Types of faults
Mechanical failures
Engine malfunctions
Stem replacement
File holder replacement
Brush replacement
Start button replacement
Instrument Prevention
The overall efficiency of the whole mechanism depends on each of its individual parts. In the case of a modern electric jigsaw, with a relatively complex design, this is exactly the case. Each element of this device is designed to perform a specific function for the sake of the overall result - a controlled cut. If a malfunction occurs on one of the nodes of the mechanism, the performance of the tool may decrease, down to zero. To get your device 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 of its parts.
To learn how to identify and troubleshoot a mechanism, you must first understand how it works. Numerous components of the design of the jigsaw, at first glance, may seem quite difficult to understand. In fact, the principle of operation of this device is very simple, especially for those who understand at least a little about technology. Next, we will describe 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, gearbox and rod. These are the main elements that make the file make the necessary movements. Often, a cooling fan and a pendulum mechanism are connected to the engine. The function of supplying energy, and in some models of speed control, is performed by a special start button with an electrical circuit. All of the above elements are compactly and securely placed in a plastic case, interacting with each other.
Video (click to play).
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 passes to the graphite brushes of the motor, causing the rotor to rotate around its axis. The torque is transmitted to a special “reducer” mechanism, which converts the movement from rotational to reciprocating, directing it to the rod. The final assembly is a fastening element that securely connects the stem to the saw blade, forming a strong movable structure.
VIDEO Prolonged or improper use of the tool is highly likely to cause it to break. A malfunction of the device appears as a result of excessive pollution, wear of parts of the mechanism or short circuit of the electric motor. Repair of a jigsaw, depending on the characteristics of the breakdown, comes down to cleaning and lubricating the elements, or their complete replacement. Below, we will look at the most common types of breakdowns.
This category includes contamination, wear or complete breakdown of parts of the mechanism. At the same time, the tool engine works, but it does not work out to get the required cut. There can be several reasons for mechanical breakdowns that require repair of electric jigsaws. Here are the most typical ones.
Jigsaw cuts crooked
Strong vibration and noise
Jigsaw beats when cutting
Oddly enough, numerous breakdowns of the jigsaw occur not only on moving parts that interact with each other elements. Very often, the device ceases to function (partially or completely) due to faulty electronics. To detect such malfunctions, a special “multimeter” device is required, which determines the characteristics of the current in the device circuit. It is necessary for a complete diagnosis, although some problems can be identified without it.
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The jigsaw does not turn on
Does not cut under load
Floating revolutions and the smell of burning
Sparking brushes during operation
The procedure for extracting a damaged rod with installing a new one is quite trivial and comes down to a banal analysis of the tool.Depending on the design of the jigsaw, you can access the element by unscrewing the front panel or the side panel if the first one is missing. The defective rod is removed and a new one is put in its place. When installing, pay attention to the moving metal parts located on the stem base. They must be positioned in such a way that they fall into the grooves of the upper mount and the metal frame that serves as the base of the stem. The assembled structure must be generously lubricated with a thick lubricant, such as lithol-24.
A more visual demonstration of replacing the stem can be seen in the video below about repairing a fiolent jigsaw with your own hands.
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Replacing some types of fasteners is much easier than finding these parts. To perform a similar operation with shoe and screw clamps, it is not even necessary to unwind the tool body. File holders of this type are attached to the end of the stem with one or two screws, which makes it quite convenient to change them. In the case of some screw mounts, replacement will require the removal of the stem for a more convenient and secure fixation of the holder.
In the video below about repairing a jigsaw with your own hands, the process of replacing the shoe type of fastening is clearly demonstrated.
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If things are relatively simple with simple saw holders, then replacing a quick-clamping one can cause some difficulties, especially for an inexperienced craftsman. To begin with, these types of fasteners, according to the location of the levers, are divided into radial, lateral and frontal. The first type is the most common and spare parts for its repair can be found, but the last 2 are unique, which can be ordered directly from the manufacturer. In the case of a radial type of fastening, you can purchase a repair kit and try to sort it out on your own, but it would be best to buy it assembled, along with the stem.
