Orbital Jigsaw vs Jigsaw: Which One Is Better?

The best jigsaws are flexible and simple to use, allowing you to complete a wide range of DIY, art, and woodworking projects with minimal effort and frustration. Jigsaws are a vital element of any toolset, but locating one that is both affordable and meets your sawing requirements is critical.

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As there are many various jigsaws available, with various prices from roughly $20 to hundreds of dollars and with a variety of capabilities, it is important to determine which characteristics are crucial for your tasks to avoid making an overly expensive purchase.

Material compatibility

A discrepancy in the volume of material that can be extracted by each of these blade can be traced to the differing designs used by each manufacturer in creating their blades. With respect to the amount of stuff they can cut through, the table below summarizes the substantial gap between the two saw blades.

Material	Jigsaw	Orbital jigsaw
Laminates	–	YES
Plastic	YES	YES
Fiberglass	–	YES
Metal	YES	YES
Wood	YES	YES

Point of differences between a Jigsaw and an Orbital Jigsaw

As a result of their wide range of uses and their effectiveness across a broader spectrum of materials, orbital jigsaws are turning increasingly popular and so more widely available worldwide. Standard jigsaws progress the blade only up or down, whilst orbital jigsaws transition the blade in a more circular pattern; on the upturn, a blade moves a tiny bit forward and then into the stuff it is slashing, while being on the downswing, the blade keeps moving a little backward and then into the stuff it is cutting to reboot for another cut.

Blade movement

A jigsaw with the standard action operates the jigsaw blade in a direct up-and-down motion, with each stroke completely perpendicular to the span of the instrument. This is the most common action.

The orbital jigsaw, on either hand, takes advantage of what is known as the orbital action, which means that with each stroke, the blade is gently inclined forward towards the workpiece while it is being dragged up.

During the retraction of the jigsaw blade, it is tilted slightly backward on the downstroke before being reset to be exactly straight down in just time for another pulling stroke to begin.

If you watch the movement of a blade tip of this orbital jigsaw in operation, you will notice that it takes an elliptical route, which is why the tool is named as such.

Many jigsaws are also equipped including an orbital action mode, which allows you to convert the jigsaw through the orbital jigsaw with a simple turn of a dial or the flick of a button.

Comparing Cutting Action

If you compare it to a regular action jigsaw, the orbital jigsaw provides a more forceful cutting action with each angle of the blade about the material being cut.

The fact that an orbital jigsaw requires a larger motor to operate means that they are more efficient in a range of tasks, from cutting following the grain of dense wood pieces to dealing with tougher materials such as laminated sheets for countertop fabrication.

Because of the forceful cutting motion that orbital jigsaws do, they tend to tremble more, and the cuts they make are also rougher and coarser in texture.

Orbital Jigsaw

It is an orbital jigsaw if it uses or is capable of using an orbital swing action as it slices through the materials, rather than a straight cutting pattern, rather than a standard cutting pattern. Alternatively known as “pendulum action,” this action is characterized by a swinging motion that tilts the blades forward along the sharp end with each stroke, just as its name suggests.

An orbital jigsaw, also known as an orbital saber saw, is a powerful tool that includes a motor, a grip, and a straight, thin blade that is positioned perpendicular to the tool’s axis of rotation.

Pros

When you use this tool, the delicate blade travels up or down with each stroke, appears similar to the revolving saw in operation.
The jigsaw is capable of creating delicate scroll cuts in wood & other materials, unlike the reciprocating saw.
Although electric orbital jigsaws dominate the market, battery-operated variants with lithium-ion batteries are also becoming increasingly popular because of their cordless simplicity.

Cons

Although it is less versatile than the reciprocating saw,

Jigsaw

A jigsaw is also a formidable instrument, but it differs in a few ways from the orbital in terms of functionality. A saw blade, as well as an electric motor, is used to construct this tool.

To cut angles, it is necessary to have them be vertical or even up to 45 degrees. Miter joints are created by cutting angles.

Before you would use a jigsaw, one must first connect the blades to the machine. These blades are available in stores as extras, allowing you to select the blade that best suits your needs and then modify this to the jigsaw tool’s specifications.

Some jigsaws require you to screw the blade into the saw, while others allow you to snap the blade into place.

When selecting the appropriate blade for the material, it is important to consider the tooth style of the blade. You’ll have the proper speed, the right accuracy of cuts, as well as the best overall performance if you do it this way.

Carving into wood or plastic is made easier with the ground toothed blade while cutting into metal is made easier with the wavy toothed blade.

Careful consideration while selecting the appropriate blade for the appropriate material not only provides good performance but also guarantees a longer blade lifespan as well.

High carbon steel blades, high-strength steel and bi-metal blades, tungsten carbide blades, diamonds grit blades, and other types of blades can be used with your jigsaw, among other things.

Pros

The blades of the jigsaw can be changed quickly and easily.
Can be used on angled material as well

Cons

Because of its blades that are narrow, small, and fragile, it is difficult to maintain control of the jigsaw, especially because the lower part of a jigsaw is exposed and unsupported.
To acquire top-quality cuts, you must constantly replace dull blades with new ones.

Conclusion

There are many affordable orbital jigsaw options available today, including ones that are well within reach of a DIYer’s budget. It’s a tremendously useful function for speeding up your cuts when working with suitable materials and sorts of cuts. If you want to learn how to use an orbital jigsaw, we highly recommend that you get one and spend some time dealing with scrap material for learning how and when to use it.

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