Thread: LN Dovetail saw

Hi Andy, I have the standard plate but with the progresive pitch teeth, its a gem, easy to start but you can realy hook in if you want to. I like a thicker plate generaly, depends what you are cutting though. The thicker plate gives you a stronger tooth. I don't see any advantage in a supa slim blade unless you do those tiny little girly pins. Other than that a thicker plate doesn't do any harm.

The thickness of timber I would be working with would be around 12mm +.
I looked at the progressive pitch, but never really considered it.

Confused

The progresive pitch just has small teeth at the toe of the blade and larger teeth at the heel so its easy to start your cut but as you push through you get less tpi, bigger teeth so it cuts faster. I think its 15 - 9 or something like that each tooth is slightly different to the next.

Must say I would be temped to go for one of these now. I have ordered an 18" rip that should be here in a few weeks.
http://www.badaxetoolworks.com/12-in...-back-saw.html

I'd get the thin plate myself. However, if you feel you are rough on saws (inexperienced), then go for the standard thickness. I have the latter, which is an excellent saw, but I also have a couple of thin plate saws, which are even nicer to use. Certainly, the thinner plate would work best of all the three options when sawing thinner stock. Personally I'd avoid the progressive pitch, although some clearly like it. A blade with even pitch just means I can start the saw at any point along the blade.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Like Derek says on smaller stock the thinner plate would be fine and yes not everyone would like the progressive pitch but the thinest stock I usually work with is 16 - 18 and it goes up from there. I'm mostly trying to pump out my work as quickly as I can so the progressive pitch is fast. In the dovetail saw the plate thickness is fine thin but with my other back saws especialy rip, I like the thicker plate. The thinner plate tends to get hot in hardwood or big joints and expands so longer saws with thicker plate is the go but as Derek said, on you little dovetail its not an issue.

As time/speed is not a factor for me I think I'm leaning more towards the standard saw.

It would be a fine choice Andy, I'm sure you'd be very happy with it.

Originally Posted by Claw Hama

Hi Andy, I have the standard plate but with the progresive pitch teeth, its a gem, easy to start but you can realy hook in if you want to. I like a thicker plate generaly, depends what you are cutting though. The thicker plate gives you a stronger tooth. I don't see any advantage in a supa slim blade unless you do those tiny little girly pins. Other than that a thicker plate doesn't do any harm.

Those dinky London pattern dovetails

LN don't make a rubbish product, so I'm sure you'll be safe and very happy with their standard plate saw. As for the teeth, if you get the urge to use the whole length of the saw blade when motoring through your next carcase, it'll be nice to have them all the same size!

cheers,
B-D.

I use a standard LN saw for dovetails, it's a lovely saw I don't think You can got wrong with any of them

there was writeup by Chris Schwaz on this topic but can't remember if it was on his blog or in a magazine...
But he basically said that if you a not an experienced sawyer then keep to a standard thickness. But for the experienced sawyer then the thin plate is good.

But also note that LN's standard plate was THE standard was quite a while until the latest trend in really thin saws so I think you will be OK no matter what.

Also note, if you like to saw out the waist of dovetails then a really thin saw may not be the way to go as you may not get "your" coping/fret saw blade in the kerf line.

I just got my saws from Mike Wenzloff today and am looking forward to giving them a wirl. They are Mike's suggested saw plate thickness, not ultra thin and a quick cut today gave a very fine kerf. (0.018 for the small saw and 0.02 for the regular DT)

Good luck

Rob

A 'standard' (why the hell did that nomenclature have to creep in!) LN saw would be a good buy – I'm surmising, on specs alone, as I haven't actually tried one of their saws.

I have tried a couple of the fashionable thin-bladed saws and while technically, they require less effort to push, I have only noticed a marginal difference and doubt if after a day's sawing carcase joints, one would actually herald them as the saviour of labour, muscles and joints. Though not of considerable significance, thin blades are lighter than 'standard' blades which might work in the favour of some novices or amateurs as they invariably tense-up in order to attain accuracy.

If pushing the envelope is your forté, then you may want to consider a thin-bladed saw to achieve those dovetail pins with diminishing points that seem to be the current benchmark of Extreme Cabinetmaking.

I have a little 8" Garlick with 18TPI and a relatively thin blade (I haven't measured its thickness) which does me for the occasions when I want fine dovetails in, say, pigeon-hole drawers for the interior of a bureau etc.

If, like me, you like to take a relatively long saw and the fewest possible strokes to cut dovetails in 1" to 1-1/4" thick carcases, then I would also recommend continuous pitch rather than progressive pitch. A 'standard' thickness saw will do sterling work sawing the joints for a chest carcase and its drawers – as they have for the past three hundred years.

Ah WW, the never-ending search for the perfect tool! It reminds me a little of Oscar Wilde's strictures on foxhunting.
Cheers,
Jim
ps in the unlikely event that the perfect tool is found, do we then search the forests of the world for the perfect timber to match it?

Originally Posted by jimbur

Ah WW, the never-ending search for the perfect tool! It reminds me a little of Oscar Wilde's strictures on foxhunting.
Cheers,
Jim
ps in the unlikely event that the perfect tool is found, do we then search the forests of the world for the perfect timber to match it?

The perfect tool was invented years ago, but mankind doesn't rest on its laurels.

Hi Andy,

My son has a LN Dovetail saw, with 20thou plate. I asked him would he buy the thin plate version? He said "it depends on what you want to do?" (typical... )

If you are doing "fine" work, then maybe the thinner plate would be an advantage, thinner kerf and a bit less work. But for normal drawer sized work in Australian hardwoods, the slightly more robust thicker plate, with just the "standard" non-progressive pitch is the best choice.

Having said that, I notice he still reaches for my Wenzloff, or IanW's little gem...

Personally, I would buy the Wenzloff over the LN any day. That's not to detract from the LN in any way at all, it's just personal preference.

Jim, the line you were looking for, is "the unspeakable in pursuit of the inedible" very apt..

Regards
Ray