# Hand Saw Practice



## Splinters_will_occur (Jul 31, 2011)

Well I've made a decision. Each night I'm going to try and cut 15 - 20 pieces off a 2x4. So! On that note, is this a decent idea to get used to a simple straight cut with handsaw? Also I mark the line most of the time but at the end I tried to see if I could cut square without a line. I got really close a few times so I wonder if eventually you get to that level? 

Anyways here is a pic! Also I've decided to keep all the pieces just to show the amount I'm doing. Odd right?


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## HandToolGuy (Dec 10, 2011)

That will work for small dimension wood and back saws. For bigger boards and bigger hand saws you will wand a pair of saw benches. My accuracy is much better on a saw bench.

But you are absolutely on the right track. In my world (not necessarily connected to the real world), I can make a more accurate and squarer cut with a hand saw than I can with a table saw or a circular saw. Still, I always check for square after the cut.


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## Splinters_will_occur (Jul 31, 2011)

I intend on using saw horses later for larger cuts and I also am building my first saw bench. I will also be switching to me new workbench with an actual wood working vice which I do not have at the moment : )


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## HandToolGuy (Dec 10, 2011)

Good Deal! Building a work bench and saw benches really helped me to become accurate with handsaws.


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## sawdustfactory (Jan 30, 2011)

I too have been working on handsaw technique. I'm going to take a dovetail class with Rob Cosman in a few weeks so I watched one of his videos. Take a piece if 3/4" stock and mark a series of lines front, top and back and let the saw fly.


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## Jackfre (Dec 23, 2009)

*For saw bench plans*

Check out Lie Nielsen's site under saws. Good plans for SB's


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## trctimberworks (Jan 8, 2012)

I practice on the real thing-the customers project . Nothing like learning with trail by fire :sweatdrop:. I think you get pretty damn accurate when you have too! Only got myself in trouble a few times this way :blink:

Cheers,

Tim


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## Hammer1 (Aug 1, 2010)

I'm a former woodworking instructor. I used to run similar cutting drills for my students, not only hand saws but every type of saw and tool, hand and machine.
When using a standard crosscut type hand saw, to stay straight on a line, you want to tip it back towards the operator. Ideal saw horse height for most people is 24". This allows good position on the work and the work is held with your knee. You would cut a 2x4 the other way from what you are doing, not on edge since you can't lay the saw back. Cutting down from the edge, the saw can wander. Lay the 2x flat, square a line down the edge away from you and use this as you start your cut on the corner away from you to know that you are starting the cut square. Once you get started, you lay the saw back towards you and it will follow the other line you have squared across the face quite easily. You should finish the cut on a down stroke with a western saw 

The most common mistake students would make is not using the full length of the blade, only making short strokes with the center. Body position is important and you stroke the saw by pulling it back towards your arm pit, nice and straight and consistent. If you don't, the saw will often bind in the kerf. It's a lot easier to use a crosscut hand saw on horse than on a bench in a vice. Certain joinery cuts are better in a face or shoulder vice, such as tenons and dovetails but starting on a corner and laying the saw back rather than straight on an end is still a good technique to keep the blade tracking straight.

My students, high school level, would start with a 2x4 for a lot of beginning drills. We would cut off 2" pieces to start and line them up, often 30 kids in the class. The first attempts were all over the place. Eventually they all got the hang of it. Next, I'd have them cut the 2x4 to form a butt joint box. They would have enough left of the original 2x4 to make a 24" square box unless they didn't think ahead and realize two of the sides would only be 21". I wouldn't tell them and a few would get right to work cutting three 24" pieces then coming to me to say they didn't have enough. We would make the necessary design changes. Then they would have to nail the box up. It was comical for me to watch them chasing the pieces around the shop as they attempted to nail the pieces together. Of course, getting edges and ends nice and flush without splitting was part of the drill. We would take these apart, make a smaller box, then progress to flat mitered ends, take apart and do edge mitered ends, then compound miters. Eventually, we would move to larger stock and on to power saws.

My day classes were designed for training potential carpenters, our main project was building a house. Beginning students were not allowed to work on the house until they had developed the fundamental skills of cutting, nailing along with intense safety training. Getting to go to the house was a big motivator. There was a lot of crying during the qualification process but they did learn to use the tools. It wasn't just cursory exposure, our goal was to build solid competence. No such thing as an A,B or C cut. It's right or it isn't, period, and nothing else is acceptable. Something that's missing in a lot of educational subjects but that's another discussion.


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## Splinters_will_occur (Jul 31, 2011)

Alright so after reading that a few times I understand what you were saying. One of the issues I have at the moment is I have no saw bench that would allow me to lay the 2x4 down flat. That being said it is my weekend project to build one. I was just practicing basic cutting skills with what I have at my disposal at the moment. 

I really enjoy the advice though, and I have a few questions regarding the quality of a crosscut saw. I'm using a 20 inch 9 tpi saw that I bought from lowes. That being said I think it already has a slight bend to it. Also as I try to use the whole blade and consciously try to do that when the wood gets to the back of the blade closer to the handle it tends to almost snag and gets rougher to cut. Could that possibly be a sharpness issue? Not sure if that all made sense so good luck with it!


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## trctimberworks (Jan 8, 2012)

A huge thing that helped my cuts was buying a good quality japanese hand saw. You cut on the pull strock so the blade can be thinner. Thus it takes out less wood and cuts quicker. I found with this saw it is way easier to stay in a straight line.

Cheers,

Tim


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