Duncan Potter
04-17-2008, 4:27 PM
I am a rank newbie, interested learning some of these neander skills. I wanted to try some dovetails, but no dovetail saw. What to do?
Thanks to a previous thread here, I decided to try to build a Gramercy dovetail saw. For a beginner like me, this little project was quite a test and quite a learning experience. I'm posting the pics here in case another newb wants to try it.
First, props to Tools for Working Wood for a neat little kit and rapid delivery.
I had posted here asking for advice on handle material. In the end, I went with the walnut because I had a pretty twisted board that was not useful for much else. I cut a square big enough for the blank and then used my primitive hand plane techniques to make the sides flat and parallel. The wife came into the shop for something and saw me standing ankle deep in shavings and burst out laughing. Even with the heckling, I was able to get the sides flat and square within about 1/64th before I quit.
86690
I photocopied the pattern a few times so I had some spares, then checked the copies to make sure the dimensions were still correct. Next I attached the pattern to the board with some spray adhesive.
Using the pattern as my guide, I drilled all the holes called for. Critical step I could have done a little better on, but hey, I'm learning.
86691
Since I don't have a bandsaw yet, and my coping saw is a useless piece of hardware store crap, I ended up cutting away the waste with my jigsaw. I did all right but this step would have gone better with the right tool. (Next stop, Gramercy bow saw?)
Next step is roughing in the blade and sawback slot in the handle. This is REAL tricky, especially if you don't own some really tiny chisels, don't measure VERY carefully, and don't think ahead. Ask me how I know....
After futzing around with sandpaper wrapped dowels, abrasive pads, rasps, etc. I finally broke down and got some drum sanders to mount in the drill press to smooth out the contours.
86692
More to follow!
Thanks to a previous thread here, I decided to try to build a Gramercy dovetail saw. For a beginner like me, this little project was quite a test and quite a learning experience. I'm posting the pics here in case another newb wants to try it.
First, props to Tools for Working Wood for a neat little kit and rapid delivery.
I had posted here asking for advice on handle material. In the end, I went with the walnut because I had a pretty twisted board that was not useful for much else. I cut a square big enough for the blank and then used my primitive hand plane techniques to make the sides flat and parallel. The wife came into the shop for something and saw me standing ankle deep in shavings and burst out laughing. Even with the heckling, I was able to get the sides flat and square within about 1/64th before I quit.
86690
I photocopied the pattern a few times so I had some spares, then checked the copies to make sure the dimensions were still correct. Next I attached the pattern to the board with some spray adhesive.
Using the pattern as my guide, I drilled all the holes called for. Critical step I could have done a little better on, but hey, I'm learning.
86691
Since I don't have a bandsaw yet, and my coping saw is a useless piece of hardware store crap, I ended up cutting away the waste with my jigsaw. I did all right but this step would have gone better with the right tool. (Next stop, Gramercy bow saw?)
Next step is roughing in the blade and sawback slot in the handle. This is REAL tricky, especially if you don't own some really tiny chisels, don't measure VERY carefully, and don't think ahead. Ask me how I know....
After futzing around with sandpaper wrapped dowels, abrasive pads, rasps, etc. I finally broke down and got some drum sanders to mount in the drill press to smooth out the contours.
86692
More to follow!