Small cross cut hand saw - recommendations?

Re: Small cross cut hand saw - recommendations?

Bob Hackett


>Have you tried the pull type saws?

I have more than afew of the reconditioned old saws and didn`t want to have any of them leave the shop or otherwise be used by anyone other than myself(wife,sons,friends,etc).In order to keep these old saws safe I bought some pull saws at Lowes and was surprised at how well they work and now I use them for all but precision or joinery work.I`d give them a try if I were you.

My wife and sons also use those short("toolbox") saws from the borg for rough cuts in thier construction work.They cut very fast as they work on both the pull and push stroke.If rough cutting is what you`re talking about then they`re hard to beat and I don`t know of anything else that`ll do the job for less than $20.

Mainely,Bob

Re: Small cross cut hand saw - recommendations?

Derek Cohen (in Perth, Australia)


>Hi Joe

A small crosscut saw is great. I re-handled a 1950's Spear & Jackson. Cost about $10 all up.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Re: Small cross cut hand saw - recommendations?

Steve Mackay


>'Bout the "handiest" tool I own for my bench. Since the bench is about 25" deep and this baby is 11" long I can sling it every where. $ 1.50 rust & rot special. Five minutes with the Dremel cutting wheel to chop it in half. Sanding the blade and finnishing the handle DID take a couple hours but I'm weird that way.

Re: PS

Dan Donaldson


>Yup, you're hosed ;-)

That's perfect!

Joe in a Cleveland suburb


>How much do you want for it?! :)

Joe

Take a look at some Tyzacks...

Scott Burr in Ben Lomond, CA


>Saws on the "bay" there realtively inexpensive, most are files crosscut.

I see alot of them that look new or barley used. All you need to do is stone the edges a bit to remove some of the set. Then you'll be able to feed the elephant!

Oh yea...It's a very bad sign;^)

Re: Small cross cut hand saw - recommendations?

Adam Cherubini, NJ


>Joe,

I think you are asking too much. You want quality but you don't seem to want to either pay for it or work for it. Well...I don't think you get that anywhere in life.

I think the saw you should have is an 18-20" panel saw, I have an Atkins panel saw I bought for $5 at an antique shop and refurbed. I love it. I don't think a back saw is right for you. From what you said, I'm thinking of you doing more rough cuts, not necessarily joinery. Now i do finish cuts with my panel saw in wide stock or just about anything that's not joinery related. For joinery x-cuts, I really like my 16" back saw. Its an old disston. Both saws are roughly 12 tooth saws as I recall.

Now that I'm thinking of it, I think you should contact my friend Paul Dzioba and be prepared to do a little begging. Paul enjoys a good flea market and he knows how to use and refurb saws. He may be willing to help you, but you'll really have to stroke his enormous ego (okay- I'm just kidding about that part). Failing that, I say bite the bullet and email Mike Wenz. I suspect the price difference may not be that great between the new and the refurbed old saw. I typically spend a few hours removing rust, then at least an hour sharpening. So I would think a refurbed saw has to be in the $50-100 range. More for something special. I don't think Mike's new saws are that much more than that. I would certainly caution against some boutique saw makers filing carcass saws cross cut and selling them as a useful tool. A cross cutting back saw should probably have more blade under the spine (dt saws shouls have less) and length is helpful. 14" is probably the practical minimum, 16" being better IMO.

All said, I think a good hand saw is worth more than a cordless drill. It will certainly last longer- it offers the opportunity to expand your woodworking through the development of a new skill set bla blah blah. That's my opinion. Our perception of "good $3 saws" will eventually hold us back as a community. This is one time I recommend not listening to Todd H. There's no such thing as a good $3 hand saw.

(rereading- I came off a little stronger than I felt about the subject. Sorry Joe, Paul, Todd and anyone else. No offense. I have to read bedtime stories now or I would rewrite)

Adam

Not a $3 Saw...But..

Todd Hughes


>still an OK Saw I think. Picked this Disston made for Sears Craftsman saw up at the flea market the other day off a one arm African. Has a 16 in. blade 12 PPI Teeth filed cross cut. Perfect etch and handle and if it was ever used wasn't more then once or so. Other then spraying it with some WD40 and wipping it down condition is just as found. Yeah I wish it was etched Disston but I don't think the wood you cut with it will notice it....

...Now I know this saw can't be real because Adam says they don't exist but I seem to find a good many like it somehow even in the old tool Hell I live in. Gee whiz maybe I should keep an eye out for unicorns and mermaids and other mythical creatures now too eh?

...OH..Like I said it's not a $3 saw though Adam .....cost me a $1 !

Lots of nice saws out there that need nothing more then being sharpened...and not to hard to find ones that don't even need that to go to work but you know you will have to sharpen them sooner or later so whats the big deal there, eh?...Whats next are we going to be told there are no such things as good Braces and screwdrivers either out there ?.....Todd

Re: Not a $3 Saw...But..

Pam Niedermayer - Austin, TX


>Yes, but you havven't yet disputed Adam's primary contention, to wit: you either spend money or labor to get a good saw. You spent significant labor, to say nothing of the expense of getting to the flea market, for that $1 saw. Now you can amortize that expense across all items you purchased that day; but if you're only looking for a couple or three items, that expense will be felt.

Pam

Significant Labor?

