The best saw for...

Hi,

I have a jigsaw, but it's awkward to use..

I need to often cut boards across 45deg. (not really a mitre) see my glasses box! and occasionally rip long boards.

Ta

Reply to
SB
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Do you have a tablesaw? If so, you make a taper jig for it.

Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

Got clamps?

Before getting a table saw I was able to do a lot of work with the jig saw, "c" clamps and a few perfectly straight boards that I kept aside just to use for this purpose. I got straight lines in place (regardless of the angle) and then clamped the boards as needed to get the jig saw blade against the pencil line. The clamped board kept the jig saw going straight.

I also kept a few scraps of thin wood to place between the "good wood" and the "c" clamps.

Josie

Reply to
firstjois

So you all suggest table saw, any other options or should I be heading to "Table Shop Store!"

SB

Reply to
SB

Stop buying tools. Everyone does this, but you'll learn more and "get there faster" by spending less on hardware and more on some timber.

First of all, get some hand tools. These are really cheap in comparison to power tools, so you can just go and get them right now. A cheap B&Q induction-hardened tenon saw, 22" panel saw, and a 99p mitre block. Your Workmate works as a saw horse, on the low-foot setting. You could also look at the cheaper entry-level Japanese saws from Axminster, as a dozuki is often easier to learn to saw with accurately than a tenon saw. Metal-cutting hacksaws, coping saws, all have their place too.

Your default choice of saw, for the likely sort of project you're making, is going to be a hand saw. Put down the jigsaw - they're rarely that useful for typical stuff, keep it for sawing curves and enclosed spaces out of plywood.

Don't buy a circular saw. You can't afford it ! For a really useful saw you're talking £200. This would get you either a table saw like the Axminster BTS10PP , or B&Q's similar version. For £100 you can get a wide range of very nasty table saws that I wouldn't advise anyone to get.

In bandsaws it's a similar sort of price break. There are many 9" wheel diameter machines, but these are nasty, However there is one machine, the Axminster AWSBS that's a usable machine for around £100.

With this, a good selection of blades, including some coarse ones for ripping, and a copy of Mark Duginske's "Bandsaw Handbook"

then you have a capable powered saw that will do everything, including ripping stock, that you might need for the moment. In a year or two you might have a circular saw bench that's good for the big stuff, but this bandsaw will still be useful for curved work.

Another option of course is second hand, if you see something.

So look at your budgets first. Work out what saws will really cost you, in both money and space, and what all their accessories will cost you too. Any saw is only as good as its blades, so you do have to allow for getting a couple of different ones for different purposes.

How much space / budget do you have ?

Reply to
Andy Dingley

Tagging onto Andy's post to add two things.

First, since you're 13 and about to inherit 500 "favorite uncles" on this newsgroup, start signing your first name. :) Calling you SB is like talking to my boss. ;>

Second, (and more to Andy's point), _please_ consider spending some of your limited resources on some kind of woodworking education. Any money you can spend to learn from a pro who's dedicated to teaching his craft is going to be the _best_ money you will ever spend. Promise.

Uncle Michael Baglio

Reply to
Michael Baglio

You might want to get a book such as "The Table Saw Book" by Kelly Mehler. Alternatively, you might wish to consider band saws. "The Band Saw Book" by Lonnie Bird or "Band Saw Handbook" by Mark Duginske are excellent reads.

These books will explain to you much of what you can do with these tools and also provide information on how to make purchase decisions.

I would recommend Amazon.com for the books and also as a place to shop for the tools when you decide to purchase. Their prices are very competitive and shipping is usually free. Plus, they don't charge sales tax. Even if you don't purchase through them, there is a lot of other buyer's feedback on items. Going to a "Table Shop Store!" would provide you with local service if that is a strong consideration for you, though.

ET

Reply to
mnterpfan

On Mon, 15 Nov 2004 20:11:39 -0000, "SB" calmly ranted:

Now that I have one, I find myself reaching for the Japanese Ryoba pull-saw more and more often. $26 delivered from The Japan Woodworker. See their ads in most good woodworking mags.

Reply to
Larry Jaques

Better Michael?

