Clamp boards close to the line to cut. Clamp in a vise. Use a hacksaw or alternately use a fine tooth bands saw. Finish up with a belt or drum sander.
I think one of the reasons you don’t get much help from the metal working forum is most here don’t really have metal working machine tools but rather want a Neanderthal method. Most machinists take pride in their craftsmanship which is manifested in precision, accuracy and surface finish, achievable only by machine tools. Rather than suggesting a method that in the machinists eye would not meet their own standards they just clam up. Don’t get me wrong there are hand methods that will work just fine, I’ve done it my self, attached saw pic cut just the way I suggested above. But given the choice I would have rather cut it with a wire edm, and put a few curly cue design features into the saw plate.
attached pic of two of last machine shop I managed.
8BCCC182-7F69-4160-AE51-52218C4E54A2.jpg2BFBE54D-8E48-47D3-AB7C-E2919A06102C.jpg949B475C-79CC-4663-B98F-AEC24E86FD38.jpg
The Plane Anarchist
Jig saw with a metal cutting blade?
I may have posted them a few years ago when I made them. I’ve been absent here for a few years. Back now.
The Plane Anarchist
I saw that thread and decided to keep my mouth shut in case I could learn something. I would use a dremel to get close and finish with a file. The idea of snapping metal things in a vise makes my skin crawl.
Nope. Not mine.
I am very pleased to report that my anonymous benefactor's steel has arrived. "They" sent me not one but two plates, one with vertical grain and one with horizontal. I didn't know steel had a grain. I've loaded the one with the grain running perpendicular to the handle.
I'm a little sheepish to post the photo because the maple handle is a big, blocky rectangle. It needs to be shaped and shaved down to fit better in my hand, so I'll get to that. But the benefactor wanted to see the steel in the tool even with the handle's primitive state, and I could not figure out how to attach a photo in the PM area, so here goes:
Bob's kerfing tool.jpg IMG_6028.jpg
Maybe someday I'll use a longer piece for the handle, but to tell the truth, I like it even as it is now. It takes a hammer blow stoutly.
Anyway, how about that Creeker going to that trouble for me? The plate is elegantly finished along three edges, and only slightly rougher on one of them. I buried the slightly rougher edge into the handle, figuring it would probably wedge in better.
Last edited by Bob Jones 5443; 04-12-2021 at 7:52 PM.