Thread: Melbourne, Backsaw Making Workshop

Originally Posted by DSEL74

I've also discovered I really hate saw setting!!! The rest is great fun!

I hate a file that can't last one job.
I'm going looking for files.

Thanks for finding my saw vice but I think I need to make a better one anyway. That old one can be firewood if you still have it. Thanks anyway. I could not find you again at the tool sale.

Dale, Ian and Ray, thank you helping to stave off the loss of some basic saw making skills. A very informative day and and a HUGE amount of pre-work went into it; the day was a credit to you.

I won't be showing my work as I completely messed it up, I went home instead of starting again. The handle is well on the way and I am happy with it, the filing I need to take my time with next time, but even then the teeth were 'okay'. It was cutting the bevel on the back of the saw plate that was my undoing, I cut the bevel on the wrong end of the plate! Oh well, I learned some valuable lessons and that was the intent of the day.

Saw vises - first, thanks Tom for lending me that #1 saw vise! I looked at just about every type of saw vise imaginable yesterday and decided a few things:

1, The better the vise clamps the better the result and the less wear and tear on your files.

2. From what I saw (pardon the pun) the metal vises were mainly designed to accompany a tradesman in his toolbox and not really for a home workshop - the Gramercy seemed to be the exception and the tone of filing was noticeably different.

3. Good lighting is essential

4. Good eyesight is critical!

Thanks again!

Back home late, after a very enjoyable day, it's always good to spend a bit of time with like minded people, and it was great to put faces to names..


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Ian made up some split nut drivers, and we held a name in the hat draw, and the four lucky ones got themselves a very nice momento of the day.

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Some of the saws at the end of the day, a bit more to go on finishing and tidying up the details, and a bit of filing practice, but all in all, it was impressive to see how much everyone achieved on the day.


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The group of very happy looking saw makers. Any ideas for the collective noun for a group of saw makers..?



Regards
Ray
PS... None of this would have happened if not for Dale's enthusiasm and attention to detail which made the day such a success..

Originally Posted by RayG

The group of very happy looking saw makers. Any ideas for the collective noun for a group of saw makers..?

A FILE of sawmakers?

Originally Posted by Groggy

Saw vises - first, thanks Tom for lending me that #1 saw vise! I looked at just about every type of saw vise imaginable yesterday and decided a few things:

1, The better the vise clamps the better the result and the less wear and tear on your files.

2. From what I saw (pardon the pun) the metal vises were mainly designed to accompany a tradesman in his toolbox and not really for a home workshop - the Gramercy seemed to be the exception and the tone of filing was noticeably different.

3. Good lighting is essential

4. Good eyesight is critical!

The Gramercy Saw Vice is a copy of the Wentworth ones the originals actually had rubber lined jaws to dampen vibration. The came in a bolt on version and a clamp version. The clamp version seems to correlate with the ability to tilt the vise.


This is the Gramercy sketch when they copied the concept from the original cast version into a fabricated one. There was also an original version present at the workshop.
In my opinion these are better than my Disstons as they are bigger therefore have more weight to dampen them and are much wider I think 12" in the jaws vs 9"

Next week is sewing and making a nice leather or canvas cover for your saw, bring your sewing machines along....

Fantastic job guys.

Originally Posted by RayG

The group of very happy looking saw makers. Any ideas for the collective noun for a group of saw makers..?

A couple of suggestions

A Section of Saw Makers
An Off-cut of Saw Makers
A Saga of Saw Makers
An Incision of Saw Makers

-J

Originally Posted by _fly_

Next week is sewing and making a nice leather or canvas cover for your saw, bring your sewing machines along....

They reckon Hemp is better than canvas………Do you know someone???

A kerf of saw makers?

I didn't get a lot of time yesterday to work on a saw for myself and I missed most of the actual instruction running around after things. So I spent the afternoon on mine. As I said at the workshop it was Ray's ebony handled from Two Lawyers Toolworks that inspired me so so I attempted a to draw a copy and then made some personal changes. Like a few others I started out with some of the she oak and it broke. Then I found a small piece of Lacewood that Ian brought and told me it was up for grabs. The lacewood wasn't suitable for scraping.

It actually looks better than the photos and the light medallery??? rays look like scratches in the photo. Camera phones!!!

I missed out on how to sharpen so mine so far is just filed and set. Also being the thin kery i need to get a little loctite to hold it a bit better. As discussed you can gently crimp the opening to tighten it but it must be done evenly or you will have a warped blade. Once that is all done I can tighten the bolts and file them flush. You may also note I manage at some point to already break off the first two teeth

I also would like to give it a good buff, but I done have that equipment as yet.


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Originally Posted by DSEL74

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Nice looking saw Dale. does it cut alright on the pull stroke?

Cheers

Doug

He said he wanted to make "some personal changes".
Maybe he wanted a pull saw.

for dovetails I usually use a small pull saw anyway, more control from my POV.