First Bow Saw Build

[allen long]

Here is my first Bow Saw Build from the TFWW kit.

The curly maple seems to be holding up very well. You can see I have softened the edges and made it a bit more curvacious.

I added leather washers between the handle and frame. The handles are padauk or red heart. I forgot. Being red green color blind, I have trouble with the more nuanced color differences in the reddish woods.

I included a couple of detailsto show the arm and stretcher joint and one of the tuning handle / arm area. The pictures really don't do justice to the maple.

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Many Kind Regards . . . Allen

[lowell holmes]

I made one a number of years ago. It is curly maple as well. I like the saw.

I broke one of the legs by over tension. I felt like the curly maple was not strong enough. The new leg is oak.

Nice job on your saw.

[Stew Denton]

Allan,

Beautiful maple and beautiful work.

Stew

[John Kananis]

She's pretty. I like the leather washers.

[george wilson]

Very pretty. But,let me warn you that if you try turning a 1 1/2" square piece of curly maple about 24 inches long,it will bounce around when you cut it like it is a spring. The curls seem to "add length" to the piece. If you could pull real hard,and pull the curls out of the maple,it would be nearly twice the length. Of course this is impossible. Just an attempt to illustrate why curly maple acts like a garage door coil spring. It isn't as strong as straight grain maple. I have made candle stand tables from curly maple before,and have seen the amazing way that curly maple will try bouncing around if you take much of a cut at all.

Does this mean that it will try bending under tension when you make it into a bow saw? Very possibly. So,I advise thickening the arms of a bow saw if you use curly maple lest a limb break off.

Just a thought I thought I'd pass along. Not that your saw isn't very pretty. We always would like to use the prettiest wood possible. But,be wary of the consequences.

[Ted Reischl]

Nicely done!

It is a very good idea to release the tension when you are not using the saw. I have made quite a few over the years. I forgot to release the tension on one and let it sit for about 3 months. The arms had a new shape! Saw still works fine, but. . . . .

Bowsaws are fun to build. Once you understand that you have to make a sloppy mortise and tenon joint and that you do not glue them, LOL. They are great projects to learn how effective a #49 & #50 rasp can be.

I built this one about 10 years ago:

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[george wilson]

I made a very nice one when I was first at the museum. Another tool that I left at the instrument shop. They were supposed to find replacements for my tools I left there. But it never happened,and I had other things to do as tool maker.

An imaginative design,Ted. But I hope those swan's necks (Swanstuckers? ) (Remember "Young Frankenstine? are up to the task.

[Pat Barry]

I made a very nice one when I was first at the museum. Another tool that I left at the instrument shop. They were supposed to find replacements for my tools I left there. But it never happened,and I had other things to do as tool maker.

An imaginative design,Ted. But I hope those swan's necks (Swanstuckers? ) (Remember "Young Frankenstine? are up to the task.

Young Frankenstein! I love you George!

[Michael J Evans]

Allen / Ted ,

Both bow saws are beauitimus! Good job

[george wilson]

Aw shucks,Barry. I thought you were aggravated with me most of the time!!! I really don't recall what Swanstucker means. We had 2 German ladies working at the time. They were totally amused at the word,and laughed about it. But they said it did not have the meaning in German that the movie implied. That must have been 20 years ago,and I've forgotten what they said it meant.

[Andy Nichols]

Really nice saws, kudos to the builders.....

Andy

[William Fretwell]

Pretty saw. I hate peg board however and eradicated it many years ago. Looking at those holes does things to your brain.