It's the darnedest thing...

[Tony Wilkins]

...when you follow the sage advice of centuries of woodworkers and craftsmen things go better. Got ought to my workshop for the first time I have it setup ((mostly).

Finally found a candle and darned if rubbing it on my planes and saws didn't make it easier to use them.

Haven't built my saw bench but found a steel cabinet that's just slightly too high. Darned if it isn't easier to saw at that height. Side note: the more I use my disston D8 thumbhole rip and crosscut saws the more I find them a joy to use. I'm back to worrying about screwing it up if I try to sharpen the rip lol.

A couple of other notes from a couple of days of actually being able to woodwork... I've been really successful planing with my veritas 5 1/4. I hope practice makes better because my attempts to saw straight look like they were done by a blind, drunk monkey working on a dinghy in rough seas.

My apologies to any blind, drunk monkeys out there.

[Judson Green]

...when you follow the sage advice of centuries of woodworkers and craftsmen things go better. Got ought to my workshop for the first time I have it setup ((mostly).

Finally found a candle and darned if rubbing it on my planes and saws didn't make it easier to use them.

Haven't built my saw bench but found a steel cabinet that's just slightly too high. Darned if it isn't easier to saw at that height. Side note: the more I use my disston D8 thumbhole rip and crosscut saws the more I find them a joy to use. I'm back to worrying about screwing it up if I try to sharpen the rip lol.

A couple of other notes from a couple of days of actually being able to woodwork... I've been really successful planing with my veritas 5 1/4. I hope practice makes better because my attempts to saw straight look like they were done by a blind, drunk monkey working on a dinghy in rough seas.

My apologies to any blind, drunk monkeys out there.


I too am a blind drunk monkey. Just got done ripping and crosscutting a few boards to make a saw bench and by the time I got the last one done I could see a definite improvement. Not like I know what I'm doing but better.

endeavor to persevere

[Jim Koepke]

At one time my dovetails always showed improvement from the first corner to the last. For a while, my dovetailing strategy was to start with the ones that wouldn't show and work up to the ones that would.

Over the years they are getting better.

The wood makes a difference also. Pitchy pine tends to move after cutting and then splits.

jtk

[Jacob Nothstine]

Practice planing more then you don't have to saw straight, just close enough to plane it straight. :)

[Jim Matthews]

.My apologies to any blind, drunk monkeys out there.

No offense taken. We aim our projectiles mostly be smell and the sound of shrieking anyway.
You've mentioned one of the great overlooked aspects of planing - the shape of the tool makes it want to follow a (wait for it) plane.

People get to excited over sawing precision - saws get things close.
Planes and chisels get things fitted.

Glue gets it together.

I take greater care at each progressing step in that process.

There's a saying, "Let 'er rip" - which can be construed to mean, "Go fast".

[Tony Wilkins]

No offense taken. We aim our projectiles mostly be smell and the sound of shrieking anyway.
You've mentioned one of the great overlooked aspects of planing - the shape of the tool makes it want to follow a (wait for it) plane.

People get to excited over sawing precision - saws get things close.
Planes and chisels get things fitted.

Glue gets it together.

I take greater care at each progressing step in that process.

There's a saying, "Let 'er rip" - which can be construed to mean, "Go fast".

Perhaps I am expecting too much precision from my ripping. I need to leave more room for error then. Leads to a new question. When I come from both sides of the board as I've seen recommended, the cuts don't quite match. I've had the darnedest time planing that error flat. Any tips?

[Sam Stephens]

Perhaps I am expecting too much precision from my ripping. I need to leave more room for error then. Leads to a new question. When I come from both sides of the board as I've seen recommended, the cuts don't quite match. I've had the darnedest time planing that error flat. Any tips?

i prefer to not cut from both sides for this reason. my saw bench has a continuous slit down the middle so that I have plenty of board support and don't have to worry about flipping the board and cutting from the opposite side. JMTCW.


271310

[Zach Dillinger]

Perhaps I am expecting too much precision from my ripping. I need to leave more room for error then. Leads to a new question. When I come from both sides of the board as I've seen recommended, the cuts don't quite match. I've had the darnedest time planing that error flat. Any tips?

You aren't cutting with the saw square to the work. You tilt the saw (most likely with the handle too close to your body), taking the saw off square in the vertical plane. So you cut somewhat close to the line on the top but far off the line (hopefully into the waste!) on the bottom. Then, when you flip the work end for end, the tilt of the saw goes the opposite way relative to the work, doubling the error where the two cuts meet. The way to stop this is to start the saw square (you can use a try square for this) and periodically check you are still square as you go (the sound of the saw will tell you if you deviate from your original square orientation). Then, when you start from the other end, as long as you start square, your kerf should come pretty close to meeting up. You may not be right on, but you shouldn't be off by much if you are careful. A coarse set plane will set it right.

