saw vice?

[Robert Culver]

Ok im starting work on the restoration of the disston #7 I have a new handle roughed out and need to do some fine tuning before i start shaping it. In my down time I have been looking for plans for a saw vise that would be good enough to get me started filing. I have seen a plan for one on line some place but everytime I do search I come up empty handed. Maybe I saw it in a magazine tosses in the recycle:mad:. ack Anyway does anyone have a starting point that would be helpful. I have two other saws coming soon I hope A # 8 cross cut and a diston unknown 5.5 rip saw.These all should clean up into wonderful user saws so im pretty pumped.

[Gary Hodgin]

Here is a plan. I found an old disston on ebay that's in good shape.
http://norsewoodsmith.com/content/jaspers-wooden-saw-vise

[Bob Easton]

Here is another. Well, not a precise plan but photos of one that Bob Rozaieski built. You can probably build one from what Bob shows us.
http://logancabinetshoppe.weebly.com/1/post/2009/03/a-new-saw-vise.html

[Dan Andrews]

Build or buy a saw vise on the long side. I bought a 9" saw vise on ebay and it works well, but I do have to move the saw a couple times while doing each side.

I build a lot of my oun fixtures and small basic hand tools, but I chose to buy (ebay) a saw vise because of the need for a very firm continuous edge needed to hold the saw just beneeth the teeth. My saw vise also has a quick release lever which is convenient for repositioning the saw. I paid $13 plus about $10 shipping.

If you have not sharpened saws before, I recommend you read "saw filing" at www.vintagesaws.com (http://www.vintagesaws.com) He also has info on purchasing good files.

[David Weaver]

I have two saw vises that have a socket and swivel any direction....

.. but my favorite thing for a vise is two sprung boards somewhere over 1/2 the length of the saw plate jammed into a large machinist vise. Doesn't matter what they are, they can be any $2 scraps in your bin that meet at the ends and take a little hand pressure to push together.

Less noise than with an iron saw vise.

[Rich Purdum]

Almost at the end of this thread are some pics with the design I used. I don't think you need a plan...just a design concept. Two pieces of wood in a vise also works!

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?p=1484601#poststop

[Steve Branam]

And here's mine, made from some oak 2x8 I got cheap from the surplus pile at the lumberyard:

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_6qAGOXP58V0/THGDmNDf05I/AAAAAAAAB-w/qI2mcNOqFP8/s400/img_0608.jpg

This all knocks apart. The bottom rail is tenoned to fit through-mortises in the uprights. By making the rail sit 1/8" off the bench, the holdfast applies enough pressure to lock it all down, given snug mortises. Or you can just glue the joints, there's no real need to have it knock-down.

Angled notches in the clamp boards on top jam into angled bridle joints in the uprights. To clamp a saw up, just hold the boards and saw with one hand and tap down on them with a mallet right where they meet the uprights to jam in place. It's best for the boards to contact in the middle, but be bowed slightly from each other at the ends, like clamping cauls. If it ends up too loose, you can just clip on a spring clamp from below to grip the saw tighter.

[James Owen]

Take a look in the SMC archives for posts/threads by Bob Smalser. Several of his posts have saw vices/designs in them, as well as really good saw sharpening information.

[Zach England]

When does a saw habit become a saw vice?

[Jim Koepke]

When does a saw habit become a saw vice?

When your saw becomes defiled?

jim

-just couldn't resist.

[Andrae Covington]

Several good examples here already but I'll add another. Popular Woodworking had an article on making a simple saw vise in the June 2010 issue (#183) - link (http://www.popularwoodworking.com/articleabstract?aid=16050) shows a tiny pic. I liked it, but it was kinda short for doing handsaws (without readjusting), so I made a double version with two legs instead of one and longer jaws.

[Jerome Hanby]

Several good examples here already but I'll add another. Popular Woodworking had an article on making a simple saw vise in the June 2010 issue (#183) - link (http://www.popularwoodworking.com/articleabstract?aid=16050) shows a tiny pic. I liked it, but it was kinda short for doing handsaws (without readjusting), so I made a double version with two legs instead of one and longer jaws.

