Made a stairsaw

[Derek Cohen]

A stairsaw has been on my to-do list for some time. I built this one over the past two weekends, about 6 hours in all.

The drive to build one increased recently after I completed a sliding dovetail plane. These two tools are meant to work hand-in-hand. For those unfamiliar with a stairsaw, they were used to cut the housings for stairs before the advent of the electric router. These days they are used for cutting the sidewalls for dados and sliding dovetails.

I am still in the process of filing the blade (donated by an ex-tenon saw). It is 10 1/2" long. The design allows the blade to extend and retract into the Jarrah body. It should be able to cut a sliding dovetail at least 1" deep. It will have reversable sides with one side crosscut and the other rip teeth.

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The design is a little different from the typical stairsaw. Not just that it is very Gothic! I wanted something longer (blades are usually about 6" long) and with a deeper blade to use against a guide (angled for a 1:6 dovetail).

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Richard Wolf]

That's a beauty. I've seen my share of stairsaws, none even close to that. Great job and I'm sure you are proud of it.

Richard

[Jeff Sudmeier]

Wow Derek, that is a neat looking saw!

You guys that build your own tools amaze me :)

[Alan DuBoff]

Very tasteful design, a beautiful looking saw!

Great job Derek!

[Mark Singer]

Deek,
Just a beauty! Wonderful work!

[Alan Turner]

Wonderful saw, and definitely worth the carved volute. Use it well.

I don't have time right now, or I think I would be inclined to make one as well. Did you give thought to a convex curve on one side of the blade (cross-cut)? Seems that would be handy as well. Perhaps a separate saw, with curves on both sides, one rip and one x-cut? Oh, the meanderings of the mind.

[Derek Cohen]

Thanks all for the kind words.

Alan, I do plan something different for the blade - I am filing one side rip and the other side crosscut.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[James Owen]

Derek,

Very nice saw; I really like your handle design, and the carving at the front adds a little bit of the classic appearance.
Again, very nice job.

James

[Tyler Howell]

Old world craftsmanship! beautiful.

[Steve Clardy]

Nice design!!
I'm going to pattern one [not fancy] from a disston. Going to put the front handle back, so the blade will be all the way to the front of the saw.

[Hank Knight]

Derek, as usual, I'm impressed; you do wonderful work. I like the design a lot.

[Deirdre Saoirse Moen]

That is absolutely a work of art. This answers a lot of questions I had about making the female part of a sliding dovetail. A stair saw (now that I know what one is) makes so much more sense than most of the other things people suggested.

[Zahid Naqvi]

nice as usual

[Pam Niedermayer]

Beautiful, Derek. Do you plan to crown the blade?

Pam

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Pam

Thanks for the kind words. I have not crowned the blade but I am considering doing so since the blade is long and, while it cuts well, I suspect that crowning will make it easier to start.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Dave Anderson NH]

Very nicely done Derek. I particularly like the open handle which should give good control and improve the ergonomics over the traditional style of stair saw. Am I correect in that you used an oil finish?

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Dave

For hand tools (that soak up the oils from hands) I prefer something a little more durable than oil, but with the same natural look, so I use one or two coats of Danish Oil, and then finish with a rub down of 0000 steel wool and wax.

Regards from Perth

Derek