New saw questions.

[Dale Cruea]

I have several question.
I am in the process of buying possibly several saws for Bad Axe.

I know I want their 10" dovetail saw. No problems there.
I can figure out the ppi and blade thickness without any problems.
I do have a problem with the bling..... I can handle that. I think... sigh...

The problem I am having is that Mark suggested a Tenon saw and a Sash saw.

What is the difference?
I understand a tenon saw for sawing tenons.
This is filed rip.

I am confused about the sash saw.
I know that this is filed crosscut.
Why not a tenon saw filed crosscut.


I have looked on Mark's web site but I think I am missing something. There appears to be a lot of information there, I don't understand most of it.
I have what the filing terms mean. I don't understand to saw names or the difference between the saws.


Is the difference about the size of the saws. The height of the blade.

I will purchase these saw with a very nice gift certificate from my 3 sons and I want to get it right.

I don't want to purchase something I will never use.

I don't need suggestions on what to buy as much as I need to know what the saws are used for and why.

Thanks guys.
Dale

[Chris Griggs]

This has more to do with sizing and semantics than filing. Mark's tenon saws are his 16" and 18" saws. His Sash is 14". He is essentially saying he recommends a 14" xcut saw and a 16" rip saw. Those are good recommendations.

I don't remember where but there are some writings somewhere about what traditional lengths of the various saws were. My understanding (which may not be totally correct) is a Sash saw was traditionally a saw that was used to saw the tenons for window sashes (so its a small-medium tenon saw).

[Chris Griggs]

If you're curious here is Mike Wenzloffs reference to traditional saw definitions - says he adapted the list from Holtzapffel


http://www.wenzloffandsons.com/faq/3...selection.html

[Jeff Heath]

What Chris already said. Short, 10" saws are good for dovetailing, but imho, that's about it. For furniture and casework, you're going to be dealing with longer, deeper cuts, and the 14" to 18" saws with 3 1/2" depth of cut (or thereabouts) are what you're looking for.

If this is new to you, and it sounds like it may be, a longer saw just takes a little more practice to control. Kind of like riding a bike, though. Once you've practiced, and you've got it down, you're good to go.

My tenon saw (filed rip) is 16", and my sash/crosscut back saw is 14". I also have an 18" tenon saw, and a half back, for deeper and longer crosscuts.....but you get the idea. This slope is very similar to the hand plane slope, only with quite a few less options, in the end.

Before you know it, you'll have 8 or 9 saws, and looking for more.

Jeff

[Pedder Petersen]

I will purchase these saw with a very nice gift certificate from my 3 sons and I want to get it right.

I don't want to purchase something I will never use.

I don't need suggestions on what to buy as much as I need to know what the saws are used for and why.

Thanks guys.
Dale

Hi Dale,

In addition to a rip cut dovetail saw you want a medium sized and pitched crosscut saw and a big rip cut saw. What medium and big is, relates to the work you want to do. Some will prefer a 12" crosscut saw with 14 TPI and some a 16" cc with 10 tpi. The bigger the work the bigger the saw.

dovetail, carcase, sash and tenon saws are just names that are used different in different periods and from different makers.

Cheers
Pedder

[Dale Cruea]

OK.
Thank you guys.

I think I have it.

Basically they are they are all same saw, with different lengths and blade height.
The name will be what they are primarily used for.

Sash = smallish saw and can be rip or crosscut. Used for smaller pieces.
Carcase = smaller yet, but, the same filings.
Tenon = a large saw, usually filed rip.

hmmmmm really pretty simple.

Chris, thanks for the web address to explain this. Great help.

I think I have it and know about what I need to order.

Thanks again

Dale

[Jim Matthews]

You're buying THREE Bad Axe saws?

I take back anything nice I ever said about you.
For Christmas this year, I'm getting Soap on a Rope.
(Which my kids make, with leftovers and string.)

[Dale Cruea]

Jim,
My boys will by 2 of them. I am going to buy the 3rd.

I used to get soap on a rope.
I got tangled up in the rope once and the kids stopped getting it for me.