I made another bow saw. . .

[Michael Ray Smith]

Not that I really needed one, but, well, you know. For turning saws, I've generally followed the Gramercy plans, and this one uses the same brass Gramercy fittings. I'm going to try using it to rip or resaw some fairly long pieces, so, like the others, the blade in this one turns to allow it to be used "sideways." But there are a couple of things here new for me. First, the toggle. The ones I've made before followed the Gramercy pattern and required taking a full turn on the Spanish windlass each time. I know there are other gizmos that allow a half turn at a time, but I think this works just as well, and it's really simple. Second, I got tired of the stretcher and the cheeks coming apart when I change the blade, so I ran a small dowel through the tenon of the stretcher to hold all three main pieces together. The hole in the tenon itself is oversized, so the force of compression on the tenon continues to be borne by the shoulder. I wanted this one to have a deep throat -- lots of room between the blade and stretcher, so I made the cheeks pretty skinny too keep it from being so top-heavy. Maybe too skinny, but I won't find that out until it breaks -- in which case I'll have an excuse to make another! But I'm not sure why I didn't make the stretcher thinner. . . oh, well, next time. Oh, yeah . . . the cheeks are hickory, the stretcher and handles are hard maple, and the toggle is black walnut.

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[william nelson colorado]

Michael, that saw looks great. I'm getting ready to build a Gramercy BS kit. It's good to hear that you liked the parts enough to use them again. Good luck with the saw.

[Mel Fulks]

Lean and beautiful. It won't break ,unless you lend it to a friend.

[lowell holmes]

Michael, great looking saw. Can you tell us more about the blade. That doesn't look like a Gramercy blade.

[Chris Griggs]

Awesome! Looks really great. I love seeing homemade bowsaws!

[Matthew N. Masail]

I love your little "Gizmo", I assume it's so that you can slide it along safely and swap sides so that a 1\2 turn is possible.
a bow saw is on my list to make, I'll be using that gizmo trick.

[Ralph Juarros]

That is a beautiful bow saw, Michael. Nicely done. With a few more details, I might try to build a miniature version. Ralph

[george wilson]

Michael,as slender as that saw is,I definitely recommend that you use it on the pull stroke. No humor intended from the coping saw thread! Those arms are quite slim. Interesting use of the "knitty noddy" style stick. A knitty noddy is a device like your stick,but with longer cross arms,used to wind yarn. Maybe you can Google it. "Knitty noddy,knotty noddy,two heads and one body" is an old writing about it. Now that you have this priceless information,I am sure your education is complete!!!!:):):)

I have probably ruined your saw. Every time you look at it now,you will remember the silly 18th. C. jingle.

[lowell holmes]

George, in reading your post, the term scantlings came to mind. IIRC, John Gardner spoke of such things.

In wooden boat construction, they call the cross sectional size of the ribs in the hull "scantlings". I've wondered why we don't have a word we use in such matters.

I suppose to speak of scantlings in this forum wouldn't mean much. A definition is below.


n. noun


A very small amount; a modicum.

A small timber used in construction.

The dimensions of a building material, especially the width and thickness of a timber.

[george wilson]

Scantlings were used in the Hubbard book on harpsichord construction. It was written in the 60's,and is still the definitive study of the instrument. Maybe you are just not far enough into Yankee land!!

[Michael Ray Smith]

Michael,as slender as that saw is,I definitely recommend that you use it on the pull stroke.

Yep, I use it on the pull stroke. I'm a recent, but devoted, convert to that school. I was afraid it would snap the first time I used it, but cutting on the pull stroke is probably what saves it. Frankly, I hadn't thought of that, but you're right (as always!) -- cutting on the pull stroke reduces the force on the sides, while cutting on the push stroke increases it.

[Michael Ray Smith]

Michael, great looking saw. Can you tell us more about the blade. That doesn't look like a Gramercy blade.

The blade is German. I ordered it online from a site that a fellow Neander pointed out, but it's been a while, and I'm sorry to say I can't recall which one.

[Michael Ray Smith]

I love your little "Gizmo", I assume it's so that you can slide it along safely and swap sides so that a 1\2 turn is possible.
a bow saw is on my list to make, I'll be using that gizmo trick.

Yes, that's the idea. And so far it works just fine.

[Michael Ray Smith]

Thanks to everyone for the kind words. I really appreciate it.

[Matt Lau]

Quite nice!

[Michael Ray Smith]

Interesting use of the "knitty noddy" style stick. A knitty noddy is a device like your stick,but with longer cross arms,used to wind yarn. Maybe you can Google it. "Knitty noddy,knotty noddy,two heads and one body" is an old writing about it. Now that you have this priceless information,I am sure your education is complete!!!!:):):)

I have probably ruined your saw. Every time you look at it now,you will remember the silly 18th. C. jingle.

George, I finally looked it up. Never heard the name before, at least not that I recall. Yes, I'll think of that rhyme everytime I use it, but it won't ruin the saw for me. It'll add some additional color!