bow saws

[Aaron Kline]

I want to make a couple bow saws, mainly a turning saw and a firewood saw, eventually a crosscut and a rip too. What are some good pointers? I am planning on using ash wood. What kind of rope should I use and where should I get blades?

[Roy Griggs]

Here is a good starting place...
http://www.wkfinetools.com/contrib/bSmalser/copingSaw/copSaw1.asp
and then there's this reference...
http://www.galootcentral.com/modules.php?name=Web_Links&l_op=viewlink&cid=16
the second one will lead you to several saw tutorials...
roy

[Michael Pilla]

There's a great book by Charles Hayward that can be dowloaded for free at Toolemera Press:
http://www.toolemera.com/grr/bks/tlpbooks1900-195.html

toolsforworkingwood.com sells blades and parts to make a turning saw
Highland hardware and Woodcraft sell replacement blades for the european type framesaws

hth,
Michael

[Tom Marchner]

When you get to the point where you want to build the rip saw, take a look at frame saw designs. Supposedly a woodworker can do rip cuts with a regular bowsaw by angling the blade so that the frame is off to the side and out of the line of the cut. I use a bow saw all the time and I've tried to rip with it and find it very awkward. That's why I'm looking at the frame saw design.

Here's a example of what I'm talking about:

http://www.hyperkitten.com/woodworking/frame_saw.php3

One thing I really like about this design is that you can even resaw with it. I've heard that this is what was used for resawing before people had bandsaws.

I'll bet that this kind of saw has a place in a good set of woodworking handsaws.