What can be made of plywood with a jigsaw

What else you will need for creativity

To begin with, you need a sketch of the future product. When choosing profiles, patterns and ornaments you can use both traditional sources, books and magazines, and the means of the Internet. In the network there are a lot of pictures of the final products, and also drawings and patterns. You can use three types of prototypes, sketches:

• completely ready sketches, templates or drawings;
• ready sources, modified at your discretion;
• completely unique own sketches.

In addition to the jigsaw, many auxiliary tools and means will be required. It is impossible to give an exact list, it all depends on the technology and the size of the future product. But a mandatory list of what will be needed can be made, here it is:

What Can You Do With a Jigsaw? A Lot! | WOODWORKING BASICS

• A drill or an electric screwdriver with drills or cutters. If the kerf is closed, does not start from the edge of the workpiece, to enter the saw holes are drilled;
• Marking tools: compass, ruler, angle, tape measure, pencil, awl for poking holes, etc.д;
• a set of round and flat files and files or emery tools for finishing the inner planes of the workpiece.

For the combined technology, jigsaw plus surface carving or processing on a lathe, requires separate tools.

Features of working with the electric jigsaw

Electric jigsaw for sawing on plywood looks like a very simple tool and practically every beginner can make with it a straight cut. However, if we talk about beautiful shaped patterns, then here it is necessary not only to have certain skills, but also to choose the right saws.

Basic nuances

Carrying out sawing with an electric jigsaw from plywood with your own hands, you should know the following:

• The main condition for obtaining a straight cut is the right choice of saw for the tool. To get a scoring-free cut on the face it is necessary to use a fine saw with the teeth pointing downwards.
• The workpiece needs to be firmly clamped, otherwise a straight cut will not be possible

Jigsaw.

• A few words about jigsaws. A large number of jigsaws are available for electric jigsaws, which differ from each other both in thickness and design features. Depending on this there is a difference:
  Sideways or sawing. The teeth bend left and right one after the other, as in a hand saw. Jigsaws with relatively coarse teeth are made this way. They are used for quick straight cuts. the kerf is rough, so it must be cleaned with emery paper.
• Blade with undercut. In this case the teeth are not set at all. These saws allow to make very thin and clean cuts. This of course slows down the speed. If such a saw has a slight camber, the work will go a little faster. However, in this case, the main emphasis is not on speed, but on the quality of the cut.
• Wavy Sawing. So that very small and narrow jigsaws can make larger kerf cuts, the cutting edge of the blade is made wavy. These saws are mainly used in metal applications, but are also frequently used on plywood to produce a narrow, clean cut in a relatively short period of time.

Saws of various kinds.

Sawing patterns with the jigsaw

Like the usual hand jigsaw, this power tool allows you to cut various shaped patterns on the material. Most often the sketches are taken by craftsmen from magazines. (see tips for details). also article A rocking chair from plywood with their own hands: drawings to help)

Tip from! You can use patterns from embroidery magazines, knitting, or paper cuts in your work.

In order to transfer the pattern on the plywood you need to do the following:

• Transfer the pattern onto heavy paper.
• Using a sharp office knife or a scalpel, cut out the stencil.
• Apply the stencil to the surface of the material, tracing it with a simple pencil.
• Now you can cut out the pattern.

Drawing the pattern on the material with the stencil. Unlike straight-cutting, cutting out plywood with the jigsaw has its own special characteristics.

These instructions will help you understand all the intricacies of the work:

• To plunge along the curve it is necessary to use a saw with a narrow blade.
• To cut a circle in plywood it is necessary to use a special attachment. a circular cutter. The circular cutter is fixed in the center of the circle, and then you can get to work.
• If you need to choose the grooves in the wooden workpiece, instead of the file you can use a rasp. It can also be used to clean up an uneven kerf.
• To make a perfectly accurate and straight cut, you should use a parallel stop. It must be fixed to the jigsaw with screws. A special guide ruler can be installed on the “ski” so that the cut is parallel to the straight edge. Before you start work you must ensure that the ruler is firmly mounted and aligned with the blade. Otherwise, the movement of the saw will not be correct, and it can break, or “burn” the material to be processed.
• If you need to make a straight long cut, you can use an auxiliary guide. In doing so, the jigsaw will move along a firmly fixed strip.
• With this tool it is possible to make cuts at an angle of up to 45 degrees. The angle of inclination is set on a scale.

Sawing a hole. Very often, when cutting ornaments, the craftsman needs to make a hole in the plywood. There are two ways of doing this:
The first option is the easiest. You need to drill a hole with a drill, then you put a saw into it and continue sawing out the desired pattern.

The second option involves the use of plunge or plunger sawing technology. Do not drill a pilot hole in this process. To do that, place the tool on the front edge of the ski, without touching the workpiece with the blade.

Then turn the motor on and lower the fork gradually, smoothly pushing the saw into the material until the saw is in a vertical position and the “ski” comes into contact with the workpiece.

Tip! Plunge sawing should always start at the waste part of the material. The saw should not run into the plywood too close to the mowing line, in order to avoid damaging the material.

