Fret-Saw /Coping Saw

[hbmcc]

Yes! Now I know: "I fret! Or, I cope!" 

Thanks to Michael Mouse!

And, by that analogy someone's left is their right..... Just don't confuse handedness when you are coping.

BTW, when reading a contour map: "if it's a hill, it's a valley." I just love these sorts of ditties. Not that you ever see contours on our woodworking. 

Ps. I see bigger problems, however.

[tablesawtom]

Or..


One by Stanley

had a Millers Falls No. 2 fret saw for a while.....never really found a use for it...and gave it away. 

Added thumbscrews to help hold the pinless  blades..
 

Was more of a hand-powered scroll saw, to me.

I just realized I have more time than I thought.

Yes I understand how you feel and the coping saw you pictured  are a dime a dozen. I have a couple of them hang on my wall. I am sure there is a difference between Knew Concepts saw and the one you have pictured.
So again, why would Derek have at least 4 at around $100 plus around here in the US, if I can pick them up at a yard sale for a quarter?

More information. I am retired and I do mostly cabinet work, furniture  and workbenches.  I haven't had much of a call for a fret/coping saw until possibly now. I do most of my dovetailing on the tablesaw and band saw or if really big stuff, a Leigh jig. But lately my grandson (13) and I have been cutting them by hand and I think it might be better or easier to cut out the waste rather than chopping it out. 

If you are dealing with a young almost teenager you have to have something that works well or you can forget it. Like with my dovetail saw, it cuts and he doesn't have to deal with a poor or dull saw. If the saw cuts and he can see improvement in his cutting ability he will spend a couple of hours doing it each time he comes over. If the saw doesn't cut he is done in about a minute. I really don't want to spend $100 for a fret/coping saw but I believe that you should train up a child in the way that he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it. Believe me there is a lot more learning going on than just woodworking. And he is starting to get to be a good little woodworker. The last time he was here he explained how they sharpen chisels at school ( 7th grade shop class) and he asked me how I sharpen my chisels. Boy what an in depth opportunity on sharpening.

Anyway, now I hope you can understand the reason behind this post. I would like to kill both birds with one stone if I cam but I need more information form people who have more experience with the subject than just general information. That is why I posted here.

Tom

[tablesawtom]

Yes! Now I know: "I fret! Or, I cope!" 

Thanks to Michael Mouse!

And, by that analogy someone's left is their right..... Just don't confuse handedness when you are coping.

BTW, when reading a contour map: "if it's a hill, it's a valley." I just love these sorts of ditties. Not that you ever see contours on our woodworking. 

Ps. I see bigger problems, however.

Loved both posts

[Derek Cohen]

....
So again, why would Derek have at least 4 at around $100 plus around here in the US, if I can pick them up at a yard sale for a quarter?

...............

Tom

Tom

I have more of them than that


The reason is that I helped Lee Marshall design the fretsaw for woodworkers. He would send me a new saw as a prototype was developed. It would arrive in a pizza box


The one on the right is the original fretsaw he sent me. I began playing with it, sent him ideas, and Lee ran with them. 



A wonderful man, who sadly passed passed away a few years ago. 

The story of the fretsaw is here: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ToolReviews...etsaw.html

Regards from Perth

Derek

[tablesawtom]

Tom

I have more of them than that


The reason is that I helped Lee Marshall design the fretsaw for woodworkers. He would send me a new saw as a prototype was developed. It would arrive in a pizza box


The one on the right is the original fretsaw he sent me. I began playing with it, sent him ideas, and Lee ran with them. 



A wonderful man, who sadly passed passed away a few years ago. 

The story of the fretsaw is here: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ToolReviews...etsaw.html

Regards from Perth

Derek

What an awesome response to my inquiries Derek. If I were to purchase a fret saw, can I purchase the blade clamps separately to make it into a coping saw or are the frames different also?

Tom

[wmickley]

I use a coping saw for sawing out dovetail waste. It is more efficient than a fretsaw for this task because the teeth are larger. However, it takes some skill to learn to make a sharp turn with a coping saw. A hardware store coping saw is too flimsy for good work, but an Eclipse saw, which is good, is usually in the $16 to $25 dollar range. There are other good saws as well, and in the same price range.

A fret saw is used for very thin work like 1/16 or 1/18 inch thick, maybe even up to 3/16 or 1/4. We call it fretwork. Often this is used for a decorative frieze, like a lattice design glued on a solid background. It is pretty delicate when you are cutting it, but is sturdy when glued in place.

This chest has a decorative frieze of fretwork just above the top drawers and some more open fretwork above that

[hbmcc]

What an awesome response to my inquiries Derek. If I were to purchase a fret saw, can I purchase the blade clamps separately to make it into a coping saw or are the frames different also?

Tom

Tut! Tut...! Now you should know that useful economy is no longer permitted in modern culture.... It would never surprise me to find the blades fit only New Concept saws as well.

They sure look cool!

[cputnam]

For about the same large amount of money, one can have either the Knew Concepts Fretsaw or the Blue Spruce Coping saw with turns very nicely, thank you. I would not begin to recommend one over the other since both are superb saws. Both can be had with aggressive blades for rapid cutting or fine blades for fine work. Ya pays yore money and ya takes yore chances.

[Timberwolf]

I use a coping saw for sawing out dovetail waste. It is more efficient than a fretsaw for this task because the teeth are larger. However, it takes some skill to learn to make a sharp turn with a coping saw. A hardware store coping saw is too flimsy for good work, but an Eclipse saw, which is good, is usually in the $16 to $25 dollar range. There are other good saws as well, and in the same price range.

A fret saw is used for very thin work like 1/16 or 1/18 inch thick, maybe even up to 3/16 or 1/4. We call it fretwork. Often this is used for a decorative frieze, like a lattice design glued on a solid background. It is pretty delicate when you are cutting it, but is sturdy when glued in place.

This chest has a decorative frieze of fretwork just above the top drawers and some more open fretwork above that

....................
A fret saw can also be a jeweler's saw and use "hair like" blades...I cut lots of these in the mid-sixties and broke my share of blades until I developed the skills...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbliTPx6SuE

You can improve the performance of coping saw blades by removing some of the "set" and truing up the cut line..most coping saw blades have punched teeth that are not uniformly sharp or evenly set {usually way too much set}..so a little file and stone work can help performance tremendously.

[Derek Cohen]

Curt, the Blue Spruce coping saw is $325 and add on $50 for the fretsaw adapter. The Knew Concepts coping saw is $159 and the 3" (MkIII) fretsaw with swivel action and quick release is $99. The two makes are hardly in the same price range until you move to the KC 5" Titanium fretsaw, which is $225 (still $150 cheaper than the BP).

Regards from Perth

Derek