Build a Bucksaw (Competition registration)

[demographic]

It'll take a few days to get good pics as I'm heading off to help my buddy with moving.

But for now..
First you get a saw set or plier like device which can be set to bend saw tooth. To start with you adjust it to one tooth, then go along sqeezing on each of the teeth, to make sure that they all bend out the same amount. Other than finding out that your saw blade isn't consistent at all, it's fun. You don't need the big hammer and anvil type which are used for big two handed saws. These are easily picked up in top shape for a few dollars. On ebay check collectibles, tools, woodworking, saws. Good deal!

Only then do you run this jointer along the blade, to get all the teeth the same height. That's when you look at half of the teeth randomly having flats on top, as they were all different heights... Slick and I paid just a few dollars. A person could just use a long flat file run along the top.

Then you check if the rakers are all the same depth below the teeth with one of these - again just a few bucks. I guess you could use spark plug feeler gauges. I haven't used one of these yet and dread what I will find.

http://www3.telus.net/jimbo/saws/raker_gauge.jpg

So so far tools are cheap and you can get decent ones. The bad news is that clamp on filing jigs are expensive, so i want to see what I can do with chainsaw filing guides. Saw vises are cheap and neat but shipping kills, so I'm going to have to use a slot sawed in a log and tiny wedges.

The thought on most people's minds is that is getting a bit silly in terms of being time consuming. Just sharpening the uneven teeth with a piece of emery wrapped around a piece of broken hacksaw blade will show LOTS of improvement, though. We'll see about consistent tooth set and height set to optimum later. I saw lots of hard wood, so it might be worth it to me.

I have seen a Veritas saw jointer and edger in the axminster catalogue and I read in Leonard Lee's book on sharpening some very good information on sharpening saws, well it gives good info on sharpening just about anything.

Well worth the nothing that it cost to borrow from the local library

 

[demographic]

I'll have a look for the tools - wonder if they are available here?

Errrrr, see post above this

 

[British Red]

Ahh yes good info, wish it was before my post - would have saved some typing

Red

 

[sam_acw]

Why did everything used to be made so mush better!
It seems that as steel technology goes forward the level of workmanship goes down and no-one ever makes any progress.
I'm starting to consider a file to be a really important bushcraft tool now - in the 2nd league along with saws and fish hooks in the "make life better" category.
I keep looking for ideas for something a bit different. As this is my first make for something like this I'm not likely to win any prizes for execution so It'll have to be ideas!

 

[P@ul]

OK here is my offering.

I have taken many more photos of the saw in the making and can post if the need arises. I have managed to make a saw that can be packed small and the wood sourced from site or alternately the wood called also be packed at the disadvantage of a bulkier load.

The metal work was constructed from an old trampoline frame that I had in the garage. As you can see from the photos I originally painted it black but then decided on green.

 

[demographic]

Why did everything used to be made so mush better!
It seems that as steel technology goes forward the level of workmanship goes down and no-one ever makes any progress.
I'm starting to consider a file to be a really important bushcraft tool now - in the 2nd league along with saws and fish hooks in the "make life better" category.
I keep looking for ideas for something a bit different. As this is my first make for something like this I'm not likely to win any prizes for execution so It'll have to be ideas!

I am not sure that things did used to me be made better, its just that the crap stuff got thrown away and the really good stuff got kept and passed onto the next generation.
Its like natural selection for handtools

Theres some very good tools on the market nowadays, it just takes time finding them sometimes.

The only reason I saw that Veritas saw jointer and edger is because I have been eyeing up a Veritas adjustable mouth low angle block plane for a while now and am considering forking out for one soon.

 

[sargey]

now that's a great idea!

cheers, and.

 

[JohnC]

I like that P@ul If theres a leader board you may be up there already... very simple. Does it flex much in use?

 

[OldJimbo]

Paul, that is one incredible idea! Red may have started us off on the route to really coming up with new methods!

Saws were sharpened better at the factory in the old days, simply because people worked with them, and would pay the price for a good one. In hand logging camps, sharpening axes and saws was a trade. Now only some of us really care about hand tools, and a company would go out of business selling real tools for a few people, at many times the cost of similar tools sitting next to them on dealer's shelf.

What's really needed is a retired woodworking fanatic who knows hand tool sharpening, and wants to make a little money on the side. Even from what I've done, I can see that the end result of proper setting up means double the efficiency. Perhaps far more. That's worth a few dollars or pounds to get. Sawing is pretty easy and a person soon sees that far fewer strokes are needed to get through a log with a properly set up saw - or even my attempts so far..

 

[British Red]

What's really needed is a retired woodworking fanatic who knows hand tool sharpening, and wants to make a little money on the side. Even from what I've done, I can see that the end result of proper setting up means double the efficiency. Perhaps far more. That's worth a few dollars or pounds to get. ..

Remind you of anyone Jimbo?

Whens that retirement due again?????



Red

(Just wanting a Jimbo set up axe and shamelessly shmoozing)

 

[Aragorn]

got a few bits together, just got to work out where they all go

although i might scrap the lot and go looking for and old trampoline great idea paul.

 

[demographic]

What's really needed is a retired woodworking fanatic who knows hand tool sharpening, and wants to make a little money on the side. Even from what I've done, I can see that the end result of proper setting up means double the efficiency. Perhaps far more. That's worth a few dollars or pounds to get. Sawing is pretty easy and a person soon sees that far fewer strokes are needed to get through a log with a properly set up saw - or even my attempts so far..

A bloke I used to live in the same shared house used to be a saw doctor, Steve was his name, not much call for saw doctors nowadays though.

Anyway, the trade you are looking for is called Saw Doctor

 

[weaver]

Well, here's my first entry. I believe there are some bonus slots?

The saw. It cuts well for a small buck saw, the blade is 18 inches. Weight is very light, sorry I don't have a gram scale. The wood is some scrap mahogany I had left from an old project, it has been in the barn for 5-6 years. I had to clean the chicken droppings off of it before I could start to cut the pieces.

The blade folds into one end for total protection. The pins are drilled and have cotter pins for quick, sure retention.

Our Sheltie thinks it is a sure winner!

Working on a bag to hold it and entry number two.

 

[P@ul]

I like that P@ul If theres a leader board you may be up there already... very simple. Does it flex much in use?

I have managed to reduce the flexing alot. I found the best results were achieved by getting the blade tight before tensioning and the more height of the timber above the horizontal the easier it is to tension.

OldJimbo, I read your earlier post with interest and will be checking my blade to see how good it is.

 

[British Red]

Weaver,

Please consider a Bonus slot as allocated.

I am very glad you put me on to that Mini-Wetterlings.

It has come in handy for turning my efforts into kindling

Thats...just.....awesome

Lovely...really lovely

Red

 

[demographic]

I would just like to point out that untill the kitchen arrives at work, I wont have any spare oak drawer fronts to make this saw out of

<Whistles quietly>

Mind theres also going to be an oak floor going down so some of the better figured wood may well end up being "cuts"

Anyway theres no way I will be farting around with it, its going to be an hour job max.

 

[P@ul]

Our Sheltie thinks it is a sure winner!

I think she's probably right, or is that a he?
Very nice work

 

[OzaawaaMigiziNini]

Bloody hell boys! I haven't even gotten my wood yet and you gusy are already kicking my tail! :You_Rock_

 

[OldJimbo]

That's one gorgeous piece of woodwork, Weaver!

 

[Heathenpeddler]

Ok, where was I when this all started?

I don't think I'll be doing this challenge but I may well be shamelessly borrowing ideas for a good homemade detail saw for my back-room workshop.