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Glen Evans
04-13-2009, 9:12 PM
All the fine saw makers here inspired me to try making my own--its taken a couple of months to get them together but here they are.

Cocobolo handles, tapered back, 1095 spring steel 0.020 thou. Carcase saw 12 tpi crosscut, (progressive at toe from 16 to 12) 15 degrees rake. Dovetail saw 16 tpi rip (progressive at toes from 20 to 16) 8 degrees rake. I'm really pleased with how easily both saws start. I had trouble with the slot on both of these saws--alot of work was required on the back mortises to clean things up--unfortunately I had to do some shimming in the mortise to fix things up--fortunately the repairs are easily concealed with the dark wood.

Hope this inspires more to give it a try...

Thanks for looking
Glen

Glen Evans
04-13-2009, 9:20 PM
I wasn't able to upload these pics in the previous post...

The half back saw is 0.030 thou with wenge handle, (I don't recommend wenge! It took me days to fill the grain...)

The tenon saw is 10 tpi rip (progressive from 14 at toe) again with a cocobolo handle. I hadn't intended to do a No. 9 knock off but I screwed up the brass bar and had to change the design. This the second handle--the hang angle of the first was too high.

The half back handle is patterned after a Spear and Jackson saw I have
Enjoy!
Glen

Brian Kent
04-13-2009, 9:22 PM
Boy, you have some nice contour work going on those handle. Cocobolo is just beautiful and I like what you did with the organic contours contrasting with crisp corners.

How did you make the back?

Fantastic job!

Glen Evans
04-13-2009, 9:43 PM
(Sorry for the multiple posts--I just figured out how to upload more than two shots at a time!)

Brian I had a local guy slot the brass for $40--I had a 48" piece of 1/4" x 1" all done at once so that committed me to making the set...

The cocobolo is a joy to use! I did two wenge handles first--they almost killed me. The cocobolo machines so smoothly and is tight grained--almost as nice as rosewood to work with. I roughed out the handles with rasps and files then sanded to 800. Finish is BLO topped with wax.

I noticed the teeth looked ragged in a previous shot--they seemed to get lost on the granite--here is a close-up of the dovetail saw progressive pitch...

While using my own tools doesn't improve the quality of my work, I must say it is incredibly rewarding to use your own tools. For anyone thinking about making backsaws, I say "Go for it!" Like planemaking, the first one is tricky and then they start to get easier.

Cheers
Glen

Brian Kent
04-13-2009, 9:57 PM
Just four:D?

What a great idea to get a long piece of brass slotted all at once. Another idea to plagiarize!

How did you cut the saw blades, especially the irregularly shaped ends?

Did you make a paper pattern for the teeth?

Oh yeah, one more thing. Do they cut wood?

Jim Koepke
04-14-2009, 1:23 AM
Inspirationally fantastic.

I am getting close to the point where I may be able to try making some of my own also.

Should probably fix up a few more of the old saws around here for practice first.

Don't be sorry for multiple posts, with work like that, surely most of us would like to see more.

jim

George Beck
04-14-2009, 6:43 AM
The saws are great! Stunning.

George

Glen Evans
04-14-2009, 7:34 AM
Brian, I did glue a tooth pattern on the blade prior to filing the teeth. I got the pattern from Bugbear's site--very helpful. With respect to cutting the plate--you may not believe it by I cut all the blades on a wet tile saw with a diamond blade! I think I probably cooked the blade after cutting out all the blades for these and two panel saws, (yet to be completed). I've heard about scoring and snapping but that didn't work at all for me--different strokes...

The rounded parts were done on a grinder--nothing special there. I found my large belt sander very handy for tapering the brass and chamfering the edges, (I guess I shouldn't admit to that on this forum....)

Jim, rehabbing saws is what got me into this...my 9 year old boy and I have hunted for; cleaned up; refinished; resharpend and set many old handsaws. (We're both particularly fond of the old Spear and Jackson split nuts and Harvey Peace..) He can actually file and set a saw pretty competently now--it is great practice and really increased my confidence for filing in the teeth.

