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A huge thanks to Isaac Smith of Blackburn Tools for working with me on my upcoming frame saw build for The Hand Tool School. I filed the teeth on my current saw by hand and it is not a task I would wish on anyone. Isaac stepped up and did some retooling to handle these big blades and now he is able to supply 2-4" wide 36" or 48" long blades for those of us wackos who want to resaw by hand.
I have sharpened the 4x48 monster and was able to take one test cut last night. Much more testing is required but this thing is a wood eating demon. It is hard to tell how the 4" wide blade performs as compared to my existing 2" in the smaller cut I made, but I'm looking forward to much more work with it to make a determination.
Check out his site,
http://www.blackburntools.com/new-tools/...index.html, and support this toolmaker. Thanks Isaac!
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Location: Suburb of Los Angeles
As one of the prople who's been asking around for blades, this is great.
Now we just need someone to put together a resource site with plans for a couple of different styles.
Where do I want the holes drilled? I have no idea.
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Mike Siemsen did a great write up on his build.
http://schoolofwood.com/node/59This is the model I followed when designing mine but I wimped out and had a blacksmith make the hardware for me,
http://www.renaissancewoodworker.com/a-v...saw-parts/As far as styles, there isn't much variation to them other than how people choose join the frame together. A simple mortise and tenon is fastest but there are examples of dovetail and bridle joints too that I have examined in the collection in the museum where I volunteer.
The hardware you choose will determine where you drill the holes. In my case the keeper iron is a U shape that needs to fit between the walls of the iron.
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If anyone is interested in seeing one of these saws in action, Shannon has a
great little video up on his website. My only complaint is that it's too short - I just love the sound of a sharp blade working its way through wood.
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I usually try to edit out the repetitive stuff, but this is one time I think I could have just let the camera run and run Isaac. Good old fashioned saw porn! Thanks again for your help with the blades
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That was a great video, nice job Shannon and great looking saw. I all so enjoyed seeing him build his saw sharpening vise.
Thanks for sharing
PS: And he sawed to the line
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That's an impressive saw Shannon! I'm not sure if it would even fit in my small backyard shed...
What size was that wallnut board? I ask because I have lately resawn a wallnut board, 9cm thick and 160cm long. With my ripsaw on the sawbench, which turned into a bit of a back breaking excersize. I didn't time myself, but it guess les then an hour net sawing time.
Do you switch sides while sawing down the board? And how do you keep the cut parallel to the sides?
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The first board is 10" wide and the Walnut was about 5" (13 cm) wide. Resawing down on a sawbench would be torture most definitely. Even when I have resawn with a standard rip saw, I have done it clamped vertically. Yes I absolutely switch sides, I think this is imperative especially on the wider stuff. Not to be flippant, but I keep the cut parallel through concentrating on the line. The saw blade helps but there are a million little adjustments going on with body position and orientation of the saw to keep it on the line.
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Nice job Shannon. Have you tried a 3" vs a 4" blade? Could you please address retaining pin hole placement? How much set have you applied?
Thanks, I have a 3" blade on order, now wondering if I should not have sprung for the 4"!
Jonathan
I only regret the tools I didn't buy!
“Think about it: Everything with a power cord eventually winds up in the trash.” John Sarge
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I don't have a 3" blade for the 48" saw, but I just installed a 3" in my 36" saw last night that I'm hoping to play around with after WoodTalk tonight. I think the 3" will still be better than 2 but I think you will also find that regardless of the blade it takes practice and concentration to keep sawing straight. The long stroke will amplify any slight out of alignment in your body position and stroke. If you reign that in, the blade width becomes less relevant. The 4" does feel substantially more "stable" than the 2" I was working with prior. Regarding set, I apply only enough to get by. I couldn't tell you anything more specific than that. The kerf is barely any larger than the plate. My setting skills and saw set are nowhere near advanced enough to put a number on it. The retaining pin is set in 3/4" of each end, in the middle of the blade.
