Can a jigsaw cut a 2×4?- Know What You Need and The Steps!
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Jigsaw is a versatile tool for a worker for woodworking and DIY projects. This saw comes with different power settings and blade sizes; using this one can make straight, bevel and square cuts easily on thin and thick woods; only you have to keep patient, run the saw slowly and take the right steps.
As I mentioned earlier, a jigsaw comes with different blade sizes and with a longer jigsaw blade, it is capable of cutting up to 2-inch-thick wood pieces; for that reason, it can cut 2×4.
In this article, we will know can a jigsaw cut a 2×4 and what should I look at and what process we should follow to cut a 2×4 board.
Contents
Can a jigsaw cut a 2×4?
In the naked eye, a 2×4 board looks 2 inches thick and 4 inches wide, but it is not. A 2×4 board is actually 1.5 inches thick and 3.5 inches wide; it comes planed off on each side with 0.5 inches thickness.
As 2×4 is 1.5 thick, there are different jigsaw blades in the market that are capable of cutting up to 1.5inch depth, even up to a maximum 2inch depth, and you can easily cut 2×4 board. Even can cut 4×4 boards.
What should I look at to cut 2×4?
A jigsaw is not designed to cut too thick materials. Cutting too thick materials can overheat, bend and dull your blade.
First, you should choose between T-shank or U-shank design blades. These blades get attached to the jigsaw very well and don’t come off while cutting.
For that, while cutting 2×4 and 4×4 boards, you should look at the jigsaw blade material. You should choose a harder material like a tungsten carbide blade or high-speed steel blade; these have 60+ HRC, which won’t get dull or overheat while the deep and long cut.
The next thing you should look on the blade size. You should choose 9 or 10-inch jigsaw blades to cut too-thick materials. These blades can make up to 2-inch-deep cuts and cut 2×4 and 4×4 boards.
How to cut a 2×4 board with a jigsaw!
2×4 board is too thick board to cut on a jigsaw; for that reason, you should know the proper way to cut it and the cut won’t be perfect and can damage your blade and cause an accident. Here are a few steps you should follow, and then you can make straight and bevel cuts on a 2×4 board.
Select jigsaw and blade: First, select a powerful jigsaw with a higher RPM. Then, select a T-shank or U-shank 10-inch tungsten carbide blade or high-speed steel blade. Make use the you choose an appropriate number of TPI blades on your preferred rough cuts or smooth cuts.
Mark cutline: Pick a pencil and a scale and mark the line on the exact location where you want to make the cut. If you want to make a straight cut, then make a straight line on the exact location of the 2×4 board.
Secure the workpiece: After marking using a clamp or bench vise secure the workpiece on your working surface so that the workpiece does not move while cutting.
Cutting Speed: Cutting speed is important here as you are cutting too thick material. Here, you should cut slower or run your jigsaw slower to have a more accurate and perfect cut. Also, you can use the knob to change the oscillator setting to have a quicker and easier cut,
Safety Gear: Before starting cutting, always wear safety glasses and noise-free headphones.
Start cutting: Keep one hand on the jigsaw handle and the other one on the workpiece; hold the jigsaw alone with the line and, move your hand forward towards the marked line, and cut slowly.
Finish cutting: At the almost end of the cutting, don’t show rush-ness; it can damage the blade as well as the workpiece. Let the jigsaw cut through the entire thickness of the 2×4 board, and then turn off the jigsaw and remove the workpiece from the work surface.
In this way, you can easily cut a 2×4 board. Even in this process, you can cut too thick boards like 4×4 boards.
Alternative Tools for Cutting 2×4
You may face difficulties while cutting too-thick boards like 2×4 and 4×4. For that, you can choose some alternative small tools like jigsaw.
Circular Saw:
It’s a versatile, powerful, hand-held power tool that can cut wood, plastic and metal. This saw can be an excellent alternative to cutting 2×4 board as it is a powerful saw, has a large blade, and, with all these, can make accurate and quick straight cuts.
Miter Saw:
A Miter saw is also an excellent alternative choice to cutting 2×4 board. This saw is specialized to make angle cutting and crosscutting and, with its powerful cutting capability and large blade, can make precious cuts on too-thick boards.
Reciprocating Saw:
Reciprocating Saw is more like a jigsaw and a perfect replacement. This saw makes quick and rough cuts but can make straight, bevel cuts on a 2×4 board.
Hand Saw:
A hand saw is a manual cutting alternative tool of jigsaw. This saw has a long sharp blade, and using the physical power of moving your hand forward and back on the board, you can easily cut a 2×4 board.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you cut a 2×4 without a saw?
Using multiple tools, you can cut a 2×4 without a saw. The tools you can use are a chisel, a hand saw, a hatchet, a knife, a drill or a mallet. Using these, the cut won’t be fast and accurate but can be used on the replacement of a saw.
Can a jigsaw cut in the middle of a wood?
Yes, a jigsaw can be used to cut in the middle of a wood. For that, you have to drill it in the middle of the wood, then on the drilling hole, place the jigsaw blade and start cutting or place the jigsaw blade at 45 degrees on the wood where you want to cut; after slowly making the hole hold the jigsaw straight and cut through the middle or square.
Conclusion
You can cut a 2×4 board with a jigsaw or even cut a thicker board with a jigsaw, but to do that, you have to choose the right blade size and follow the right setup that I described earlier in this article. Follow them properly and enjoy cutting. Thank you.
