From the look of things, a scroll saw and jigsaw seem identical. But if you look more keenly you’re sure to notice a few differences.
Not sure of which tool you need? We’ve got you covered. Below is a comprehensive overview of a scroll saw vs jigsaw. Here, we explain what each tool does, its differences, and its similarities.
What is a Scroll Saw?
This is a specialty cutting tool - that can be either electric or pedal-operated- and is used to perform intricate cuts in delicate or tight spots like a fully enclosed setting.
This type of saw makes it possible to drill a starting hole and cut inside a material. Or, you can cut from the outside of the material and work your way in.
A scroll saw can be identified using its short, thin blade that moves in an up-and-down fashion; fairly similar to how the needle of a sewing machine operates. This blade’s design is what makes the saw suited for projects that require a high precision level.
Another key feature of this tool is a table. This serves as the platform for where you'll place your workpiece.
This tool is mainly used to cut wood. However, it can be used to cut other materials as well, if it’s fitted with the right blade. These include plastic, glass, and even metal.
To add to this, the majority of scroll saws are fitted with a variable speed trigger. This is meant to help you adjust the speed depending on the material you're cutting.
Also important to note is the manner in which these saws operate. During cutting, you have to feed the piece of material into and around the blade as opposed to moving the scroll saw through the wood.
Pros of Scroll Saws
There are a couple of perks you stand to gain from purchasing a scroll saw. These include:
Ability to perform delicate cuts
Thanks to the thin, and small structure of the blade, a scroll saw is one of the best tools to use when you want to cut tiny but intricate patterns on a material.
Another feature that contributes to this tool's accuracy is the fact that it has a table. This gives you maximum stability whenever you're cutting.
Results in a better finish
The edges of your material when you use this saw are ultra-smooth. Often, you won’t even have to sand beyond that to achieve the polished edges that you want.
Maximum control of the blade
As we mentioned earlier, this saw can be pedal-operated. While some might view this as taxing, it frees up your hands to control the movement of your workpiece. This means you can move the wood as accurately as possible to achieve precise cuts.
Cons of Scroll Saws
Brittle
The fact that a scroll saw uses a thin blade is a bitter-sweet situation. On one hand, it’s perfect for performing delicate cuts.
On the other hand, it causes the saw to have less cutting power. It can only cut stock with a maximum thickness of ¾ of an inch. Any thicker and you’ll be subjecting the blade to unnecessary tension.
Not suitable for straight cutting
Another area where these saws fall short is the fact that they’re not very good at cutting straight. If your projects involve making such a cut then you’re better off investing in a jigsaw, miter saw, or circular saw.
What It’s Best For
If you’ve settled on buying a scroll saw, here are a couple of things you’ll be able to do:
Making toys
The one thing you can make using this tool is a toy, especially one that has a puzzle theme. The best part is that even if you make trivial errors, they won’t show because a scroll saw is very forgiving.
Designing musical instruments
Making musical instruments is no small feat. Often, the process calls for a high level of accuracy. If your measurements are off by even an eighth of an inch, the instrument might end up producing an entirely different sound.
Thankfully, this is one area where scroll saws outshine other cutting tools. Whether it’s stringed or any other type of musical equipment, you’ll find these tools to be very handy.
Cabinetry
If your profession involves doing a lot of cabinetry, scroll saws will quickly become your go-to power tools.
They’re particularly useful when you want to make dovetail joints. These are the kind of joints needed to join two perpendicular wooden pieces together and secure them using glue.
What is a Jigsaw?
Also known as a saber saw, this is a handheld power tool fitted with a reciprocating blade and is meant to perform irregular curved cuts either on wood, metal, or other materials.
This reciprocating saw was first discovered in the 19th century. At the time, it used a treadle to run the blade. Modern-day jigsaws comprise two key components: a reciprocating blade and an electric motor.