George, thanks for the kind words...

Glen

Ron Brese
04-14-2009, 8:07 AM
Glenn,

Those are fine looking tools you've made. I'm sure they work as well as they look and now you're kitted out pretty good in saws. Congrats.

Ron Brese

Dominic Greco
04-14-2009, 8:13 AM
Glen,
I just had to tekk you how much I am in awe of your work! ALL of the saws look beautuful! And the craftsmanship is top notch. BRAVO!!

Richard Dooling
04-14-2009, 10:22 AM
Beautiful work Glen! What sort of rasps and files are you using for the handles?

Quality rasps are hard to find used and the good new ones are so expensive. Anyone have any suggestions for something good that doesn't cost an arm and a leg?

Glen Evans
04-14-2009, 10:48 AM
Richard, I'd love to buy some nice rasps as well--I just used Lee Valley's http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=1&p=20133&cat=1,42524 and http://www.leevalley.com/shopping/AddViews.aspx?p=47909 I also like this one alot (also for plane beds): http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=1&p=56529&cat=1,42524 Maybe some day I'll get some nicer ones but these did the job with lots of sandpaper. Nothing too fancy. I spent my money on the brass and the cocobolo!

Ron and Dominic: I appreciate the feedback from everybody--its very encouraging. When I've showed these to non-woodworking friends they give me that funny look as if to say "are you crazy? its a handsaw, why in the world you would you make a handsaw? and what's a dovetail anyway?"

Glen

Jim Koepke
04-14-2009, 11:05 AM
When I've showed these to non-woodworking friends they give me that funny look as if to say "are you crazy? its a handsaw, why in the world you would you make a handsaw? and what's a dovetail anyway?"

Maybe a few bucks spent on a new cheap saw, use it to saw a couple of nails, then when they give you the line, take them out to the shop and show them why you like to make your own.:cool:

jim

Richard Dooling
04-14-2009, 12:42 PM
Thanks Glen, the LV rasps look pretty good and at well over a hundred for an Auriou, they look even better.

Talk about funny looks from folks who aren't into this - "Oh look honey, I think I can modify this old wooden jack plane to work well as a scrub plane."

The kindness of her heart cannot mask the disinterest in her eyes,"How nice for you."

Just think of the look I'd get saying,"Gosh my new rasp (singular) finally came in and it was only $149. "

"Really? Let's see how well it removes that point on top of your head!"

Michael Sobik
04-14-2009, 4:45 PM
Wow, those turned out great! Thanks for sharing.

David Keller NC
04-14-2009, 5:47 PM
"Thanks Glen, the LV rasps look pretty good and at well over a hundred for an Auriou, they look even better."

You can get the same hand-cut rasp that isn't labelled "Auriou", but made by former employees of Auriou, for about $80 in the largest sizes at The Best Things.

If all you're really interested in doing with a rasp is hogging off stock (such as the initial steps in roughing out a cabriole leg), then a plain ole Nicholson #49 or #50 will do the trick (and is what I use for the roughing work).

If your objective is to get very close to a finished surface, then it's a "get what you pay for" equation. I used to use machine-made rasps and rifflers for this purpose - until I bought an Auriou. Several other Aurious later, I sold all of the others - there was no comparison.

Duane Mohney
04-15-2009, 7:40 AM
Beautiful, thanks for sharing.

Peter Gavin
04-15-2009, 7:58 AM
This post has encouraged me to ask a question I have had in the back of my mind. I would imagine that most of the cost for having a machinist cut a slot in brass would be in the setup. Couldn;t we get a group together and make a group buy for a large brass order and then pay a machinest to cut the slots all at once? This would seem to make it a cost effective way to get slotted brass backs for making saws.

Just taking a quick glance at McMaster Carr, a six foot strip of 360 brass, 1/4 inch thick and 1/2 inch wide would run $32.38 (pluss shipping). Assuming we could get the slotting down to $10 per six foot piece by buying in bulk at one time, and adding in some shipping, we could get 1 foot long backs for about $10.00 a piece. This would seem pretty reasonable to me.

Peter