Anyone use just a jigsaw to build enclosures?

[DonH 5,000+ posts]

a quality jigsaw with the right blades works as well as any table saw

so does a steak knife FYI

i would never use a jigsaw... maybee to cuta full sheet of MDF in half so its easier to work with...

a jigsaw will most likely NEVER have a straight edge where it is cut.

 

[SicAudio 5,000+ posts]

and a decent freud dado set to lap the joints for added strength //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[lilboom 10+ year member]

lol bet you guys had fun .I had a buddy who used a jig and was good. I do not plan on using 1 as once is all it takes, it took all day and was the only saw i had.table saws are fuuun my mom gave my last 1 away so im about to grab another.

 

[THATpurpleKUSH 5,000+ posts]

If a jigsaw is used for the straight cuts, a joiner is essential. I sometimes do this becuase the fence on my dad's table saw is ghetto as hell and not accurate. Router/circle jig ftw with the cicrcle cutouts. I used to use a jigsaw for this and the router has dropped the time to less than 5mins for circle cutouts. Takes me longer to measure/set the rig than it does to make the cut.

 

[b20 si]

i use a jigsaw for holes and a skill saw for the strait cuts . i used a chainsaw one time though it worked in a pinch .

 

[dragon.breath 10+ year member]

if you buy your mdf at lowes or home depot they will do the long cuts for .50 cents each with a panel saw.take your box plans with you and spend like $4 and you will be good.all you would need to do is cut the speaker opening with the jig saw.

 

[tymoto21 10+ year member]

ive used a circular saw to cut a speaker hole with.....

bunch of lines across the center then kinda worked it around to make it kinda smoth and circular ish..... it worked

 

[akheathen Premium Member]

i just used a sawz-all to cut up a bunch of scrap stock that was laying around to build a test-box for 2- 6.5's........ no way in hell i would use a recipricationg saw of any sort to make a real box...... just ain't happening. i went that rout for dust controll

 

[RAM_Designs 5,000+ posts]

ive used a circular saw to cut a speaker hole with.....
bunch of lines across the center then kinda worked it around to make it kinda smoth and circular ish..... it worked

Probably would have been faster with a butter knife.

 

[THATpurpleKUSH 5,000+ posts]

Kind of relevant to this discussion-

I have noticed a lot of people on here attach the speaker baffle and then cut out the mounting hole as opposed to cutting the hole then attaching the baffle. Is this because it's quicker to cut out the hole in one cut vs cutting and repositioning/reclamping to work around workbench limitations?

 

[SicAudio 5,000+ posts]

if you cut the holes and drop the piece there is a good chance it may break..

it is easier and safer to do it after it is attached to the enclosure but then it requires cleaning out the enclosure.

 

[iLL Ridge 10+ year member]

Jig saw=fail.

 

[3onthree 10+ year member]

i had lowes do the cuts on my last two boxes i made i wouldnt use a jigsaw for the long straight cuts

 

[iLL Ridge 10+ year member]

Home Depot been doing my cuts for free past two trips.

 

[RAM_Designs 5,000+ posts]

but then it requires cleaning out the enclosure.

I always hate doing it too.