I got the fever, now I need some advice.

[Mike Keating]

Hello all,

I am starting a tall hall seat for SWMBO. I decided to try my hand at some hand tooling. I am cutting some box joints for the lower rails that form a "molding" on the base of the seat. I have a gents saw and some chisels to clean the joint. However, I noticed that I am not the best on making a straight cut with the saw. Too much dependence on power tools.
Is there any sort of saw guides that help with keep straight during the cuts. I have seen magnetic dovetail guides, but nothing for straight cuts. I was looking through Woodcraft, Hartville tool, and Rockler and could not find anything. Am I just missing the guides if they exist
Thanks,
Mike Keating :)

[Dave Anderson NH]

Just cut a U or L shaped piece of stock and hold it in place on the end of the board and it will function as a guide as long as the end is cut square. You could also figure out an almost endless number of variations home built in the shop.

[Chris Padilla]

As Dave said, Mike, you can just make your own. You could also find some steel or aluminum L-pieces, bar, etc. at your local borg h/w store.

I learned to cut steel straight with a hacksaw by first clamping it well and securely and then using both hand to grip the saw, stand directly behind the saw and gently go at it. I have handcut anything it wood so dunno how this might transfer over.

[Mark Bergman]

I have used this one for mitres and an occasional straight cut. Works well with Japanese saws.


http://www.japanwoodworker.com/product.asp?s=JapanWoodworker&pf_id=95.505.02&dept_id=11813

[Alan Turner]

MIke,
Takes a bit of practice, but it is not hard. Be sure to point your first finger when you saw as that will help immensely. Take an athlethic stance, and keep the down pressure on the saw light, and even carry some of the weight in your right hand during the early part of the cut. Keep your grp quite light. No hard squeezing of the handle. Go slow, and let the saw do the work. If it is well filed, then a straight cut is pretty easy.
Some teach taht you position your head directly over the saw so that one eye is on each side, but that has never worked for me, although some of my students have found it helpful.
Alan