Due to wear or burnout of the contacts, jigsaw brushes are often prime contenders for replacement. In some models of power tools, such an operation does not require removal of the case and occurs by simply unscrewing a pair of bots. Unfortunately, the quick access function is not provided on all models, so let's consider a more common option.
First of all, you need to gain access to the electric motor. To do this, we disassemble the case or remove a certain part of it. Further, in the collector area, we are looking for brushes and studying the principle of their fastening. On different models of tools, the fastening of these elements can vary significantly. Somewhere they are pressed with metal plates, somewhere they are latched with special levers, and sometimes they even hold on to the body of the tool. The replacement process itself is not some incredibly complicated do-it-yourself jigsaw repair. It is enough to carefully pull out the defective brushes and replace them with new, identical ones. A similar process is clearly demonstrated in the following video.
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If the latter option is chosen, all the difficulty will be in the search, since the trigger must be absolutely identical to the standard one. Perhaps you are lucky and the necessary element can be found in the nearest store. It all depends on the location and model of the instrument. The installation process is fully consistent with removal, only in reverse order. We connect the wires to the contacts and twist the body of the device.
If you want to repair the jigsaw button yourself, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the video below, which demonstrates this process in great detail.
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The long service life and constant efficiency of the tool depend not only on the features of its operation, but also on the timely care of its mechanism. Regular preventive measures will significantly reduce the wear of parts, reducing the likelihood of serious breakdowns.
Carrying out such a procedure will require only a screwdriver, a piece of rag for cleaning and a little grease. The whole process takes no more than an hour and consists in disassembling the jigsaw and carefully cleaning its parts. It is most carefully necessary to clean and lubricate the gearbox and stem assembly. Prophylaxis should be carried out as the tool gets dirty, based on the frequency of its use.
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The jigsaw is designed for cutting various materials. The design is simple, but breakdowns are also inevitable. Do-it-yourself repair of a jigsaw usually consists in replacing a worn out blade, fixing units, and a support roller. If the motor breaks down, it is recommended to give the device for repair to the master.
Scheme of the electric jigsaw device.
How to determine if a jigsaw needs repair or preventive measures? There are a number of signs to look out for:
the case during operation began to warm up too much;
when turning on and further operation, uncharacteristic sounds are heard;
commutator brushes sparkle;
the engine cannot be adjusted, other problems are observed.
Replacing the guide bushings of the jigsaw rod.
When the listed signs are found, it is necessary to immediately turn off the jigsaw, and then inspect it, determine the malfunction. All types of such breakdowns can be divided into 2 large groups.
Electrical failures:
Factory defect in the form of a breakdown of the rotor (cannot be repaired, you must contact the service center).
The stator or rotor gets very hot during operation, melting on the insulation is observed. The reason is dust, pollution, improper load.
Brushes wear out (replacement is carried out).
If the speed control does not work, then it needs to be replaced. It is best to contact the master.
Breakdown of the mechanical part of the jigsaw:
The internal device of the jigsaw.
The gear has worn or deformed teeth. It is possible to repair a jigsaw, a complete replacement of the gear is required, in the future it is necessary to carefully monitor the loads, the right choice of blade.
The stem breaks, there are kinks on it. It is required to repair the jigsaw by replacing the stem, and then choose the right saw blades according to the type of material. For example, for wood or metal, take only specially designed devices.
The balancers that guide the rollers are worn out. You need to replace the balancers, in the future you need to monitor the loads.
If the bearings are worn out, they are replaced. It is best to contact the master.
There may be other types of breakdowns. For example, with a strong impact, the case may break. You can not drop the jigsaw, in this case, you can damage other parts of it. It is best not to fix engine breakdowns with your own hands, but immediately contact a service center. You can handle the replacement of worn parts yourself . To do this, the manufacturer provides instructions, following it, you can easily cope with the work yourself.
