Bowsaws

[Michael Ray Smith]

Do it. It's very satisfying build. I was surprised how quick and easy it was too. The plans are actual full sized templates and very easy to follow. Its a handy saw too...kind like a coping saw on steroids. You can do pretty intricate curves with it like with a coping saw but the extra length makes it faster and easier to control. Its not a point and shoot tool and does take some practice to get good with it (like most tools), but I really find mine very useful.

+1 to all that. I made one from the Gramercy hardware and plans. Part of the pleasure of using it is having made it, even if it's not a terribly difficult build.

[Charlie MacGregor]

Now I know I've spent too much time on Sawmill Creek. I was four posts down the thread before I realized it wasn't about bone saws. I was very confused for a moment.

[Mike Holbrook]

Chris, I like the 400mm size. It is small enough to do most curves and large enough (15.75") to perform well as a utility saw with the Universal Turbo blade. At only $130 I think it is an outstanding deal as well. It is a very comfortable saw for me to use standing at my bench on wood clamped in a vice. I had a lesser bowsaw I bought many years ago that I never was able to saw a straight line with. Glenn's saw was very easy to achieve good results with immediately. The larger Turbo blade moves through wood faster than I thought it would. I believe I can figure out what types of sawing I might like to do with bow saws with this one saw.

Glenn places a leather washer between the handle and frame which provides just the right amount of tension between the handle and frame for adjusting the blade angle. The waxed string provided with the saw and the two part tension system have been a pleasure to deal with as well. If it were not for the original bowsaw I bought I would be wondering why anyone would claim bow saws are hard to use.

[Chris Hachet]

Chris, I like the 400mm size. It is small enough to do most curves and large enough (15.75") to perform well as a utility saw with the Universal Turbo blade. At only $130 I think it is an outstanding deal as well. It is a very comfortable saw for me to use standing at my bench on wood clamped in a vice. I had a lesser bowsaw I bought many years ago that I never was able to saw a straight line with. Glenn's saw was very easy to achieve good results with immediately. The larger Turbo blade moves through wood faster than I thought it would. I believe I can figure out what types of sawing I might like to do with bow saws with this one saw.

Glenn places a leather washer between the handle and frame which provides just the right amount of tension between the handle and frame for adjusting the blade angle. The waxed string provided with the saw and the two part tension system have been a pleasure to deal with as well. If it were not for the original bowsaw I bought I would be wondering why anyone would claim bow saws are hard to use.

Mike, the 400 MM size from which maker? Thanks, Chris

[Chris Hachet]

Mike, the 400 MM size from which maker? Thanks, Chris

never mind, figured it out...woodjoy tools...thanks!

[Winton Applegate]

Here yah go. I will make you feel good about anything you make by showing you the most quick'O dick'O geeterdone sort of saws. Any thing you make has got to be prettier than these.
First I will say I was impressed with and enjoyed the Woodwright's Shop saw build show. I seem to remember him emphasizing the importance of orienting the grain right for the curved parts so they don't break.

Anyway back in the day I couldn't find much for blades even if I wanted to make my own saw. I finally just bought various bandsaw blades to cut up and make my own frame saw/bow saw blades; see first photo of the white boxes of blades.
Then I wasn't so sure I was going to like a bow saw so I threw some thing together to try it out before getting "too prissy" and "too lost in details to be productive". I forget why I decided to go with teak for the vertical handle/tension lever things. Maybe it was as simple as I had never worked teak before.

The "hardware" is just sheet metal that I cut an organic blob on the end and drilled and tapped one side and drilled and pressed a brass pin through the plane dowel handle to hold the two sheet metal layers. I turned the dowel on my metal lathe to fit through the teak . I figured I would make pretty if and when I got into bowsawness.

The other photos are of my frame saw for resawing that I mentioned in another post. I show some close ups here to show the "hardware" which are just machine thread bolts with a slot hacksawed in one end and a steel pin slip fitted through to hold the blade.
I started out making the saw all out of purple heart. In use I found that as a one man saw that big chunk of purple heart on the end opposite to the handle end was just too heavy and caused the saw to act up. By substituting the lighter, in color but also in weight, wood on that end the saw had a better balance. Doesn't look as great in the photos but such is life.

[Mike Holbrook]

Chris & Tony I believe I have seen info on the bowsaw building class Bill Anderson does. If I remember what I read correctly, the saws made in that class are very close to the 400MM saw Glen at Woodjoy makes, although I think Glenn's saw has additional useful featuress (wax string, two piece tensioner, handle locking system). I originally tried to talk Glenn into providing me pieces (a kit) to make my own saw with. I think Glenn would have done it but we were both stuck in building projects when I first talked to him and we put the order oh hold. After restoring 10-15 panel and hand saws and building 4 planes I decided to just order the saw from Glenn. The saw Glenn provides is made from maple and thick enough for me to add my own touches later if I want. Once I figure out appropriate wood(s) and obtain a supply I may make another saw, designed to fit the best non Japanese blades I can find, working off Glenn's basic design.

[Chris Hachet]

Chris & Tony I believe I have seen info on the bowsaw building class Bill Anderson does. If I remember what I read correctly, the saws made in that class are very close to the 400MM saw Glen at Woodjoy makes, although I think Glenn's saw has additional useful featuress (wax string, two piece tensioner, handle locking system). I originally tried to talk Glenn into providing me pieces (a kit) to make my own saw with. I think Glenn would have done it but we were both stuck in building projects when I first talked to him and we put the order oh hold. After restoring 10-15 panel and hand saws and building 4 planes I decided to just order the saw from Glenn. The saw Glenn provides is made from maple and thick enough for me to add my own touches later if I want. Once I figure out appropriate wood(s) and obtain a supply I may make another saw, designed to fit the best non Japanese blades I can find, working off Glenn's basic design.

Keep me posted, you have struck a cord with me as I'd like to do a project like this....