Just out of curiosity, how long does it take to sharpen a saw that size?

[Tony Shea]

Just out of curiosity, how long does it take to sharpen a saw that size?


It depends on what kind of shape the teeth/saw are in. It's sort of a vague question and dependent on many things. But to just touch up a saw that has already been jointed ,shaped, and sharpened to begin with I would estimate a half hour at the most. That is including set up time and all. But if you're receiving a saw that is in terrible shape with teeth missing and problems everywhere, one could spend hours getting the saw in working condition. For a saw that just needs a little jointing, shaping, and sharpening I would estimate 2 hours or so. But again, this is just an extreme estimate that is very dependent on the condition the saw is in. Oh, and skill level is also a very relative factor.

[Jerome Hanby]

It depends on what kind of shape the teeth/saw are in. It's sort of a vague question and dependent on many things. But to just touch up a saw that has already been jointed ,shaped, and sharpened to begin with I would estimate a half hour at the most. That is including set up time and all. But if you're receiving a saw that is in terrible shape with teeth missing and problems everywhere, one could spend hours getting the saw in working condition. For a saw that just needs a little jointing, shaping, and sharpening I would estimate 2 hours or so. But again, this is just an extreme estimate that is very dependent on the condition the saw is in. Oh, and skill level is also a very relative factor.

That's just the answer I was looking for! Thanks.

[David Weaver]

If it's rip and you don't joint, 10 minutes is plenty. If it's crosscut, add five minutes, and maybe a minute or two after all is said in done if you're the type who can't stand to see dykem on the saw plate and you need to wipe it off with some alcohol.

If you need to joint it, twice as long or more depending on how much jointing needs to be done. And that much again if you have to set. If you get used saws and they only need a joint and a refile, they usually have enough set left when you're done not have to set them. I don't set teeth unless I have to, like on a new plate or with teeth that have been completely refiled from a bare plate.

If the teeth need major reshaping, it can be a couple of hours and leave you wishing for a retoothing machine, which leaves only a very quick filing job to do after it punches out new teeth.

If you make yourself a little jig (courtesy of Darryl Weir letting us know some of his secrets not too long ago) to put on the end of the file so you don't have to concentrate on how it sits in the teeth, it's a very rhythmic activity after not very many saws (5?). A visual aid (like a bevel gauge) to guide for fleam is also very helpful.

It takes less time to sharpen a decent saw than it does to pack it and drop it off somewhere. Actually, sometimes it seems to take longer to find decent files online for cheap than it does to sharpen saws.

[Andrae Covington]

Yeah, what those guys said.:)

I've only sharpened a couple saws so far, one rip and one crosscut. So I'm sure I was pretty slow at it compared to someone who's done a few before. They were old saws from ebay but in pretty good shape... no missing teeth, just dull. I bought a saw set but have not used it yet, as the saws seemed to work fine as-is after sharpening.

After struggling to keep the file at a consistent angle on the first saw (and that was just a rip), I bought an old saw filing guide on ebay that was made by Speed Corp here in Portland. It's not completely idiot-proof, but it did help me maintain more consistency on the second saw. I think a variety of simple shop-made aids could be created for the same purpose. I don't think it matters if you are a little off, but you do want to try to get close to the same rake and fleam angles.

[Robert Culver]

Ah yes lots of great Ideas here thanks guys. I will look over the designs and try to get started on one this week. I did see the vise in that june issue I wonder where it has ran off to ...... I know i didnt chuck that one I guess I need t to keep digging. I have made a little more progress with the handle but am taking it nice and easy so dont over do any shaping I had one cut with the saw that got alittle deep but i was able to take care of that without to much variation or the original shape so I happy with that so far. thanks again for all the great information. One place I was reading says they use Qualasol for the finish I have never used it anybody whats everybodys experiance with this product?