Important to note though is that these newer jigsaws come in two variations namely:
Straight-Reciprocating
These are mainly the older and cheaper jigsaws. The blade on these tools moves in an up and down pattern with zero variance in its cutting path. While these jigsaws move slowly, they’re capable of performing tight turns and creating curves.
Orbital-Reciprocating
This is the latest technology in jigsaw construction. It consists of a blade that leans forward on the upstroke; thus, allowing it to chip off more material. While these saws cut faster, they’re less accurate than the straight-reciprocating models.
The core function of a jigsaw has always been to make curved cuts. However, it’s versatile enough to be used for making bevel, plunge, and straight cuts. Like a scroll saw, a jigsaw is often fitted with an electronic variable speed control that lets you make speed adjustments.
Pros and Cons of Jigsaws
Portable
The good thing about a jigsaw is that it comes in either a corded or cordless version. The cordless type is super light and compact. This makes it much easier to carry compared to a tabletop scroll saw.
Even if you end up with a corded version, one fact that remains is that it's handheld; hence more portable.
Easy to use
Another area where jigsaws prove to be superior is their user-friendliness. They are easier to cut with, making it a must-have tool for a beginner's workshop. In fact, even a child can be trained on how to use this handheld tool.
Versatile
A jigsaw is one of those tools that is a jack of all trades. Whether you want to make a plunge cut or cut lumber to length, you can do so with this handy piece of equipment.
To add to this, jigsaws can be used in an array of other applications that aren’t related to woodworking.
When fitted with the right blade, they’re very effective tools for light-duty remodeling and demolition projects around the house. Feel free to use your jigsaw to slice through pipes, cut aged Formica countertops install a sink, and more.
Cons
Lack precision
Yes, jigsaws can be used to make straight cuts. However, they don’t offer the best precision on this font. If you want to cut straight lines, you’re better off using a circular saw.
Another area where jigsaws fall short is the fact that they don’t leave smooth finishes. If your project calls for ultra-smooth edges, a scroll saw is a much better tool to use.
What It’s Best For
You can use a jigsaw to:
Curves
As stated earlier, this is where a jigsaw truly shines. And the best part is, it’s portable, meaning you can take your piece of equipment to where the workpiece is, and not vice versa.
Plunge cuts
In case you’re wondering, this cut is made starting from the center as opposed to starting from the edge of your stock.
It’s a handy technique when you need to drill holes in plasterboard so as to create electrical outlets or letterboxes.
Bevel cuts
Another feature that makes a jigsaw so versatile is the fact that you can pivot its shoe. This makes it possible to tilt it up to angles of 45°; hence, perform bevel cuts.
Similarities and Differences
Similarities
The main similarity that jigsaws and scroll saws share is the reciprocating action of their blades. If you’re familiar with the up-and-down motion of a sewing machine’s needle, then you have a rough idea of how each of this tool's blade works.
Another similarity is that they're both safer to use than other power tools like a table saw or circular saw. But as you'll soon find out, there's one that's a tad easier to use.
Differences
Blades
Despite sharing the same cutting action, the blade design of a scroll saw vs jigsaw is a little different. While a scroll saw has a small, and ultra-thin blade, a jigsaw has a narrow and straight blade.
That said, both scroll saws and jigsaws offer plenty of flexibility. They can be equipped with blades of different sizes and types, allowing them to slice through any kind of material.
Another difference has to do with the size of the blade. The maximum size of a scroll saw blade is about ⅛ of an inch. On the contrary, a jigsaw blade can be as big as ⅗ of an inch.
To add to this, scroll saws are designed to only work with standardized blades. Jigsaw blades, however, can be used with either “T” or “U” shank style blades. The key difference between these two types is that changing blades on T-shank varieties is much easier than on U-shank ones.
If you look keenly, you’ll also notice a difference in the placement of the blades in these respective power tools. With a scroll saw, the blade is held both from the top and bottom. But in a jigsaw, the blade is only secured from the top.
