# Help needed to adjust Morrill saw set



## Sleeper (Mar 24, 2009)

I have 3 saw sets that I took apart to clean them and I don’t know how to readjust them. Everything I found on the internet shows how to use the set but not adjusting it or setting it up. Two of the sets have a sliding anvil along with an additional adjustment which I don’t exactly understand except that it possibly has something to do with the blade thickness and again I’m only guessing.

I don’t know how to properly ask questions because I don’t know the nomenclature so I’ve taken Photos of each and have numbered each adjustment in the photos. If any of you are familiar with the Morrill Saw Sets and want to respond to setting it up please refer to the numbers so that I can follow along. 

*A) Morrill #1 saw set:* (Has an anvil consisting of a beveled piece of steel which slides in a track and fixed in place with a tightening screw. It also has a bracket that adjusts for the blade thickness I believe and this whole set is very crude. I will probably not be using it unless I can adjust it for one saw and never change it.)










*B) Morrill Improved #1 saw set:* (The anvil consists of a beveled piece of steel which slides in a track and adjusted by turning a screw. It uses a threaded piece to set the blade thickness and seems to be more accurate) 










*C) Morrill Apex Special: *(This has a rotating disc for an anvil with numbers stamped around the edge of the disc and also a threaded piece to set the blade thickness with a lock nut. I saw on a YouTube video that the numbered disk and the numbers corresponds to the pitch)










After seeing all three laid out like this, I guess I only really need to know how to adjust "A" and "B" for one because it should be the same for all three I think. :huh:


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## tc65 (Jan 9, 2012)

The only help I can give you is on the third set you show. My saw set has a rotating disc like yours and it's thickness is different around the circumference of the disc. The plunger pushes the saw tooth against the disc. You can rotate it to get more or less set. 

I don't know for sure, but I believe the adjustment screw (3A) is used to adjust to the thickness of the saw plate so when you are using it the saw plate is held and won't move while the plunger pushes the teeth against the anvil.


After typing this, I was looking through my bookmarks for a reference to help you and found this one. It explains setting teeth and how to use them much better than I could. BTW the sliding anvils perform the same function of the rotating disc. The plunger pushes the saw teeth (one at a time) against the anvil. Moving the anvil up or down will change the amount of set.

http://www.vintagesaws.com/library/ftj/spring97/spring97.html


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## Sleeper (Mar 24, 2009)

Thanks Tim, 
that adjustment screw (3A) still has me baffled because it has the lock nut. I’m guessing that I turn in the screw just it till it touches the blade and then tighten the lock nut so it’s set for the saw thickness. I just don’t know if I tighten it to the saw to set each tooth and then loosen it to move to the next one. That seems like a lot of work and doesn’t look like a of lot surface area to keep the tool perpendicular to the saw blade. I think I should actually try it on the saw itself to see if the alignment of the tool and blade is solid after tightened. 

I’ll report back


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## Sleeper (Mar 24, 2009)

Well it looks like these Morrill saw sets take a certain amount of skill because you can only tighten it finger tight and then the saw can still wobble a little from perpendicular. This might have been state of the art in 1902 when people were skilled, but a little too sloppy in my opinion.

Since this tool is a more work and not very accurate, I may just build a small display case for these and hang it on the wall. :laughing:

I have a Disston Triumph No 280 that looks more stable with the wide saw guides to keep it aligned. Only the 280 is for fine tooth saws and I need something right now to set a Disston D-8 6TPP. I guess I’ll look for another Disston Saw Set for course saw blades.


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## Sleeper (Mar 24, 2009)

Ok I figured it out after reading the Directions for Using Nos. 1 Old style, 1, 10, and 11 Sawsets in an old Morrill 1917 Catalog. I'll go ahead and post what I now know in case anyone else is interested. 

First adjust anvil so that the edge over the tooth is will strike it about one half way down (never set a saw tooth over one half its length). For average wood run the gauge screw up so that the tooth will be set over about 1/100th of an inch (.25mm). For Hard wood, a little less, for soft, wet or green wood, a little more. In any case give just enough set to keep the saw from binding. Set teeth alternately. 

I also found an illustration with a description of Morrill Apex Special
According to the following description quoted from Morrill 1917 Catalog the gauge screw is adjusted after the set angle is set and the saw is up against the anvil

_“The anvil gives at one adjustment both correct angle and depth of set. The No. 95 gives only the correct depth. The anvil is places on an incline which prevents the end of the plunger from breaking off and allows the operator to see the angle of the saw. The anvil and head are more completely indexed. The end of the plunger is narrower and will fit the tooth of any hand saw. The gauge screw has a lock nut to keep it from shifting after having once been adjusted_.”


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## Tom King (Nov 22, 2013)

I like a Stanley 42X. Actually, two different ones. One has the pusher narrowed down for backsaws with small teeth. I could never do a good job with anything else.


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## Sleeper (Mar 24, 2009)

Tom King said:


> I like a Stanley 42X. Actually, two different ones. One has the pusher narrowed down for backsaws with small teeth. I could never do a good job with anything else.


Thank Tom, I've been bidding on them on eBay, but haven't had much luck. There are plenty of 42 and 42w, but I think I need that auto plunger or what ever its called.
I'm going to try doing one saw with the Morrill Apex Special, because I don't want wait.


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## Gilgaron (Mar 16, 2012)

Sleeper,

I couldn't find a Stanley 42x for what seemed like a reasonable price, either. The other model I read that was similar in function was the Eclipse 77, which I found. You'll want the blue one for finer saw teeth. There are also some modern reproductions by Great Neck and a Japanese brand whose name I've forgotten. I've used my vintage Eclipse when sharpening my backsaws and to repair some damage to my dovetail saw suffered during shipping.


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