Posts Tagged ‘saw’

 

Replacing Your Coping Saw Blade

Wednesday, August 14th, 2013

Replacing Your Coping Saw Blade - Handyman

Coping saw blades are thin, hardened steel blades that can be effectively used to cut shapes and designs inside wood or make coped joints in crown moldings. While these blades are strong and super efficient, they must be replaced from time to time so that you can continue to work more efficiently and less dangerously on your projects.

Why Coping Saw Blades Need Replacing

With continuous use, blades of any kind become dull and lose their edge. This means that firstly, the quality of the cut won’t come out as clean as it should be. Secondly, you will need to put in a lot more effort to perform a task that could be performed much more easily with a sharper blade. Another significant factor here is that having to work too hard means that there is a larger risk of slipping and hurting yourself while working with a dull saw blade.

Understanding when your coping saw blade needs replacement is something only you can do well, based on a judgment of how easy or difficult it is right now for you to use it. Abrasive materials and friction heating can weaken the sharpness of the blade. Sharpening it may not always be a good idea either, especially in the case of carbide tip blades. In fact, a new pack of coping saw blades usually costs just a few dollars, and hence, it is best to replace them when you feel it’s necessary.

How to Replace a Coping Saw Blade

1. Replacing a coping saw blade is a fairly simple process. You must first squeeze the saw so that the blade is sufficiently loosened.

2. You can then unhook it from both the ends.

3. It’s now time to attach the new blade, which can be hooked into the now-free slots and simply twisted to fit in position.

4. The tautness can be adjusted by twisting the handle, and you are all set for your next project.

Taking Care of Your Coping Saw Blade

When not in use, it is best to keep your coping saw blades wrapped in something soft and protective to preserve the sharp edges. Slicing a piece of hose and storing the blades in it can be a neat trick. Also, before you begin cutting something, ensure that there are no nails in the wood, as that could damage the edges of the blade

Get the Right Help for Your Woodwork Project

You don’t have to be an expert at handling a coping saw if you need some woodwork done for your home. You can get in touch with trained and experienced professionals who can do the job to perfection within minimal time. Just drop us a line, and we at TalkLocal will make sure you are connected with the very best professionals in your area.

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What is a Coping Saw?

Thursday, August 8th, 2013

What is a Coping Saw? - Handyman

If you have been wondering what is a coping saw, it is essentially a handheld saw with a thin yet really hard metal blade which is stretched across a U-shaped frame. It’s specially designed to efficiently cut simple to intricate patterns inside wood. This makes it a great tool for creating aesthetically pleasing cutout designs in wood or cutting coped joints in crown molding when mitered joints don’t suffice. The U-shaped frame makes it easier to slip the frame into closed surfaces and cut out the smallest of designs.

Getting Started

To begin with, make sure you choose the coping saw ideal for the kind of use you have in mind. There are two primary factors to look out for, while most others stay the same. Make sure to pick a saw with a throat deep enough for your purpose. Secondly, choose the right blade. There are separate blades for cutting tile, wood, plastic, and metal. Multiple blades could be fit into the same frame, so you could get yourself an assortment for varied purposes.

Using the Coping Saw

Follow these tips once you understand just what is a coping saw.

Draw an Outline of the Desired Cutout

Once you’ve determined what is a coping saw suited to your purpose, it’s time to begin using it.

You’ll need to draw an outline of the pattern or design you wish to cut into the wood. You could go freehand, or of course use a stencil. Do, however, ensure that no desired cutout is too far from the exterior edges of the wood, meaning it must be less than the depth of the coping saw’s throat so that it can be maneuvered easily.

Drill a Hole Someplace Inside the Cutout

This will help you pass the blade through, so the drill bit being used must be a little bigger in diameter than the blade of the coping saw. Drill a hole anywhere inside the perimeter of the cutout. Do remember that you must drill a separate hole in each of the cutouts if there are multiple ones.

Pass the Blade Through the Hole

First, you’ll need to get the blade loosened from the saw’s handle by twisting it. Once detached, pass the blade carefully through the hole that you drilled. Once through, attach it to the frame again, and you are ready.

Cut the Desired Shape

All you need to do now is cut the desired shape out with swift, controlled, to-and-fro movements of the coping saw. Once done, you need to detach the blade again to take it out. You can smooth the cut edges with sandpaper, and you are good to go.

Need help with a saw?

Weather you are looking to do a crown molding or any handyman jobs around the house, check in with us at TalkLocal, and we will connect you with the best professionals is your area. Our service is free and can help you narrow down your options, choose the best one, and be connected with them directly.

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How to Use a Jigsaw

Tuesday, August 6th, 2013

How to Use a Jigsaw - Handyman

A jigsaw is one of the most versatile tools that can be used to cut the most intricate and trickiest of designs in wood – or a variety of other materials such as plastic, metal, or ceramic tiles. It allows you to cut absolutely fascinating designs with little practice. This makes it one of the best tools for all do-it-yourselfers and professionals alike, whether you are cutting posts for a new fence or redoing your kitchen.

Choosing the Right Jigsaw

To start with, you are going to need the right jigsaw, and that will take quite a bit of thought, as not all jigsaws are created equal. You will need to choose between battery-operated jigsaws or those with a power cord. Another important feature to look out for is speed control. Variable-speed jigsaws are definitely better for cutting different kinds of materials.

Choosing the right blade is extremely important to getting the right performance from your jigsaw. They can cut from metal to plastic, as long as you have the right blade. You must choose the right teeth per inch, or TPI, and also choose the blade with the right width.

How to Use a Jigsaw

The first step is to prepare the material you are about to cut. Carefully draw an outline of the design you wish to cut. It’s always a good idea to cut out a paper or cardboard impression of the actual design and use it to mark the final material you are going to cut, for accuracy.

Secure the Material to Cut

When cutting intricate patterns, it’s important that you have both hands free for effectively guiding the saw. It is therefore important that you place the material on a workbench and secure it with clamps so that it stays firmly in place. Make sure you have plenty of lighting to see the lines you are cutting clearly.

Start Cutting

Carefully position the jigsaw blade close to the line where you will start cutting. Press the trigger of the jigsaw slowly and firmly, and once it is at the desired speed, push it through the material. Now slowly begin to guide the jigsaw along the line you drew for the cutout. If at any time it appears that the jigsaw is being strained or loading up, stop, clear off the area of debris, and start again. Once you have cut through the entire design, use a sander to finish the edges and make them smooth and ready for use.

Looking for Experts?

If you have any home improvement tasks that require sawing or woodworking, let us connect you to the best professionals in town. At TalkLocal, we do the legwork and find the best professionals suited to your kind of job and let you choose from a narrowed-down list, connecting you directly to the person chosen by you.

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