Most Suitable Jigsaw Blade

[pollys13]

Hi,
What would be the best type of blade to use on a jigsaw for cutting a small sheet of 3mm FR4 epoxy glass fiber?
Thanks.

 

[Austin Branson]

Hello Pollys, can you find any TCT blades? That would be my choice.
Best wishes.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Any fine toothed blade for plastic.

 

[recipio]

If that's the same stuff that translucent roof panels are made from then beware. I cut one on my bandsaw and completely wrote off the blade. Sparks flew everywhere presumably from the blade. I would use carbide tipped blades if you can find them.

 

[Spectric]

For materials like glass fibre you need carbide otherwise you will take the edge off and then attempt to burn your way through.

 

[Distinterior]

Carbide Grit blade is what I've used in the past for that type of material....

Here's an example.....

https://www.toolstation.com/tungste...UeTTi9yI-5Qblbezk9RoCMJMQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[ajs]

Hi,
What would be the best type of blade to use on a jigsaw for cutting a small sheet of 3mm FR4 epoxy glass fiber?
Thanks.

That's a perennial issue for electronics hobbyists (FR4 is the most common PCB substrate, albeit typically at 1.6mm). Commercially it's typically sheared/guillotined or milled to shape. Most hobbyists tend to score and bend but I've never been a fan and at 3mm I doubt it'll be a goer.

Sawing is relatively hassle free provided the blade is fine enough which is the big issue. 32tpi is slightly coarse for the job and as fine as you'll find hacksaw blades, on the other hand I find a scroll saw fitted with a #2 piercing saw blade (43tpi) to be buttery smooth. Blade life is... fine. I've never had cause to moan but in the circumstances a "lot" of PCB cut probably doesn't equate to that much meterage.

Scaling that up to 3mm you're looking at a blade with 20-24tpi. I'd look at simple bimetal blades at first, ideally with individually set teeth as opposed to hacksaw-style wave setting. FR4 eats blades and will quickly take off the sharpness of anything touching it. Conversely it doesn't seem too sensitive to sharpness, e.g. I effectively use old mostly worn out files that I'd have junked otherwise. In summary either tired worn tools or cheap disposable stuff.

 

[Ollie78]

The fine tooth laminate flooring blades are great they cut super clean. The Bosch ones at screwfix are fine. I used these for trimming fibreglass roof trims and they were very good with no tearing or anything.
Most of the brands are identical for jigsaw blades i find Dart ones cheap, they often do them in hire shops.

Ollie

 

[pollys13]

OK, thanks for the input people