• In case you need to cut a thick board and the saw blade is not long enough for that. you need to use a saw with a sharpened end. First cut through the workpiece on one side, then rotate it and cut through on the other side.
• To saw a shaped piece you can clamp the tool from underneath the work table. In case of an even and smooth feed of the workpiece, you will be able to get a cut with clean, even edges.

In the photo, the tool is attached to the bottom of the work table.

If you are going to make a wooden lamp yourself, then you should pay attention to some of the recommendations of experts. Remember that when working with plywood, it is better to wear protective goggles or a mask. After all, when sawing parts, sharp sawdust can fly into the eyes.

Also do not forget that when the lamp has several bulbs at once, the wires in the end will be more, but the switching scheme will work on the same principle.

If you have made a wall light, then it should be placed at a height of 1.2 m to 1.6 m from the floor covering. In hallways, the installation of homemade sconces should be made at a height of about two meters.

To ensure that wooden fixtures over time do not lose their beautiful appearance and do not deform, it is recommended to clean them periodically with a dry soft cloth. It is also worth treating the product with a substance that consists of vegetable oil and lemon juice. These components should be mixed in proportions of 1: 2.

If there is dirt on the lamp that cannot be removed with a dry cloth, you can wipe it with ammonia. Light sources made of this material should not be placed in rooms with a high level of humidity or with too high temperature conditions.

If the accumulated dust from wooden products is not removed in time, various small parasites can appear on it. They will spoil the appearance of the wood, in addition, such a light fixture will have to be thrown away.

It is not advisable to place this type of wood near heat sources (radiators or fireplaces). Place the luminaire at least one metre away from such structures. Otherwise the structures may become deformed.

If you want to make the design of the product more original, you can also use branches of natural wood in its manufacture. Often they are glued over the entire surface of the lampshade. But such light sources will not be suitable for every interior. The branches are cut in advance into sections, which should differ slightly from each other in length and shape. They are treated with protective varnish, and sharp spurs are removed. It is better to go over each branch with sandpaper.

You should not use too thick elements, they can spoil the overall design of the finished device.

A selection of templates and drawings for carving

To avoid wasting time, we have made a detailed search and selected high-quality templates that will be useful for acquiring the skills of artistic sawing with a hand jigsaw.

For beginners

Beginning craftsmen should not initially take on the production of parts with a complex geometric shape and many patterns. It is best to begin by making animal figures and Christmas decorations. When making them, you can acquire the skills of artistic sawing with a jigsaw on the outside and inside.

Below is a selection of stencils for beginners.

The top stand with the image of a fur-tree with a star, and below with bells Openwork heart with a garter in the form of a small heart The stencil on top is the stylized image of a swan, on the bottom hummingbird in flight The top stencil depicts a butterfly. The bottom New Year’s Eve ball with an eye for hanging. Inside there is an image of a swan Rectangular stencil, inside which there is an image of a rooster sitting on a fence Stylized image of an owl Lovers on the heart Prancing horse with a saddle Big and small heart

For children

Children, as the least experienced carpenters need to develop skills in artistic sawing and learn to hold a jigsaw correctly in their hands. Therefore, it is better to start with making simple items based on simple geometric shapes.

The following is a selection of simple, but interesting drawings for children’s artwork.

A cat sitting on the shelf Big and small cat with his paw outstretched A Christmas tree Grandfather Frost Stencil three-dimensional tree New Year decorations: snowman, deer and lollipop Big and small sitting cats Stencil swan Composite stencil hanger in the form of a bird Sitting mouse

Handicrafts for the garden

No one does not care about the look of their garden. It’s always nice to relax in a beautiful, well-groomed place. To create a relaxation zone in the dacha, certain areas of the garden and vegetable garden, it is enough to install a few sculptural figures or decorative objects. This will delight the eye, but not everyone can afford it.

It is much easier to create beautiful handicrafts from plywood yourself. Their production does not require high artistic ability, practical skills. Enough to be able to transfer on plywood favorite image, cut out and colored by the original. You need to think about the artistic motif and style of making the crafts.

• cartoon or fairy tale characters;
• flower troughs;
• houses, sandboxes;
• feeders;
• flowers, plants;
• insects or animals, etc

It all depends on the imagination of the household, desire, persistence, creative inspiration. The financial component only complements the initiative and effort.

Material

Plywood with a thickness of about 3-4 mm. The dimensions of the workpiece must be commensurate with the scheme. various options are available for download on the Internet. To make a plywood handicraft of high quality, special attention is paid to the thickness of the cut. Carefully performed passage through the joints.

Before transferring the drawing to the plywood, processing is performed. Sanding is performed with a coarse-grained version of sandpaper with a change in the direction of reducing the density of the surface. The work is performed until the formation of an even and smooth surface.

The study reveals dents, cracks, knots, rotten places. If significant defects are noticed, then it is worth preparing another workpiece.

