# Frame Saw



## tc65 (Jan 9, 2012)

I've been wanting a good way to do some ripping and re-sawing for a while and not having the money right now for a BS or a TS, I decided the best solution (other than waiting to save the money) was to get a decent rip blade and build a saw. I've seen pictures of saws that others have built on various web pages, but hadn't seen anything posted here so I thought I'd share. I got the rip blade from Highland and built the frame around it.

This first pic is what I started with, one of the many rough cut rafters from my barn that was torn down several years ago. It's white oak and looks real nice once cleaned up.








Even after joining the edge it's got a wonderful dark patina if you don't take too much off. 








This is my current "rip saw", it works OK as long as you have enough board for the saw to ride while cutting, but there is a lot of waste.








Once I squared and cleaned up the stock the pieces are about 1 1/4 x 1 1/2








I've seen people use both M&T and dovetails for joining the frame, but I decided to use dovetails as I don't have any mortise chisels (yet). I've also seen them leave the joints loose for dis-assembly and easy storage, but I wanted the frame as rigid as possible.


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## tc65 (Jan 9, 2012)

*Frame Saw Continued*

For blade attachment I went with 1/2" bolts and 3/16" machine bolts through the blade. I would recommend drilling the holes first before slitting the bolt so you don't have any burs to try and clean out of the slit. 








This is just a test fit to make sure I can tension the blade without having to cut slits in the ends of the frame.








Here it is all done with a couple of coats of poly. My "workshop" and tool storage are both in a machine shed with a dirt floor and obviously no climate control so I wanted a little protection from the elements - otherwise I would have probably just wiped it down with some BLO.








I had to make a test cut so I just grabbed a piece of scrap to make sure it would actually work. Seriously though I don't think I will be using this saw on stock this small, it is a little overkill:laughing:. It has been way too hot here to even think about trying to re-saw some of the six inch beams from the barn, so I thought this cut was appropriate for the temperature and humidity today.:yes:


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## autre (Jul 12, 2011)

Man, that is sweeeet, trc!

Handsome too. Looking forward to some real re-sawing. 

You're a better man than I, indeed. Ten or so strokes and I would be done!


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## tc65 (Jan 9, 2012)

Thanks autre. It is a beast - weighs just over 5#, but it feels good in the hands and using two hands means it's only 2.5# per hand! I think the weight will work to my advantage when re-sawing by letting the saw do the work and not forcing it. Although...... I'm already thinking about buying another blade and making a smaller one around 16-18" for smaller stock.


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## HandToolGuy (Dec 10, 2011)

Nice work. The test cut looks to be dead on.

I have been playing around with hand resawing. Not sure I want to do a lot of it as so far it seems to take more time and effort than I have to spare.

I don't think I have ever seen a frame saw like that. What does it give you that is better than a good old handsaw with a rip filed blade or a large bow saw?


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## ACP (Jan 24, 2009)

Very cool! That's a beaut looking saw and it looks like it cuts true. I agree, the patina makes the saw look older than it obviously is. Thanks for the info on this, it's something I may look into since my bandsaw is a big POS.


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## tc65 (Jan 9, 2012)

HandToolGuy said:


> Nice work. The test cut looks to be dead on.
> 
> I have been playing around with hand resawing. Not sure I want to do a lot of it as so far it seems to take more time and effort than I have to spare.
> 
> I don't think I have ever seen a frame saw like that. What does it give you that is better than a good old handsaw with a rip filed blade or a large bow saw?


In my very limited experience, I think it gives you more control of the saw and for me at least it is easier to make a straight cut. You are holding the saw with both hands balanced evenly on both sides of the cut instead of with just one hand to the side of the body. For someone with a lot of experience with a hand saw it might not make a difference but for me it does.

The other big difference was the cost. The blade was the only cost and cheap at that compared to a good rip hand saw.




ACP said:


> Very cool! That's a beaut looking saw and it looks like it cuts true. I agree, the patina makes the saw look older than it obviously is. Thanks for the info on this, it's something I may look into since my bandsaw is a big POS.


I've seen several people make a similar saw using band saw blades. Just take a saw blade, cut it to your desired length, drill holes in it and make the frame. Would probably be even cheaper as you could make several saws from one blade.


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Very nice saw! Very well done. I'm still putzing around with making the blades but I'm getting closer.

