Dovetail Saw from Scratch *LINK*

Re: Dovetail Saw from Scratch 

Andrew Lunn

>

Re: Dovetail Saw from Scratch 

Andrew Lunn

>

Re: Very pretty -- how does it cut?

Dave Mount, NE Minnesota

>

Wow.

vlparisian - Houston

>I absolutely love it. How long did it take?

Got to see some shavings - err make that saw dust...

Victor

Re: Very pretty -- how does it cut?

Andrew Lunn

>Hi Dave,

It cuts really well. It's aggressive but not rough; it's smooth and fast. Its kerf is very fine and clean. The way it cuts is just like I had imagined and hoped it might. It feels very balanced and responsive in my hand.

I'd been using a 15 tpi dovetail since I began using hand tools, and for a long time I suspected that 15 tpi was not really necessary---it might be what someone prefers, but fewer teeth is ok too, if you prefer it that way. Just sort of thinking about it, 12 teeth seemed like it might be about right. So far no complaints. I'm going to post a few pics of the saw in action in response to Victor's comments below. Thanks for your interest, Dave.

Andrew

Re: Wow.

Andrew Lunn

>Thanks Victor. I appreciate your kind remarks. To tell the truth, I worked very hard on this saw--I'd say I put several days worth of work into it. Some of that is the fact that this was my first backsaw, but I am also very picky and was enjoying myself immensely. Also, the method I used to bend the back was a little time consuming--I bent it with a hammer, with the brass clamped in a vise. It was a lot of work to go from a sheet of brass to the back you see on that saw. I've been mulling over building a sheet metal brake of some kind, and I think I will build one here soon. It will make doing the initial bend in the brass backs much easier...and faster!

Ok, on to the sawdust--here are a few shots of the saw in action. The one piece is a scrap of mahogany, and the other is pine. I tried to get a shot or two where you can see how the saw just drops through its kerf.

And yes my bench is hideous. :) It's the bench I started out with, made back when all I had was a circular saw and a hammer. With all of those nice benches in PWW these days, I think I might smell an English style bench in my future!

Take care, Victor

Andrew

Re: Wow. 

Andrew Lunn

>

Re: Wow. 

Andrew Lunn

>

Re: Wow. 

Andrew Lunn

>

I stand corrected. That deserves a great big

vlparisian - Houston

>Double Wow. (heh heh heh thought I was going to say "You Suck" didn't you. )

I really enjoy the great action shots. Thats beyond my wildest dreams skill wise. Enjoy your new tool.

Victor

Re: Dovetail Saw from Scratch

L. Hanson

>Stunning work, Andrew! I love the etching - just read the article over on Wiktor's site. Well done! Some good stuff, there - I hope to borrow some of those ideas sometime...

Keep up the good work!

Leif

www.norsewoodsmith.com

Re: I stand corrected. That deserves a great big

Andrew Lunn

>Actually, Victor, I knew something was coming but didn't know what it was! Clicking on your link was sort of like those last couple turns on a jack-in-the-box. Boing!

You know, I don't think making a saw is really much harder than making anything else. It's just a specific project, with a particular result you aim for as you go. The judgment you develop using hand tools is probably your most important tool for making one-off tools. If you can sharpen a saw, you're halfway there. The other smaller factors all produce a sort of cumulative effect that can be significant and give the tool real character. At least that's my modest experience thus far. Learning from your experiences as you go is half the fun.

See you around,

Andrew

Re: Dovetail Saw from Scratch

Andrew Lunn

>Hi Leif, how's it going? Nice to hear from you! Thank you for the kind remarks. Have you been working on any tools lately? Please do borrow from my article--that's what it's there for! I'd be quite pleased if it helped you sometime, as your articles have certainly helped me.

Keep up the fine work yourself!

Andrew

Very impressive!

Scott Burr in Ben Lomond CA

>Every thing down to the split nuts, WOW! Now that's a keeper.

I'm sure youi'll enjoy it.

You gonna make any more?

Re: Very impressive!

Andrew Lunn

>Hi Scott, sorry for the late response. I thought the thread had ended and missed your post! Thank you very much for the kind words. I had an awesome time making it. I think making hand tools is more addictive than buying them, if you can believe that! So yeah, I'll be making more--I'm afraid I'm a hopeless case. The thought of only ever making one feels...well, kind of depressing. My initial goal was just to make myself some tools--maybe I should have seen it coming. You learn so much just making one, it seems sort of silly to just make one. :)

Andrew