It's Finished! Coping Saw-sized Japanese-Pull-Type Bow Saw (for Dovetails)

[Bob Smalser]

I've got these out for trial with two West Coast shipwrights and two local high-end finish carpenters who are using them regularly, and this is the consensus on how small saws like this should be held. The closer the hand is to the blade the more precise the control.

The knob handle should be sized to fit the individual hand, as there is a lot of preference variation there.

[Mark Singer]

Bob ,

That is beautiful! And a nice size for small joinery. Are you selling them?

[Bob Smalser]

That's why I post the design for folks to make their own. Too many steps and the resulting too many hours, Mark...and I've made one or two before over the decades.

6 hours @ 40 bucks a shop hour simply isn't reasonable for a 15-dollar coping saw....and I've already plenty of work backed up for that amount of money. I wouldn't sell anything at a lesser level of finish, either.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...ghlight=coping

[Jerry Crawford]

6 hours @ 40 bucks a shop hour simply isn't reasonable for a 15-dollar coping saw....and I've already plenty of work backed up for that amount of money. I wouldn't sell anything at a lesser level of finish, either.

I hear that! I have over 40 hours in my first pair, but that was mostly learning curve. Besides, something like this is best made by the user and it's a personal gloat when it's finished. OTOH, they make perfect gifts to son's and brothers who are also woodworkers.

[Dan Moening]

Here ya go, Tom:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...135953353&rd=1


Ok, its more of a hacksaw, but it might provide some inspiration.

FWIW I recently made a Smalser-style coping saw. The grip shown above is actually quite comfortable...and the tension you can apply with this design is incredible.

When the digicam is operational I'll post a pic.

[Tom LaRussa]

Here ya go, Tom:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...135953353&rd=1


Ok, its more of a hacksaw, but it might provide some inspiration.

Dan,

Actually I think it's a bone saw -- for cutting through joints of meat.

FWIW I recently made a Smalser-style coping saw. The grip shown above is actually quite comfortable...and the tension you can apply with this design is incredible.

When the digicam is operational I'll post a pic.

Hey, you know the rules. No pic, no tool!

[Jerry Crawford]

make sense..? Absolutly. Thanks

[Dan Moening]

Uh, OK, so you're making a bowsaw sized frame saw. Got it!

The rough edges I refered to were the result of my poor eyesight and a bad monitor...I thought they were "natural" as edge-of-tree kinda thing. oops.

Mounting the blade is going to the hairy part...especially if you do use 2 connections on each side. Come to think of it you may have to mount the 2 posts with the top one slightly towards outside ... as the tension is increased the lower post will start to tension first, yes?

At the moment I can't think of a better way to cut the slot than threading a fine blade into a hole as you have suggested. Wanna bet that Bob has a boat builders secret for this

BTW the grip looks just fine

[Louis Bois]

Tom,

You may just want to consider cutting a thin kerf all the way up from the bottom of the handle to the saw blade position and fill the resultant gap with a piece of contrasting wood. I can't imagine cutting a 1/32 mortise to house that blade. Just an idea...

[Jerry Crawford]

what is the problem with using only one adjusting knob? Anchor the near end of the blade in the base of the handle and use a knob of the same kind of contrasting wood from the handle at the other end of the blade. As long as you're not cutting out dovetails in boards so wide the throat of the saw can't reach the middle of the board you'll not even have to twist the blade just rotate over the whole saw

[Bruce Shiverdecker]

I made this one about a year ago and use it for all kinds of cuts. It uses an 18" blade.

Bruce

[Tom LaRussa]

I made this one about a year ago and use it for all kinds of cuts. It uses an 18" blade.

Bruce

Very nice work, Bruce.

I especially like the little finger cutouts on the right.

What did you use for your tensioning string?

[Tom LaRussa]

what is the problem with using only one adjusting knob? Anchor the near end of the blade in the base of the handle and use a knob of the same kind of contrasting wood from the handle at the other end of the blade. As long as you're not cutting out dovetails in boards so wide the throat of the saw can't reach the middle of the board you'll not even have to twist the blade just rotate over the whole saw

Jerry,

I'm shooting for a bow saw that is sized like a coping saw, not an actual coping saw. In other words, I don't want the blade to be able to twist at all. And since I won't be using a knob to twist the blade, and they don't look like very comfortable hands, I'm trying to eliminate them altogether.

[Tom LaRussa]

Tom,

You may just want to consider cutting a thin kerf all the way up from the bottom of the handle to the saw blade position and fill the resultant gap with a piece of contrasting wood. I can't imagine cutting a 1/32 mortise to house that blade. Just an idea...

And a pretty darn good one. I cut the kerf on my bandsaw and it works like a charm. I may not even fill the gap, as squeezing the two sides together applies more pressure on the blade.

[Tom LaRussa]

6 hours @ 40 bucks a shop hour simply isn't reasonable for a 15-dollar coping saw....and I've already plenty of work backed up for that amount of money. I wouldn't sell anything at a lesser level of finish, either.

Bob,

I'm no expert on woodworking, but I've surfed every fine tool site out there and I can say with absolute certainty that what you made ain't no $15 coping saw! (Not that I'm arguing for you to go into tool making -- what you do is your business.)

BTW, thanks for posting your plan. If you look at my mockup above you'll see (I think?) that I started with your plan but kind of mushed things together a tiny bit so I'd have room to extend a handle below the blade.