I'm designing a firemedic(folley) toother to make blades from spring stock... One day.

Awesome job on the saw, man!


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## tc65 (Jan 9, 2012)

Thanks for the compliments. 

I've been bitten by the bug. In addition to the smaller frame saw I want to build, I've decided today I need to make a bow saw for some curve and scroll work......I've also got about a half a dozen hand saws that need rust removal and sharpening......a couple of new handles to try and make......the Disston back saw to sharpen.........

Oh, I almost forgot, I now really need to build a saw bench.:yes:


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## HandToolGuy (Dec 10, 2011)

Oh yes, you need saw benches. I built a pair last year an I use them every day both as saw benches and as a low assembly table. I do not understand how I got along without them.


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## tc65 (Jan 9, 2012)

HandToolGuy said:


> Oh yes, you need saw benches. I built a pair last year an I use them every day both as saw benches and as a low assembly table. I do not understand how I got along without them.


What height did you build yours? All the articles and plans I've seen call for a 20" height and most say change anything about the plan you want, but don't change the height. It seems a little low, but then I've never used one before.


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

trc65 said:


> What height did you build yours? All the articles and plans I've seen call for a 20" height and most say change anything about the plan you want, but don't change the height. It seems a little low, but then I've never used one before.


Keep in mind, with a saw bench you should be able to comfortably have one foot on the ground and the other leg's knee on the work piece... Just how tall are you? :laughing:

Edit
Oh, and saw benches are all but useless for rip sawing... A veneer style vise would be MUCH more usefull.


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## tc65 (Jan 9, 2012)

firemedic said:


> Keep in mind, with a saw bench you should be able to comfortably have one foot on the ground and the other leg's knee on the work piece... Just how tall are you? :laughing:
> Edit
> Oh, and saw benches are all but useless for rip sawing... A veneer style vise would be MUCH more usefull.


Oh..........about 20" at the knee:blush:

Thanks for the info and especially for the tip on the veneer vise. I hadn't figured out what I was going to do to hold some of the 6x6 beams I want to cut up. 


I did find this illustration of an Ebeniste's vise which gives me several ideas.









The only hard part will be digging the hole to fit the beam in the ground:no:


BTW, any idea where I can find a tap and die for a 3" wood screw?:laughing::laughing:


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

A Ebeniste's vise is exactly what I was referring to :smile:

Ice seen them made from relatively heavy timbers and it would seem that is sufficient to keep from having to chase it. For the LD screws Underhill has some really good info in one of his books in cutting them without a tap and die. Once the diameter gets that large regular ole taps and dies are near impossible to operate.


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## DaveTTC (May 25, 2012)

Nice job, great thread. Not sure how many strokes I would manage especially as I'm getting over the flu lol. 

You'll have to keep us posted as to how ,uch you use it.

Dave The Turning Cowboy


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## tc65 (Jan 9, 2012)

firemedic said:


> A Ebeniste's vise is exactly what I was referring to :smile:
> 
> Ice seen them made from relatively heavy timbers and it would seem that is sufficient to keep from having to chase it. For the LD screws Underhill has some really good info in one of his books in cutting them without a tap and die. Once the diameter gets that large regular ole taps and dies are near impossible to operate.


I found one picture of a "modern" vise using about 8" sq timbers, but I probably won't be investing that much time/energy/money into the vise right now but I'd really like to in the future. I'm am going to spend some time reading and studying Underhill's books.

I've got lots of old heavy farm equipment as well as a metal workbench that weighs about 1000#. I'm thinking of something along the lines of using pipe clamps in combination with some tie downs to hold the timber vertically while I stand on a hayrack to make the cuts:smile: I'll definitely take pictures of what ever Rube Goldberg setup I concoct.




DaveTTC said:


> Nice job, great thread. Not sure how many strokes I would manage especially as I'm getting over the flu lol.
> 
> You'll have to keep us posted as to how ,uch you use it.


I'll will update when I get to doing some cutting although it may be a while, it's been too hot the last several weeks to do much and it looks like the heat/drought will continue for a while.

I'll probably use it quite a bit, but I'm not going to be cutting 8' planks out of the wood I have. Most of it is too warped/cupped to get long boards. It will probably be a lot of 1-2' lengths that I'll use to make keepsake type boxes, picture frames etc...


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