If you’re like most reciprocating saw owners, then you know the tool’s biggest drawback is its limited reach. With a standard blade, it can be tough to get into tight spaces or cut through materials that are further away from the saw itself. But there is a way to overcome this limitation and extend the reach of your reciprocating saw, by using a longer blade.
In this blog post, we’ll show you how to extend the reach of the reciprocating saw.
Why The Reach Of Reciprocating Saw Is Short
A reciprocating saw is an incredibly versatile tool, but its limited reach is one of the major things that hold it back. A standard blade sits on top of the saw and only extends about 6 to 8 inches in front of the base. This allows you to make cuts in places where you can hold your hand or set your knee for added stability, but once you’ve reached those limits it’s very difficult to cut anything further away.
What You Will Need
You don’t need a lot of extra parts or tools to make this work. You can achieve it with one very simple addition, a longer blade. Make sure the new blade is compatible with your saw and has an arbor size that matches the saw’s hardware.
How To Extend Reach Of Reciprocating Saw
Luckily, there’s a way to extend the reach of your reciprocating saw by using a longer blade. Simply replace the old blade with the new one and you’ll find that it extends an additional 8 to 10 inches in front of the base.
Step 1: Remove The Standard Blade From Your Saw
In order to attach a longer blade, you’ll first need to remove the standard one from your saw. This is best done by pressing the black release button at the end of the tool and sliding out the old blade. In some cases, you may also need to unscrew a plate on top of the saw housing in order to get access to where the blade attaches to the motor shaft.
Step 2: Attach New Blade
Once the old blade is removed you can attach the new, longer one. Some models will allow you to slide it into place without any attachment while others will require that you use a screwdriver or other tool to fasten it. If you’re using an aftermarket blade make sure to read any instructions included with it and make sure that the blade is compatible before attaching. The best blade that I use for reciprocating saw DEWALT 6-Piece (DW4856).
Step 3: Test The New Blade
At this point, you should have a new, longer blade in place and ready to go. To make sure it works correctly, you’ll want to test the reach of your saw. You can do this by making a cut on a board or even in mid-air if you’re brave enough! Once you’ve tried it out there’s no going back so make sure everything is working properly before moving on.
Conclusion
So, there you have it. Our guide on how to extend the reach of your reciprocating saw. We hope that this information was helpful and informative. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please don’t hesitate to comment. Thanks for reading!
FAQs
Q: What other ways exist for extending reciprocating saw reach?
A: If you don’t want to squeeze another long blade into your saw then you have another option available to you. You can use an Extend-a-blade extension that works in a very similar way to adding extra blades. The main benefit of this accessory is that enables you to quickly use different length blades, depending on the job at hand. You can also get reciprocating saws designed with bigger bases and longer handles for added reach as well as longer blade adapters to make your current tool more efficient.
Q: What are some other tools that benefit from having long blades?
A: If you use tools like chainsaws or hedge trimmers then you might be interested in using long blades too! While they aren’t quite as convenient, there are ways to attach them to these tools and get the same benefits of increased reach. Just keep in mind that even though it’s possible it may not always be safe
Q: What are some trade-offs when using a longer blade?
A: There are few if any drawbacks associated with swapping out your standard blade for another one. As long as you make sure it’s compatible, there’s nothing stopping you from experimenting with different lengths and sizes until you find the combination that works best for your saw and your needs.
Q: How much does adding a longer blade cost?
A: One of the main reasons people will always choose a longer blade over an extra-long one is that they tend to be much more affordable. Of course, it’s going to be up to you as to which price range you want your blades in, but make sure you factor this into your decision before buying anything!
Q: Is there a way for me to do this without a replacement blade?
A: It won’t come as a surprise that most saws don’t have any sort of setting or adjustment that allows them to reach further. This means that if yours doesn’t either, then unfortunately there isn’t very much you can do about it unless the company offers added accessories. If so, then you should check out their website or call them to find out what they have available.
Q: Does every reciprocating saw come with a long blade?
A: In most cases, they do not. Long blades are often seen as add-ons and can be purchased separately from your existing reciprocating saw kit. Make sure to check whether or not you need to purchase them separately when buying replacement blades.
Q: How deep can a reciprocating saw cut?
A: Looking at the basic design of most reciprocating saws, they’re expected to cut through materials up to 2 inches thick. While this may seem limited, you can easily make deep cuts by using a long blade or simply rotating your wrist 90 degrees while cutting.
Q: How thick of wood can a reciprocating saw cut?
A: Just like with steel and other tough materials, reciprocating saws tend to struggle when cutting through wood that is too thick. This doesn’t mean that they can’t cut down a tree or two, but you’ll probably want something more specialized for that kind of work.
Q: Is it possible to make plunge cuts with the reciprocating saw?
A: You can make plunge cuts with a reciprocating saw, but it’s better to use them for straight and flush cuts. The reason is simply that the nature of plunging requires you to make your cut at an angle, which puts too much strain on the saw itself and results in excessive wear and tear.
Q: What is stroke length in a reciprocating saw?
A: The stroke length is the total distance the blade moves back and forth in one cycle. This particular number is important because it’s directly related to how far you can extend your blade for added reach.