wood cutting tool of choice | SouthernPaddler.com

wood cutting tool of choice

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oldsparkey

Well-Known Member
Aug 25, 2003
10,479
123
Central , Florida
www.southernpaddler.com
I use two hand saws , one is from Bear saws , it is about 12 inches long , thin blade and works on the pull stroke.
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The other I got from Chesapeake Light Craft and could be called a Key Hole saw , they call it a Bonsai Saw. It was made to trim the little Bonsai Trees and works great for cutting out hatches.

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Chuck.
Both of them have helped to make quite a few boats.
 
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Bellybuster

Well-Known Member
Apr 1, 2008
355
1
Wasaga Beach ON Canada
www.bellybuster.netfirms.com
I've been experimenting with my jig saw and different blades but find tearout to be an issue. Not to mention I'll be allowing my daughters to do some cutting and would really like to start them on hand tools to gain an appreciation, prior to graduating to power tools.
I find metal cutting blades the best in the jig saw but still I'm getting tearout. Now if I could fit whole sheets under my bandsaw.........

thanks for the input folks, a Japanese saw will be ordered
 
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JEM

Well-Known Member
Dec 27, 2003
2,467
1
54
Greensboro, North Kacalacky
jemwatercraft.com
Check this out from my Tips and Tricks section. http://www.jemwatercraft.com/forum/view ... f=7&t=2909

When you want to try a jig saw, this is pretty slick.

An effective woodworkers trick to eliminate splintering on your cuts is to make a zero clearance insert/baseplate for your saw. Trace the outline of the baseplate of your saw on a piece of thin hardboard or plywood and cut it out. Then cut down the center of the new baseplate with the blade that you will be using to create a zero clearance opening for your blade. In the photos I used 1/4" hardboard, however 1/8" would work just as well.

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Using double sided carpet tape, attach the zero clearance plate to the sole of your saw's baseplate.

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This luan plywood was cut with a Bosch T101DP blade. The top cut was made with the zero clearance baseplate attached to my saw, and the bottom cut was made without the zero clearance plate.

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I didn't touch the wood after cutting. The beginning of the top cut shows some slight tearing at the beginning of the cut I think because I didn't have the saw baseplate resting flat on the wood at the start of the cut.

If you prefer using a circular saw, attach the zero clearance plate to your saw with the blade above the baseplate, then turn the saw on and lower the blade through the zero clearance plate to create the blade slot.

Hope the photos attach okay. I've never done this before. If they don't show up maybe someone could give me some detailed instructions on how to get them into this post. Thanks.

Bruce
Click to expand...
 
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Bellybuster

Well-Known Member
Apr 1, 2008
355
1
Wasaga Beach ON Canada
www.bellybuster.netfirms.com
that is really good idea, I use zero clearance on my circ and my table saw. Never even thought of it for my jig saw.
Compromise...I shall still buy the Japanese saw to start them out with hand tools then move them up to the jig saw on sheet #2 and let them choose which method they prefer.
I must admit, I do enjoy good hand tools but the speed of power tools is a wonderful thing
Thanks for that Matt
 
K

Kayak Jack

Well-Known Member
Aug 26, 2003
13,976
171
87
Okemos / East Lansing Michigan
BB, when you get the Japanese handsaw, here is a modification for it. All Japanese carpenters do this. Take a pair of pliers, and break off the two outer corners from the blade. The end 1/4" has no teeth, break back to the teeth. These corners are a triangle about 1/4" on a side.

This way, you can start a cut anywhere in the MIDDLE of a piece of wood, not just on an edge.

When your kids hold the saw, have them point their index finger along the handle ahead of them. Helps to keep from twisting the blade and the kerf.
 
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gbinga

Well-Known Member
Nov 7, 2008
736
2
Hoschton, GA
High quality jig saw, and try blades till you find the right one.

Make sure you understand the oscillating feature, and switch it off for 1/4" ply.

Matt's post on the zero clearance plate was perfect.

My jig saw is a Bosch. Expensive, but Lord, it does work.

George
 
A

ancient kayaker

Member
Mar 8, 2008
10
0
Alliston, Ontario, Canada
Production wood cutting

I cut ply on a special table which has a top of insulating foam; any table can be topped with foam like this. This allows use of any hand-held circular saw provided it has a clean-cutting blade and a zero clearance baseplate per JEM's post. The blade depth is set 1/8" more than the ply thickness; no harm is done to the blade.

My preference is a lightweight panel saw with a 60-tooth narrow kerf carbide blade and a vacuum connection. Though not as powerful as a standard saw it is quite fast. It has a pointer close to the blade edge which I have shaped so it is exactly on the blade's centerline with a tip the same width as the kerf, which makes accurate cutting to either side of the line child's play. I do not use this saw for any other purpose, and it is a pleasure to use.

I often need to cut a plank into many thin strips, for chine logs, 'wales etc. My preferred method is to use a regular hand-held circular saw with a narrow kerf blade to minimise waste and dust, and a zero clearance baseplate. The blade I use is a finish blade which gives a cut that can be glued without further attention. I screw or clamp a long, dead-straight guide batten to the saw's baseplate, at least twice the length of the baseplate with half the extra length extending fore and aft. That ensures the blade is lined up with the cut as it enters and leaves the wood, so there is no waste at the ends. I can cut twice the length of wood indoors that can be cut with a fixed circular saw. The leading end of the guide is bevelled to deflect dust that can otherwise get under the edge of the guide. I get about 0.010" total runout accuracy using this method, almost as good as a properly set-up table saw.

I cut the lumber on the same foam-top table I use for ply, with a spacer the same thickness as the plank under the far edge of the baseplate so the saw remains level. I attach pegs to the table legs to form a kind of cradle which holds the strips so I don't have to stop cutting.

This gives me a lot of production for very little outlay, and I have no big table saw taking up needed floorspace. The foam top does about 3 boats per side, then I turn it over ... one day it will be used for insulation - waste not want not. I only make one or two boats a year but it's nice to be efficient.
 
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beekeeper

Well-Known Member
Mar 4, 2009
1,917
59
Don't know if this my favorite but I like it for making flush cuts. Cuts really close and eliminates a lot of sanding.

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beekeeper
 
K

Kayak Jack

Well-Known Member
Aug 26, 2003
13,976
171
87
Okemos / East Lansing Michigan
I've used Japanese hand saws for about 48 years now. Bought my first one in Misawa Japan, in Aomori Prefecture, on northern Honshu Island.

It looks, in the photos, like you have modified yours as I do. Break off the two, outer corners back to the first tooth. That way, you can start a cut in the middle of a panel, and not just on an edge.
 
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beekeeper

Well-Known Member
Mar 4, 2009
1,917
59
I did not modify mine. It came that way. I did not know about being able to start a cut in the middle. I will keep that in mind. Thanks for the tip. This my first pull saw and I really like it.

beekeeper
 
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graybeard

Well-Known Member
Dec 24, 2009
255
0
62
Between keyboard and chair
Kayak Jack said:
These saws are a handier tool for me than my power jigsaw. And, my cordless drill has a hand crank on the side of it - eggbeater style.
Click to expand...

Do you have a source for the drill? Growing up, Dad had one like that, with a wooden knob, and a wooden handle that could hold 2-3 bits. Everything I've seen so far has plastic.

Thanks.

Edit:
Duh. I should think before I post. The same site you gave above has this:
http://www.traditionalwoodworker.com/pr ... ts_id/1932

No hollow handle, but no plastic.
 
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