The main characteristics of household electric jigsaws.
How to repair if there are problems? The support roller may break if the load on it is too great, i.e. cutting technology is broken. The file is attached to this particular roller if it is broken, but the file cannot be used. To avoid damage:
Use only high quality hacksaw blades.
Blunt blades must not be used.
Hacksaw blades should be selected only in full accordance with the purpose. For example, for metal, only the canvas that is intended specifically for this material is used.
If the roller is not replaced when it breaks, the equipment may jam during operation. Repair will not begin with replacing the roller, but with cutting it with another tool and then replacing it. The repair itself is not too complicated.The support roller with traces of damage must be removed, and then replaced with a new one corresponding to the jigsaw model used.
The work cloth fixation assembly usually breaks when a large amount of dust gets on it. During operation, dust is not uncommon, therefore, for prevention, it is regularly required to clean the surface of the fastener. Over time, the situation will become worse, the equipment may completely fail. The repair usually consists in the fact that the latch is completely replaced.
To prevent failures, regular preventive maintenance can be carried out.
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It consists in performing a series of actions:
The unit needs to be constantly cleaned, and then lubricated.
During operation, use a dust collector to prevent large amounts of dust from entering the tool.
Repair may be required in other cases. Breakdowns can be associated with physical wear and tear of equipment.
VIDEO Replacement of certain parts is required in the following cases:
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Jigsaws are usually easy to repair. The job is to replace the worn part. To extend the life of the equipment, it is necessary to follow the rules of operation, to carry out preventive maintenance. For more complex breakdowns, it is better to immediately contact the master.
Repairing a jigsaw with your own hands is quite possible, but it is worth noting: there are troubles that cannot be eliminated with an ordinary tool. For example, a breakdown of an electric motor requires qualified intervention, since only a specialist will be able to eliminate such a malfunction.
Consider what happens to the jigsaw during its operation. Now it is difficult to find a model that would not have the function of feeding the web forward to reduce the load on the owner's hand. The presence of such a mechanism of operation causes increased wear of individual structural elements. We are talking about the guide roller, as well as the stem bushings. Other typical situations include:
Extremely high load . It occurs when the sawyer is too zealous, which puts a lot of pressure on the horizontal feed. In inexpensive models, the file can damage the fragile holder. Another common failure is the failure of the rod, as a result of which the jigsaw ceases to fulfill its purpose, and the saw does not move.Lack of service . Causes increased wear of the bearing, abrasion of the cam block in some models, deterioration of the gears.Failure of electrical components systems. We are talking about the start button, which is often associated with the engine speed controller.Long working time . Affects the condition of the current-collecting surfaces of the engine, wears out the brushes. Repair consists in replacing the relevant parts.
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Periodic maintenance - cleaning the insides of small sawdust, replacing brushes and lubricants - will extend the life of the electric jigsaw and prevent its failure.
Many modern jigsaws are equipped with bells and whistles, which are their weaknesses. For example, some models often require repair of the file attachment, due to the presence of such functions as:
Quick clamp , which does everything for the owner of the tool: just pull the lever, place the canvas and work. Over time, the design becomes loose, the fastening parts become unusable. Unfortunately, most of these clips cannot be repaired; their complete replacement is provided.Lightweight screw mount is a real problem for owners of cheap and mid-priced instruments. The nozzle on the rod, made of weak alloys, has low strength, splits, the bolts break the seats. The repair consists only in the handicraft of the corresponding product from durable steel, since each line of cheap tools often has its own file holder configuration.
VIDEO If the jigsaw has a classic screw fastening of the file, then it will not be difficult to repair it. This is a durable and time-tested design, you can use screws for a Phillips screwdriver or wrench. Clamp blocks are standard, it will not be difficult to find a replacement for an extremely worn part. There is a problem of thread wear, however, in this case, you can cut a new one.