An “exhibition” of craftsmanship

House and apartment furnishings provide for a personal mite for a sense of aura of inner beauty. And sometimes even outdoors, because the placement of objects made of plywood can be located, for example, in the suburban area.

Of course, the result of fruitful work will always find its rightful place. Be it a carved lampshade for a table lamp, or light articles made of plywood as figurines on bookshelves and serving as dividers for books.

complicated elements are made when the knowledge of working with wood is firmly fixed. To rush and immediately proceed to sawing such items means to waste time and ruin the material.

Preparing for Work

Despite the apparent simplicity of this type of creativity, it should be taken seriously. Success here is largely dependent on how thoroughly you prepare. Namely pick up and process plywood sheet and select the appropriate specifically for your product drawings that can be sawed with a jigsaw from plywood.

Choosing a quality sheet

Now plywood is divided into many types, each designed for specific purposes. And as strange as it may sound, not every material is safe to work with.

Speaking of artistic cutting, you should remember that during the work you will be forced to breathe fine dust and fumes from plywood, and at the moment they are not always safe.

• Experienced craftsmen prefer to work with sheets made on the basis of urea-formaldehyde compositions, they can be easily recognized by the first letters of the marking “FC”. Such plywood can already go with a decorative coating like varnish or have a clean “shirt”. In the latter case, it is more convenient to draw drawings for sawing with a hand jigsaw from plywood on the sheet;
• Sheets marked “FOB” are oriented to furniture production and are often also quite safe. But they have another disadvantage, they most often refer to plywood boards and are more than 12 mm thick;
• Brand “FB” was developed as a plywood for the construction or finishing of all kinds of boats and yachts, so the price of such material, too far from democratic, although this plywood is also safe;
• What you definitely should not mess with, it is with plywood type “FSF”. No matter how beautiful it looks, you should clearly remember, its production uses compositions with high phenol, which itself is considered one of the serious and quite poisonous carcinogens.

Important: For artistic works, especially for jigsaw cutting, it is highly not recommended to take sheets that have knots in the upper shirt. They will fall out when you work.

Let’s move on to the blueprints

The easiest way out to make, for example, drawings of animals for sawing out of plywood with a hand jigsaw, is to use improvised materials and a simple copier. Everyone in the house will find a lot of printed material such as old postcards with birds, fish and other animals.

On the prepared and sanded sheet is laid pre-prepared copy paper, on top of it superimposed your choice of image or photo of your favorite animal, and secured with pins (now you can use Scotch tape for this purpose). After that you will be left with a clear outline of the image.

Important: do not worry about the fact that the copier will stain the blank sheet, while you will push through your drawings for artistic sawing with a jigsaw from plywood. After the workpiece will be cut, it will in any case need to grind with an emery, in the process of such processing all the dirt will be removed.

Do not take up complex works of art with thin fragments. For the inexperienced craftsman it will be difficult to process small parts without damaging them with careless pressure.

If there are children near you, it is better to use, for example, simple drawings for sawing a car from plywood with a jigsaw, or make a cutting board. Thus you will not only get the basic skills of work, but also please the kids.

Important: do not forget that professional drawings of plywood caskets for sawing with a jigsaw, necessarily contain fasteners, which are part of the general plate. Therefore, it is better to start here with cutting out the inner cavities and fragments.

If you do not have enough choice of images from the home archive, we advise you to refer to ready-made collections. Now such stencils are used not only for cutting on plywood, but also a number of art crafts takes them as a basis, so you will not have much trouble buying such sets in stationery stores, and sometimes even in the underpasses.

Advanced users who have a good printer at home can download to their computer one of the common graphic programs and use it to create professional copyright works.

A set of drawings for children’s art.

Scope and benefits of plywood sheets

There are many options for the use of this material, in general we can distinguish such ways to use plywood as:

• floor cladding, and plywood can be used for both leveling and insulation of the floor;
• Wall cladding. unlike plasterboard, plywood sheets are much stronger, although they weigh more, and are susceptible to moisture;
• the device of formwork in concreting foundations or making concrete blocks;
• The device of a solid base under a soft roofing material, for example, under asphalt shingles;

This material is even excellent for the role of formwork

• Manufacturing of different handicrafts, from simple figures to complex mechanisms, in which even the moving parts are made of plywood. In general, in the question of what can be made of plywood with a hand jigsaw, the only constraint. imagination and assiduity of man, so that the space for creativity is simply limitless;
• full-fledged furniture can also be made of plywood, and its strength is not inferior to that of conventional wood.

This material has a number of advantages:

• Even a thin material has outstanding strength, this is due to the layered structure of the material. Plywood sheet of 6 mm thickness consists of several layers of veneer, and when gluing the fibers of each layer are placed at an angle to the previous one, so that the bending of such a sheet works just fine;

The photo shows the layered structure of the material

Note! For use inside the house should choose sheets marked FC, it means that the bonding used urea adhesive, which does not contain phenolic compounds, dangerous to human health.

• You can buy a large sheet of plywood for about 500-700, it is enough for a few dozen complex crafts. So the price can also be considered an advantage of this material.