Howdy folks
I was getting ready to cut a saw handle in blackwood when i destroyed my old coping saw. Not a huge issue at the time - it was a relatively cheap unit.
But in the breaking i saw an opportunity to make a bow saw.
On to my old friend Google for some inspiration and to identify what was required.
I noticed some kits and parts from Grammercy Gramercy Tools Turning Saw Parts
But all up the parts and bits were a bit expensive - especially the brass bits - so i thought i would give making it all a crack. What could go wrong.
So i thought about it a bit more - and bought some of the 12" blades - i wasn't going to make them:no:
Down to the commercial shed and couple of bolts later (5/16 for the curious)
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I hacked into them with a grinding wheel:roll: with some adequate results - not great but this is a proof of concept for me.
Once done, i knocked up a template for the handles and went to town on some NSW rosewood that was pretending to be rubbish.
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A little bit of sanding and some jute later, I threw it together to see how everything looked and was holding together. The locking piece (in the twine) is a small bit of cedar.
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I was not overly happy with the jute - under highish tension you could hear to fibres starting to give way - so a bit later i will change that for some cotton rope or sash cord.
Here is the finished(?) unit. Oiled up and ready to go. It works great - sliced into some pine really well - a bit of break out - but it is only a 10TPI blade.
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In the near future - probably next weekend - i will get some 5/16 threaded brass rod and make some pins from that. I intend to use a dome nut and washer on the outside - should look a heap better and the brass will cut a lot easier than the bolts did.
Thanks for looking.
Cheers
Norm