Disassembling the instrument is easy. The case is divided into two halves, giving access to all parts of the mechanics. The first step is to remove contaminants and replace the lubricant, after which you can proceed with the repair.
We note right away that there are no spare parts in stores. You can find the corresponding part by purchasing a broken tool at a flea market. Parts from other devices and mechanisms are often suitable. For example, jigsaws with a round stem outlet are the easiest to repair. A round sleeve is selected, if necessary, the inner diameter is increased by stuffing into a cone. This repair allows you to eliminate the runout and backlash of the rod, improve the quality of the cut.
If necessary, unique fixing clips are also made (depending on the jigsaw model). Copper foil can be used as small pads when installing them in the case.
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In inexpensive jigsaw models, the stem is a thin metal plate of complex shape. Under excessive load, it can simply burst. The part is interchangeable, some models of jigsaws are compatible with others. The device must be carefully disassembled, fixing the process in the photo, in order to reassemble. Then, with the part removed, go to the market or to the store. Then install the part and apply grease.
To most models of jigsaws, if we are not talking about frankly budget ones, the kit comes with pair of pullers . To replace them, just open the case: in the rear of the engine, on the contact block, the necessary elements are immediately visible. Repair is elementary: old parts are carefully removed, the 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 at specialized points and at stores that sell spare parts for electronic devices. The body of the jigsaw opens, the corresponding part is released from the wires. It is often necessary to do this after unscrewing the screws of the terminal blocks. Modern models do not force you to use a soldering iron. After removing the old one, the new part is put in 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 for the seat.
Jigsaw start button
Quite rare breakdowns include the failure of the engine thermal fuse. The part is being replaced. Sparks can be observed, which indicates not only a strong load, but also brush wear and lack of lubrication. Therefore, periodic maintenance is the key to reliable operation of the jigsaw.
When carrying out any repairs, precautions must be taken. The jigsaw must be disconnected from the mains. The first thing to check is the serviceability and condition of the power cable, plug, contact in the outlet. Some models of jigsaws are supplied with a fuse, which is located in the plug. This element is also worth inspecting and checking for serviceability.
Among the hand tools used in the household, the most popular is the jigsaw. This is an electrically driven device designed to obtain 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 maintenance and repair if necessary.
Using the examples of real breakdowns and methods for their elimination presented in this article, the user will learn about the repair of electric jigsaws from different manufacturers in general.
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The design of jigsaws from different companies differs little. 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 one or another manufacturer lies in the design features of some nodes. It is natural that the malfunctions and the causes of their occurrence are also identical.
Knowing the most common power tool failures and preventive measures to prevent them will help both the novice craftsman and the experienced professional.
Among the characteristic failures of electric jigsaws are:
sawing curvature.
Change in shape or destruction of the support roller.
Breakage of the attachment point of the cutting tool.
Gearbox damage.
Destruction or distortion of the support rod.
Broken teeth on a jigsaw collet.
Early wear of the worm gear of the armature.
The electric jigsaw is designed to make 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. Using cheap models, they don’t pay much attention to this, and the cut turns out to be completely curved. You need to deal with this in service centers, but you can try to get rid of the curvature at home.
The cam roller may break when using poor quality saw blades or blunt tools. The use of a cutting tool in an inappropriate load mode. The result may be jamming or sawing of the support roller.
To avoid this problem, you need to use well-sharpened cutting blades of acceptable quality, observing optimal cutting conditions and following the manufacturer's recommendations.
As a rule, almost all models of electric jigsaws are equipped with a toolless fixation of the saw blade. This simplifies the process of changing the cutting tool. 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 avoid damage to the assembly, it must be constantly cleaned of dust and lubricated with a special composition such as WD-40. During operation, it is necessary to use a vacuum cleaner, connecting it to the tool.
The failure of the gearbox elements is the result of wood dust entering through the ventilation holes. Here, as in the previous case, you can not do without a dust collector.
