Cutting With A Straightedge; Cutting Tips; Plunge Cutting - Skil 4290 Operating/Safety Instructions Manual

SM 2610948279 02-07
Face the good side of the material down and
secure it in a bench vise or clamp it down.
Draw cutting lines or designs on the side of
the material facing up towards you. Then
place the front edge of the saw foot on the
work and line up the blade with the line to be
cut. Hold the jigsaw firmly, turn it on, and
press down (to keep the saw foot flat against
the work) as you slowly push the saw in the
direction of the cut.
Build up cutting rate gradually, cutting close to
the line (unless you want to leave stock for
finish sanding). As you cut you may have to
adjust or relocate the vise or clamps to keep
the work stable. Do not force the saw or the
blade teeth may rub and wear without cutting
and the blade may break. Let the saw do most
of the work. When following curves, cut slowly
so the blade can cut through cross grain. This
will give you an accurate cut and will prevent
the blade from wandering.

CUTTING WITH A STRAIGHTEDGE

Always use a rough cut blade when possible.
Clamp a straightedge on the work parallel to
the line of cut and flush with the side of the
saw foot. (Either first mark the line of cut and
then position the straightedge parallel and at

PLUNGE CUTTING

Plunge cutting is useful and time-saving in
making rough openings in softer materials. It
is not necessary to drill a hole for an inside or
pocket cut. Draw lines for the opening, hold
the saw firmly, tilt it forward so that the toe of
the saw foot rests on the work, but with the
blade well clear of the work. Start the motor,
and then very gradually lower the blade.
When it touches, continue pressing down on
the toe of the saw foot slowly pivoting the saw
like a hinge until the blade cuts through and
the foot rests flat on the work. Then saw
ahead on the line of cut line. We do not
recommend plunge cutting with a scroll blade
(Fig. 5).
To make sharp corners, cut up to the corner,
then back up slightly before rounding the
corner. After the opening is complete, go back
to each corner and cut it from the opposite
2/22/07 4:28 PM

Cutting Tips

Page 8
the same distance as between the blade and
the side edge of the foot or first mark the side
edge of the foot and then clamp the
straightedge on the mark and parallel to the
cut line Fig. 4).
As you cut, keep the saw foot edge flush
against the straightedge and flat on the
workpiece (Fig. 4).
FIG. 4
LINE OF
CUT
CLAMPS
direction to square it off. Do not try to plunge
cut into hard materials such as steel.
FIG. 5
-8-
FOOT AGAINST
STRAIGHTEDGE
TOE OF FOOT