bandsaw vs. hand tools

[scott bryan]

Greetings,

I'm knew to this forum and to online discussions in general so forgive me as I work my way through this.

My question is this: Is there a way to use hand tools to make cuts usually performed with a bandsaw? I'm thinking specifically of things like shaping feet and cleats for a trestle table, cutting a curved profile in the base peices for a chest or free standing cabinet, etc.

Any advice regarding tools and techniques would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
scott

[David G Baker]

It was done by hand long before power tools. It can be done and I am sure it is presently being done my folks on this site. Check the Neanderthal section on this site.
David B

[Jim Becker]

Welcome to the 'Creek!

There is usually one or more ways to do what you describe without using power tools. Various types of fret-saws, coping saws, etc., will do scrolling cuts as you describe.

[Kristian Wild]

Yeah, what Jim said, then moving on to tools like rasps and scrapers for final shaping. Of course you would likely need these anyway to clean up after a bandsaw cut.

[Robert Rozaieski]

You would use a bow saw, also called a turning saw. They apply much better tension to the blade than any metal framed coping saw can and when tensioned and adjusted correctly are simply a joy to use.

Grammercy Tools (Tools for Working Wood) makes a real nice one if you want to buy new or you can find one on the old tools market fairly easily, you just need to check it out carefully before you buy to make sure it is in good enough shape to handle the high tension. I bought a used one a few years ago and recently put one of the bowsaw blades from Tools for Working Wood in it and it cuts beautifully.

Check out the article on bowsaws that Joel at Tools for Working Wood put together while researching old saws to design theirs. It has everything you would want to know about bowsaws.

[Alan Turner]

I have a couple of rip bow saws, but use them primarily for demonstration purposes. However, they do cut well and quickly. Mine are from a retired chairmaker; he did mostly upholstered chairs, sofas, etc., and they saw heavy use on the crest rails. He used a bunch of spokeshaves to then smooth and refine the shapes. He give me a demo at about age 75, and the shavings just flew. Pretty cool day.

[Bill Houghton]

Another approach besides coping, fret, and bow saws - all of which essentially use the skinny tensioned blade approach that a bandsaw does, but grunt-powered instead, can be used on some curves: lay out your curve, cut through the waste cross-grain every inch or less, depending on the curve, wood, etc., then knock out the wood between your cuts (paying CLOSE attention to the direction of the grain, says the voice of experience), then smooth the resulting mess with spokeshave, rasp, etc.

Some larger, simple curves can be roughly shaped with a drawknife (a seriously under-respected tool, in my opinion) or a hatchet.

[Zahid Naqvi]

As most people mentioned there are certainly ways to make the curved cuts with various types of handsaws. I am also bandsaw-less and though I have used most of the techniques described above, at one time or the other, the time and effort it requires is much more than what the bandsaw will need. Hence the #1 item on my "to buy list" is a bandsaw, as soon as I can come up with enough money :eek: I absolutely love working with handtools but I am not a big fan of doing the drudge work, I much prefer the finer details such as finishing with handplanes, jinery and fitting etc.

And welcome to the creek, lots of knowledgeable folks here.