What crosscut configuration do you use?

[Assaf Oppenheimer]

Hi all,

Im trying to round out my basic kit and need to get a crosscut saw. The rule of 6-7 ppi in the cut seems to make theoretical sense to me when you are talking about 4/4 lumber and thinner. 8/4 would suggest a 3ppi saw! I was w9ndering what crosscut hand saws (or panal saws you all use most, and specifically whats your favorite for thicker boards?

[Rafael Herrera]

I've got a Sandvik hand saw, cross cut, I think around 7 ppi, I don't remember. I'm far from my workshop at the moment.

The plate is thicker than other vintage hand saws I have.

I got it as NOS, it's a very aggressive saw and I've used it to cut 2" and thicker stock. It works really well.

Similar to this one, but just to give you an idea, I don't remember the model number.

https://journeymansjournel.wordpress...dsaw-for-sale/

[Warren Mickley]

I use an 8 point saw for crosscutting. The two hand saws in the Seaton Chest (1796) are 5 rip and 8 crosscut.These are adequate for a cabinetmaker. The six teeth rule is not historical or practical. i use a 5 1/2 rip saw for stuff between 1/4 in thick and 4 inches thick.

Holtzapffel (1848) lists quite a wide range of saws, but says that most workmen have only two or three. Of course most doctors have fifteen or more.

[Tom M King]

I use handsaws a lot. Crosscuts:

house framing- 7 point if it won't cut a 2x4 in five strokes it needs to be sharpened

general purpose- 8 point things like handrails and shingle ridge

siding and interior trim- 10 point

inside hardwood, things like oak treads to fit between skirt boards- 12 point

edited to add: forgot the picture of my 1975 made saw box. Both boxes are full, and the saw cutting shingles is the one that gets left out all the time.

[Ben Ellenberger]

Mine is 11 ppi, 22 inch. It works fine for breaking down stock. I could see the appeal of getting something with larger teeth if you are working with a lot of 8/4 or 12/4 stuff.

[Rob Luter]

My hand saws are 5PPI Rip and 8PPI Crosscut. If I need to break down stock thicker than 1" nominal I rely on electrons.

[steven c newman]

Leftovers, ready for work .JPG
The one on the left is a D-112, 7ppi..the one on the right is a D8, 5-1/2ppi....All my No.4 backsaws are 9ppi...The D-8 Panel saw is a 10ppi..

Seems to work for me quite well.
Tool Chest Tour, ready rack, saws.JPG
The Bishop No. 10 has two different tooth counts..one rip, one for cross cut...Jackson is a 11 ppi, I think...

[Jim Koepke]

As Tom posted, it depends on the work and how smooth the cut needs to be.

A low ppi will give a rougher cut. This is fine if Rail Road ties are being cut for the edging of a flower bed.

For various uses my crosscut saws run from 6ppi to 12ppi.

jtk

[Stephen Rosenthal]

Assaf,

I’ve never heard of a 3ppi crosscut saw. You’re probably thinking rip, and I’ve only seen a few of those. I have a D7 4ppi rip that eats wood like sharks at a feeding frenzy. My crosscuts range from 7-11ppi, with a 10ppi no-set Acme 120 for super smooth cuts. But unless it’s only a few cuts or I feel the need for a workout, I use tailed devices.

[Assaf Oppenheimer]

if you plan on cleaning up the saw marks with a plane, how much does the roughness of the cut matter? i.e does a rough cut saw leave significantly more work than a fine cut?

[Ben Ellenberger]

I think cutting square and close to your line with a saw makes a much bigger difference in clean-up time than tooth count does.

[Jim Koepke]

if you plan on cleaning up the saw marks with a plane, how much does the roughness of the cut matter? i.e does a rough cut saw leave significantly more work than a fine cut?

One of the factors to cause a rough cut is the set of the saw's teeth. Typically the lower the ppi of a saw the more set. This leaves larger valleys and hills to smooth after the cut.

Another component of a rough cut is splintering. This can be reduced by knifing all around the cut.

jtk

[Rafael Herrera]

if you plan on cleaning up the saw marks with a plane, how much does the roughness of the cut matter? i.e does a rough cut saw leave significantly more work than a fine cut?

In this picture, I cut off the ends of a live edge coffee table I gave to friends, American cherry wood. I'm pretty sure I used my Sandvik saw, not the table saw, burn marks would have been left behind, but I'm not 100% sure.

In any case, these are matched pieces, the left side is the waste, the right side looked the same, it was planed with a no. 4 smoother. A Bailey pattern, with an OEM iron and prepared cap iron. The operation took only a few minutes. On other projects the no. 4 did the job quickly as well.

The wood species matter, of course. I've a white oak test piece, very dry. The end grain is very difficult to plane.

20220925_231019.jpg

[Tom M King]

I can't think of anything I cut with a handsaw that is planned to be cleaned up later. If I'm cutting it with a handsaw, it's a finished cut.

[Rafael Herrera]

Through dovetails?