Shopsmith Forums

lilgodwin wrote:I think I bit off more than I can chew, haha, but I get the gist of it. I appreciate the quick responses, and plethora of information, thoughts and opinions.

Carry on!

LOL info is great. It made me think too. I was tempted to pick up an older one and the machine files but then realized I can do the same with a good blade. Typically you don't need to sand scroll work, so I would still say the scroll Saw does everything the jigsaw does better with the exception of removing the throat.

If your thinking of doing stuff like my "scroll sawing into insanity" thread http://www.shopsmith.com/ss_forum/gener ... 17391.html then a scroll saw all the way. Less intricate work is well suited for the jigsaw. Overall, it's not the tool, but who uses it.

FWIW I base this all in my own personal experience as someone who has done a decent amount of fretwork (scrolling). I agree with the other options as well, so you should have all the info you need, if not, ask a specific question to guide us, lol.

Certainly the scroll saw is the way to go today. We started out here with the 18" jig saw. Then a few years ago a Teal stand alone scroll saw showed up on a local TV station classified page. It was like new and I got it for $135. I kept the jig saw. Some time later a Power Station (not Power Stand) with jointer showed up. It too was like new for $150. Now the jig saw resides on the power station and is used with those flexible sanding strips and the machine files.

One other 'difference'.

The jig saw has a crankcase.

That crankcase is oil filled.

The crankcase has a teeny tiny vent hole in the side.



THE JIG SAW LEAKS!!!!!

Perhaps it has a prostate problem

In case anyone needs a SS Scrollsaw I have a new one never used.

JPG wrote:One other 'difference'.

The jig saw has a crankcase.

That crankcase is oil filled.

The crankcase has a teeny tiny vent hole in the side.



THE JIG SAW LEAKS!!!!!

The jig saw takes 3 oz of non-detergent oil. I found every body gasket will seep oil on these jig saws. It appears that the gasket material they used allows the oil to penetrate through the gasket material as it ages.

The biggest reason to have a scroll saw over a jigsaw is the finish cut is smooth vs ragged left by jigsaw. Often, you gan get away with no sanding where jigsaw and bandsaw cuts require sanding to smooth them out. Scroll saw cuts like this )))

Scroll saws are big, stationary tools where you lie the material on the table and feed it into the delicate little blade. Jigsaws on the other hand, are handheld - you bring the saw to the work, rather than bringing the work to the saw.

FalakCobb wrote: Fri Jan 15, 2021 1:54 pm Scroll saws are big, stationary tools where you lie the material on the table and feed it into the delicate little blade. Jigsaws on the other hand, are handheld - you bring the saw to the work, rather than bringing the work to the saw.

What you described is a "hand held" jig saw. "Stationary" jig saws preceded both scroll saws and hand held jig saws and then there are the hand scroll saws.

i.e. the two terms have multiple meanings.