Any recommendations for a good quality coping saw?

holmda, Feb 11, 11:15am
Hi. I want to make some shaped pieces out of cardboard and plywood (I think that's what it is called) which are about 5 to 7 mm thick. Can anyone recommend a good quality coping saw? Is quality important? Should I be thinking of getting a scroll saw instead - although this is more expensive and needs more space to store it.
skin1235, Feb 11, 11:20am
an elcheapo jig saw may be the way to go, you'll need to drill a few pilot holes though
skin1235, Feb 11, 11:21am
and if you get smart you screw it to the underneath of a piece of 15mm ply and use it like an upside down scroll saw
zak410, Feb 11, 1:15pm
Any coping saw should handle that easily, get some spare blades with it.
holmda, Feb 11, 4:39pm
Thanks Skin and Zak. I'll see what I can find. What is the difference between a fret saw and a coping saw? They look the same to me. Not that handy, I'm afraid.
zak410, Feb 11, 5:08pm
Quite similar, coping saw has the advantage of having a blade that can turn direction if needed (twist the handle) and it also usually has a deeper 'throat'.
skin1235, Feb 11, 5:20pm
fret, coping saw is manual, hand saw, back and forward,
scroll saw is electric, long arm with blade under end, one end of the blade is not attached to anything, ie free, switch it on

jigsaw is also electric, smaller than scroll saw, but if setup properly does an even better job, blade is free, with the right blades the electrics can cut very small radius curves, and if you go slow enough leave a very smooth finish
skin1235, Feb 11, 5:21pm
a cheap scroll is approx $160, a cheap jigsaw is $29 at the warehouse, comes with a couple of blades, a set of blades is another $6
skin1235, Feb 11, 5:28pm
a jigsaw will fit in a shoebox with room to spare, a scroll would footprint at least as big as a kitchen sink and possibly bigger - plus a jigsaw is not limited by a throat, you can work panels as large as your walls if you so desire, it is very portable,
a scroll will be limited in throat depth, usually about 14 inches, with a lot of mucking about you can work a panel 800mm wide without having to split it, it is too heavy ( and dangerous, and breaks blades too easily if not bolted down) to use as a portable, and needs bolting to a bench
zak410, Feb 11, 6:00pm
Good quality coping saw $20, could fit in your handbag and is very light, lol.

https://www.bunnings.co.nz/irwin-coping-saw_p00284325
holmda, Feb 11, 6:19pm
Thanks very much for the info. I've learnt lots :) I like the idea of the cheaper jigsaw. I assume I need to get very narrow blades?
aprilguy, Feb 11, 7:52pm
I would use a coping saw for what you are doing; cutting curves through thin material. Jigsaws can be inaccurate. How complex are your shapes?
hammer23, Feb 12, 12:33am
any coping saw will do the job for you, it is the quality of the blade that counts.
When putting the blade into the saw it goes in backwards so the cut is done on the pull stroke and the tension/pressure on the blade is absorbed in the shape of the saw. If you cut on the push stroke the blade can bend and break.
onl_148, Dec 25, 12:56pm
You will get better control of the cut and accuracy to the marked lines with a scroll type saw. i.e. where the saw is stationary / fixed and you are manoeuvring the work around the moving / thin blade.