Replies

1. 
   NormInFujino | Sep 03, 2002 05:53am | #1

   You've listed quite a few conditions, and if you can handle a bow saw that well, more power to you. I think my own preference under the circumstances would be to chuck the current jigsaw and get a Bosch. You'll be happier in the long run, anyway.

   ". . .and only the stump or fishy part of him remained."

   Green Gables: A Contemplative Companion to Fujino Township

2. 
   eddiefromAustralia | Sep 03, 2002 07:43am | #2

   Hi Frank,

   Bowsaw is how I do things at home too as my shop is connected to the house - rules out machine work at night.

   Have you considered a pilot guided edge trimming bit on a router and an MDF template? That's how I do this at work. Rough cut with a jigsaw to within 5mm of the line and then finish with a couple of trimming passes on a router, moving the template gradually towards final position.

   I have a locally made bit where the guide bearing is between the cutting blades and the router shaft, When set up, the guide bearing is approx 1mm below the base of the router. This makes it easy to guide and reduces the chance of the pilot bit running off the template and the router bit going into the job. Cost approx USD12-, 3/4" depth of cut.

   Cheers, eddie

   edit: simple grammatical mistake

   
   

   ---

   Edited 9/3/2002 12:45:11 AM ET by eddie

1. 
   Biscardi | Sep 03, 2002 05:32pm | #3

   Edddie,

   Thanks. The router sounds like the way to go.

   Thanks

   Frank

3. 
   WilliamHF | Sep 03, 2002 09:07pm | #4

   I built a King Sized bed of Cherry with really big, thick headboard and footboard a couple years ago. I posed a similar question here on Knots. Several men gave me good advice.

   Sgian/Richard jumped in and advised me to make a template of 1/2" MDF and use my old, cheap,  electric,  hand-operated jig saw (about which I had complained) to cut a bit fat of the template-marked line, then switch to the router with a bearing running against the clamped-on template. I followed that advice until I had the MDF template finished. But then I got to wondering abou the Bosch jig saw.

   What I finally did was to buy the Bosch JIg Saw. I couldn't believe how smooth its action was. The Headboard was thicker than usual for headboards (1 1/4") and the Bosch handled it very smoothly with little vibration, no "bucking" etc.

   Putting the jig saw aside, I switched to a block plane and smoothed the curve up in a few minutes the sanded the edge with finer and finer papers.

   Conclusion: Several approaches work. The Bosch jig saw is a very desirable tool.

   I know you'll do the job well.

   William

   I make something, sometimes twice, each year.
1. 
   Biscardi | Sep 04, 2002 12:35am | #5

   William,

   Thanks for the advice. I went to Lowes today and bought the router bit for trimming to a template. As the curve is rather gradual, I think I am going to try and cut it with a handsaw and clean it up with the template and the router. I looked at the Bosch. It was very nice. The $159 dollar tag seems a bit steep for something I am not likely to use frequently.

   Frank 

4. 
   AlanTurner | Sep 04, 2002 01:05am | #6

   Along the lines of the other suggestions, I also use a template and router, after rough trimming, usually with a bandsaw, even if the piece seems too big for it.  (My wife just loves sawdust?)    Where the thickness of the stock is beyond the capacity of the top bearing bit, considering the thickness of the template, I cut as much as possible, in several passes, and then use the shaped edge as the template, and use a bottom bearing bit riding on the already cut edge to finish.  Best of luck!

1. 
   SgianDubh | Sep 04, 2002 03:22am | #7

   To clarify Williams contribution a wee bit, my suggestion to him at the time was to make a pattern out of MDF, 1/2" being fine, but 3/8" thick stuff even better if available, because the thinner edge is a little easier to work, and you get an extra 1/8" depth of cut. Draw the required shape on the MDF after cutting it to square and to the maximum required size-- allowing a bit for easily plotting any necessary curves, etc.. Then rough it out with a grotty jigsaw, if that's all you've got, and get the curves finessed with hand tools, such as planes and spokeshaves, and so on. One of the boons with MDf is the ease of working the exposed edge, but the end result is soft, which is another minor problem quite easily rectified.

   Once you've got the MDF perfect, including the profiles of any tenons you may be knocking out, then lay the piece over your timber headboard 'blank', and rout around it with a router and pattern cutting bit-- start off by laying the pattern in place, pencil round it, remove the pattern, rough cut your solid timber headboard 'near' to the line, within about 2- 3 mm, put the pattern back in place, cramp it to your headboard, and rout around to get an exact copy. Shift your two clamps as needed--using four is handy. A pattern cutting bit is the one with a bearing above the cutter rather than below. A large diameter bit with a deep cut works best in my experience. If you have shoulder lines to cut on both sides of your timber headboard 'blank' to create the thickness of the tenons, cut your thicknessed timber blank perfectly square, then use a router, side fence, and large diameter bit to define the thickness of the tenon prior to using the pattern to create the profile. Nip out rounded corners with chisels, etc., as needed. All of this assumes that your headboard and footboard are flat panels of solid timber, which they may not be. Slainte, RJ.

   RJFurniture

   Edited 9/3/2002 8:27:57 PM ET by Sgian Dubh

1. 
   Biscardi | Sep 04, 2002 03:31am | #8

   SD

   Cool. I will try it.

   Thanks

   Frank

1. 
   Biscardi | Sep 05, 2002 06:03am | #9

   Folks,

   I asked this very nice 87 year old retired cabinet maker about this problem. He suggested a jigsaw. I told him I had a crappy, lousy jigsaw. He looked me in the eye, shook his finger at me and said,"Never buy cheap tools!"

   I bought the Bosch that evening. It cuts like a dream. I never had any idea a jigsaw could work that well. It took me about 20 minutes to cut everything out. The edge was quite square, fairly smooth and cleaned up with a sharp block plane very easily. I have always avoided jigsaws because I thought they were all as horrible as my $20 Black and Decker.This is a nice tool and I think will be very usefull to me. It certainly beats horsing big pieces around on the bandsaw table.

   Frank