I am interested in getting a frame or bow saw. Is there any difference between the traditional type that is tensioned by string and a block of wood and the kind which uses a cable with a wing nut? I am assuming that what matters the most is the blade. I have been looking at the saws at traditional woodworker site. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Rudy
Hey, talk to Larry Jaques. He'll make you a bow saw for free! :-) j4
Ouch! Glad someone else grabbed the *needle* this time.
Functionaly - no. Both tension the blade. The wing nut'd let you make small adjustments to the tension while the "spanish windlass" only allows full revolution changes. If you're a neander use the "spanish windlass" with a nice hardwood "handle".
The fun thing about bow saws is the method of connecting things that allows for a little rotation in one plane but not in the other two. A simple loose in one plane mortise and tenon works fine but someone did one with the mortise and tenon joint semi- circular so no gaps are visible at the tenon's shoulder when in use.
You can also get creative with the shape of the arms and even turn your own handles and do all kinds of beading.
Here's the one I did - blade from Highland Hardware - it sucks, the blade that is.
Have fun making one of these little gems
charlie b
(bafles me how Tage Fried can cut dovetails with the big bow saw he uses)
Yes.
Both generate the same force. But one does it through a large strain (movement) applied to a material with a low elastic modulus, the other does it with a short movement to a high modulus. Why does this matter? Well if the frame has any movement in it, then a cable-tensioned frame will tend to go slack as it wobbles, whilst a supposedly "sloppy" string tensioned frame will absorb the movement and lose relatively less tension.
I've only seen wingnut tensioning on frame saws with fairly rigid metal frames, like picture framing saws, or else on huge resaw frame saws. But if you make your own crude bow saw and it won't stay taut, then take off that ultra high-tech Kevlar bowstring you used and replace it with a length of stretchy old twine (actually nylon bricklayer's line is good). Then I bet it'll work better.
I got the ECE frame saw and Japanese style blades (rip and crosscut) at:
-JBB
On Thu, 15 Apr 2004 09:48:39 -0400, Rudy Fichtenbaum brought forth from the murky depths:
Having half-finished a single bow saur myself, I feel fully qualified to answer this question: yeah, there are differences. Just don't ask me to quantify them for you, OK? (Y'know, other than the string vs. steel thing.)
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You're up to *half* finished now, Larry?
Well - thinking about doing something is "half of the battle"; so he must be at least half way done.
Alan Bierbaum
web site:
On Fri, 16 Apr 2004 21:13:06 -0600, Dave Balderstone brought forth from the murky depths:
Ackshully more than that, Baldy. BTW, see the post to Nahmy I posted earlier. The gitfiddle stand is done. Granted, it's a quick and dirty job, but it's a stand. Finish is Waterlox and Johnson's paste wax.
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Sure, but it's no bowsaw, English.
;-)
djb
You're just not trying !
I did a bow-saw making class last year, where a dozen or so kids-teens-adolescents were learning some green woodworking / simple framing at a camp. Supplying only sawblades, nails (as blade pins) and string (and coppiced poles we'd felled earlier), we got everyone to make their own saw in an afternoon. Good fun too.
Frames were in either beech or ash, and they were of different sizes (because idiot boy here hadn't bought enough of the right blades). Some of the smaller beech ones even ended up with some pretty nice carving on them, which is more than I could have done.
On Fri, 16 Apr 2004 23:02:47 -0600, Dave Balderstone brought forth from the murky depths:
I thought you were the one complaining that I never finished anything. Hmmm?
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On Sat, 17 Apr 2004 13:04:34 +0100, Andy Dingley brought forth from the murky depths:
I lost interest and had 'lebenty seben new projects going on during that time and never finished it. I had ripped the teak, tenoned the rail, mortised the verticals, punched the blade, turned the handles, and stopped there. As I stated a few months ago, I found the box of parts. Maybe, just maybe, I'll finish it and give some of you guys less to complain about.
I'll do that RSN, but don't hold your breath. ;)
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Andy Dingley wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:
Extending and stretching the topic a bit...Where do you purchase or do you make your own bow saw blades...if you make them a general description of how "you" make them would be much appreciated. I have a old 10" Marple bow saw that is down to it's last blade and I can't find a supplier, hence the question.(G) TIA
GJP
Bandsaw blade of appropriate width and # of teeth - - cut to length, punch/drill hioles, away you go.
Do not use curly maple for the uprights on a frame saw.
I think Garret Wade may have those.
My frame saw (the one that didn't break) uses a 48" bucksaw blade I bought at the Borg and is used for bucking logs. You can use a piece of a bandsaw blade for the blade for smaller saws.
I haven't done this myself, but here's how I understand it is done. First put nail in a drill press and spot anneal two spots on the blade where you want to drill the holes. That is you press the nail down on the blade while spinning at high speed so that the heat from friction anneals a spot on the blade without annealing the rest of the blade. Be sure to clamp the blade well for obvious reasons. Then you can drill or punch the holes in the blade. Finally you cut the blade to length with a triangular file.
"Norman D. Crow" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@enews4.newsguy.com:
..so I guess that's why Charlie B in his message about making his bowsaw said "having a bandsaw can help" EH!(G) Gee, that's why I have a bowsaw since I don't have a bandsaw.(G)
Thanks for the reply, much appreciated.
GJP
snipped-for-privacy@spamcop.net (Fred the Red Shirt) wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@posting.google.com:
Thank you, guess I'll have to start searching the NG for messages about &*%#** bandsaw blades that keep breaking and see if there are any left over bits hanging around.(G)
Much appreciated.
GJP
Bandsaw blade. You ask at somewhere that makes them up to order and they'll just chop off any length you want. They punched end holes in ours too.
Don't use _old_ bandsaw blade (as if often recommended). Maybe a damaged new blade is OK, but if it's too worn for a motor, you don't want to be pushing it by hand.
If you want a big coping saw, you might find that a replacement bow saw blade is narrower than any bandsaw stock you can get.
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