What is the secret to this hand tool? I got one new and it doesn’t work worth a hoot. Do you have to sharpen/tune it after you buy the darn thing?
This tool is the one you see in all veneer books. Cylinder handle, curved blade, teeth on both edges, blade looks like a “rectangle with slight convex edges.
Thanks,
Don
Replies
Not sure what not working a 'hoot' means? They can be a little tricky to get the knack of, and yes they do need sharpening from time to time, even when new, just like any other saw. But a gentle cut always seems to work best. They are mostly used against a straight edge, and to gently nibble away with the grain. They cut on both the push and the pull stroke, so you have to, how shall I decribe it(?)--work your way, and 'feel' your way into the cut. They are also used across the grain, and at an angle to the length of the grain. Can you be more specific describing the problem you are having? I am assuming that you're trying to cut veneer, not tenon shoulders or something like that? I know it's a stupid question, but I had to ask it. Slainte, RJ.
http://www.RichardJonesFurniture.com
Doesn't work worth a "hoot." = I get very ragged and fuzzy edges on the veneer. You can't join 2 sawn edges together for a tight seam.
Thanks,
Don
Don, nor can I. They're not designed to do that. They get the edge close, then you joint them with a plane, just like a real plank. It sounds like it might benefit from a wee sharpen though. Anyway, the routine is to cut a pair of leaves-- or stack of leaves in a pattern [bookmatch for e.g.]-- tape the stack together like a closed concertina, cut them with the saw using a straight edge as a guide, lay the stack on the shooting board, weigh them down, and hand plane the edges.
Incidentally, my table saw doesn't work a 'hoot' either, ha, ha. I can't rip two planks down the length and edge joint them right off the saw. Well, I can, but it will look like ker-rap, and it will probably fail. I don't know anyone that doesn't follow up ripping boards without further preparing the edges by planing of some sort prior to applying the glue and assembling. I hear people talk about doing that, and read of people doing that, but I don't actually know anyone producing high quality craft orientated work that's doing it. It's not a technique I'll employ anyway for my good work. For rough and ready stuff I might consider it though. :-) Slainte, RJ.
http://www.RichardJonesFurniture.com
Edited 5/7/2002 9:37:05 AM ET by Sgian Dubh
Thanks for the reply.
I recently bought a cutter that was designed for cutting fabrics. It is a sharpened wheel/disc. It cuts the veneer with and across the grain and leaves edges ready for seamless taping. Have you tried one of these cutters?
Don
I haven't Don. Sounds interesting. So far, if I want to avoid the planing bit I've restricted myself to slicing the edges to be joined with a sharp knife and straight edge, but that can be tricky on contrary grained stuff like some of the oaks, European Sycamore, etc.. Slainte, RJ.http://www.RichardJonesFurniture.com
Sgian,
As always, your advice is worth a hoot. I have always felt comfortable taping the two edges of thin stuff (whether "veneer", or thicker) to be jointed together, then jointing with a hand plane on its side (proper shooting board or not). Sandwiching them between a couple of lengths of mdf, all clamped together with the edge protruding just a bit both holds the sandwich firmly and helps provide a reference. Actually, the tape itself gives sort of a reference as to the depth of the jointing.
As to the little fabric cutting rollers, they look pretty attractive. My mother sews quite a bit and likes good equipment. She has a nice looking fabric cutter with a tungsten blade, frighteningly sharp. Is it made by Fiskers? Professional sewing supply places probably know all about them. Anyway, my first thought after seeing it was veneer cutting. (Sorry, Mom, at least it didn't wind up in my pocket!) The only design improvements I'd make immediately would be to increase the diameter a little (I think hers is around 1 1/2 inch) and sharpen it with just a single bevel. Running it along a guide edge with its double bevel would be a little like using a double beveled marking knife.... The thing is razor sharp, though. Imagine what would happen to her fabric if cutting required either multiple passes or too much downward pressure. The dimensions would change right away.
What do you think?
Cheers
I've got a freind who uses a device designed to cut matting for picture frames. Its a lot like a heavy duty paper cutter with the fabric cutter type device incorporated into it. Fiskers also makes a paper cutting board that works on the same principal as the fabric cutter. It might be a little to light weight but I've managed to cut fairly heavy card stock with only one or two passes.
Just a thoughtSteve - in Northern California
Can you be a bit more specific about what goes wrong? I have one just like you describe and it works fine. It cuts better on the pull stroke - in fact I lift it off to go back for the next stroke, I don't saw it back and forth as you would a regular saw. Sgian is right, take it gently - I find a knife is generally faster than the saw, but the saw does stay on a line better.
Graeme
Don—
Richard has it; you never really rely on the sawn edge to produce glue seams. A veneer saw is a sizing tool, with it’s greatest attribute being that it won’t tear or inadvertantly split the veneer as a sharp razor knife can. However, it sounds like you saw is cutting a little more ragged than it should. I can get pretty good sawn edges with my saw—cutting long-grain or end grain—and sometimes the edges are clean enough for taping into seams. Perhaps your saw isn’t properly sharpened (this is possible with saws that come straight from the factory) and needs a tune up. Luckily, the sharpening process is very simple.
Place the blade on a scrap of flat wood, with the edge you need to sharpen overhanging the scrap a wee bit. (You may need to unscrew the blade from its holder, depending on the type of saw you have.) With a fine file (a 6-inch double-cut, smooth-cut flat file is my favorite), make a few sweeping, arcing strokes on the teeth by following the curvature of the blade, keeping an eye on holding the file at the existing bevel angle (about 10 – 15 degrees). It sounds complicated, but it’s easy to do by simply following the blade’s geometry. Make sure to move the file downward and away from the teeth, not the other way around. File until all the tips of the teeth are bright, or sharp. It shouldn’t take much filing at all, and in fact you want to keep your strokes somewhat light to avoid changing the shape of the teeth.
At this point, you’ll need to remove any burr on the back, or flat side, of the blade. You can use either the same file on the back, taking really light strokes, or hone the blade on a fine (hard) benchstone. OK, you’re done. It takes about one minute (with practice).
If you want the best-of-the-best-of-the-best (eat your heart out, Will Smith and all you Men in Black), you can take it one step further. For a super-sharp cutting edge, after filing use a fine slipstone (or any small, hand-held hard stone) and hone both the bevel and the back of the blade in a succession of passes. Use less and less pressure with each pass, and stop when the surfaces are mirror bright.
—Andy
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