Why is an "orbital" jigsaw different from a regular jigsaw?

Question

I need to buy a jigsaw for a home improvement project. I'd like it to be versatile so I could use it for future unknown projects. What should I look for?

Answer 1

means instead of only going up and down, it moves back and forth in a small circular path.
blade storagte is good, and cases are a must with me. I own black and decker, orbital, with blade storage and case. good tool, good price, works great

Answer 2

Jigsaw Falling Into Place

Answer 3

One last note that has been omitted. You can cut metals and ceramic with the proper blade, in addtion to wood. I prefer the Bosch jig saw (also know as saber saw). In addition to the variable speed, 4 position cut (1 standard and 3 variable orbital), the blade selection is wonderful.

The Bosch runs around $150. All units generally offer a 1 yr warranty. You may only use the tool for a dozen hours in a typical year. So a commercial grade tool may be overkill.

Answer 4

I like the "Firestorm" I have, the price was right and it's a good saw. I like the air cleaner on it that keeps the work area clean. I wish they made a longer blade for it though. This one is a pin blade.
I have a big band saw so if this doesn't work, I have something that does. I'm glad I stayed away from the cordless. I have the bigger model.

All the answers are right.

Answer 5

Cowboy Doc, who says all the answers are right -is wrong. The claim that an orbital jigsaw is a "stand" machine -is wrong. Let's get some terminology straight:

Scroll saw: The kind of saw that uses a thin, straight blade that moves up and down very quickly through a hole on a flat surface is called a "scroll saw." The blade is attached to the mechanism at top and bottom. You move the work (piece of wood, etc.) on the table, through the saw blade, turning it left and right to cut out a shape. Thus, the cut line "scrolls" through the wood. The blade is thin so you can turn the wood without binding up the blade. This is a good tool for cutting out, say, pieces of a wooden puzzle, or pieces of wood for a model. Here's a picture:

http://img.alibaba.com/photo/50523429/Scroll_Saw.jpg

A "jig saw" is a hand held power tool (cordless or corded) that holds a vertically mounted blade at the top of the blade. The blade may be thick or thin, long or short, depending on the material to be cut. And the saw itself may be light duty or heavy duty. A sturdy one with a thick, long blade will cut easily through a 2 X4. Now put in a thin blade with many fine teeth and you can cut a precise and curved line through the work, to cut out a circular hole, for example. The work stands still -you move the saw though it. The action of the blade is straight up and down -your pushing force determines speed of the cut. A good one will allow you to tilt the saw body on the foot of the saw, so you can cut at an angle. And a REALLY good one will be calibrated to show angle of the cut. There may be other adjustment controls. Here's a picture:

http://img.alibaba.com/photo/51493660/800W_Jig_Saw.jpg

That brings us to the "Orbital" jig saw, which is the same as a jig saw except for the action of the blade. Instead of moving straight up and down, the blade moves in a small orbit. On the down stroke, the blade moves toward the work, on the upstroke it moves slightly back away. Thus, it is more aggressive than a jig saw, because the action of the blade itself cuts into the work -you don't need to push as hard. Sometimes this can be tricky to control: if you have a thick blade for serious general cutting (such as a 2X4) the teeth of the blade, on the down stroke, can make the saw kick UP if the blade is moving too slowly to really bite through the wood. Likewise, if you are turn the saw too quickly or at too much of an angle to follow your cut line, the angle of attack can cause a kick, because the left or right edge of each tooth -as opposed to the entire front, is not evenly engaged into the wood. As the instructions will no doubt tell you, "let the saw do the work." No picture of one because they look the same as a jig saw.

Both jig and orbital saws usually include a "fence" which allows the saw to follow the edge of your wood, to keep it straight and true. I rarely use it, however. You'll get more accurate and straight lines by first cutting a notch EXACTLY at the right place on your cut line, holding the saw blade in the notch, then laying a straight edge up along one side or the other of the foot. Pull the saw away, then draw a line along the edge of the straight edge on the wood. Then transfer the distance between your mark and the notch to the other end of the cut line. Line up the straight edge with your marks, and clamp it down.

This brings us to "plunge cuts," which are used when you need to start a cut from within the wood -not at an edge. It is a scary thing to do, because you start by tilting the body of the saw away from you, so the blade is actually NOT engaging any wood at all on the down stroke. Then, you gradually decrease the tilt, so the blade begins to engage the wood, plowing out the line to be cut. Finally, the blade penetrates through the wood, and you push along the cut line in normal fashion. You need a saw that moves the blade very quickly for this work, so that little bits of wood are ripped away a bit at a time. If the speed is too slow, you'll just get a kick up. The orbital saw is a good choice for this, because the action of the blade itself move it into the work -you follow it more than you push it.

In general, the first priority is the power and performance of the saw; you want lots of power, as many strokes per second or minute as you can get, and variable speed (which optionally may be locked in to a specific speed setting) It is also helpful to have to blade of the saw as close as possible to the front of the body, so you can snug up against any obstruction over the work at the end of your cut. Otherwise, being able to tilt the saw body right and left can be occasionally helpful.

I've mentioned no brand names here because you'll need to go look at what's available, compare features and price and copme to some decisions. But the usual suspects are what you'd expect: Black and Decker (which includes Dewalt and Firestorm) Ryobi, Hitachi and housebrands just as "Task Force" or "Rigid." Buy whatever appears to be the best match for most of the work you'll be doing, but be a bit shy of any that tries to do too much, which usually comes at the cost of not doing any one thing very well. If what you want is pure muscle and guts, it's Porter-Cable. Mine is heavy metal unit that's been running like crazy for nearly 20 years. I can't say it is "user friendly," it is just a work horse. The professional line of P/C tools may not even be available at Home Depot or Lowes -you might need to locate a dealer -and expect to pay a lot for that puppy. But just once.

I hope this helps.

Answer 6

orbital is stand machine saw , which you most maneuver wood in table but regular jigsaw is hand free and you maneuver saw in the wood.