Using the Trion jigsaw

[AHoman]

I just got the Trion and have to say, it is awesome!

Here's an upcoming job that I have for it, looking for tips.  Besides this jigsaw, the only power tools in my shop are my sharpening system and vacuum!  Well, electric lights, too. 

I am in the process of building a coffee table, very simple design, with tapered legs (walnut).  I think I'd like to cut the tapers with the jigsaw.  I'm not looking for 100 accuracy because I can finish the job with handplanes.  My question is, what is the best way to secure the workpiece for cutting with the jigsaw?  The only part not getting tapered is the top of each leg (where the mortises are for the tenoned aprons); would I just clamp this part, or would I need to clamp at various positions and do each cut in stages?  (in which case, using a handsaw would almost be easier...)
Thanks,
Andrew

 

[Bob]

1 solid clamp should hold it ok. Would be a lot easier with the 75 or 55 or a table saw but the trion should work.

 

[Dan Clark]

Andy,

I don't know if this useful, but I posted this in another forum when someone asked for jigsaw tips.  I got this out of a Popular Woodworking article.  From the article, assuming that the jigsaw is held in the right hand...

- Keep right arm close to body

- Point index finger of right hand along side of saw and use middle finger for trigger

- Place tips of left hand fingers on saw bottom plate

- Use body (not arm or wrist) to control direction

- Keep head over top of saw

- Use a wider blade.

Also, if you have one, consider a guiderail with the guide rail accessory to control the jigsaw. 

Regards,

Dan.

 

[Dan Lyke]

I don't know if you have a guide rail, but clamping the rail at an angle to stock of similar thickness, and then clamping the top non-tapered part of the leg to that stock and using the jigsaw in the rail guide tray seems like a reasonable way to make the cut in one pass (I'm assuming you're using that monster long blade).

I guess for the second angle you just put the angled side down and maybe shim it on your table edge.

Having some sacrificial stock at the narrow end of the leg that you can clamp to would be good as well.

 

[AHoman]

All good tips.

Dan L: Indeed, I did get some of the monster-long blades when I got the saw!  I just realized that I can probably make a fence to run the saw along.  Thanks for the tip about a sacrificial piece under the first taper when I do the second cut.

Dan C: I saw that Troy Sexton article, too -- thanks for reminding me.  I'm a leftie so I'll be switching arms.

This is great; within a week I get a great tool and have a whole community of people with knowledgable answers to my newbie questions!

-Andrew

 

[Mirko]

Andrew,
You may also like to leave a foot or part of the leg still attached this way when you flip it over for the oposite taper the leg has somthing to stand on. This is a practice more comonly used on bandsaws.  Hope this helps.
Mirko

 

[AHoman]

Thanks Mirko,
On these legs, only 2 sides are tapered. 
I think I'll do some test cuts on scrapwood just to make sure I'm visualizing everything accurately.  I can't believe that I'll have to wait until the weekend to do this.

 

[Bob]

Excellent idea! I am re-learning woodworking "the festool way" too.  (almost 40 years since I started my apprenticeship) When I did my first cuts with the trion I was surprised.  I am glad I found this site because my usual way has to be adjusted often with the festool system.  I found that I had to slow down/ not push the trion and it worked great.  I find that I can do cuts that I would have to take to the bandsaw before. (One of the few tools I don't carry in my truck.)

I am loving the system but for me I have methods that need to be adjusted...old dog. (can learn but need more cookies)  Cutting scrap/ test pieces first is the way to go.

Backwater-Bob

 

[Per Swenson]

Hello Everybody,

I think Bob makes a excellent observation here.

"Learning the Festool way"

I have mentioned this before concerning the Jigsaw.

I think many of us, including myself who had his first jig saw at 12....

simply can not help focusing on the blade to make a cut.

So when you hook up all the dust collection and the splinter guard

following the line and blade just ain't gonna happen.

When I first realized this, Twenty minutes after opening the systainer,

I screamed Booshirt. Thats right I assumed it was all stupid and of

course it was the design of the tool not my ability to use it.

That is when I noticed the pointer. Geez whats that thing for?

So I practiced. Then practiced some more with different blades.

Got my mind around not watching the blade and leading the target.

Once you get used to it, trust me it wasn't easy, big early failure rate

You can get amazing results.

Per

 

[woodwrights_corner]

If you're talking about the pointer on the clear splinterguard, I mark the front vertical edge of the point with a black sharpie.  It seems to help me and others.

 

[Dan Lyke]

Andrew: You might want to start the cut from the narrow end (or drill a large hole if you're going to keep a sacrificial square length on the narrow end), because my experience with starting low angle cuts on a jig saw is that that's when most of the blade flex happens.

Probably obvious, but I'm a newbie too, and far to often I'll spend time clamping up my guides and getting everything set up, realize that there's something like that that might happen, but be too lazy to go back and re-do my guide setup, and therefore end up with extra planing or other fixing later.

Per, on "the Festool way": Exactly. My Dad's got a couple of fingers shorter from a table saw accident. This happened after decades of using all sorts of tools without losing fingers. Whether or not it's an accurate perception, mhy impression of table saw accidents is that they're "when", not "if". So when I started to set up for woodworking, any table saw I got either had to be a "SawStop" or a euro slider. I don't have room for either. But as I watch people talk about various cuts that they feel they can't make with the Festool circular saw on the rail, for the most part (and I'm speaking from very little actual experience) I can see ways to approach the cut differently that should work with the saw and rail combo. Yeah, maybe I can't make "that cut", the question is "how can I achieve that same end".

 

[Dan Clark]

Dan,

Currently, I don't have space for a table saw either.  If I did and finally reached the point where it was a necessity, I would buy a SawStop or some other "safety" saw.  (I nicked my little finger when I was a kid and I'm more than a little paranoid about table saws.)  That said...

I believe that most (but not all) comments about table saws come from two sources:
1) People (like Per) who rationally choose a tool as the most effective way to get job done.  "Effective" typically relates to getting a job done as fast as possible at an appropriate quality level.

2) People who are so used to the standard woodworking wisdom (Tablesaw is your most important tool!) that they can't think any other way.  I.e., their used to it and that's that!

Regarding #1, when someone makes their living at something, it's usually wise for me to keep my mouth shut unless they ask for my opinion.  They make rational choices based on their experience and what best fits their needs at that point.  OTOH...

Regarding #2, much of what I see is just people stuck in a rut and not thinking outside of the box.  It's difficult for them to change and they are happy in their rut.  In many cases, it's a psychological thing - justifying why they bought what they did.  For example, if they find out that there is a better way of breaking down sheet goods than getting a big cabinet saw with all the accoutrements, they'd have some difficulty admitting, "I screwed up and spent thousands of dollars on something and have to lift heavy sheets up on top of the thing!"    Hmmm...  That's difficult for most of us to swallow.  So, you see comments like "NO! Them Festool craftsman saw thingies will NEVER be as good as my table saw.  Not in a million years.  Nope!!!"  :

If you look at the woodworking media (mags, TV shows, etc.) they propagate the same table saw message too.  Part of it is because hosts have 30 years experience with table saws and part of it is because their sponsors and advertisers make BIG IRON!  That will probably take a while to change. 

Me?  I'm going to keep on plodding down the road looking for solutions that fit my needs and available space.  Maybe someday I'll need a table saw.  Maybe not.

Dan.