Sam

Reply to
Sam Berlyn

Looks like it might fit in with this thread- I've been digging around for a dozuki style saw in the local places, and I've been running into a lot of blades with blue teeth. I've had plenty of saws of all types over the years, and I don't recall ever getting one that looked like the teeth had been burned on a grinding wheel. Is this some kind of technique I missed along the way for hardening the teeth, or are they all (as I rather suspect) worthless pieces of Junk? I just want one to hold me over until I've got the extra $$$ to get a really nice pull saw, but there's no reason to get something that is just going to piss me off. Any idea what's going on with all that bluing?

Aut inveniam viam aut faciam

Reply to
Prometheus

Prometheus wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

That may be the induction hardening Andy was talking about. Means you can't resharpen the saw blade, but should have to, any time soon.

There was a recent thread on these, that Larry Jaques was involved in. Best pull saw for $20 or something like that. In fact, you might ping Larry, if you can't find it in Google.

Patriarch

Reply to
patriarch

Induction hardening. Good thing on western "toolbag" saws, but I've never seen an induction hardened Japanese saw that wasn't rubbish,

Avoid the plastic handled Japanese saws too (Shark and a few others). The handle fitment isn't tight and they have some "rattle" to them. Ugly things to use - get a cheap wooden handle instead.

Japanese saws are basically unsharpenable. Sharpening them is much harder than a Western saw and is not really a practical proposition. If your saw vendor offers spare blades for a saw you like, then get a couple -- they're never in stock for that same saw when you need them! (Axminster tools, I mean you) If you're spending >$200 on a saw, then send it back to the _maker_ for sharpening. Maybe in California there's a sharpening shop that knows how to deal with them, but not around here.

Lee Valley sell the "feather" files for sharpening Japanese saws. These are excellent and well worth having, but they're still no solution for sharpening - it's just too hard. With effort you can learn to sharpen Japanese rip saws (although I prefer a Western rip), but the extra complexity of the crosscut tooth is _very_ hard work. Most blunt crosscut saws are also damaged, rather than just worn.

Reply to
Andy Dingley

On Sun, 21 Nov 2004 06:10:41 GMT, patriarch calmly ranted:

That would be the Razor Saw for $25.95 post paid. The Japan Woodworker at 1-800-537-7820. I didn't know the standard saw was for softwoods so I ended up with the Gyokucho Ryoba #19.610.0. I'd have opted for the #19.611.0 hardwood saw if they had given me a choice, but this saw cuts beautifully. I took 1/4" off a 2x8 jarrah plank the other day and wasn't even panting afterward. These are amazingly strong performing and ergonomically comfy little saws. I've used it successfully on pinewood, poplar, plywood, and jarrah so far, both regularly held and overhanded*, and I heartily recommend them to each and every one of you. They cut quickly and leave a shiny, baby's-butt smooth endgrain.

*By overhanded, I meant squatting in front of the vise with the piece held at eye level, arm bent, hand by my head, saw blade parallel to the ground and protruding forward from the bottom of my fist, pushing and pulling the saw in (Ummm, what's the proper sophisticated term for this? Ah, yes.) spear-chuckin' mode.

-- Friends Don't Let Friends Eat Turkey and Drive --

Reply to
Larry Jaques

Quick correction:

Axminster's $50 ryoba with the dark handle and dyed rattan binding is induction hardened (just on the crosscut side) and pretty nice. I wonder if it's because it has teeth half the size of typical ryoba teeth for a saw of that general size ?

Vaughan's "Bear" range are the other rattly ones. Not quite as bad as the Sharks though.

Reply to
Andy Dingley

I had a Bear saw for several years, and it did some nice trim work for me- alas, it chewed through a couple of nails in that time, and it's ready for the junk heap now. Time to upgrade to Japanese steel now, I think. Sounds like I should just stay away from the suckers at the local Borgs and wait for the more leisurely pace of mail-ordering, since every last one of them was "induction hardened" (Still looks like an overzealous line worker sharpened them without coolant to me)

Thanks for the info!

Aut inveniam viam aut faciam

Reply to
Prometheus

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