Breakage or bending of the support rod occurs in the process of inaccurate use of power tools. This can happen when it falls or inadvertently collides with the body of the jigsaw, directly on the support rod with protruding elements of the surfaces to be machined.
The destruction of a tooth on the collet of an electrically driven jigsaw can only occur through the fault of the performer. This is caused by an attempt to inadvertently tighten a not fully inserted cutting blade.
The worm gear of the armature will not last long if you start the cutting process before the tool motor reaches its optimum power. To extend the life of the mechanism, do not start work before reaching full engine speed.
It is worth paying attention to the Interskol electric jigsaw of domestic production. It is produced in Izhevsk. For home use, this is a perfectly acceptable option. It has many positive qualities, and the most impressive is the low cost. But there are also disadvantages.
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This is the curvature of the sawing. What is the problem and is it possible to get rid of it? The reason for this was the quick-release fastening of the file. The fact is that it is designed for a saw blade of maximum thickness.All cutting tools of smaller thickness 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. Make it easy. You need to take a square rod, cut off two blanks, drill holes in them and connect them with two M5 bolts and nuts. The procedure for attaching the saw blade will become somewhat more complicated, but the tool will give an even cut.
In addition, you can refine 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 the size of the sole of the jigsaw;
in front of the workpiece, it is necessary to make a cutout according to the size of the working area of the cutting tool. Process all edges with a file, make bevels on the inner longitudinal edges of the cutout;
from plexiglass, you need to cut a plate according to the size of the working area of \u200b\u200bthe saw blade. File all sharp edges with a file, 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 holes and make chamfers for installing countersunk screws;
a piece of plexiglass must be inserted into an aluminum plate, having previously made a cut at its position.
Now, during operation, the saw blade will be limited in lateral movement almost in the cut zone, which will give it even greater straightness.
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Another equally popular manufacturer of domestic power tools is the Smolensk company Diold. Jigsaws are distinguished by a low price and fairly decent quality. For home work, this is a very suitable budget option.
It also has moments worth paying attention to. The first is the support roller. Over time, and this is about a year, it begins to lose its round shape. The reason is the material of the roller or the technology of its manufacture. It lacks hardness.
Its repair consists in replacement. Still, it’s better not to reinvent the wheel, but to purchase an original roller from the manufacturer or take the tool to a service center, especially if it is under warranty.
If this option is not suitable or impracticable, then you can reanimate the jigsaw with the help of improvised means. To do this, you need a regular M5 bolt with a nut. In this case, the bolt will serve as an axis, so you need to grind off the thread on it, and the nut with a roller, in it along the generatrix it is necessary to cut a groove along the thickness of the saw blade.
It is ideal to do this on a lathe, but you can also use a tool that is at hand, for example, a drill and an angle grinder disc. The disk must be clamped in a vise, the bolt with the nut - in a drill and cut a groove. The repair option is not ideal, but it has the right to life, as it has been tested in practice.
Another nuance in using the Diold jigsaw is the ingress of wood dust into the start button. This happens due to the lack of tightness, and dust, getting inside the button, prevents the passage of current. The solution to the problem will be periodic, at least once a year, cleaning contacts.
One of the best electric jigsaws on the world market are the models of the German company Metabo. Everything is good in it. High power, aluminum body, pendulum movement device. In addition, the tool is crammed with electronics that allow you to set up a jigsaw for individual programs for each type of cut. And the cut is just perfect both in quality and in straightness. The Metabo power tool is the best electric jigsaw to date.
But not eternal. Breakdowns happen here too. The reasons may be very different. But as practice has shown, the weak point is the mechanics. After significant loads, and in particular, sawing metal, it may fail.
As a rule, the axle on the bearing bracket, the lever and the stem do not withstand.To restore the tool, it is better to purchase all original spare parts, and perform the assembly in a service center by specialists.
When self-assembling the Metabo electric jigsaw, it is imperative to apply Castrol LMX grease with the addition of RiMET grease in a ratio of 3: 1 to all rubbing surfaces.