Cutting depth
When it comes to the cutting depth debate of a scroll saw vs jigsaw, a jigsaw is the incontestable winner.
Unlike the scroll saw, a jigsaw's blade is held in place from only one end. Due to this, jigsaws can cut to a greater depth. This positioning of the blade also means that a jigsaw can cut thicker materials effortlessly.
To be a little more specific, this handheld power tool offers a generous cutting depth of about 4 inches. This is twice the depth of cut that a scroll saw offers.
Ease of operation
Both a scroll saw and jigsaw are designed with ease of use in mind. However, we find jigsaws relatively easier to use than scroll saws.
With the latter, their blades are out there in the open, and this increases the risk of injuring yourself.
Conversely, using a jigsaw doesn’t involve coming into direct contact with its blade. Plus, its mode of operation requires you to navigate the blade over the material rather than feed the material into the blade. This adds an extra layer of protection.
So if you’re new to these pieces of equipment, and are trying to figure out which one is safer between the two, we recommend jigsaws.
Types of cuts
The one area where scroll saws really excel is in making intricate designs onto a piece of material. Due to this, they’re often used in projects that call for a high level of accuracy. These include making wooden signs, crafting jewelry boxes, jigsaw puzzle, intarsia among others.
Conversely, jigsaws are preferred for projects that involve making curved lines. You’ll need to be very careful with a jigsaw so that you can achieve the level of precision that you’d like.
How To Determine Which One You Need
Both scroll saws and jigsaws are indispensable tools. But, depending on the intended application, one might be better suited for you than the other.
If you’re an average DIY’er or woodworker planning to add versatile cutting equipment in your workshop, then a jigsaw is the best choice. It’s undoubtedly more practical, allowing you to get a ton of uses from it, including making curved lines.
Conversely, if you’re more of a creative or artistic individual who’s looking to undertake highly-detailed and decorative projects, then you’re better off buying a scroll saw.
With this piece of machinery, you can make some pretty cool art pieces. Just ensure that you have plenty of space to set aside as it’s large-sized and stationary.
FAQs
Is there a difference between a jigsaw and a scroll saw?
Yes. Jigsaws and scroll saws are very different power tools. While a scroll saw is best used for intricate cutting, a jigsaw is mainly used for making curved lines.
Is a scroll saw worth it?
Are you planning to perform intricate cuts on different materials? If so, then a scroll saw is the right tool. Such tasks that would require painstaking carving using your hand can easily be tackled with a scroll saw.
What are the three advantages of a scroll saw?
A scroll saw enables you to achievethe highest level of precision and cleanliness in your cutting process. Another advantage of using this tool is that it leaves very smooth finishes. If you do a lot of sawing work in your workshop, you’ll barely have to do sanding after using a scroll saw.
Lastly, some scroll saws are pedal-operated, thus, freeing your hands to navigate the workpiece and achieve greater precision.
How thick of wood can you cut with a scroll saw?
The most cutting depth you can get from a scroll saw is 2 inches. And even then, you can only tackle a soft material. If you try to slice through wood that is thicker than 2 inches, it may damage your blade.
What is scrolling action on a jigsaw?
This refers to the tool’s capability of cutting scrolls - also known as non-straight lines. However, keep in mind that it produces rough cuts compared to using an actual scroll saw.
Conclusion
It’s never easy to choose between two fairly similar tools like a scroll saw vs jigsaw. This is especially if you consider the fact that both devices have thin blades and use a reciprocating cutting action.
The good thing is that there are some distinct differences that can help you narrow down your options. A scroll saw, for instance, leaves smoother edges than a jigsaw. It's also the best saw to cut intricate designs or cut delicate materials. On the downside, it's a heavy stationary tool, which limits its portability.
On the other hand, a jigsaw is the most frequently tool used for DIY projects, especially those that involve cutting several inches deep into the materials. Jigsaw uses range from woodworking to remodelling and demolition. Plus, it can be used for any sort of cutting; be it bevel, straight or plunge cuts.