Sabre Saw??'s

[harvey]

Paul, I may not be seeing this correctly, but regardless of brand name, 2
inches is a pretty good bite for any blade supported at one end. This
problem is compounded with hardwood -- or a hard wood. This sounds more
like a job suited for a machine other than a sabre saw.

Otherwise, consider:
- specialty blades (wider front to back, more resistance to flex)
- different tooth count on the blades
- quality of blades (lot of diversity here, to the point that *the* most
expensive blade [one to a package] turns out to be the least expensive,
from both accuracy and longevity standpoints -- unless it breaks immediately).
- make sure the platform to blade angle is 90 degrees -- by a square, not
by [any] built-in reference on the tool.
- feed slower -- patience is a virtue when pushing a tool past design limits.
- remove most material, crooked or not, with the saw, then "chase"  the cut
with another tool -- router bit in drill press, etc.
- use a band saw instead, where all of the above still apply, but the blade
is better supported.

At 11:22 PM 9/1/98 -0700, you wrote:
>List:
>	Now that the opinions are out on the tool, how about some advice
>regarding the use of it?  We purchased a Bosch jigsaw to cut the slots
>for QRS solenoids.  But cutting a straight line through 2 inches of
>solid wood we found to be almost impossible.  We could follow the line
>on one side, easily enough.  But the flex of the blade made the opposite
>surface almost 1/4" off the line and crooked as a snake.  Is there some
>kind of secret here?  I don't think that a straightedge would help. 
>We've gone back to using a circular saw- much more dangerous.  Any
>suggestions are more than welcome.
>	Thanks!
>	Paul McCloud
>	San Diego, CA
> 

Jim Harvey, RPT
harvey@greenwood.net