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la Huerta
11th October 2008, 12:14 PM
hey all...

i'm kind of busting to get back into some woodworking, but don't have my machines anymore nor a workshop.

i love the peacefulness of traditional woodworking and it will give me a chance to built stuff without disturbing neighbors.

i'v been looking around the web but can't seem to find any tutorials on Japanese woodworking, the first thing i need to learn is crosscutting, i'v never been very acurate with a handsaw...

if anyone has any info on how to do accurate crosscuts with a japanese saw that would be great..

La H:2tsup:

Claw Hama
11th October 2008, 12:58 PM
Hi La H, Sounds like you just need some practice. Get some scrap, start small and work your way up. Take your time, have a good line to follow, pick which part or side of the line you are going to cut on (always the scrap side) and stick to it, nice long controled cuts, don't hurry. Doesn't matter if its a Japanese saw or western style, just practice. I think there might be something in Toshio Odates books and no doubt others. Good luck, no, good practice.

la Huerta
11th October 2008, 01:05 PM
cheers mate...

i can use machines in woodworking almost with my eyes shut, but hand tooling is a bit challenging, i'm pretty good with hand planing though...

which Japanese handsaw should i begin with...

Claw Hama
11th October 2008, 01:17 PM
I have a $100 handmade from japan and a $30 from Bunnies they both do a great job. Carbatec and the like also sell them. Or for the real thing click on my web site link below go to my links and you will find a link to Japan Tools, So has some lovely tools on his site.

la Huerta
14th October 2008, 10:05 PM
cheers for the response...

i found a couple of vids on youtube of some guy doing a little bit of Japanese joinery, and another where a group of people built a wood structure, one guy used the Japanese saw to cut 10in x 10in thick timber, the saw cut through it like cheese.

JDarvall
15th October 2008, 05:36 AM
Its all about seeing the line well I reakon. If you focus on that at all times trying to keep the cut on it with practise you'll develop a technique naturally.

la Huerta
15th October 2008, 03:37 PM
looking at Carbatec as they are 5min from me, this crosscut carpenters saw (http://www.carbatec.com.au/handsaws/japanese-handsaws/tradesman-quality-rsquozrsquo-saws/crosscut-capenters-saw) is right on my budget for a beginner into Japanese woodworking and it's 300mm to boot...

so what do ya reckon, good to get started with ?

La H

Pam
15th October 2008, 05:32 PM
I managed to save both pages of Mark Grable's Five Practical Handsaw Exercises and Introducing Sashigane before they disappeared. These pages are truly excellent and lead to mastering sawing. Problem is I don't know how to show these to you, they are html with one folder each containing graphics, pasting them to a message board doesn't work except for the text. I suppose I could email the file and folder to you.

Pam

la Huerta
15th October 2008, 06:09 PM
hey Pam...

send me the documents and i can convert them to a format suitable for posting here if you like, sounds like good reading too...

providing it's ok to post them, no copyright that is?

La H

Pam
15th October 2008, 08:10 PM
Well, there is always a copyright. I consider Mark a friend, although I haven't seen him for 3 or 4 years and he's very difficult to contact via email. What I don't know is why the pages have disappeared from the Daiku Dojo site.

So, I'll be happy to email them, readable in most any browser, and will have to check further before putting them on the web.

Pam

Christian_C
12th April 2009, 11:57 AM
Hi Pam, Im new to japanese woodworking and have read your informative posts regarding japanese tools. I too am having difficulty regarding sawing. Could you please send me the html files as well? I would greatly appreciate it, so far I love what japanese chisels and a ryoba are capable of and am looking to use them to their best. Once more, thank you for your time.

My email is: [email protected]

Koot
13th April 2009, 10:27 AM
Try this link, I think the info is still available.
Thanks for the tip Pam.


http://www.daikudojo.org/Archive/2001_mark-grable-handsaw-exercises.pdf


cheers,
Koot

Pam
13th April 2009, 07:09 PM
Many thanks, Koot, that's it, and in convenient pdf with all the graphics to boot.

Pam

yojimbo
14th April 2009, 09:02 AM
Great link, Koot. Thanks so much for posting it.

Christian_C
14th April 2009, 11:44 AM
Thanks Koot, a thousand thanks, and thank you Pam for having read my post.

Ben from Vic.
14th April 2009, 05:56 PM
Is the link still working for everyone else?:(

Anyone able to email it? will send address via PM.

Koot
15th April 2009, 02:23 AM
Hi Ben, yes, it's still working, at least for me. It's a pdf file and I found it quite slow to download and open. I could try and email it to you as an attachment if you can't get it.

Koot

Ben from Vic.
15th April 2009, 05:34 PM
Just gave it another go, worked this time :). Last time the site timed out so it must have been experiencing high traffic :rolleyes: Thanks for the offers of help.

Ben.

alx
20th April 2009, 12:57 AM
One tip that is good to remember that Mark did not mention in his article, especially for the carpenter. When you approach a hard knot with your cross cut nokogiri, flip the saw over and use the rip side to slowly cut through the knot, or pick up a rip saw if you were not using a ryoba. The pointed cross cut teeth are more likely to break off while cutting knots than the rip teeth, and the rip teeth cut just as accuretely through knots if not more so. Always go slow and with a light touch. Alx

yojimbo
20th April 2009, 01:00 AM
Great tip, Alx. Thanks -- would never have thought of that.

(btw, those files are great!)

Becky

yojimbo
21st April 2009, 02:15 AM
Alx -- perhaps I've presumed incorrectly (it finally occurs to me). Are you he from whom I occasionally buy tools?

Becky