Thread: Melbourne, Backsaw Making Workshop

Originally Posted by _fly_

OK, I'm in for some plate as well.
Yes, we are addicted.

Slitting the brass back will be our downfall, removal of fingers with routers and angle grinders and small cutters,
crooked cuts with hacksaws, maybe tiny cutting wheel on dremel, I shall try them all.

Yes, I went out and got 1mm cutting disks and drill bits and files today, now to find 7/16 forstner bits...

1mm might be a bit too generous if your looking to slit some brass fly.

Originally Posted by planemaker

1mm might be a bit too generous if your looking to slit some brass fly.

Nah, the 1mm cutting wheels were to take that corner of the plate.

I'm tempted to try the slit with fine cutting disks on the dremel and go slow slow slow.

Originally Posted by _fly_

Nah, the 1mm cutting wheels were to take that corner of the plate.

I'm tempted to try the slit with fine cutting disks on the dremel and go slow slow slow.

You can get slitting saws for the dremel, also if you have the dremel router table it maybe easier. Still not sure how it would work out for you.

Originally Posted by _fly_

Nah, the 1mm cutting wheels were to take that corner of the plate.

I'm tempted to try the slit with fine cutting disks on the dremel and go slow slow slow.

Dale and I have been having an email discussion about doing another batch of slit brass, if he organizes the brass I'm happy to slit it, so if the dremel doesn't pan out, you have a backup..

If you are in a hurry, and can't wait. Send me a PM with your address and I'll drop some in the mail.

Regards
Ray

I just gave it a go over a couple of inches on some brass I had here.
It does work with those small grinding discs.

Not in any hurry yet, I still have the other saw to make (take home kit).
And thats waiting on the 2 Loupe's I ordered over ebay Sat Night so I can see the teeth for filing and setting.

I didn't grab one of Ian's little scrapers on the day, but I have a fair few larger scraper blades and I could cut one down.

Use a Dremel with a cut off wheel and then joint it? Will the temper still be okay that way?

I'll get a set of those curved mini-scrapers from LV when I place my order next week, but in the mean time I'd like to have a crack at finishing the handle.

Originally Posted by FenceFurniture

I didn't grab one of Ian's little scrapers on the day, but I have a fair few larger scraper blades and I could cut one down.

Use a Dremel with a cut off wheel and then joint it? Will the temper still be okay that way?

I'll get a set of those curved mini-scrapers from LV when I place my order next week, but in the mean time I'd like to have a crack at finishing the handle.

The saw plate is cut with an angle grinder and as longer as you just get the job done it isn't an issue. _FLY_ is now talking about slitting brass with the dremel, I don't think temper would be very relevant to the effectiveness of the spine.

I didn't use any scrapper in making mine, they are not essential. Depending on the wood they could be a good option but not the only solution. So don't let that stop you.

Originally Posted by RayG

Dale and I have been having an email discussion about doing another batch of slit brass, if he organizes the brass I'm happy to slit it, so if the dremel doesn't pan out, you have a backup..

If you are in a hurry, and can't wait. Send me a PM with your address and I'll drop some in the mail.

Regards
Ray

Ray you might have opened a can of worms with people wanting the spine en-mase..

Originally Posted by shedbound

Thanks all for your compliments I am quite happy with it, I was going to ask what timber it was. It was from the table but not blackwood. I finished it with BLO and carnuba wax

Looks like BW to me. I brought two lots, one was quite pale (for BW), the other more typical, but it was the small piece. The pale stuff had some very nice, fine, fiddleback figure that should come up a treat with a bit of oil/wax/steel-wool treatment. The oil should also darken it, without making it too dark & hiding the figure. Matter of fact, I had second thoughts about letting you blokes have it when I saw it exit the planer, but in the end, I decided not to be mean-spirited....

Cheers,

Originally Posted by DSEL74

I didn't use any scrapper in making mine, they are not essential. Depending on the wood they could be a good option but not the only solution. So don't let that stop you.

No worries - I've also got a plane float that yields a really good surface going diagonally across end grain.

Btw, Dale, your Inbox is full....

Originally Posted by DSEL74

The saw plate is cut with an angle grinder and as longer as you just get the job done it isn't an issue. _FLY_ is now talking about slitting brass with the dremel, I don't think temper would be very relevant to the effectiveness of the spine.

No, I mean the temper of the scraper which will be critical.

Originally Posted by FenceFurniture

No, I mean the temper of the scraper which will be critical.

Ahhh ok, well then I leave that to someone experienced to answer.

My inbox keeps filling and being emptied many times a day at the moment! It currently has vacancies!

Originally Posted by _fly_

Nah, the 1mm cutting wheels were to take that corner of the plate.

I'm tempted to try the slit with fine cutting disks on the dremel and go slow slow slow.

A 1mm slot would be petty sloppy for the 15 or 20-thou plate, but you may be able to squeeze it in a vise to get a reasonable fit for the 225 thou stuff. I don't think a metal cutoff wheel will get you a very neat slot, however, and it won't be a very easy job to build a jig (I will lay a very large bet you can't freehand it along a 1/4" bar! ).

Far better to get yourself a slitting saw of some sort. You my be able to do it with a Dremel, as Dale says, but the saw I use from McJings works well in my drill-press jig. Cost me about 12 bucks for the arbor, and the saw blades are $10 each, & sized exactly (they don't have a 15 thou saw, but 0.5mm works well enough with a squeeze or some Loctite.

If you are dead keen to make your own backs, make a jig along the lines of the one I described in my AWR article (January issue), which was inspired by one RayG posted. There's a pic of it somewhere on the Forum (& Ray's), but I can't find either on a quick search. The secret to getting a clean, straight slot with such 'primitive' gear is to set up accurately, & take it slowly - about 1 to 1.5mm each pass until you get it to the depth you want. Setting up is the killer, takes a bit of fiddling to get it dead centre, but once set up, it takes just a few minutes to slot a piece of brass. Of all the metal-working steps in saw making, it's by far the quickest & easiest....

If the demand isn't ridiculously high, you might talk Ray or myself into making a few to go with Dale's extra saw plate, but I don't wish to get deeply into the kit business, myself!

Cheers,

the .5mm cutting wheel on the dremel works ok.
I did 2 inches as I said with no trouble.

ATM I'm looking for a GOOD saw file, don't want Nicholson, yuck. Mine didn't even last 1 saw on Sat.
Thinking of a vallorbe, but blackwoods dont have one I can look at beforehand, you order you buy.....

Any recommendations anyone.