Jerry Crawford
12-21-2004, 1:40 PM
Since I read that string about Mark Singers bed project recently I've been considering sort of a peer critique on my saw project. I contributed to other strings about hand saws and that got me to considering my own need for some period correct tools, as some of you may recall. Anyway, after making my practice pieces shown on my web page I began the "real" McCoy's and am about half way through. Now I'm at a point where I would like a few more sets of eyes on the progress just to plump out my own form and function. Here's the situation:
Bow saw is complete except for finish and fiting blade. I like it very much. My sketch book is filled with doodles evolving this form and it's much more graceful than the earlier learning prototype. The addition of the ebony and brass knobs certainly adds to the attractivness and was quite a pleasing learning event for me.
https://home.comcast.net/~boondocker1/critiqeframe2.jpg
The design delemma is the vertical frame of the frame saw. For lack of a better term I'll refer to the fineal element as a hawk head.
For a while I was going to repeat the shape (elongated of course) of the bow saw on the stiles, almost replicating the bow saw shape. But, I tried holding a mocked up corner model in my hand and did not like the feel throughout the range of motion necessary to saw. There were too many pokey corners in my hand to be very comfortable for long. So that form was discarded.
Next, I flipped the hawk head over and applied it to top and bottom. I liked that much better and the feel of the smoothly formed body is quite nice. But, now I'm struggling with what happens between these elements?
As you see there are two possibilities; one joins the neck in a central blocky form midway of the stile similar to the bow saw above. But, that space is a functional element of the bow saw being where the cross brace fits and transitions top and bottom. The trouble I'm having putting one in the frame saw is, in my eye it looks contrived without any redeeming usefulness. LOML suggested this spot an artistic opportunity for some kind of inlay (brass, ivory, ebony, ...?)
Any ideas how I can resolve this? :confused:
The other possibility is to just gracefully blend curved lines from top to bottom, perhaps making them a little fatter in the middle. :confused:
I'm open to opinions except to give up woodworking and try some other line of retirement ;)
BTW, the frame saw will operate in the orientation shown in the picture. There is another ebony knob at the top for tensioning the blade. Finally, the finish will appear like one of those beautiful 18th century curly maple gunstocks, very dark brown (almost black) with the curl jumping out.
https://home.comcast.net/~boondocker1/critiqeframe1.jpg
Bow saw is complete except for finish and fiting blade. I like it very much. My sketch book is filled with doodles evolving this form and it's much more graceful than the earlier learning prototype. The addition of the ebony and brass knobs certainly adds to the attractivness and was quite a pleasing learning event for me.
https://home.comcast.net/~boondocker1/critiqeframe2.jpg
The design delemma is the vertical frame of the frame saw. For lack of a better term I'll refer to the fineal element as a hawk head.
For a while I was going to repeat the shape (elongated of course) of the bow saw on the stiles, almost replicating the bow saw shape. But, I tried holding a mocked up corner model in my hand and did not like the feel throughout the range of motion necessary to saw. There were too many pokey corners in my hand to be very comfortable for long. So that form was discarded.
Next, I flipped the hawk head over and applied it to top and bottom. I liked that much better and the feel of the smoothly formed body is quite nice. But, now I'm struggling with what happens between these elements?
As you see there are two possibilities; one joins the neck in a central blocky form midway of the stile similar to the bow saw above. But, that space is a functional element of the bow saw being where the cross brace fits and transitions top and bottom. The trouble I'm having putting one in the frame saw is, in my eye it looks contrived without any redeeming usefulness. LOML suggested this spot an artistic opportunity for some kind of inlay (brass, ivory, ebony, ...?)
Any ideas how I can resolve this? :confused:
The other possibility is to just gracefully blend curved lines from top to bottom, perhaps making them a little fatter in the middle. :confused:
I'm open to opinions except to give up woodworking and try some other line of retirement ;)
BTW, the frame saw will operate in the orientation shown in the picture. There is another ebony knob at the top for tensioning the blade. Finally, the finish will appear like one of those beautiful 18th century curly maple gunstocks, very dark brown (almost black) with the curl jumping out.
https://home.comcast.net/~boondocker1/critiqeframe1.jpg