Help me save my Skil jigsaw

[wdfifteen]

I let my neighbor use my 50-year-old jigsaw. He tightened the blade retainer screw so tight he stripped the threads. The saw works great, variable speed - I like it and don't want to throw it away, but it needs a new blade retainer clamp. I cannot find the exact replacement part.



I've had the saw for decades, and it has served me well. I don't want to throw it out over a small part.



The threads in one of the screw holes in the clamp are stripped out.

I found a clamp on e-Bay, but the hole in the center is too small. It's 8mm and needs to be 9.75mm to fit the saw. I think I have a 10mm end mill somewhere, but it's lost in the move. The only thing I have to bore it with is a drill press, and I don't know if that extra .25mm will be too loose on the shaft.





Anybody have a clamp lying around, or know where to get one, or is capable of boring out one of these if I get them, or any other genius ideas of how I can save this thing?

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Use one of these for parts?

Vintage Skil Jigsaw 497


VTG SKIL Standard Duty Jigsaw 497 1/3 HP 45 Degree Tilting Foot Variable Speed

[rfuerst911sc]

Can the stripped hole be drilled larger and new threads cut ?

[Zeke]

^^^That's good idea. Even if he went metric to keep from having to jump from what looks like a 10-24 screw to a #12 screw which is almost a 1/4". Too big. I'd have to look at my thread charts to see what's just a little bigger. But that stuff is online now. It's sure to be hardened, so I'd go slow before breaking stuff. Maybe not, after all the other dude stripped it.

[stevej37]

I have almost the exact Scroller Saw...but it's a Craftsman. It was a gift to me in 79 or 80
It looks to have the same clamp and I have the part number for it if you want to try it.

It's a 5/8 inch variable speed

[A930Rocket]

That’s why I hate to lend my tools out and generally don’t.

What about using a reamer on the new part?

[look 171]

I am no help, but if you go buy a new Bosch jig saw, you will never use one of those old saw again. Yes, they are that good and track super straight. Oh, and no more clamps needed, key less and integrated into the saw. sorry

drill and tap to slight larger screw size.

[Evans, Marv]

Originally Posted by rfuerst911sc

Can the stripped hole be drilled larger and new threads cut ?

Yep. This is the first thing that came to mind and since your friend stripped the threads, I doubt it's hardened. I have the same Craftsman saw from the seventies.

[908/930]

You said 9.75mm bore to fit the saw, really hard to believe that is metric. Run a 3/8 drill bit through and call it a day. If I remember the original clamp was not steel, your steel replacement will likely be better. Do you have any 3/8 heavy hex nuts around, drill out the threads and just drill two small holes through the side and tap.

[Alan A]

Helicoil.

[zakthor]

Originally Posted by look 171

I am no help, but if you go buy a new Bosch jig saw, you will never use one of those old saw again. Yes, they are that good and track super straight. Oh, and no more clamps needed, key less and integrated into the saw. sorry

drill and tap to slight larger screw size.

I’ve also got the Bosch and it’s fantastic but… he just needs that stupid little clamp.

I have some drill stops that look like that, just missing the second hole. Look up drill stops or shaft collars

Second set of threads with drill and tap.

https://www.mcmaster.com/products/stop-collars/

[oldE]

Originally Posted by 908/930

You said 9.75mm bore to fit the saw, really hard to believe that is metric. Run a 3/8 drill bit through and call it a day. If I remember the original clamp was not steel, your steel replacement will likely be better. Do you have any 3/8 heavy hex nuts around, drill out the threads and just drill two small holes through the side and tap.

This. You would have been done yesterday.

[wdfifteen]

Looks like I’ll just have to try some stuff. There’s no magic bullet, but some good ideas here. As Zeke suggested, I’ll drill it for a 5mm screw and see what happens. There is a good chance I can get a 5mm tap through the hole as is. The part is made of some soft cast metal, Im thinking zinc alloy, so tapping it won’t be an issue. If it doesn’t hold I can order the replacements and drill one out. Or see if there’s room for a shaft collar, might get one that’s small enough OD too small ID and bore it out.

To hold it I may have to come up with something different from the drill press vice I have.