scroll saw vs. jig saw

farley · Post by **farley** » Mon Jul 18, 2011 7:35 pm

I know the difference, but has anybody had both and can give an opinion on the better of the two for scrolling.

back in the 80's I did quite well with a jig saw doing small cuttings - using not the best of blades.

I would like to buy a back up saw for when my dewalt shits the bed.

The jig saw are cheaper and like I said worked pretty good, but I never used the scroll saw.
TIA

ps. I am talking SS ones

ryanbp01 · Post by **ryanbp01** » Mon Jul 18, 2011 8:06 pm

Farley, I wish I could help you on this one. I always thought a jig saw was hand-held while a scroll saw was larger.

BTW, I have the Dewalt scroll saw as well.

BPR

katilicous · Post by **katilicous** » Tue Jul 19, 2011 2:20 pm

Usually a scroll is stationary, however older Shopsmith models refer to the current day scroll saw as a jigsaw so I guess it's a matter of labels.
I use both saws scroll and jig and they both have advantages depending on what you like to cut.
A scroll saw only gives you 12-18" depth cut but you can concentrate on the cut easier with the material in your hands I feel. I also like the scroll bc you don't have to set up a cutting surface with clamps and saw horses.
I couldn't have cut a 4' circle from oak easily with a scroll saw tho bc of the depth restriction.
If it is a Shopsmith attachment, it's more than likely a scroll saw bc I have never seen a handheld Shopsmith jig, but you never know with Shopsmith. The older models that weren't made by the current Shopsmith show a lady mixing cake batter with her Shopsmith 10er so you know they are creative with different tool attachments. lol
good luck

farley · Post by **farley** » Tue Jul 19, 2011 2:29 pm

shopsmith used to make a table jig saw.
they are still out there and IMO work pretty good

that is what I am looking to compare with the shopsmith scroll saw

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Tue Jul 19, 2011 3:17 pm

A hand held 'jig saw' is to me a sabre saw(only one end of the blade is secured/driven).

The SS 'jig saw'(as other/earlier jig saws) moves straight up/down and is driven on the down stroke only and a spring pulls the blade back up. The arm on the SS jig saw allows a 18" swing. The SS jig saw can accept both sabre saw type blades and files with up to a 1/4" od shank. The arm is removable so as to eliminate its restricting workpiece size(sabre blades only).

The SS 'scroll saw'(as other scroll saws)is power driven on both the up and down stroke. The motion of the blade is non linear(the top rocks forward on the downstroke, and rocks away from the workpiece on the up stroke). The scroll saw requires the blade to be secured at both ends and the arm is fixed.

They are different, and the differences are what should determine which you you 'get'.

I gots both!;)

P.S. I have not used the scroll saw enough(yet) to give a comparison, but I expect the scroll saw to be 'better' due to constant tension and the larger table size.

robinson46176 · Post by **robinson46176** » Tue Jul 19, 2011 3:19 pm

Terminology is changing... What is now often referenced a "jig saw" became big on the market in the 1950's as a "saber-saw" A jig saw was a bench tool like the Dremel jigsaws and a herd of others. We only saw the word "scroll saw" used with the heavy old name saws like Rockwell, Delta etc.

These are what we used to call a jig saw:
[ATTACH]13751[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]13752[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]13753[/ATTACH]

This is what we used to call a "scroll saw":
[ATTACH]13754[/ATTACH]

If you image Google saber saw you get all sorts of saws ranging from the hand held units to Saws-all type saws.

.

cincinnati · Post by **cincinnati** » Tue Jul 19, 2011 3:35 pm

I always thought of a Scrollsaw as a machine where the blade is under power on each end of the blade. A jig saw, the blade is only powered by one end.
The old Shopsmith Jigsaw blade was powered by one end and a spring type return mechanism on the other.
I picked up and old SS Jigsaw as a package deal with a strip sander. Have to say the jigsaw works better than I thought.

http://www.shopsmith.net/forums/attachm ... 1274583539

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Tue Jul 19, 2011 6:58 pm

If you and I are in agreement as to what a jig saw (sabre saw) looks like AND what a scroll saw looks like then in my opinion you may need both.

A jig saw is portable and can easily be carried to the work. If you have a good jig saw and good hand eye coordination some beautiful work can emerge from your shop.

With a scroll saw, you can also do some beautiful work but only on relatively small stock. As an example, you'll not be successful cutting gracefully curved ends on a protruding roof rafter with a scroll saw but it is a snap with a good jig saw.

Really neat intarsia or fret work (fine scroll sawing) can be done with the scroll saw but would be very difficult to do with a jig saw.

Jig Saw = this while scroll saw = this.

The right tool for the right job. This is why I think you need both.

anmius · Post by **anmius** » Tue Jul 19, 2011 7:23 pm

I'll bet he/she is referring to a Shopsmith Jigsaw

in comparison with a Shopsmith Scroll Saw

farley · Post by **farley** » Tue Jul 19, 2011 8:13 pm

anmius
has it right, from what dusty and other is talking about is a Hand held jig saw, as far as I know SS never made a HH jig saw