[Jim Koepke]

Perhaps I am expecting too much precision from my ripping. I need to leave more room for error then. Leads to a new question. When I come from both sides of the board as I've seen recommended, the cuts don't quite match. I've had the darnedest time planing that error flat. Any tips?

For long rips this is why I like three saw benches. One in the middle for starting the cut. One is in back to support the plank as it feeds toward the cut. Finally one ahead of the cut to support the plank after the cut.

My middle bench has a bird's mouth to allow the piece to be supported for starting cuts. It also has a line drawn on the bench to let me know when the cut is getting close to the bench. That doesn't always work. There are a few kerfs cut into the bird's mouth.

jtk

[Tony Wilkins]

You aren't cutting with the saw square to the work. You tilt the saw (most likely with the handle too close to your body), taking the saw off square in the vertical plane. So you cut somewhat close to the line on the top but far off the line (hopefully into the waste!) on the bottom. Then, when you flip the work end for end, the tilt of the saw goes the opposite way relative to the work, doubling the error where the two cuts meet. The way to stop this is to start the saw square (you can use a try square for this) and periodically check you are still square as you go (the sound of the saw will tell you if you deviate from your original square orientation). Then, when you start from the other end, as long as you start square, your kerf should come pretty close to meeting up. You may not be right on, but you shouldn't be off by much if you are careful. A coarse set plane will set it right.

Think this is definitely part of it. I use the square some but tend to loose track of it once I get into it a bit. Part of the problem I have is I'm right handed but left eye dominant (gift of being switched as a child). I haven't quite figured out how to get my left eye over far enough to see the line.

[Judson Green]

Think this is definitely part of it. I use the square some but tend to loose track of it once I get into it a bit. Part of the problem I have is I'm right handed but left eye dominant (gift of being switched as a child). I haven't quite figured out how to get my left eye over far enough to see the line.

I'm right eyed and right handed but often cut left handed. I feel switching it up between hands (for me its really about my right shoulder getting sore) makes hand tool woodworking more enjoyable. I've also done this a bit with planes like during grueling hand planning session. Perhaps you have already but try using you left hand for sawing. IIRC there was a thread about this a while ago maybe two months.

[Tony Wilkins]

I'm right eyed and right handed but often cut left handed. I feel switching it up between hands (for me its really about my right shoulder getting sore) makes hand tool woodworking more enjoyable. I've also done this a bit with planes like during grueling hand planning session. Perhaps you have already but try using you left hand for sawing. IIRC there was a thread about this a while ago maybe two months.

That threads what got me thinking about that aspect. I actually tried sawing a little left handed and it wasn't too bad; unfortunately the nerve damage is much worse on my left side so I'm limited to how long I can try on that wing.

[Michael Mueller]

One technique I use is the same technique used in mountain biking, always look where your going next not where you are. I try to look half an inch or so down further down the line never looking where the saw is currently cutting.

[Jim Koepke]

Michael,

Welcome to the Creek. Your profile doesn't indicate a location, what part of this big ball of mud do you call home?


One technique I use is the same technique used in mountain biking, always look where your going next not where you are. I try to look half an inch or so down further down the line never looking where the saw is currently cutting.

This is part of the rip sawing equation. One of the things noticed while someone was in my shop trying to saw was paying attention to the saw plate. Especially when first starting to saw. It should stay in the same plane. The person who came to my shop to learn a few things never noticed that the saw plate was swaying from side to side when he drove the saw. His sawing showed an immediate improvement when this was pointed out to him.

One thing done when first learning to rip saw was to lay the saw down at a low cut angle if the saw started to wander. This allowed moving the kerf back toward the line. Eventually my technique improved and this is just a memory.

jtk

[Adam Cruea]

Paraffin wax also works well at helping your tools along through wood.

Your sawing will generally get better with time. I used to have a horrible time following a line, then I stopped trying to force the saw around and things got much easier. Part of following a line is starting the saw properly, and I've only learned how to do that with practice.

Just my small opinion.

[Michael Mueller]

Michael,

Welcome to the Creek. Your profile doesn't indicate a location, what part of this big ball of mud do you call home?

jtk
Thanks Jim, I am from Jervis Bay south of Sydney, Australia

[george wilson]

I only use paraffin. It is cleaner than sticky beeswax,and slipperier,too.