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Easy to start; smooth cutting.
Doug
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Hi Arlin,
IIRC you have handicaps, but I don't know: how is your posititon to the workpiece?
do you have a bench to work on? the best would be a picture of you at your bench.
It is important for the postion of the handle and the rake and the weight of the spine.
everybody loves a very thin blade. Klaus and I were the first saw maker offering a very thin blade with 0.012 steel.
That is nice to work with, because you need less power, because less wood is removed.
But a 0.020 blade is much more stable and will not suffe if you move the saw sideways
And there is plenty of room for a fretsaw blade, if you wish to use that.
today the most saw I make have 0.016 thick or thin blades.
Cheers
Pedder
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A lot depends on the thickness of the piece you are working on....as a 1/4" thick piece ( like I use for small boxes) will use a different saw than a board that is 3/4" thick..or more...
I use a disston No. 68 Gents saw for the thinner stuff...and a Disston No. 4 Back saw for the thicker stuff....
I use a vise on the end of my bench....and will simply sit down on a shop stool....not only to saw, but also any work with a chisel...almost time for a new stool, as I have about worn out the seat..
The thin blades Xacto uses in their Razor Back Saws, tend to be to flimsy for most of what I do. Remember also...90 % of dovetail saw work is a RIP cut...fine teeth are...ok, but takes forever to make a cut...and the teeth clog up....to the point I need to wax the plate up, so it does not bind in the cut....
The saws I use the most for dovetails ( and Box/finger joints) have between 9 and 11 ppi....as I usually will pare to a line after the saw is done, anyway...an extra swipe takes care of any "roughness"...
Also, when I use a Gents saw...I usually have the index finger sticking straight ahead...pressing lightly ( as needed) on the spine of the saw....
Show me a picture, I'll build a project from that
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Depends on the use what I prefer. For 3/4" stock, I personally like the Lie-Nielsen rip filed dovetail saw. It's fast and stiff enough to maintain track easily. If I'm cutting stock thinner than 1/2", I'll use a higher tpi rip like the Veritas rip or the Tools for Working Wood (Gramercy) saw. The higher tpi saws will cut slower, but they will leave a smoother cut.
I also use Japanese dovetail saws. They all leave a very smooth cut, but they will drift if you don't start your cut on track (there are techniques that can mitigate this). I personally don't like using a Gent's saw because the handle doesn't promote keeping the saw oriented as well as a more traditional pistol grip handle.
There are also dovetail guides out there. Usually magnetic and sometimes they require a unique saw that provides enough clearance at depth of cut to the spine of your saw.
In Arlin's case, I would presume he's going to be cutting from a seated position, which could benefit from a different rake on the teeth.
Still Learning,
Allan Hill
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(10-09-2023, 10:43 AM)AHill Wrote: In Arlin's case, I would presume he's going to be cutting from a seated position, which could benefit from a different rake on the teeth.
That and a lower hanged handle. And a heavier spine.
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I do both sittting and standing but mostly standing.
Here is the picture of my bench with the wooden top
It will not attach the photo is to large and I can not reduce it. The tape measure shows it is 30" from the floor to the top of the table
As of this time I am not teaching vets to turn. Also please do not send any items to me without prior notification. Thank You Everyone.
It is always the right time, to do the right thing.
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From the Dungeon Floor to the top of my bench....34"
Show me a picture, I'll build a project from that
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The absolute height doesn't tell me anything. it is the angle of the arm and the saw to the workpiece, that matters.
Arlin, I sent you my email adress via pm, please send me the picture, thanks!
Cheers
Pedder
