Shopsmith Forums

In a loose way I kind of look at one of those "jig saws" as a "sometimes", "sort of" band saw.
If you have it sitting there with a heavy blade in it you can use it to make cuts like those short cuts to remove the small pieces at the sides of the tenons (I didn't say that very well).
If you don't have a bandsaw you can make a number of cuts at a right angle to the surface that would not work well on a table saw.

robinson46176 wrote:In a loose way I kind of look at one of those "jig saws" as a "sometimes", "sort of" band saw.
If you have it sitting there with a heavy blade in it you can use it to make cuts like those short cuts to remove the small pieces at the sides of the tenons (I didn't say that very well).
If you don't have a bandsaw you can make a number of cuts at a right angle to the surface that would not work well on a table saw.

Not to mention the extra 7+ inches of throat depth!

Just got a jigsaw. Was in pretty good shape. Just a bit of waxing to help things run smoother. I didn't know it took a 1/2 coupler which I stole off the jointer. Now I need another one.

bigmoe wrote:Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers. My wonderful wife of 38 years is improving a little every day.

I just opened my Magna Jigsaw, it has a few pieces that cannot be repaired. I found a parts list and it is some were on my computer. Windows Vista is hiding a lot of stuff I have downloaded. 1 piece I need is the nylon piece that connects the crankshaft to jig. Any Ideas. I could make a piece but way too time consuming. This Forum has really been a help to me. I have been told no parts are available????
I did find a parts list with pictures, The 3 parts I am needing are 1. 612300 Yoke Bracket assembly. 2. A 3239 Backup. Lower 3. C3234 Table Insert. I have the original Shopsmith manuals & parts list. I have the capabilities of making pdf files for those who might need one.

i would really like to get a copy of that manual and parts list for the jig saw if you have it available

wolfman1968 wrote:i would really like to get a copy of that manual and parts list for the jig saw if you have it available

I believe that that manual has been posted here on the forum. Have you done a search to see if it is there?

The thread below has a link a PDF manual and to a YouTube video of someone who made their own replacement yoke.

https://forum.shopsmith.com/viewtopic.php?t=8859&highlight=jigsaw+repair

I kept getting those jigsaws when I was buying SS's. I sold several but kept 2 of them, neither of them had been used or even completely put together. The giblets were still in bags but one of them is missing the throat plate somehow. I may still find it yet in the bottom of a box when I clean stuff up. I have one of the jigsaws in the shop and the other back for parts. I want to mount the one in the shop on a mini so it is always ready to walk over and use it. The mini will probably have a sanding "something" on the quill end. Pretty much the same thing with my bandsaw, always mounted on a mini with a "something" on the quill.
I also have a "regular" scroll saw. It is a Tradesman, looks like a Hitachi/Craftsman/Rockwell/Ryobi saw. Seems to work nice. I don't use it a ton but bought it so my wife could make cuts with it if she wanted. She hasn't used it to speak of either but may now that it is in the house instead of 400' away.


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I'll confess it's been a while since I've used my old Magna jigsaw. As I recall, aren't the blades standard pin ended coping saw blades? I think I would get them from the hardware store.

Never have understood the fine differences between the jigsaw and the scrollsaw. To me, that seem essentially to be the same machine.

Both far surpass the bandsaw for fine detail work and intricate cutout work. Neither are as good as the new wonderstuff I see at the craft shows, particularly with the quick change shanks and such that let you move the wood piece quickly over the blade to make new cutouts.

I found the tool to be good as a starter for my son to learn with. I'm far less concerned with him cutting himself badly with this tool as compared to the bandsaw. Yes, I know he can still cut his finger off with the jigsaw. But he'd have to work at it a little harder than he would with the bandsaw.

foxtrapper wrote:I'll confess it's been a while since I've used my old Magna jigsaw. As I recall, aren't the blades standard pin ended coping saw blades? I think I would get them from the hardware store.

Never have understood the fine differences between the jigsaw and the scrollsaw. To me, that seem essentially to be the same machine.

Both far surpass the bandsaw for fine detail work and intricate cutout work. Neither are as good as the new wonderstuff I see at the craft shows, particularly with the quick change shanks and such that let you move the wood piece quickly over the blade to make new cutouts.

I found the tool to be good as a starter for my son to learn with. I'm far less concerned with him cutting himself badly with this tool as compared to the bandsaw. Yes, I know he can still cut his finger off with the jigsaw. But he'd have to work at it a little harder than he would with the bandsaw.

A jig saw oscillates straight up/down.

A jig saw is powered on the down stroke, but a spring returns it on the up stroke.

A scroll saw is powered on both the down and up strokes.

A scroll saw oscillates in a curved path that advances the blade on the down stroke with the bottom end of the blade leading slightly. On the up stroke, the blade retracts slightly with the top end of the blade leading(to the rear).

Both use 5" unpinned blades, but pins can be easily removed from 'pinned' blades.

I have one only because it came as a package deal off CraigsList with the Shopsmith strip sander I wanted. I was lucky it had all the parts and good shape other than some rust. I did a complete restore on it. I painted it green like it was originally but if I had to do over I would have painted it Shopsmith gray. I works well but would not trade it for my DeWalt scroll saw.

http://www.shopsmith.net/forums/showthr ... ati+jigsaw