Thread: I am sure this is a stupid question... but :

There is no such thing a dumb canadian. Just a canadian will do.

Oh to your question. No and just be a bit more careful.

Bonjour Philippe,

Bon ton rouleaux! You live in a hotbed of contemporary luthiery and traditional music, lucky you! My advice is the same I was given when I started to play the fiddle......." saw away till you get it right. "

I always cut just on the outside of the line this allows for any blade wobble, out of square fences and any other gremlins that finds their way into the slice and dice process. This way also leaves enough waste over to clean up the edge and plane to finished size.

Cheers

Steve

Hi Philippe,
The answer to your question is the same as it is for all good questions ...... it depends!
A normal power saw blade is about 3mm thick and a thin kerf power saw blade is 1.6mm so, if you ignore the thickness of the blade, you can be up to 3mm too long or too short. If you are building a house or a packing case, then +/-1,5 mm is probably OK BUT, if you are making furniture, or more importantly fine furniture or boxes, then +/- 1.5 mm is the difference between a good job and a bad job.
For example if you are making a mitred picture frame, even a very big one, a 1.5mm difference in length means that the mitres will never join up!

If you are using a handsaw, and like most of us you are NOT a zen master of handsawing, then the 1,6mm blade thickness (for a western saw) will cut a 2mm kerf and, likewise, that will be OK for a house or packing case but......

fletty

The marked line is a reference, once removed, you no longer have a reference and any inaccuracies must be determined by other means ie try square or fit up. Both of which may not be possible or inconvenient at the time.

I would tend to cut beside the line if I am cutting to a certain distance. Then sneak up to the line depending on what and how I am working.

I cut on the waste side of the line.

If the cut surface is not going to be planed/filed/sanded or reworked in any way, I try to position the saw on the waste side of the line with the edge of the cut running right down the middle of the line.

If the cut surface is going to be reworked, I leave a little bit & then rework up to the line.

Originally Posted by Christos

I would tend to cut beside the line if I am cutting to a certain distance. Then sneak up to the line depending on what and how I am working.

Yes +1 on this - try sneaking up

I usually sneak up to the line and start physically checking it against the relevant mating pieces before the final trim.

I have only "sneaked up" using power tools, can't see myself doing the same with a handsaw.

Bill

When I did my original cabinet making course at college, we were taught that you could cut a piece of wood three ways, to the left of the pencil line, to the right, or down the middle of it.

For hours we had to draw pencil lines down pieces of 6x1 and hand saw just kissing the pencil line, all the way down.

It's still my party trick, though it takes a certain type to be impressed.

Way back at school, my good old woodwork teacher used to say, "Cut on the waste side of the line boy!"

Good Morning Prostin

I used to try and cut on the waste side of the line but often found that my line wobbled, so I just accepted that it was routine to finalise surfaces on a shooting board. Then I discovered Paul Sellers method (about 60 seconds into the short video) and now use it for most precision cuts. Also found many references to the technique going back at least 150 years, so its not new, just partly forgotten. Still use the shooting board for really precise stuff, but much less.
Paul Sellers cuts a mortise and tenon joint by hand, in oak - YouTube



Fair Winds

Graeme