Mike Allen1010
02-07-2012, 3:24 PM
Over the last several years as I became more involved in working primarily with hand tools, I quickly realized I couldn't afford to buy all the hand saws I wanted. Thanks to the inspiration and coaching of a lot of folks here on the Creek, I started building backsaws based on my needs for current projects.
Over the past year I built about a dozen, and the thin plate dovetail saw below completes my till. My early efforts were not only ugly but pretty much unusable - I invested lots of hours in saws that ultimately ended up with plates with more curves than the Mississippi and saw nuts that only sort of fit!
Thanks to a lot of advice and insight from the truly knowledgeable and generous experts here on the Creek (thanks Ray, Klaus, Pedder, George etc.), I have gradually gotten got better over time, and I think this dovetail saw is my best execution to date -- not a fancy design but a solid user.
This saw was inspired by the LN thin plate dovetail saw and is designed/set up for accurate work in relatively thin stock (≤ ¾”).
The plate on LN thin plate DT saw is 10” long. My personal preferences for saw plates that are a little bit longer, as I find the longer strokes help me with alignment and accuracy -- so I built the Plate 12” long, with 1 ½” of usable depth beneath a ¾” wide, slotted brass saw back from Mike Wentzloff.
Saw plate is .015” thick, 1095 steel and I hand cut/filed the teeth from scratch: 15 PPI, Rake: 8°, Fleam: 5° and no set.
Handle is Birds Eye Maple with a pattern from Ray Gardiner’s Back Saw Net (excellent site!) and uses TFWW split nuts.
Even with a 4”, double extra slim file it was really difficult for me to accurately cut 15 PPI teeth to a consistent profile from blank steel card stock. I had a hard time getting the file to start where I wanted it and consequently didn't get consistent size profiles -- they're pretty terrible at the heel where I started, and got progressively better towards the toe where I finished.
If I had to, I think I could improve fairly quickly if I had a little more practice in hand cutting teeth (particularly something a little bigger than 15 PPI!); however, it's not something I really enjoy. I much prefer working from machine cut teeth profiles and focusing on the final shaping and sharpening. I only hand cut these because I couldn't find pre-cut saw plates in .015” thickness.
Even though the teeth profiles aren't great, the teeth are level and the saw cuts quickly and accurately even with no set. Admittedly, I've only tried it with really dry mahogany. As I put the saw to work I may decide to add some set down the road.
Although not to the level of the true craftsmen here that the Creek, I like the fit and finish of the tote with the other components and most importantly to me it fits my hand and works well.
I really appreciate the inspiration and coaching I've received from the true experts here on the Creek!
All the best, Mike
223002223003223005223001223004223006223007
Over the past year I built about a dozen, and the thin plate dovetail saw below completes my till. My early efforts were not only ugly but pretty much unusable - I invested lots of hours in saws that ultimately ended up with plates with more curves than the Mississippi and saw nuts that only sort of fit!
Thanks to a lot of advice and insight from the truly knowledgeable and generous experts here on the Creek (thanks Ray, Klaus, Pedder, George etc.), I have gradually gotten got better over time, and I think this dovetail saw is my best execution to date -- not a fancy design but a solid user.
This saw was inspired by the LN thin plate dovetail saw and is designed/set up for accurate work in relatively thin stock (≤ ¾”).
The plate on LN thin plate DT saw is 10” long. My personal preferences for saw plates that are a little bit longer, as I find the longer strokes help me with alignment and accuracy -- so I built the Plate 12” long, with 1 ½” of usable depth beneath a ¾” wide, slotted brass saw back from Mike Wentzloff.
Saw plate is .015” thick, 1095 steel and I hand cut/filed the teeth from scratch: 15 PPI, Rake: 8°, Fleam: 5° and no set.
Handle is Birds Eye Maple with a pattern from Ray Gardiner’s Back Saw Net (excellent site!) and uses TFWW split nuts.
Even with a 4”, double extra slim file it was really difficult for me to accurately cut 15 PPI teeth to a consistent profile from blank steel card stock. I had a hard time getting the file to start where I wanted it and consequently didn't get consistent size profiles -- they're pretty terrible at the heel where I started, and got progressively better towards the toe where I finished.
If I had to, I think I could improve fairly quickly if I had a little more practice in hand cutting teeth (particularly something a little bigger than 15 PPI!); however, it's not something I really enjoy. I much prefer working from machine cut teeth profiles and focusing on the final shaping and sharpening. I only hand cut these because I couldn't find pre-cut saw plates in .015” thickness.
Even though the teeth profiles aren't great, the teeth are level and the saw cuts quickly and accurately even with no set. Admittedly, I've only tried it with really dry mahogany. As I put the saw to work I may decide to add some set down the road.
Although not to the level of the true craftsmen here that the Creek, I like the fit and finish of the tote with the other components and most importantly to me it fits my hand and works well.
I really appreciate the inspiration and coaching I've received from the true experts here on the Creek!
All the best, Mike
223002223003223005223001223004223006223007