Thread: Melbourne, Backsaw Making Workshop

Stewie, thanks for the link!

Your welcome Groggy. Its one of the best tutorials I have come across that covers the relevant info you need to understand to properly sharpen hand saws.

Originally Posted by Groggy

It cuts ok! This was gifted to a young son of a guy at work so he will be pleased with it. I am thinking the second pic was taken part way through the filing but can't be sure now ...

If it cuts ok, Groggy, that's the main thing - function first, prettiness second. Be aware that it's hard to tell if the teeth are dead-even on a crosscut. The teeth leaning away from you always look bigger than those leaning toward you, an illusion created by the reflection off the bevels. In the top pic., it looks like a pretty good job to me....

If it's any comfort to beginners, I still screw up a few teeth on a depressingly regular basis - it's not easy to get an entire row of teeth perfect! However, the occasional cow/calf doesn't seem to affect function unless there is height variation, that causes a rough action. If it's only one or two teeth that are a teeny bit high, they will settle after a few cuts through some hardish wood, but if they are really off, it won't.

If, after a bit of practice, you are still having a lot of trouble filing even teeth, look to your file, it may be the source of the problem more than your lack of skill. The other day I sharpened a 12 tpi crosscut with a brand new file that started catching & sticking, because the corners of the teeth were breaking down, and ended up making a right mess of it. I should have thrown the file away immediately it started catching, & got out a new one, but out of impatience, I pushed on. When I saw the result, I chucked the file away, jointed the saw, & started over with a fresh file. I eventually finished the job with some respectable teeth, but could have got there a lot sooner, had I gone for that new file straight off, & not persisted with the dud!

Cheers,

I've been a good boy today and found spring steel in little bits (well almost little).
This mob is in Melbourne

Dawborn Steels Trading Huntingdale

Has .4mm 300mm by 2 metre for 120 bucks.
I think .4 is about 15.7 (16) thou.

That's a lot of saws in that piece.
A question for the experts
can I cut pieces across the 300mm for blades or do I have to cut along the length and basically split it into 3 or 4 narrower strips.


They are in Huntingdale, other side of the Hwy from George White that brass mob I posted last week in this thread.
George White | Australia's leading stockist & distributor of non-ferrous metals - Product Details

And Pferd are also just down the road (braeside) if you need files.
They make you go to a shop around the corner to pay then you can go to their HQ to pick them up as only 1 person in Qld buys the 4 and 5 inch slims.

Peter

Nice work Peter
$120 is not much for quite a few saws
They sell brass as well ?

Nope, the second link (brass place) is across the princess highway from the steel place.
they are withing 3km of each other (maybe less).

If you click on the contact us, they both have google maps of where they are, all around the north rd / princess highway intersection.

Dawborn Steel sell Cold Rolled CK1055 (annealed) and Hot Rolled HK1055 (annealed) Spring steels. Also SAE1074/1080 Hardened and tempered.

This is different to what is typically specified in saw making. So let us know how it works out for you, enquiring minds want to know!

Originally Posted by DSEL74

Dawborn Steel sell Cold Rolled CK1055 (annealed) and Hot Rolled HK1055 (annealed) Spring steels. Also SAE1074/1080 Hardened and tempered.

This is different to what is typically specified in saw making. So let us know how it works out for you, enquiring minds want to know!

OK, I'll bite, so what is "typically specified"?
Do you have a melbourne supplier the rest of us can go to you'd like to share?

On a note about cutting saw steel
This weekend while working on my latest saw
15 tho blade
I was able to cut the steel using just my large tin snips
I at no distortion and could not feel any roll over
I did have my de burring tool ready
But even that was not nesesry
Yes I was only cutting about 5mm off at a time
On the corner were it fits in to the grove for the handle
I don't think u would be able to cut a large piece down from a big piece to make a saw blank tho

Originally Posted by _fly_

OK, I'll bite, so what is "typically specified"?
Do you have a melbourne supplier the rest of us can go to you'd like to share?

1095 is what is typically used. I couldn't find an Aussie supplier of 1095 in suitable sizes so I had to import the 3x 50' rolls in from O/S for the workshop.

I am genuinely interested to see how your steel works out. If there is any noticeable difference and if it is a viable alternative. Ray & Josh would probably be more educated on the properties of the steels.

And whats your thought on cutting across the sheet for blades or should I slit into 3 lengths and cut a blade down the sheet rather than across.

Originally Posted by _fly_

And whats your thought on cutting across the sheet for blades or should I slit into 3 lengths and but a blade down the sheet rather than across.

I know steel has a grain and we used the steel length ways with the grain.

In terms of a saw if it is really an issue as opposed to a spring, I don't know but I would continue your investigations before committing to cutting it. Again Ray, Stewie or Ian would be better to answer than I.



What I do to cut it is clamp a straight edge (angle iron will do) and then use a thin cutoff wheel in the angle grinder. The thin wheel I think are mean't for cutting stainless steel and do a nice job. Then I use a file to deburr and joint the edge if required.

There is a Popular Woodworking DVD by Matt Cianci on special that is available for digital download for US$7.50 before 3 Dec. I have watched the video, and it is quite interesting, but a few matters are surprising - I think he would have learnt a lot from Ian and Ray in Melbourne. Still for the cost of a coffee or 2...

Cheers
Peter

Originally Posted by Heavansabove

There is a Popular Woodworking DVD by Matt Cianci on special that is available for digital download for US$7.50 before 3 Dec. I have watched the video, and it is quite interesting, but a few matters are surprising - I think he would have learnt a lot from Ian and Ray in Melbourne. Still for the cost of a coffee or 2...

Cheers
Peter

I think Matt has learned a bit from Ray over on Backsaws.net, I have spoken to Matt about his DVD and there were a few minor mistakes in DVD in regard to the order in which things were done, I'd have to back read all my email to find it. Overall it is a good outline how to go about things.