disassemble the case or remove a certain part of it. Further, in the area of the collector, we are looking for brushes and study the principle of their attachment. On different models of tools, the attachment of these elements can vary significantly. Somewhere they are pressed by metal plates, somewhere they are snapped into place with special levers, and sometimes they are held at all by the tool body. The replacement process itself does not represent some incredibly complex do-it-yourself jigsaw repair. It is enough to carefully remove the defective brushes and replace them with new identical ones. A similar process is clearly demonstrated in the following video.

Carrying out a similar procedure will require only a screwdriver, a piece of cleaning cloth and a little grease. The whole process takes no more than an hour and consists in disassembling the jigsaw and carefully cleaning its parts. Most thoroughly it is necessary to clean and lubricate the gearbox and stem assembly. Prevention should be carried out as soon as the tool becomes dirty, based on the frequency of its use.

For most models of jigsaws, if we are not talking about frankly budgetary ones, the kit comes with a pair of pullers... To replace them, it is enough to open the case: in the back of the engine, on the contact block, the necessary elements are immediately visible. Repair is elementary: old parts are carefully removed, contact pads are cleaned of dust, wiped with alcohol. After that, it is enough to install new brushes.

You can purchase a replacement part both in specialized points and in stores selling spare parts for electronic devices. The body of the jigsaw opens, the corresponding part is freed from the wire leads. This should often be done after unscrewing the terminal block screws. Modern models are not forced to use a soldering iron. After removing the old, the new part is installed and connected.

It is better to disassemble the case and dismantle the button before going to the store in order to buy exactly the same part in the seat.

Jigsaw start button

Rather rare breakdowns include failure of the engine thermal fuse. The part is replaced. Sparks can be observed, which indicates not only a heavy load, but also wear of the brushes and a lack of lubrication. Therefore, periodic maintenance is the key to the reliable operation of the jigsaw.

Video (click to play).

When carrying out any repairs, precautions should be taken. The jigsaw must be disconnected from the mains. The first thing to check is the health and condition of the power cable, plug, contact in the socket. Some jigsaw models are equipped with a fuse located in the plug. This element is also worth inspecting and checking for serviceability.

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