Todd Hughes


>Met my friend at the flea market, went and had breakfast ,[a $5 large pizza !] afterward walked out the door of the building about 50 feet to where the one armed African tool seller had just uncovered his junk [he's a late setter upper] and bought the saw. I'm pretty lazy but don't think even I can rate this as being "Significant Labor"....A couple more slices and maybe I would. Was going to the Flea Market anyway but if I had to add my gas to get there to the cost of the saw it would have risen to be a $5 saw I guess.....Friend paid for the Pizza so can't add that to it's cost

Wasn't going to even ask him about the saw since it's a craftsman but was in such nice condition and I figured it would be cheap. If over $5 I wouldn't have bought it .......Todd

Re: Significant Labor?

Pam Niedermayer - Austin, TX


>Todd, I'm trying to distinguish between someone who does flea markets for a living and someone who's just looking for a saw. I think we've done that. I'm not disputing your economics, since obviously you'd go regardless.

Pam

A $5.00 Large pizza?

Scott Burr in Ben Lomond, CA


>Road Kill special? Or something that got brougnt out a tree while pruning?

Re: Significant Labor?

Todd Hughes


>I look at it as if you need tools you can either go out and get them yourself or stay at home and let others provide them for you and all you have to know is how to use your credit card. Imagine it is like buying wood....Some people cut it thierselves, some people go to the lumber yard to pick it out thierselves ....and others stay at home and buy it over the phone or computer. Nothing wrong with any of this, really just depends on how much a person wants to get involved in what they buy or the tools they use.

It's true I go to the flea markets and auctions now to look for stuff to resell [as well as stuff for me] but when I first got into blacksmithing I didn't sell tools at all and this was how I bought all the tools I needed to use. Never thought about doing it any other way.....Todd

Toppings Extra !

Todd Hughes

Re: Pizza for breakfast

Steve in Bethlehem, Pa.


>Hi Todd,

You replied to my post about a month ago (Rust Hunting in Bethany Beach). Our first day there, it was raining so I conned the family into going to Bargain Bills! I saw an un-manned booth that was piled high with old tools and knew by your description that it must belong to the one-armed man from Haiti. After some digging, I did find a saw that I was interested in but the man was nowhere in sight. By that time, it had stopped raining and the kids wanted to go to the beach, so we left. As we were getting in the car, my wife spotted the man, but we decided to go, so no saw for me.

Anyway, thanks for your response. It was a nice drive (about 40 minutes each way ), and the kids got some munchkins at Dunkin Donuts on Rt 13. Otherwise we would've gone stir crazy in the house waiting for the rain to stop;-)

Have a good one,

Steve Marino

Re: A $5.00 Large pizza?

Dan Donaldson


>Little Caesars has $5.00 cheese or pepperoni pizzas all the time.

Re: A $5.00 Large pizza?

Todd Hughes


>Yeah....but do you have much luck finding many saws there ?.....Todd

Re: That's perfect!

Ernie Miller


>you know he is in Perth. Shipping alone is going to push that saw out of you price range.

Re: A $5.00 Large pizza?

Dan Donaldson


>Sometimes I think that they use a dull pit saw to cut them up, but never seen one for sale ;-)

Re: Significant Labor?

Pam Niedermayer - Austin, TX


>Given the price of new blacksmithing tools, I'd certainly do the same thing if I were to start messing with metal.

Pam

Blacksmithing tools

Phil Joines Krum, Tx


>Other than tongs and a few anvils and leg vices I never see any around here. I think most people don't recognize them as tools and they end up in the scrap pile. Can't believe the price of a new hardy.

Re: Blacksmithing tools

thomd


>I know what you mean, but by the time I got into BS, I was pretty set on making it all. As you say, I was looking a the price fro a couple of new swage blocks, and i was tempted to just buy a milling machine and make my own. Nearly 1K. I figure I will just keep buying and welding different sizes of tubing for now!. I-forge has tutorials on most of what one needs anyway.

I know. I was just kidding. :)

Joe in a Cleveland suburb

Thanks for the Pizza knowledge, but...

Joe in a Cleveland suburb


>what about a decent little back saw for cross cutting purposes? I'm looking for advice on what name/type/place to get one. If I have to get a LN or Adria I will. But I just thought an old one would be nice too. Like I said in the original post, I'm not a knowledgeable hand tool guy so I'm looking for some advice on what to buy and a good source from where to buy it.

I appreciate the emails some of you have sent and some of your posts above.

Adam, you said:

I think you are asking too much. You want quality but you don't seem to want to either pay for it or work for it. Well...I don't think you get that anywhere in life.

Huh? I don't think so. I'll pay for it. I'm not sure what 'it' is or where best to get it and that's what I came here for.

From what you said, I'm thinking of you doing more rough cuts, not necessarily joinery.

No. Maybe I didn't ask correctly. I am looking for a saw to do cross cuts to, for example, bring a drawer side down to correct length, tenon cheeks, and that sort of thing. Small crosscuts where I want a clean cut. Cutting the horns off of stiles on a door once assembled for example. That kind of thing. So, yes, I should saw for joinery.

For joinery x-cuts, I really like my 16" back saw. Its an old disston. Both saws are roughly 12 tooth saws as I recall.

That sounds like it. Maybe I should look for something like that?

Failing that, I say bite the bullet and email Mike Wenz. I suspect the price difference may not be that great between the new and the refurbed old saw.

Email address?

I would certainly caution against some boutique saw makers filing carcass saws cross cut and selling them as a useful tool.

What's a 'boutique saw makers'? I you referring to LN and Adria saws? Are you implying they are not worth the price? I thought they are supposed to be very good products. Not true?

(rereading- I came off a little stronger than I felt about the subject. Sorry Joe, Paul, Todd and anyone else. No offense. I have to read bedtime stories now or I would rewrite)

No worries. I'm just a tad bit confused and still trying to educate myself a little on what would make a good go-to back saw for cross cutting and where to buy one.

Joe