Opinions on Saw/Jigsaw for Blanks

[James Farrow]

Opinions on Saw/Jigsaw for Blanks

Hi, new member here. I am in the process of getting a lathe to
start turning bowls, vases, boxes, etc...

I have a spare room in my apartment that I will be using as a
small workshop. Now, being an apartment, a chainsaw or other
high powered saw, for roughing out blanks is not possible.
I am trying to keep the noise down to a minimum, so am looking
at a smaller saw to do the job. I won't be cutting down trees with
it and more or less just want it to, as I said, rough out blanks.

So, anyone ever use one of these?

http://www.canadiantire.ca/assortments/product_detail.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=253437430 3512764&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442543375&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=1408474395348027&bmUID=1098676340447&assortment=primary (http://www.canadiantire.ca/assortments/product_detail.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=253437430 3512764&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442543375&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=1408474395348027&bmUID=1098676340447&assortment=primary)

Was wondering if it would be good for roughing out blanks.

Thanks,

James :)

P.S. No affiliation with CT, just using it as a reference so you can
see what saw I am referring to.

[Richard Allen]

You would do better with an alcohol powered bow saw. Most bowl blanks are 2"+ thick and a saw with a support at one end isn't usually intended saw through more than 2" thick timber.

A bow saw requires a bit of effort but will make waste of most timber up to 6" across in very little time. With enough effort you can go through 18" timber with a bow saw, puts a hurt on your arm though. I wouldn't try to cut curves with a bow saw. But knocking off the corners of a blank would be quiet and quick.

BTW I was unable to see the tool you were asking about. It is posible that the tool is suitable for knocking off the corners of a bowl blank.

Thanks

[James Farrow]

Hi!

Thanks for the reply. Don't know why the link doesn't work for you. I checked it and it works from my end.

Anyway, you can have it as a jigsaw with the blade coming out the bottom, or as a hand saw with the blade coming out the front. In the US I believe they call them reciprocating sabre saws. Sears (on-line) in the US have them listed as a sabre saw under Black & Decker Navigator saw. Look exactly the same as the one I am referring to. Probably made by the same company and sold to different venders under their own brand name if they want.

Now I know the jigsaw part won't work in lopping of the corners of a blank but judging by the picture I was thinking the sabre saw might. I was hoping someone here may have used this type of saw before.

James :)

[Kent Cori]

James,

I used a bench top bandsaw that I bought for $100 US for pen and bowl blanks for several years with good success. It would cut a blank of about 3" thickness without a problem.

[James Farrow]

Thanks!

I have looked at bandsaws. I don't have a lot of room to accomodate one. I even looked at the small ones but have been told by many that they are not worth it. And the small ones don't have enough clearance for blanks. To get a decent one I would need to get a larger one. But I just don't have the space for it. So that's wy I am looking for something smaller.

James :)

[Richard Allen]

The link didn't work for me because CT wants to know where I am from so they can display the sales flyer in my area I guess.

http://images.canadiantire.ca/media/images/Workshop/PowerTools/JigReciprocatingSaws/0548163_450_CC_2eb43.jpg

I guess this is what you are talking about. The main problem with a recipicating saw is that the waste is dificult to remove on longer cuts. If you think about how a saw works you will see that there are two primary goals to a saw.

First a saw has to rip the fibers of wood from the surounding structure. Prety much any sharp tools will do that easly

Second a saw has to remove the waste so the sharp parts can find more wood fibers to rip apart.

A saw that goes back and forth has problems removing waste. The stroke of the blade isn't enough to move the waste for more than the lenght of the stroke. To work around this linitation these saws will often have an orbital action which tends to push the waste out in a couple of strokes. The thicker the wood the more strokes it takes to eject the waste. If the wood is too thick the ripping apart action becomes a minor activity compaired with the ejecting of waste.

A chainsaw is so good at cutting because it's primary purpose is to eject the waste. A bandsaw is also very good at moving waste as is a circular saw.

A handsaw works well because the stroke is longer than the cut, thus insuring that waste is ejected.

The bow saw pictured is good at cutting because it is good at ejecting waste.

http://images.canadiantire.ca/media/images/Workshop/WoodChoppingCutting/Bowsaws/0577490_160_SC_1e493.jpg

An electric chainsaw is a bit noisy and there is the bar oil mess. But that would make quick work of knocking off the corners of a bowl blank.

http://images.canadiantire.ca/media/images/Workshop/WoodChoppingCutting/Chainsaws/ElectricChainsaws/0545715_160_CC_1e4a8.jpg

A small bandsaw would also work. This one at CT has a 3 1/8" cutting capicity. Any thicker than that and you are out of luck:

http://images.canadiantire.ca/media/images/Workshop/PowerTools/StationaryTools/BandSaws/0556726_450_CC_1e2a2.jpg

There are other bands and models of bandsaw which have more distance between the guides.

If I wanted to be quiet I would go with a bow saw. If I wanted to work fast I would get the electric chansaw. If I wanted a multi-purpose tool for the shop that I could also cut bowl blanks with I wold go with the bandsaw.

Good Luck

[James Farrow]

Thanks!

That was very informative. Lots of things for me to check out.

Thanks again,

James ;)