Thread: A Disston #8 copy

Time to turn my attention to the teeth. I want 10 tpi crosscut, so first job is to mark out a set of 1/10 inch lines on a piece of paper, then cut a strip & glue it to the edge of the blade blank. (pic 1).
Then clamp in the saw vise & take the finest (sharpest) file & make a small, but definite mark at each line. I try hard to be accurate, but it’s really difficult to get each mark exactly on its line (pic 2). However, that’s not a catastrophe – you can fix any inconsistencies in the next step.
Now I switch to a file set into a piece of wood, so that if I hold the wood level, it keeps the file at the right angle to cut the desired tooth rake (pic 3) and work away at bringingthe teeth to size. I work from each end in turn, taking two or three even strokes each time and watching the flats between teeth. If the flats become uneven, just lean a bit harder on the file in the direction required to reduce the wider flat. It takes a little practice to get this right, but it’s not that hard. The last pic. Is taken about halfway through tooth-forming & you can see a bit of variation that needs correcting on the nect pass...(pic 4)

continued:

In less time than you might think – a set of pretty even teeth has been formed. (pic 1)

Next job is to clean off the blueing (phosphoric acid) then some vigorous sanding with W&D using kerosene as the Wet part, brings it to a nice polish & gets rid of any lingering acid. Then set & sharpen. During setting, I noticed a few teeth were not quite right (still had small flats at the top, but no problems, the acid has dulled them so that they stand out during sharpnening, & all it takes is an extra gentle pass of the file and they disappear.

I hadn’t made the brass bolts, and the weekend was rapidly drawing to a close, but I had to give it a test-drive. So a few ugly tank bolts were pressed into service and the saw was assembled & tried out on a 65mm square chunk of hardwood scrap. (pic 2). Bit rough at first, as a freshly-sharpened saw usually is, but it soon settled down & sailed through the block in jig time. It may not be so easy to see in the photo, (pic 3) but the top part of the cut is a bit rough, then it settles into a more even surface from half way down.

From that one small use I can’t say too much, but it does have a nice action. The brass bolts won't make it work any better, but will look a bit more spiffy than those tank bolts.

– I think it’ll be a keeper!

Cheers,

Originally Posted by IanW

..... and should be finishing a chest of drawers that’s been on the go since January. .

Ian, surely you are dead meat!
Remember what happened last time you were making the tools to make furniture rather than make the furniture?
It is a really beautiful saw but is it worth the domestic grief?
I suggest you quickly get some pics taken of you using the saw to make the chest of drawers. It might just work.......

fletty

Wot, no blade etch!?!?!?

Fine work Ian. I've some home made tools that but they consist of rough pieces of timber made into smooth pieces of timber so I don't get splinters when I use them to hit something. Your tools show just a bit more finesse than mine.

Why did you remove the bluing?

Cheers,
Virg.

Originally Posted by fletty

Ian, surely you are dead meat!
Remember what happened last time you were making the tools to make furniture rather than make the furniture?

Fletty - yairs, I was trying to be cagey when asked last night what I'd ben doing all day, but she had it out of me in about 3 seconds. She is a very tolerant & understanding person, so I may be allowed to sleep indoors again sometime this week!

The drawers are just straightforward work, and at the boring & tedious stage (all those runners to fit & mortise into their dividers, plus about a million dovetails to cut for 5 drawers). I needed the 'fix' of doing something like the saw so that I could get the satisfaction of trying something a bit novel & seeing a pretty quick result. It might have to wear those ugly tank bolts for a while 'til I can get the proper saw bolts made, but at least it's useable after a day & a bit of effort.

To restore peace & tranquility in the household, I've promised to get that skip & finish cleaning up the debris from a storm & the driveway installation last year......

Originally Posted by Virgil

Wot, no blade etch!?!?!?
.......Why did you remove the bluing?

Funny you should say that Virg - I did read up on etching techniques a while back with a view to having a go at it for a bit of fun, but decided it was too much bother & a bit OTT.

The reason for removing the blueing is because it's too easily damaged. I did leave it on the first couple I made, but after just a bit of use it gets scratched & worn & looks pretty scuzzy. The blueing must be a result of the hardening process, and is not at all robust. Unfortunately, it doesn't stop rusting, either. Despite packing the blades with an oily film between each one, they still manage to get a few light rust patches on them while waiting in the shop for me to come & buy them. So I clean them off & polish them up, then rub on a coat of paste wax (Ubeaut, of course! ). I'm convinced it makes my saws glide through the wood faster...

