Portable Jigsaw Table

 

Fairly often, I have a need to cut small pieces of copper or brass for various projects. I could cut them with a hacksaw, but that's a slow, arduous and boring process.

Instead of that, I use an old jigsaw with a metal-cutting blade. This DeWalt I've had for quite a few years, but it seldom gets used any more for woodwork because I have a cordless Ryobi that is much more convenient for that. 

While it's possible to use the jigsaw in the usual way on metal, for the small pieces I'm concerned with, I find I get much better control and accuracy if I guide the metal through the blade, rather than steering the whole tool over the metal. So to that end I've mounted the jigsaw on a little MDF table, which I can secure in the vise, with the blade poking through, and  manoeuvre the metal more or less as I please.

This system isn't all that well suited to making steep curving cuts because of the width of the blade, but straight lines and gentle curves are easy enough to do accurately. 

The metal does get hot with the friction of the saw, so finger protection is necessary. Reasonably close-fitting gloves are a must, so that they don't get in the way of my eye-line when I'm following a mark on the metal.