Thread: Melbourne, Backsaw Making Workshop

Originally Posted by IanW

OK, here you go, something to twitch your nuts with. Woods are Rosewood (Dalbergia), Bull oak, Blackwood and Olive. They are all a bit different, I just used whatever scraps I could find that gave me a reasonable diameter for the top. The blades are cut from an old circular saw plate, & plenty tough enough for brass.

Split nut drivers.jpg

These will fit both 1/2" and 7/16" nuts we'll be using on the day. At the end of the workshop, they can each go home with one of the four people whose names are drawn out of the hat.....
Cheers,

I think I am going to have to rig that draw!!

The olive one is especially gorgeous!

You da man Ian.

Wow they look very nice

OK - I am now good to go.

I will sort out the paperwork and the payments tomorrow.

Apologies for taking a while....

Cheers

Norm

I would love to be there, but am now out of contention.

Originally Posted by IanW

Split nut drivers.jpg

Hi Ian,

Is there any chance of a plan/scale drawing of the dimensions for the blade used in these that will suit both sizes of saw nuts. I might find the time to make a couple to bring along myself.

Cheers

Doug

Originally Posted by doug3030

Hi Ian,

Is there any chance of a plan/scale drawing of the dimensions for the blade used in these that will suit both sizes of saw nuts. I might find the time to make a couple to bring along myself.

Cheers

Doug

I think we have created a monster!! lol Have we turned you into a tool maker Doug??


the saw nuts are ½" & ⅞" so it would have to be a smidge under ⅞" wide to do both and the centre gap needs to be just over 5mm wide to allow for the threaded stud. Ian is doing his slots in 0.8mm wide, so grind down to fit in a 0.8mm slot. Other dims are flexible to your design.

Originally Posted by DSEL74

I think we have created a monster!!

I think it is a case of having discovered a monster rather than having created one. A little more research is required on your behalf before making outrageous claims of having created anything

Things are very much on track for the items you asked me to make for the workshop, I just thought I might like to make a couple more items for the benefit of us all.

Cheers

Doug

Originally Posted by DSEL74

.....it would have to be a smidge under ⅞" wide to do both and the centre gap needs to be just over 5mm wide to allow for the threaded stud. Ian is doing his slots in 0.8mm wide, so grind down to fit in a 0.8mm slot. Other dims are flexible to your design.

Um, make that a bit less than 7/16" (11m for the post-Imperial generations), folks. I think 7/8" might be a tad large!

As Dale says, blade dimensions are just sized to fit over the bolt and into the recess. Make the slot fairly generous so it doesn't mar the thread of the bolt, and smooth the sharp corners of the outer edges of the blade so it won't catch on the wood & damage your nicely finished handle.

For some reason I started making them with 'door knob' style handles & found it a convenient shape to use, but you can make the handles any shape that pleases you - be creative!

Yesterday, I started making a 15 tpi dovetail saw with some of the 15 thou plate. It filed nicely and seems like the right stuff, I'm happy to report. I'll fit the handle this morning & give it a good test run. It will be coming to the workshop with me, along with the carcase saw I hope I have time to make, so you can heft them & try them & adjust your own grip sizes & angles etc., to suit....

Cheers,

Hi Ian, I hope you meant 11mm as 11m is exceedingly large!

Originally Posted by IanW

Um, make that a bit less than 7/16" (11m for the post-Imperial generations), folks. I think 7/8" might be a tad large!

I think my confusion between 7/16 & ⅞" is a bit more accurate than your 11m!

Originally Posted by DSEL74

I think my confusion between 7/16 & ⅞" is a bit more accurate than your 11m!

Sounds like we had all better measure carefully at the workshop rather than rely on you guys ...

I shudder to think how bit the teeth will be on a 15ppi dovetail saw

Doug

Originally Posted by hiroller

Hi Ian, I hope you meant 11mm as 11m is exceedingly large!

Touche!

It was a lower-case 'm', my old & creaky typing finger just missed the second one.......

On a more serious note: I made two saws from some of the saw plate we'll be using at the workshop, just to see how it performs. I made a 225mm, 15 tpi dovetail saw from 15 thou plate, and a 250mm 12 tpi carcase saw from the 20 thou plate. The dovetail saw went very smoothly and easily (I used needle files for tooth-forming & sharpening):

D-Tail saw Qld W_nut.jpg

I had some trouble with it's larger sibling - the first two files I tried were not good - the corners chipped badly, making it very difficult to keep things even! The metal does feel a bit tough, but not as tough as some saws I've sharpened, so I blamed the files. Anyway, my first set of teeth on this one were not up to standard, so I jointed them off a bit, & started over. I think I just hit two crook files, because the 3rd file I tried did the job fine, and all is well now:

Carcase saw Qld W_nut.jpg


These two will be coming to the workshop so you can al have a play with them & see how you like your grips. Lined up one behind the other, you can see the higher angle on the carcase saw, and the more vertical grip on the dovetailer (the wood is Qld Walnut):

Saws cf.jpg

Just a few more things to prepare and I'm ready for the road....
Cheers,

Originally Posted by IanW

The first two files I tried were not good - the corners chipped badly, making it very difficult to keep things even! The metal does feel a bit tough, but not as tough as some saws I've sharpened, so I blamed the files. Anyway, my first set of teeth on this one were not up to standard, so I jointed them off a bit, & started over. I think I just hit two crook files, because the 3rd file I tried did the job fine, and all is well now:

I think the million page Saw Files Thread would substantiate that theory.


The saws look great. The totes have quite a variation in color.