Cheers,

Hi Ian,

Great job. Just love that handle. How did you cut the blade to shape by the way?

Am impressed at how 'matter of fact' you say you wanted someting to do with a qiick result. It would take me several weekends to do what you did, (not having made a saw before, although I have gathered some materials to do so).

Since you will be sleeping outdoors for a few nights this week you may as well make a start on all those dovetails.

Keep up the good work.

Cheers
Pops

Originally Posted by Pops

Hi Ian,

Great job. Just love that handle. How did you cut the blade to shape by the way?

Am impressed at how 'matter of fact' you say you wanted someting to do with a qiick result. It would take me several weekends to do what you did, (not having made a saw before, although I have gathered some materials to do so).

Since you will be sleeping outdoors for a few nights this week you may as well make a start on all those dovetails.

Keep up the good work.

Cheers
Pops

Hi Pops - thanks - Yes, I'm pretty pleased with the handle - getting slicker with them, but it's still the biggest part of the job by miles, & takes me about 3 hours from start to finish.

I use the method RayG told me about to cut out blades. A 1mm cutoff wheel in an angle grinder. Clamp the material between two bits of heavy steel to use as a guide & act as a heat-sink, and vssst! a nice clean cut as quick as. That does the straight cuts, & if you want curvy bits, they can be done with a white wheel on the grinder. A light touch and a clean wheel chews away gobs of metal very fast, with very little heat buildup. Then smooth off with a file & some W&D if you want a polished edge.

Making a small saw is easier than I first thought it would be. I squibbed & had the teeth cut for me on the first couple, but once I got enough courage to have a go at filing them for myself, I found it was easy enough, and it has improved my sharpening skills no end. So go for it...

Yairs, I have walked around those drawers long enough - if I don't have some progress to show the boss shortly, I may NEVER sleep in the house again.

Hmmm, come to think of it, being banned to the shed might be ok, once the weather warms up!

Cheers,

That's a very good looking saw (and you didn't have to join the queue waiting for Wenzloff's fine products to boot)!

Originally Posted by IanW

Next job is to clean off the blueing (phosphoric acid)

Hi Ian,

Wonderful saw that is. The blue colour is probably no phosforic acid but the colour from tempering. it removes with any mild acid.

Cheers Pedder

Now that is going to confuse a few people in the future. What happened to the Disston logo etc.
Nice work.
Cheers,
Jim

Originally Posted by pedder

The blue colour is probably no phosforic acid but the colour from tempering. it removes with any mild acid.

Sorry Pedder - my poor typing - I meant I used phosphoric acid to clean the blueing off. Yes, I imagine it comes from the hardening process.

Originally Posted by jimbur

Now that is going to confuse a few people in the future. What happened to the Disston logo etc.

I don't think it will confuse anyone who knows their saws, Jim - no etch, wrong handle, & a bit stunted compared with the 'real' thing. But it would be amusing if someone did try to pass it off as the genuine article in the distant future - no doubt some hawk-eye from this BB would soon expose the fake.

When I get the bolts made, it's going to have a medallion of sorts, but it will be plain until I decide if it's one I just have to keep in my saw till. Then I will get my initials engraved on it, just so I know it's mine.

Cheers,

I can see the Ebay entry Ian, "possibly new handle, possibly new blade but indubitably a Disston just look at the shape".
or then again, "vintage rare saw possibly a Disston prototype"
Cheers,
Jim

Originally Posted by jimbur

I can see the Ebay entry Ian, "possibly new handle, possibly new blade but indubitably a Disston just look at the shape".
or then again, "vintage rare saw possibly a Disston prototype"
Cheers,
Jim

You're a natural at this, Jim. Maybe I'll make several & get you to flog 'em for me - we might make enough to buy a couple of Wenzloffs each....

Originally Posted by IanW

You're a natural at this, Jim. Maybe I'll make several & get you to flog 'em for me - we might make enough to buy a couple of Wenzloffs each....

Lol. I forgot to say that this is one for the collectors.
Jim