Cutting Edge Question

[James Mittlefehldt]

For the more historical minded out there I have a question that I have been pondering and have not as yet come up with a good answer.

In days of old when knights were bold, so to speak and a cabinet maker had to resaw some wood, that is say take some 4 or 5 quarter stock and thin it down to half that size, and assuming he did not have a sawmill handy, how did he do it without a mechanized method ie bandsaw. I cannot imagine he would have used a rip saw to do this it would take forever and would I think be hard to hold a line?

Anyone have any ideas along this line?

[Doug Shepard]

In one of Tage Frid's books, he advocates using a frame/bow type saw for doing this. I actually tried it as an experiment once and it's not all that hard to hold a line, but it DOES take forever. I've also used it to cut out the middle section after resawing on a TS when the board width exceeded the TS cut limit. Still takes a long time even for that.

[Marc Hills]

Yeah, what Doug said.

I do have to wonder though how often our ancient cabinet maker would have gone through that exercise. The need to resaw assumes that you have the thicker stock lying around to begin with. Resawing or initial sawyering, the wood still had to come from logs. Dimensioned stock was far less common in those days and sawyers likely produced a lot of their lumber per the specifications of their customers.

I imagine that old cabinet makers looked upon the task of resawing with not much more relish than we do. More likely he would have gone to a sawyer and simply requested he mill some thinner stock.

[Bob Hovde]

Sharp tools and an apprentice.

Bob

[Dennis McDonaugh]

Sharp tools and an apprentice.

Bob

Exactly, the joiner certainly didn't resaw--I'm sure he had enough of that as an apprentice. The guild system was in full effect and newbies did all the grunt labor.

[Louis Bois]

Picture, if you will...a young man...with more determination than tools...with a few thick boards of maple and basswood...all free, I might add...with the drive to carve a rocking horse for his Godson.

I had a Sandvik rip saw, an old Marples M5 jack plane and a set of 4 Marples blue chip chisels. I cut an 8' x 6" x 2" thick board in half...right down the middle...and cleaned up the faces with the M5. I then borrowed a coping saw to cut the head and leg profiles, etc... It was one of the most satisfying experiences of my life...and it's good to know that the horse has held up after going through 3 little roustabouts!

It's not the best horse...it's not the worst horse...but it sure was an immeasurable learning experience. The darker horse was my second attempt...with many more tools at my disposal :rolleyes:

...now why didn't I think of an apprentice?!? DOH!!!!

[Marc Hills]

Louis,

Those rocking horses are stunning! You must be immensely proud of both.

I too have resawn stock with a rip saw, but it was a 5/4 6" x 3' piece of pine.

[Bob Reeve]

All I can say is WOW

Thanks for the inspiration

Bob

[James Mittlefehldt]

Thanks for the responses I really appreciate it and I figured basically whta was said except the apprentice, I of course don't have one so that isn't an issue.

OH and those rocking horses looke great you should be real proud of them Louis and you are only an hour away from me.

[Louis Bois]

So...you're at peace in the land of the tobacco farmers, are ya?!? St. Thomas is a lovely little place...been through there many times. I guess we'll have to plan a little "Canadian" creeker get together one of these years!!!

[Eric Coyle]

frame saw, if he couldn't find sawyers handy to operate the pit saw.

I still have my Grandfathers frame saw. takes two folks to operate it though

eric