Pair of dovetail saws (second try)

[Mike Allen1010]

I readily confess to having an "bad saw problem”! I have always drooled over the beautiful dovetail saws built by members of SMC and those sold by the premium saw makers. Given those were out of my budget, I attempted to make a pair of dovetail saws.

Below are some pictures of the second pair of dovetail saws I recently completed. The Walnut handled saw his 16 PPI crosscut. The Birdseye Maple handled saw a 16 PPI rip. Handles were made from patterns of a Moulson saw graciously provided on Back Saw Net.

Saw plate is 1095 steel .018" thick and 12” long. I prefer the longer saw plate as I feel like the longer stroke makes it easier for me to keep everything straight and aligned.

These saws were made with slit brass saw backs and hand filed teeth (I was surprised by how easy it was to cut them in the .018" plate after sharpening many full-size hand size around .040" thick.). Split nuts are from TFWW.

I just finished using the saws to complete a small walnut jewelry box with dovetail and open bridle joinery for the frame and panel lid and I'm very pleased to report that surprisingly they work Great !

My first attempt at saw making was a smoking hole in the ground! I attempted to laminated brass saw backs and in the process of peening the brass rod through the saw plate/brass back laminate I created more bends in the plates than the Mississippi River! In addition, I don't have a drill press and struggle mightily to get the holes for the split nuts to line up -- without much success.

A special thank you to Ray Gardiner who made this second generation of dovetail saws possible! After the time and effort invested and the poor results I achieved the first time around, I was ready to give up. After writing Ray for some advice, he encouraged me to try again and made it possible for me to utilize slit brass saw backs -- thank you Ray for the encouragement, expertise and generosity! I owe you big time!

I just finished another pair of coarser pitch, open handled backsaws using .020" saw plate and I will attempt to post some pictures in the near future.

Thanks again to the SMC community for your inspiration and collective knowledge -- I never would've attempted this project without learning from everyone here.

Best regards, Mike Allen

[Frank Carnevale]

When I see work like this I get so angry that I havent the skill. Great looking saws! Now lets see that jewelry box!

[Mike Allen1010]

Frank, I think you're selling yourself short -- it isn't as hard as it looks. And remember, this is my second time around. My first attempt I built 4 saws which all turned out like crap -- I think my boys are using them now to chop weeds in the backyard!

The think the kits Wenzloff and Sons (great people and great products!) and Gramercy tools sell really do a lot of the hard work for you- but I'm sure there are others here in the Creek that know more about it than me.

The jewelry boxes in another recent thread "a fun, inexpensive Neander project".

[David Weaver]

Looks great!

I didn't see the first ones. Turning out 4 at a time, you ought to start selling them.

[Klaus Kretschmar]

Good job, Mike! Both saws look really fine. How did you finish the handles?
Regarding the blade measurements I would call both of these sisters rather carcass saws than dovetail saws. With a proper fetteled carcass saw you can do the dovetailing work although of course. One question: at the pic of the maple handeles saw it seems that the skew cutted part of the blade at the rear end runs aside of the rear screw or are my eyes teasing me?

Klaus

[Andrew Gibson]

Absolutely beautiful... I wish my maple handles were as beautiful as that birds eye turned out... and you can never go wrong with a dark wood for a handle imo

[Mike Allen1010]

Good job, Mike! Both saws look really fine. How did you finish the handles?
Regarding the blade measurements I would call both of these sisters rather carcass saws than dovetail saws. With a proper fetteled carcass saw you can do the dovetailing work although of course. One question: at the pic of the maple handeles saw it seems that the skew cutted part of the blade at the rear end runs aside of the rear screw or are my eyes teasing me?

Klaus

Klaus,

Reading your e-mail makes me feel like a 13-year-old girl at a Hannah Montana concert - I think you and Pedder are rock stars! It goes without saying that I think the saws you build are absolutely stunning usable art! Thanks for the inspiration.

I finished the handles by soaking them with Watco penetrating oil (which I think helps pop the figure), and then give them a couple coats of 1 Lb. cut Blonde shellac, followed with some paste wax.

Klaus, how do you distinguish between a "carcass saw" and a "dovetail saw" -- is the differentiating feature feature length, PPI or something else?

You're absolutely right, the rear saw bolt on the Maple saw runs right through the edge of the saw plate. In the first generation of saws I built (which were complete disasters), I drilled the holes for the saw nuts too near the bottom edge of the handles and in the final shaping, ended up breaching the edge of the hole - Ugh!! So naturally the second time around I overcompensated and moved the holes too far the other way! Just one of the many screwup moments I had throughout the build!

Building these saws has given me a real appreciation for professionals like you that make it look flawlessly easy!

All the best, Mike

[Klaus Kretschmar]

Mike,

to be a rock star? That's new to me for sure.;)

Your finish is classy and looks absolutely great to my eye.

The nomenclature of saws is not that clear indeed but I think that the sawtype recommendation from Mike Wenzloff is very reasonable to bring some light in the darkness. I provide the link of his typing but I'm not sure if it is allowed. If not please remove it, mods.

http://www.wenzloffandsons.com/faq/31-general/43-sawselection.html

The layout of the screws is sometimes a little bit tricky even more if you are working with small cheeks. It helps to make 2 layout lines on the cheek which show where the blade and the spine are running before you mark the screw positions.

Take care, saw making might be addictive!

Klaus

[Stewie Simpson]

Very nice work Mike. The finish on those handles shows the grain at its best look. Klaus is a most generous man with his advise for new saw makers. Listen and learn and you will see your backsaw work advance in quality.

Regards; Stewie.

[Ray Gardiner]

Hi Mike,

You have no idea how pleased I am to see how well they turned out, both saws look great, that birdseye maple looks stunning.

And, I agree Klaus, Pedder and Stewie are the rock-stars :)

Congratulations on a pair of fine saws, you obviously have the talent, I look forward to seeing more.

Regards
Ray

PS, On the question of marking out and the sequence for drilling the handles, http://www.backsaw.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=58&Itemid=102

[Derek Cohen]

Beautiful work, Mike, those saws have real class!

Regards from Perth

Derek