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Thread: Fret Saws

  1. #1
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    Fret Saws

    There was mention of different ways to use a fret saw when cutting dove tails, but they can be used for so much more, so here is a new thread on fret saws.

    My description of the Great Neck 250 was incorrect, it does not have a washer for the serrations, the clamp threads into the handle. There are serrations on the bow and the clamp to allow swinging the bow 360°. The two saws on the right are both marked PEER. The one all the way to the right says Germany and the other says West Germany. This probably dates one to pre WWII and the other to after WWII.

    The one all the way to the left has no markings. It doesn't have a top fine tensioner. It does have some sort of decorative "finial" or such. My only thought as to use is to catch it on something while setting the blade tension.

    The second picture is a detail of the Great Neck's mount to the handle.

    jim
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  2. #2
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    Jim,
    This has to be the first time in almost a year I can remember that YOU were incorrect!


    No worries though. The guy that was perfect got nailed to a cross!

    Thanks for the correction. You still darn near perfect~
    Dewey

    "Everything is better with Inlay or Marquetry!"


  3. #3
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    So is the 2nd one from left the Great Neck? The thing that got my interest on that one is the other side. Is that a threaded frame section and nut that locks the position instead of a thumbscrew clamp? That looks like it might be a bit easier to tension?
    Use the fence Luke

  4. #4
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    Jim,

    Where do you get your blades and what TPI do you like?

    Hank

  5. #5
    This is the Olsen that is sold by Craftsman Studio (and others) and I believe Cosman -it bears resemblance to some of the ones Jim has shown.

  6. #6
    Here's a few I have, the exact same one that John Keeton posted a pic of, and I'm not sure if you can see or not, but the blade is kinked/twisted.

    Above it is a miller falls with a deep throat and that's a nice one, I love those ornate knobs...and the extra depth comes in handy.

    On the right is some type of European saw, possibly, not sure. All the pieces are marked OR, whatever that means, they're stamped all over...

    Hank, FWIW, I have tried several tpi, 12, 18, and one other (21 or 23). I can't remember but the last one was in the twenties (I have tried 3 TPIs). I might have them in the garage if I look. The 12s work well, unless you are working fairly hard woods. I broke the blades on all three of these saws trying to cut the waste out of some purple heart and hickory on a dimensional bench I renovated in my garage.. It's nice to have more than one in that case, as it takes some time to get the blade in and kinked/twisted.
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    Life is about what your doing today, not what you did yesterday! Seize the day before it sneaks up and seizes you!

    Alan - http://www.traditionaltoolworks.com:8080/roller/aland/

  7. #7
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    Dewey, LOL and thanks.

    Doug, Yes, the Great Neck is easy to tension. Though with my weight and something to push on, those things just about tension themselves for fear of me leaning on 'em. Have a fewf different blades, I think the one in the GN is at 18 tpi and the other is about 12 tpi. One of the blades is spiral cut, it is a bit fatter than the others.

    Hank, Got my blades from Lee-Valley. Usually buy the packages of different tpi.

    John, I wonder if Olsen bought peer or if it is like Bailey planes in that everyone copies what works.

    Alan, The Miller's Falls is nice, I would like to get a deep frame fret, but that is what hunting is about. That one on the right looks like the frame is upside down or something.

    Twisting the blades was mentioned, is the twisting done before putting the blade in the saw?

    jim

  8. #8
    Jim, not sure on the buyout with Olsen. My guess is that it is an old design that has long since lost any patent protection.

    They carry that saw in a 3" deep, and a 5" deep model. I use the 3" (shown in the pic) which works fine for dovetails in drawer stock. If one needed a deeper cut, then the 5" obviously would be the better choice.

  9. After watching the 3 minute dovetail video, I definitley want to buy one or ten. I haven't found any locally, yet. Anyone know Where can I pick one up in the North Houston area?

  10. #10
    Jose, Woodcraft carries the fret saw, but not the 12.5 skip tooth blades that Cosman uses. You can also buy the saw and the skip tooth blades from Craftsman Studio. Shipping is a bit high though.

  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by Jose Kilpatrick View Post
    After watching the 3 minute dovetail video, I definitley want to buy one or ten. I haven't found any locally, yet. Anyone know Where can I pick one up in the North Houston area?
    As I have mentioned in another thread, if someone is considering a fret saw to cut the waste out of dovetails, the better solution is to use the thin coping saw blades which Tools For Working Wood sells. The ones that are .018" thick work with most all dovetail saws, and are worth considering. The coping saws are cheaper, and secure the blade much better, as well as being able to turn so you don't have to kink the blade.

    Jim, you kink the blade after you put it in the saw. So, you just put the fret saw blade in normally, and then just take a needle nose pliers and tweak it at each end.

    You know, I never thought much about it, but it might be possible to kink the blade around 45 degrees, so that the front was in properly and the mid/rear was kinked 45 degrees, so you could use the fret saw like Frank Klausz does his bow saw (bigger blade, much harder to twist) by starting off with the blade in the bottom of the slot and just put it through to continue the cut on the twisted section, if that makes sense.

    But to be honest, the coping saw is a better solution to the problem, at least in my experience. You get a a pack of 12 blades for about $7 at TFWW, and they fit most any coping saw.
    --
    Life is about what your doing today, not what you did yesterday! Seize the day before it sneaks up and seizes you!

    Alan - http://www.traditionaltoolworks.com:8080/roller/aland/

  12. Thank you both.
    Last edited by Jose Kilpatrick; 02-12-2009 at 5:24 PM.

  13. #13
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    Guys - I still do not understand why anyone finds it necessary to kink the blade on a fretsaw. When I do use them, I simply make one push into the kerf, then rotate the frame around 90 degrees on the return stroke. My thought on dovetailing is the less steps, the better, and futzing around with needle nose pliers and blades an extra bother - why bother?

  14. I'm not sure how to consider your advice at post # 666.... lol j/k

  15. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by David Keller NC View Post
    Guys - I still do not understand why anyone finds it necessary to kink the blade on a fretsaw. When I do use them, I simply make one push into the kerf, then rotate the frame around 90 degrees on the return stroke. My thought on dovetailing is the less steps, the better, and futzing around with needle nose pliers and blades an extra bother - why bother?
    I don't know about futzing, but if you have a fret saw with a 3" - 5" throat, which most are, how would you cut the waste out if the board your working on is 24" long? This is where a deep throat fret saw comes into play, like the Miller Falls I pictured earlier in the thread, but still, what do you do when you get a 36" board to dovetail, like a chest?

    Maybe I'm not understanding you correctly, can you post pics of how you do this David? Or describe it better?
    --
    Life is about what your doing today, not what you did yesterday! Seize the day before it sneaks up and seizes you!

    Alan - http://www.traditionaltoolworks.com:8080/roller/aland/

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