Thread: "working" storage for backsaws?

I’m thinking a belt from the ceiling with a descent rare earth magnetic on it,
Just chuck it up there when not in use.
There will now be a Patent pending on that piece of genius.

Cheers Matt.

Hmm, I hate getting magnets anywhere near edge tools, even though I have a separate metalwork & sharpening area, and try to clean up thoroughly, iron filings manage to get themselves spread around. A cluster of iron filings on a chisel or plane blade is not a pretty sight! Even a slightly magnetised saw is a right pest when you are sharpening, the filings hang on & build up around the teeth I'm working on 'til I can't see what I'm doing. I used to have access to a demagnetiser at work, which was a very handy thing at times!

I'm afraid I'm no inspiration, Lance, I suffer from the same affliction (chronic clutteritis). My tool cupboard is only a slight stretch away from my usual work position at the bench, and I try to return each tool to its proper spot as I finish using it. But there's always a few that I'm going to need again 'shortly', then a few more, so before long I can't find what I want when I'm ready to use it again. My bench has a fairly generous tool well, but that can also be a trap for all sorts of rubbish waiting to be used or sorted & discarded.

I tried putting a rack on the back of the bench so I could drop chisels & saws in that to await the next round, but found that a poor idea - as sure as eggs I'd need to lay something largish I was working on across rather than along the bench, & any tools sitting in the rack would have to be removed.

I used to be a lot better at keeping my bench clear & clean. I think that's because I had limited shed time, so to maximise output, I was much more careful about workflow & keeping things moving in a logical sequences. But since retirement, I often find myself working on several different projects at once, & workflow is just a dimly-remembered concept. That's a great recipe for clutter!

Cheers,

Lance are we talking closed handle saw or open.

Cheers Matt.

Maybe have a look at Paul Sellers solution Saw Hangers | Paul Sellers - YouTube

Cheers Andrew

Put a slotted piece of timber on the backside of your bench that the saw slides vertically into blade first. Works well if your bench is against a wall

Good link AJ. The only snag I can see is losing the apron to hold long boards, but PS doesn't have his vise flush to the apron anyway

I think the Paul Sellers solution is short sighted - what happens when you need to clamp a board to the side of the bench? Obviously, you have to move all the saws. So back to zero.

When I am cutting dovetails, the saw will either lie on the bench or be placed in the opening of the Moxon vise. I could have a couple of saws out for this purpose. Then there needs to be space for them. Once done, they are returned to the saw till 10 feet away from the bench.

Lance, if I have a backsaw to hand all the time, for the little cuts, as you mention, I would build a slot to the far side of the bench, where it could be placed and kept. I actually did this when I built my current bench ...





Regards from Perth

Derek

Thanks all for your responses.

If I had a taller apron on my bench I think I would be happy with Paul Sellers' method, as my vise face is offset from the front of my bench so it wouldn't interfere with long lengths.

Throwing caution to the wind and deciding to give a "slot" a whirl, I grabbed a piece of Lambardi Popler I milled last year which has been sitting behind my shed and nearly forgotten about. It is an incredibly soft wood, so will see how it goes in time.



I hadn't seen Derek's response until it was complete, so it did end up higher than bench height. The exposed chisel edges above the bench surface may prove to be the source of many a hand injury and may have to be re-thought. But let's see how this goes for now.

Originally Posted by derekcohen

I think the Paul Sellers solution is short sighted - what happens when you need to clamp a board to the side of the bench? Obviously, you have to move all the saws. So back to zero.


Regards from Perth

Derek

Whilst his solution may not be for everyone I don't think calling it short sighted is very fair, he is after all one of the most experienced woodworkers in the world, so I am sure he has a method that works for him, and may for others. I don't have to think for more than a few seconds to see how his saw storage can be modified or worked around to allow for clamping. A similar setup but attached to the leg beneath the benchtop is just one that comes to mind.

Might I dare say it is a bit short sighted to dismiss the idea out of hand

Cheers Andrew

Lance

If you just want the saw on your bench but not taking up space, make up a small block of wood with a kerf in it. A bit like this, but a piece of 50 x 50 will do the job:



However, they are prone to being knocked off the bench more easily so you may need to consider how you use this method.

Regards
Paul

Originally Posted by AJ.

Whilst his solution may not be for everyone I don't think calling it short sighted is very fair, he is after all one of the most experienced woodworkers in the world, so I am sure he has a method that works for him, and may for others. I don't have to think for more than a few seconds to see how his saw storage can be modified or worked around to allow for clamping. A similar setup but attached to the leg beneath the benchtop is just one that comes to mind.

Might I dare say it is a bit short sighted to dismiss the idea out of hand

Cheers Andrew

Andrew, I have enough experience to to be able to critique Sellers and debate techniques with him. This method makes no sense at all to me as it is counter-productive of work flow. Even you begin to question his idea by offering another

Regards from Perth

Derek

Originally Posted by derekcohen

Andrew, I have enough experience to to be able to critique Sellers and debate techniques with him. This method makes no sense at all to me as it is counter-productive of work flow. Even you begin to question his idea by offering another

Regards from Perth

Derek

I could easily argue that your suggestion makes no sense and is counter productive to workflow. Fancy walking ten feet to get a saw when it could be at hand all the time!

I am not advocating Paul’s idea is good bad or otherwise, just a suggestion that people may or may not use or modify to suit their own unique situation. There have been a variety of suggestions in this thread, all worthy of consideration, maybe even combining a couple of them.

To dismiss any of them because “it makes no sense to you” is pretty narrow minded. I can see why his idea would make perfect sense, at least for some people.

Cheers Andrew

I could easily argue that your suggestion makes no sense and is counter productive to workflow. Fancy walking ten feet to get a saw when it could be at hand all the time!

Andrew, if you wish to debate this ...

Walking 10 feet to retrieve or store a tool is not counter productive to work flow. That is simply a fact of life in the work shop. One has to keep tools somewhere, hopefully handy. On the other hand, placing tool in the work space is counter productive since you have to stop what you are doing and of move items to work.

The side of a bench is typically used by hand tool woodworkers for clamping boards to edge plane. Boards are clamped at the front in a face vise or leg vise, and the rear is held in a sliding deadman or similar. Sellers limits this facility when he places his saws in their path.

Why does Sellers suggest this? All I can think of is that he does not use the full length of his bench.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Can't speak for him but a fair point I recall from one of his videos about clamping techniques was how rare it is you do have very large boards. I mean maybe you do in which case it's not for you but if it's once a few weeks just moving the saws for 10 minutes for a big job and otherwise always having to hand seems like it would suit many.