Jigsaw sole plate smoothing

Oldman · Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2010 10:03 am Post subject: Jigsaw sole plate smoothing

I have a new Bosch PST 700 PE jigsaw which I tried to use on my glossy kitchen worktop yesterday and even with masking tape under it I managed to scratch the surface somehow. I am now frightened to use it again to cut the hob and sink cutouts until I solve the reason for the scratches.

The tape had been picked up and dragged by the sole plate somehow. Maybe a bit of chipping got under it, but I cant be sure.

I have a vac takoff on this jigsaw but in this case I wasnt using it though with hindsight I should have done.

Is there a trick I can use like maybe attaching a bit of lexan sheet to the underside or maybe something like strips of draught excluder?

I have some offcuts I can try it out on so anyone have any tips?

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wizer · Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2010 10:09 am Post subject:

Can you not cut it from the underside? Or is it already fixed in place?
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Oldman · Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2010 10:36 am Post subject:

That of course would be ideal wizer, but that also means as its high gloss finish and I will be minus some man bits if it gets scratched.... taking it off the units, moving to padded workmates and cutting.
No its not fixed in place or joined to the other length that I also have to cut for a hob with the same problems.

Not impossible by any means but the worry is with only a 60mm strip of worktop left for the 970mm of sink & drainer front and back plus the weight of 700mm and 1200mm end bits, I may just snap it in two when trying to move it back to the units.

I thought it a lot less risky doing it in situ, maybe I am worrying too much?

laird · Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2010 10:41 am Post subject:

Buy a laminate blade for your jigsaw. They cut on the opposite stroke to normal so there's no splintering of the surface.
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monkeybiter · Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2010 10:51 am Post subject:

What about a sacrificial peice of hardboard clamped or taped to the worktop and saw through the lot?
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Oldman · Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2010 11:03 am Post subject:

Philly · Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2010 12:38 pm Post subject:

Why not give the sole of the jigsaw a rub over with some 180 grit sandpaper on a block? It will removed any burrs, which sounds like the problem to me.
Hope this helps,
Philly Very Happy

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jasonB · Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2010 1:00 pm Post subject:

I wouldn't use a jig saw from underneath, if/when the blade wanders there is a risk of it making the hole bigger than you want, most appliances and sinks only have a small overhang so not much room for error.

MY DW has a plastic foot that slips over the metal base and I only use that when working delicate surfaces. Even then a couple of layers of masking take usually does the trick, I tend to do cut outs with a cordless circ saw not teh jiggy.

If you do use hardboard the two strips about 1" apart and taped over so no muck can get under them would be the safest. You may have found a bit of metal in the chipboard core, it does happen.

Jason
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Oldman · Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2010 1:25 pm Post subject:

jasonB · Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2010 3:19 pm Post subject:

Once you get the cut started a good old handsaw will also make quick work of it, the modern hardpoints are probably best.

Jason
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George_N · Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2010 10:42 pm Post subject:

Rather than mask the sole plate of the jigsaw, mask the worktop. A roll of wide tape is a lot cheaper than a new worktop and you can draw on it with a marker pen.
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Oldman · Posted: Tue Jan 26, 2010 8:54 pm Post subject:

Jason, many thanks for the tip, I cut it today using the strips of hardboard and even with bits of nail in the chipboard trying to bounce the jigsaw I got a damage free worktop.

eggflan · Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 1:00 am Post subject:

Do you have access to a router , ive cut my share of holes in worktops using a jigsaw and will never again , the cut is usually terrible and wandering all over the place .

A router with a worktop bit will do the job nice and straight so you know the sink clips will fit properly Wink

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