Turning saw

[Jeff Wittrock]

I'm just about done with this turning saw. No finish on it yet and I need to pick up some BLO, but at least I can now try it out.

I used maple, except for the toggle which is padauk. I had some maple with grain that followed the curved shape of the frame, so I'm hoping these will take quite a bit of tension without flying apart. The idea behind the "dog bone" shaped stretcher is that it should be thin enough in the center to flex instead of pivoting at the cheeks. I don't know if it was a good idea or bad, but seems to work.

I made it to accept standard coping saw blades. The hardware was made from 5/16" bolts with the heads cut off. I cut a slot from the end, then drilled a hole just over the diameter of the coping saw blade pins, then used a triangle file to cut from one side down to the hole.

After using it, I think the handles are a bit over sized. I didn't have my lathe set up, so I just planed them to a tapered octagon.

I do like using it better than my coping saw as I can tension up the blade quite a bit more. The one problem I have is that the handles can still turn while in use. I thought about adding some kind of detent positions for the handles so they wouldn't move while the blade is tensioned.

-Jeff

[Andrew Gibson]

Guess Its a day for bow saws. If nothing more it looks great. I was thinking about making a 6" bow saw while I was making my 12" one. I do think it would be nicer to use then my springy coping saw.

The aesthetics are very nice. I like the dog bone theory, you will have to let us now if it works in practice.

[David Gendron]

Realy nice looking saw, I 'm working on mine now and chould be finished this week end! What did you use as tenssioning "rope" ?

[harry strasil]

cut some friction washers out of some rubbery material and place between the frame and handle end on the bolt blade holder, or just get a couple of star washers from the hdwe store.

[Jeff Wittrock]

Thanks all,

Harry, I like the idea of the toothed washer. I'll give it a try.
I also thought about putting a pin in the end of the handle and having having shallow holes in the apposing faces of the frame, but that would limit the angles I could choose, and would probably be almost impossible for me to get lined up correctly on both handles.

-Jeff

[harry strasil]

On my turning bow saws, I use what disston used on their bowsaws, I cut a slot up thru the end of the arm thru the hole that the handle mounts in and use a small machine screw and nut, through the arm, that I can tighten to give the handle friction against turning while I am using it.

[David Gendron]

Do you just tap the threads fot the machin screw right into the wood?
Could you show us that saw again, I tryed to find it the other day and wasn,t successfull.
Thank you

[harry strasil]

I use a recessed square nut on one side.

The old Disston bow saw is post #10 here, http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=35432&highlight=disston

[David Gendron]

Thank you very much Harry, it is always nice to see your work!

[harry strasil]

I was gonna say its not my work, but half of it is, the part that was missing that I fabricated. That is the only Disston Bow Saw I have ever come across. I picked up the original end in the junk pile of a Flea Mkt Vendor and when I saw the barely visible Disston name, I think I started to shake, stutter and drool and I didn't even try to bargain with the vendor just gave him his $4 or so and walked away HAPPY.