A "problem" with LV dovetail saw ??

[Brian Hale]

Hey All

I recently bought the LV 14tpi dovetail saw and I'm not sure it's performing the way it should and I'm hoping you guys may have the same saw and can provide some feedback.

I'm butchering some dovetails on 3/4" mahogany and 5/8" birch, about 30 cuts so far. The saw starts ok and cuts straight as an arrow. If I let the saw do the cutting it tends to hop through the cut and then sort of get stuck, requiring a good amount of force to get it moving again. If I apply downward cutting pressure it cuts fast but leaves a very rough cut surface which needs to be pared or it will be visible after joint assembly. Forcing the saw down also degrades my accuracy. There seems to be no happy medium.

Before I go to LV for an exchange, do any you folks have a similar experience? The tooth geometry appears good and there is just the right amount of set. This is my first "store bought" saw, my others are vintage saws that I've sharpened to varying degrees of quality but don't have the same problems.

Brian

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Brian

Try a line of wax just above the tooth line. If this "cures" the problem, then the issue is likely to be too little set.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[george wilson]

If you return the saw,I am sure they will send you another. Or,if you visit me,I have a special saw set that will do the smallest of teeth. You cannot buy this saw set anywhere as it is an old tool from the early 20th. C.. I can get you started and let you put a bit more set into your teeth. Search for my post "Is this the World's greatest saw set ?" to see pictures of it.

[Brian Hale]

Hi Brian

Try a line of wax just above the tooth line. If this "cures" the problem, then the issue is likely to be too little set.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Thanks Derek. That's the first thing i tried but no joy

[Patrick Chase]

Hey All

I recently bought the LV 14tpi dovetail saw and I'm not sure it's performing the way it should and I'm hoping you guys may have the same saw and can provide some feedback.

I'm butchering some dovetails on 3/4" mahogany and 5/8" birch, about 30 cuts so far. The saw starts ok and cuts straight as an arrow. If I let the saw do the cutting it tends to hop through the cut and then sort of get stuck, requiring a good amount of force to get it moving again. If I apply downward cutting pressure it cuts fast but leaves a very rough cut surface which needs to be pared or it will be visible after joint assembly. Forcing the saw down also degrades my accuracy. There seems to be no happy medium.

Before I go to LV for an exchange, do any you folks have a similar experience? The tooth geometry appears good and there is just the right amount of set. This is my first "store bought" saw, my others are vintage saws that I've sharpened to varying degrees of quality but don't have the same problems.

Brian

Can you measure the set on your saw?

That saw nominally comes with 3 mils/side (toothline 6 mils wider than plate). Mine measured closer to 3.5 mils/side. If your saw has the specified 3 mils/side of set then adding to it may not be such a good idea.

Do you have another saw that already works for you, that you could use as a baseline to determine your preferences and therefore how to make the Veritas work for you?

[Brian Hale]

Very kind offer George, Thank You!

Although i've got several saw sets, setting the teeth on my#70 16 tpi is an exercise in frustration. It's a shame because i feel that saw could be a wonderful performer.

I don't think the set on this LV saw is the problem, i just may take you up on your offer for my #70!!

[Brian Hale]

Patrick

The plate measures .020 and total set is .0277, .00385 per side, very close to what they advertise.

I've got a few other rip back saws i've been tinkering with, mostly in the 11 tpi range, that work ok but i'm still having problems getting a consistent set on those. I was hopeful this LV saw would Show Me The Light on how a good saw should cut.


I must say, out of all the saws i have, this LV saw fits my hand like no other, simply wonderful.

[Don Orr]

If you have enough extra set would it be worth stoning each side as lightly as possible with your finest stone? One or 2 LIGHT passes on each side. Maybe there are burrs left from the factory sharpening that are holding the saw back a little ? Just a wild guess, but it might help.

[lowell holmes]

Frank Klausz uses a screwdriver set in his Hand Tools video. You just take a small screwdriver, place in the gullet of every other tooth and gently twist the screw driver. Try it, it works.

[William M Johnson]

Hmmm. I guess I will prove my ignorance here. I have that saw and recently finished 18 drawers with all 4 sides cut by hand. These are the only hand cut dovetails I have ever done. My experience is exactly what you described. I just did not know if this was "normal"or not. I assumed I was ham handed and needed lots of practice ( after 18 drawers that was as much practice as I wanted). I am watching with interest what happens here.

Bill

[Brian Loran]

could the plate be heating up and distorting? Maybe not tensioned right?

[Patrick Chase]

Frank Klausz uses a screwdriver set in his Hand Tools video. You just take a small screwdriver, place in the gullet of every other tooth and gently twist the screw driver. Try it, it works.

On a saw that already has 3.5-4 mils/side of set? I think we've pretty much established that insufficient set isn't the problem here.

Brian, like William I've had good experiences with that saw. If anything I found the default tune (14 deg rake) to be *too* smooth-cutting at the expense of speed. I refiled mine with 10 deg of rake. Sounds like maybe a return is in order.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

Just a thought- could be technique; moving the saw back and forth in the cut, thus causing the plate to bend. The saw starts to bind, operator pulls and gets saw unbound and unwittingly also straightens the slight bend. Sawyer starts next dovetail and saw seems to cut well, but same thing happens. Just a thought.

[John Kananis]

I have that saw and find that you need to 'help' the saw a tiny bit. Not too much pressure because you will get the results you describe but try adding the weight of your arm into the cut. Once I got used to it, its been pretty awesome (but I know what you're talking about).

[Jim Koepke]

My thinking was along the line of what Malcolm mentioned. That and the problems that slightly green or resinous wood can cause.

jtk