Thread: A couple of my half backs are finally made

Ron,

Wow, very impressive. Looks like you're working inside these days. Sunny with light breeze and 60 degrees here. I'm off now to collect supplies and try for the Post office.

Rob

All excellent craftsmanship. I'm a two hump man with the S shaped toe.

I've alos been meaning to ask about how you do the piercings. Are the drilled and hand shaped or are they punched, they are so regular.

I was initially drilling and filing the piercings all by hand. Very time consuming and difficult to maintain consistency. One little slip and it's toast. The micro diamond files work best, btw. I wanted to have these plates either laser cut or water jet cut to save some time, but still maintain control. I can tell you exactly why our fore fathers stopped making shaped plates and sometimes used thinner steel. And it's all about economics. The blank plates are time consuming as well. I still make the blank plates, ( no piercings ) by hand. But I decided to try the laser piercings after looking at examples. These are the first ones completed. The next batch will have 1 less piercing and a slightly different shape. There was concern about the laser heat altering the steel, but the heat only affects about 1/32" of the steel. I just trim that off. I flex my plates the same way I do any other plate. No problems. Anyway, I hope folks like them. Take care. Ron

Ron. Whats the depth of saw plate on your half backs from the top of the mortise line down to the heel. It looks quite substantial.

Stewie;

It have to be close to 5" be comparison to the handle. Be interesting to know how thick it is to sustain that depth too.

Originally Posted by DSEL74

It have to be close to 5" be comparison to the handle. Be interesting to know how thick it is to sustain that depth too.

0.032" plate. The toothline is 18" the plate is about an inch longer. For anything longer like a 20 or 22" panel saw you will want 0.035" and 24 to 26", 0.042" thick tapered.
The brass back keeps it rigid along the back third just like a tenon saw. So one must be aware it will seem to want to get more aggressive toward the back. I have sold one of my half backs to some one in Australia, can't remember where exactly. But I am told they perform quite well in your hardwoods down there. Beats me. I can't afford to buy that stuff up here. The hang and grip height are comparable to an 18" tenon saw. It looks more aggressive because of the top plate angle. Draw some straight lines across the plate parallel to the tooth line. The hang angle is the Band leader. The pitch, rake and fleam the band members playing the tune to the band leader's direction. Change direction and they play a different tune.

Gorgeous saws Ron!!

Very stylish and good looking design, stunning craftsmanship

I see heirlooms that will be passed down the generations.

Ray

Ron, they look wonderful! All the designs work, and work well, from 1 hump to 3. What works REALLY well is the 3 teardrops. There's something, I don't know, Porsche about them.

What is your website please? (put it in your sig line). You could also engrave that in your saws . Hey, it's the 21st Century, and in a few hundred years that will at least give the new owner a clue as to the maximum age of the saw.

Simply stunning saws

found the website here

I hate them! They make my saws look so dowdy....

Exquisite work, Ron - and as another sawmaker, I can probably appreciate more than most just how much effort has gone into each - those handles of yours have to be the best-finished in the business. Hope you are getting a reasonable return for all that effort....

Cheers,