Replies

1. 
   philip | Feb 27, 2006 09:40am | #1

   Off the top of my head I would think that the japanese type saw blade is too flimsy for that application and also would not hold its set.

   Philip Marcou
1. 
   SawDusted | Feb 28, 2006 04:34am | #2

   no more flimsy than a band saw blade. the tension in both cases comes from tightening devices on one end.

1. 
   philip | Feb 28, 2006 10:02am | #3

   I must beg to differ with you on that. The steel is much thinner and the teeth are long with little body-no amount of temsioning is going to change that. The bandsaw blading is much better suited.Philip Marcou

2. 
   QCInspector | Feb 28, 2006 12:40pm | #4

   The saws that the Japanese used for ripping logs were short(blades at most a couple feet long) and wide with only a few teeth per inch filed like most of their saws.

   Since Western style push saws are being made with Japanese style teeth. I see no reason why your idea of using them in a frame saw would not work too.

   If your looking to make a Western frame saw with Japanese pattern rip teeth, then unless you can file your own, your going to have a hard time finding a blade.

3. 
   AdamCherubini | Mar 01, 2006 10:54pm | #5

   I think your theory is fine.  Of course, if you are building the saw I think you are building, its your choice whether you push it or pull it regardless of who made the blade, right?  There's a frame on either end.

   A thin blade is an advantage, as is the 0 or negative rake which is characteristic of japanese saws, but not uniquely.  The big brother of this saw, the framed pit saw of the 18th century, did have blades with 0 or negative raked teeth.  These teeth cut faster than saws with positive rake.  The problem with negative raked teeth (negative meaning forward swept) is that they are also less stiff and less strong.  So saws used for hardwoods were filed with more rake, either to kept teeth from breaking outright or dulling prematurely.  So yeah, a japanese style blade is a giid idea as long as you manage its disadvantages too.  Of course there's no one best anything.

   I think if you want to resaw, not just make a resawing style saw, you should choose a really low pitch.  The saw in Roubo they used for veneer, the one Wmsburg copied, has roughly 6 tpi.  I think this is way too fine for stuff ofther than hard veneer woods.  For general resawing of wide stock, I'd be inclined to head for a 2 tpi blade.  If you are resawing 12" stock, you'll still have more than 20 some teeth in the kerf (which is a lot).  You could easily make such a blade out of commerically available spring steel.  No need to start with a band saw blade.

   The other thing to watch for is getting the attach holes as close to the teeth as possible.  This wasn't always done in the past since steel was precious and you needed room to resharpen.  But having the holes near the edge would stop the blade from rolling.

   good luck with the saw

   Adam

    

    

1. 
   SawDusted | Mar 02, 2006 06:20am | #6

   You make an interesting point. Yes, I guess pushing/pulling is not really the issue.
   I was looking at the set of the blade, and that I can find Japanese-style blades with the zero set I want easily.
   I thought the depth of the blade would be better.

1. 
   AdamCherubini | Mar 03, 2006 05:14am | #7

   If you think about it, blade depth is irrelevant- especially in a frame saw. It won't help the saw track straight bcause the blade has no resistance to rolling. I think there are two reasons band saws use wide blades for resawing:
   1) you can carry a higher tension in a wider blade
   2) the wider blade is more stable in bending - so when you push the stock into the teeth, the blade doesn't move back like a guitar string.Those are both relevant for your frame saw. You could saw straight with a 1/4" wide blade. But you can't get a lot of tension in that blade and it will wrap around your work to some extent. But whether you have a 1" or 2" blade probably won't matter much. Adam

4. 
   SawDusted | Mar 04, 2006 08:17am | #8

   NOpe, but that is exactly what I was considering.

   Thanks for the link. THat is a new site for me.