Making a dovetail saw

[dpetrzelka]

If you're going to hand cut dovetails - you might as well make the saw, right?

This is an old maple burl that my grandfather had been saving for as far back as I can remember. He never could decide what to do with it, and its been sitting around my place for some time as well. It will only take a small portion of the burl to make a pair of saws - one rip, one crosscut. If three generations of my family couldn't decide what to make with this wood, it seems fitting to make tools with some of it - saws that can be handed down to the next generation.

 

[dpetrzelka]

The saw parts arrived. I connected with Isaac from Blackburn Tools, who has recently restored a old Burr Saw Toother - he punched a plate for me: 10" x 2" plate, with 1/8" taper to toe, .018", 15ppi rip cut. I also picked up some nice brass truncated cone bolts that he has reproduced that should look a little more unique than the recessed split nuts seen on many current dovetail saws.

Blackburn Toolshttp://www.blackburntools.com/

 

[dpetrzelka]

Trimming the 1095 carbon spring steel blade was much easier than I anticipated.

 

[dpetrzelka]

Used a wheel marking gauge to mark the desired thickness for my handle material- about .965". This is some maple burl that has been in the family for some time.

For intense figure like this I was getting far too much tear-out with both a 50 degree blade, as well as some with my drill press safe-t-planer. A toothed plane blade worked great for thinning the wood very close to the line, and then a few passes with a cabinet scraper finished it off.

 

[dpetrzelka]

Issac has posted some about his Burr Toother here:

Burr Toother restoration at Blackburn Toolshttp://www.blackburntools.com/blog/burr-saw-toother-update/

 

[dpetrzelka]

The handle has been shaped and the first few coats of Tru-oil applied.

 

[mouppe]

Really looking forward to seeing the finished result. Looks terrific so far.

 

[dpetrzelka]

The teeth are set.
I used the paper/vice trick to reduce the set which works nicely.

 

[Alli]

Really nice project, and as you said a lot better hand me down for your siblings than a block of wood. I know I be well made up if I inherited saws like that

 

[wrightwoodwork]

Perfect use for the timber

 

[Oldtoolsniper]

That is a tool even a non tool user from your family would appreciate having.

 

[Cellule]

have you put anything special in your vice along the paper to not mark the steel blade? or you have a flat vice..

 

[frb design]

One of the nicest handles I've seen. You have done a great justice  to use the piece of burl in the way you have,worth the wait for it to be awakened by a craftsmanship hands.

Frank.

 

[dltflt]

That is a beautiful handle.  Great heirloom.