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Consider another budget version of the electric jigsaw - the Crimean Fiolent. This is quite an acceptable model both in terms of price and quality. In the operation of the jigsaw, two problems arise. This is a possible failure of the rod during incorrect handling of the tool and insufficient or illiterate lubrication.
In the first case, in order to avoid this breakdown, it is enough to carefully and carefully handle the tool. But if this still happened, you will have to replace the damaged stem. For this you need:
Remove the housing cover by unscrewing 4 screws.
Remove the rectangular washers and retaining guides from the stem.
Unscrew 4 bolts and dismantle the mechanism cover. Under it is the flywheel and the stem itself.
Unscrew 2 screws each, remove the lower and upper rod holders. The latter has a spring, so you need to clean it carefully.
Dismantle the destroyed rod with guide washers.
Lubricate the flywheel and eccentric with a special lubricant for gearboxes.
Put the guide washers on the new stem and install in place.
Attach the saw blade holder to the bottom of the stem.
Install the upper and lower holders, screw on the mechanism cover and install the washers and retaining rails.
Insert the cutting tool and test the jigsaw at idle and under load. If the check reveals no deviations, install the housing cover.
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In the second case, everything is much more serious. It would seem that it is difficult to lubricate? But due to the fact that the tool is constantly working in extreme conditions, wood dust cannot be avoided inside the device, it is necessary to carry out service work according to the intensity of operation, but at least once a year.
Lubricate all mating parts and assemblies. To do this, you need to disassemble the jigsaw. But if in the first case you, for example, limited yourself to dismantling the rod, now we disassemble the tool completely and re-grease all the rubbing surfaces of the parts.
For lubrication, the manufacturer offers Litol 24, but it will not work in the jigsaw gearbox, due to its thick consistency, so it is usually lubricated with oils. It is possible to combine Litol 24 with graphite-containing grease Feol 2U in a ratio of 3: 1.
However, it should be noted that now the fluidity of the lubricant mixture is higher, and after some time it will begin to enter the engine rotor. The reason for this is the left-hand drive. When the rotor rotates, the lubricating mixture is captured by the teeth and, like a screw, is fed to the rotor. The oil separator installed inside the motor housing does not perform its functions. Theoretically, it should reject the incoming mixture, but in practice this does not happen. This is evidence of the imperfection of the design proposed by the manufacturer.
To avoid this problem, some tweaking is required. Or rather, put the oil separator not inside, but outside the motor housing. At the same time, in order for the snail of the oil separator to work and discard the oil, it is turned over.
One more nuance. The diameter of the mounting hole is Ø 9 mm, and the diameter of the outer part of the oil deflector is Ø 9.2 mm - it will ideally block the passage for the lubricant mixture. But when installing it, you need to apply a certain effort and a nozzle in the form of a pipe of a suitable size.
In addition, it is advisable to install a dust washer on the rear armature bearing. It will protect it from wood dust and extend its service life.
After that, it is necessary to assemble the lubricated jigsaw and test it for performance. After 10 hours of operation, check the tool for grease getting into the motor housing.If everything is done correctly, then this option is excluded.
And, of course, Bosch. The power tool of this manufacturer is distinguished by high quality components, assembly and a long service life, subject to careful treatment. It also has a drawback - the price. Moreover, both the product as a whole and the parts are expensive.
It should be noted that the Bosch tool practically does not break, but there are some nuances that appear during long-term operation. For example, the wear of the brushes of the electric motor, the failure of the speed controller or the device for fastening the saw blade. There are accidents and more complicated ones, failure of a rod or anchor, but this is more likely due to incorrect handling.
As in the case of Metabo, Bosch jigsaws are best repaired at service centers. They will install original spare parts and give a guarantee for the repairs performed. But this is an expensive pleasure.
After reviewing the article, the user received theoretical knowledge about failures in the operation of jigsaws. Now, in the event of a breakdown, he will be able to determine the cause and make the right decision, and maybe even perform minor repairs.
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