How many TPI for the ideal dovetail saw?

[george wilson]

I would like a consensus on how many TPI would the perfect dovetail saw have? I can do down to 15 tpi.

The answer will be all over the map,and I have my own ideas,I'd like yours. NO mixed teeth,please. No progressive teeth,no Japanese teeth. (I am being demanding!)

[Chris Vandiver]

George, Did you know that you posted this thread in the Classified section, as well as here?

[george wilson]

I WONDERED what happened to my post!!! I'll try to delete it.

[Jim Koepke]

I would like a consensus on how many TPI would the perfect dovetail saw have? I can do down to 20 tpi.

The answer will be all over the map,and I have my own ideas,I'd like yours. NO mixed teeth,please. No progressive teeth,no Japanese teeth. (I am being demanding!)



My answer would require knowledge of the material to be dovetailed.

For light stock such as 3/8 or 1/2 inch drawer sides 15 to 20 ppi would work fine.

For medium stock of 3/4 to 1 inch 12 to 15 ppi would be my choice.

For working with something in the 8/4 range my preferred saw would be in the 8 to 12 ppi range.

If only one dovetail saw were allowed in my shop, that saw would be around 12 to 15 ppi.

jtk

[Chris Griggs]

Well, I use a 14tpi/15ppi saw. I've often wished it was just a bit more aggressive, but rarely wished that it was finer. I think the only time I really felt a need for something finer was when I was sawing some 1/4" thick stock. So I am going to say that 13tpi/14ppi - with a moderatly aggressive rake, would be just about perfect.

Of course, I'd rather have two saws. One with a 13-14ppi and one with a 16+ ppi.

[john brenton]

I like 15 tpi. I like being able to use the same saw to cleanly crosscut the ends and find that anything too much lower than that doesn't do as good of a job.

.Anything bigger than 3/4" stock I generally use a 10 tpi rip blade on a bow saw.

[Jamie Bacon]

Ideally, I'd like 2. I have a Wenzloff Early Kenyon 20 PPI that's extremely smooth in 1/2" or less stuff. But that's a little too fine for 3/4" or more in my opinion. If I had to pick just one saw though, I'd say a 15 PPI. Does this mean you're thinking about making saws for sale?

[Mike Henderson]

I like 15 tpi, also. I've tried 14, 15 and 20 tpi.

Mike

[george wilson]

I am ONLY just thinking about it,ONLY. I haven't the tooling I had at my job,quite. Also,too crowded,also,old and tired. Have gotten a saw toother,though. No place to set it up yet. I need to do some re organization in the shop.

I would just make them and put them up for sale as they were finished,if I did make them. I don't want to get into another rat race. They would be too expensive for David Weaver(:))

Sorry: I can do down to 15 tpi.,unless I recut a 10 tpi rack into 2 teeth per position,which could be done,but is trouble. I did that on the toother I had at work as I had no fine racks.I haven't tried out the toother yet,but assme it works o.k.,as I think the last owner said he had used it. Can't be sure. Anyway,unless it has something really seriously wrong with it,I have the means to fix it.

[Mike Siemsen]

George,
I once need a finer index bar so I used a piece of threaded rod and flattened off the back. It worked fine. A 5/16 - 18 would give you 19 ppi I believe.
Mike

[bob blakeborough]

14/15 ppi... I have been playing with both and find them to cut much nicer than the finer tooth saws I was using before...

[Andrew Gibson]

My LN saw is 15 tpi and I have no complaints. I saw everything from 1/4" stock up to heavy 4/4 stock with no issues. I could se how 13tpi might be a good number... and I just like the number 13.

[george wilson]

Mike,THAT is a good idea. I haven't used this Foley toother yet,and do not know its foibles. Since the racks have a vertical face on each tooth,and the threaded rod would not,I wonder if there would be any tendency for the indexer to jump the threads of the rod? Did you use a Foley for your toothing? I'll certainly remember that information,and try it if and when I start using the toother.