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I posted a while back trying to figure out what handle template to use for my old Master Mechanic back saw...here's the (quite painful) original...
I got a template from Dominic's website. Here's the template glued onto the blank, with the radius holes bored...
And here it is finishing up sawing the profile....
I band sawed the outer shape, but used my bow saw to connect the inside holes. No, I'm not using pocket screws...Since I was working out in the garage, I used my Kreg jig vise to hold it for sawing.
Here's where I ended up tonight...got the handle shaped and the plate installed temporarily...
Gave it a test drive...it's a vast improvement over the original!
Next is sanding it smooth and applying some finish.
Thanks for looking!
David
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I wonder if it would be a good idea to cut about an inch off the length of the blade so that you can move the spine into the handle. I bet that would give the saw a lot more rigidity and less flex near the handle.
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Good idea, Tim.... Or.... move the back toward the handle and saw off the toe end of the blade so that hangy hole is gone.
Catchalater,
Marv
I did then what I knew how to do. Now that I know better, I do better.”
― Maya Angelou
I'm working toward my PHD. (Projects Half Done)
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It looks great!
When I've made my own totes, I often as not messed things up with the spine-mortise being slightly off-center from the blade slot. So I wouldn't bother changing the spine. That grade of saw probably doesn't have a very fragile plate-thickness anyway. It's all good!
Chris
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Be carefull, it is highly addictive.
Great job on the handle.
Still remember Isaacs first one...
Cheers Pedder
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Dom has some really nice templates! And, Pedder's right. I have enough wood for about 50 handles. It's amazing what a waste bin can produce.
You have a nice bow saw.
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Thanks guys!
I did notice the fact that the back didn't extend into the tote...I've made a couple other, smaller, back saw totes, and I realized this one was suddenly easier at that point.
honestly, probably the easiest for me would be to make another tote, reshaping it to extend forward a bit more over the spine, but Like Chris said, it's a pretty stiff plate to start with. Maybe when I get a few other projects knocked out...
Bruce, thanks for the comment in the bow saw...it's the Gramercy blade with the rest shop made. 1/4" O-1 steel rod sawed out to fit the blade ends and epoxied into the handles.
Some days I do better making tools than completing real projects!
Unfortunately my wife likes to see the real projects completed.
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Much improved!
Steve S.
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Tradition cannot be inherited, and if you want it you must obtain it by great labour.
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Nice jobon the handle it looks great. I have a couple "cheapies" as well and plane on making new handles for them.
Steve
Steve
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Nice work on the handle.
I have often why I have never seen a saw handle where the grip part is eliptical in section rather than flat section rouded over at the top and bottom. Anyone who hs held a Holtey 98 series plane handle will know just how much difference this makes to comfort and I can see no reason why it would not also be superior on a saw. It woud be quite a lot more trouble to make because the eliptical shape would need a greater thickness of wood than the rest of the handle but, given that there are a few people out there trying to make the "ultimate handsaw" it is surprising that no one seems to have tried it. Perhaps they have and I have missed it, does anyone know the answer or better still has actually tried a saw with the handle made this way?
Jim
