Building bowsaws

Re: Building bowsaws

Joe Rogers, Northern Virginia

>Bugbears site has some good info. I don't know how to link to his web site tho. Maybe someone else can print it.JR

Re: Building bowsaws *LINK*

Ted Shuck

>I think this is the link your wanted to Bugbear's bowsaw page...

Ted


Bugbear's bowsaw page

Re: Building bowsaws *LINK*

Todd O. Cronkhite Native of Maine

>Mickey,

Here's a start. I was looking for BugBears site, but found this one first. I will continue to look tho.

Todd O.


Bowsaws

Bugbear's Bowsaw  *LINK*

Jack Guzman from Maine

>


Bugbear's bowsaws

Hat Trick! :~)

Todd O. Cronkhite Native of Maine

>Same response within 2 minutes of each other.

I think somebody owes somebody a Coke, or a good slug to the shoulder. ;~)

Todd O.

Just for variety... *LINK*

Alice Frampton, UK

>... not BugBear's site! ;~)


Homemade Bowsaw Article

Todd, that IS BugBear's website!

Don Thompson, Cutler Ridge, Florida

>

Re: Todd, that IS BugBear's website!

Todd O. Cronkhite Native of Maine

>Yeah, I fiqured that out went I went back to look for BugBears site. It been awhile since I've seen it and thought that is was different. CRS acting up I guess. Besides I was in a rush, I wanted to be the first to respond to Mickey, but that dang ol' Ted beat me out by a wee-bit, and Jack was close on my heels.

Todd O.

Up to date *LINK*

Alice Frampton, UK

>At last got round to moving the rest of my site to the new address - great timing huh?


Homemade Bowsaw Article

Re: Just for variety...

William R. Duffield on the Cohansey

>Your article provides more than just variety. There is a shortcoming of BugBear's saw that is answered in your plans. Since the length of the blade is variable, but the length of the stretcher is not, the radiused mortise and tenon shoulders work better. With straight shoulders, the joint eventually loosens up and loses some strength. The mortise should have a snug fit from side to side, but be a little loose end to end, to allow for a little rotation in the joint. The easiest way to adjust it is to taper the ends of the tenons just a little.

This joint is raised to an art form in the old one at Colonial Williamsburg and the reproductions made by Mack Headley and Dave Anderson.

Re: Building bowsaws

William R. Duffield on the Cohansey

>Another enhancement you should consider makes the tensioner windlass work a lot easier. Here's a photo of mine:

I made this one fancier than is needed, and you can make further improvements by running the slit the full length of the paddle, stopping about a half inch from the other end. That way, you get half-turn tension adjustment instead of full turn.

Re: Up to date

Bill Houghton, Sebastopol, CA

>Nice site, Alf - some good stuff there. I've just added it to my list of favorites, so I can get back and visit at more leisure when my son's car isn't calling me to go fix it.

Another enhancement

Paul Kramer-SW-IN

>All,

A further enhancement is to create a small mortise in the stretcher for the windlass paddle to slot into instead of merely resting against the side of the stretcher.

Paul

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Re: Building bowsaws

paul womack

>Another enhancement you should consider makes the tensioner windlass work a lot easier.

I should probably add this as an "optional extra" to my plans.

However, my personal preference is not to have it; while it definitely makes the saw easier to tension, I feel it comprimises the extreme simplicity of the classic design.

Just for completeness, some bowsaws have left/right threaded rods and a metal tensioner.

Here's Stephan Patnaude's take on the subject

But I find the cost/benefit ratio of some cord and a paddle very appealing.

BugBear

Re: LOL

William R. Duffield on the Cohansey

>...at Patnaude's observations.

I figured the windlass gizmo was worth bringing up after trying a bowsaw without the feature last month built by someone else. The twine had been tightened with the simple paddle by the builder. I tried to loosen the tension to examine the joinery, but could not without fear of breaking the arms. It appeared that the paddle was too long, and also a bit too wide. We then discovered that the loop of cord had moved towards the stretcher, away from the top ends of the arms. IMO, the root cause was a subtle problem with the shape of the arms. The arms, of curly hard maple, did not break. BTW, that problem does not exist in your plans, or in the saw I made from them, which are curved correctly to coax the cord into staying out at the ends of the arms. My impression was that the builder of the other saw will take our observations back to his shop, and is planning to make some improvements to his design.

BTW, I'm still looking for the perfect bandsaw cord. I've tried kevlar, waxed linen, bailing twine, seine cord, and a few others, and had all of them break after not many hours of use. I'm tempted to try Glide� Polypropylene dental floss next. Some of the high tech rigging lines that APS sells for racing dinghies might work better, but the bright colors just don't seem appropriate for a traditional tool.

Why hasn't anyone posted a link...

Scott in Douglassville, PA

>...to that dog-head-carved bowsaw? Who made that thing? Anyone got a link? It sure is fun to look at...

Re: The Bensonsaw *LINKS*

William R. Duffield on the Cohansey

>Because up to now, nobody asked.

Benson's countenance graces the handles of saws created by Mark Meier. Photos are posted on Roger Nixon's Traditional Tools website in the User Made Tools Photo Gallery

Ahhhh...

Scott in Douglassville, PA

>Thanks, William. I love looking at that thing! Makes me want to build a bowsaw someday...

Re: LOL - bowsaw cord

Ted Shuck

>I've been using dacron fishing line (really fly line backing) on my bowsaws. I use about 8-10 loops of 20 pound test line. It is very low stretch and lasts a long time. Looks a lot like linen, so the appearance is "traditional", but it should last a lot longer.

Ted

Re: LOL

paul womack

>I figured the windlass gizmo was worth bringing up

Heartily agreed - it is an option most worthy of consideration. My dislike of it is purely personal, and not a decision I would impose on others.

BugBear

Cord Option

Brad in Ottawa

>I use Waxed Whipping and Sewing Cord from Lee Valley. 100lb test and it holds up great.

As per the LV site: "Whipping cord used to be linen; nowadays, it is made from continuous polyester fiber, which has higher tensile strength, weathers better, and is more resistant to abrasion. It still comes with the traditional beeswax coating that is so necessary for both shape and grip in whipping."

Like they say, it's also great for whipping around cracked handles to reinforce them or to provide better grip.

Brad