The whole area of tote design is something I find quite fascinating. It seems to me that at some point in time – the 50s? Earlier? – everything started to look square. Gone were the lovely curves and rounded grips. Even LN have produced a “photocopy” of the Groves dovetail saw. And, as with photocopies, some detail gets lost along the way.
Here is a picture of the LN and Groves:
I’ve been wanting a small tenon saw for a while. Something smaller than my Disston #5. Something about the same size as my LN Independence dovetail saw (which has a blade of 9”) but filed crosscut and 15 tpi for more delicate, smoother shoulder cuts.
About a year ago I made another of my derelict purchases, this time a Spear & Jackson tenon saw with 10″ long x 2 1/4″ deep blade. Over the months that followed I began to think about the tote design. Here was a chance to design and build something that I found both aesthetically pleasing as well as comfortable. I wanted round, not flat. I wanted curves and flow.
Here is what I came up with. Firstly, a picture of the original tote and the complete saw for comparison. New tote is Jarrah.
And here is a better angle for inspection.
This is the most comfortable tote I have ever used.
Regards from Perth
Derek
Replies
Derek-
That tote looks really nice. I haven't noticed to many people form Australia on here. I am in Tasmania at the moment going to the Australian School of Fine Furniture.
Kaleo
That looks great. Any advice on the lay out and cutting of the blade slot. The only one I tried, I had a hard time getting a good fit.
Not too much to say.
Step one is to bandsaw the tote's outline, clean this up to final profile, and then cut the blade slot. You can shape the tote before moving onto the blade slot, but you must not remove the square where the blade slot will be or you'll lose a needed reference.
Step two is to mark out the blade slot line, then cut it with a dovetail saw. The important criterion is that this saws' blade needs to match the thickness of the blade that will be fitted.
Step three is the mortice for the saw back. I cut this at the end.
Regards from Perth
Derek
Hi Napie,
One thing to do when cutting the kerf in by hand I have found useful is if you have a wheel marking gauge like the LV or Titemark, adjust it so it doesn't quite meet at the center of the handle blank. This means using the gauge from both sides of the handle blank.
If it is very close it will actually score the fibers where you shold be sawing and makes for a nice thick guide line to follow.
If you have a pin-type of gauge, you can make successfully deeper score lines and this will actually create a shallow kerf to follow.
Either way it is essential to mark the centline and follow it.
As for cutting the kerf, you need to actually use a saw that has very little, but even set that cuts straight--and which resultant kerf is close to the thickness of the saw plate which will go into the handle. A little larger is fine. Too large and the new handle will not have a good fit.
Also, when you thickness the handle blank, you can leave it a little thick so that if the only problem is that the kerf is off-center, you can remove wood from the other side. In such instances, I use a Performax drum sander, but have also just used a handplane and or very coarse sandpaper to remove the bulk and then used successfully higher grits to smooth it up.
Take care, Mike
....have also just used a handplane and or very coarse sandpaper to remove the bulk ....
After reading this I recalled that I did have a picture of the kerf I cut for the blade. The blank was thicker than I wanted and I had to remove some bulk. Not having a sander, I used a scrub plane and then a smoother. The smoother in question was Philip Marcow's, which I am presently reviewing. Since I could not clamp the blank (the horns are seen resting against the stop), one side was planed with the grain and the other against the grain. This made no difference to this smoother. View Image
At this point I am about to start rasping the tote.Regards from Perth Derek
Hey Derek,
Is that one of Phillip's planes I notice on the back of your bench? Nice placement.
Interesting exercise with the Jarrah. I have found that while the short grain makes carving a bit interesting (bits chip off easily) you can certainly create some lovely crisp lines. Makes it it bit under valued for BBQ trolleys, eh?
David
P.S. The ANZAC contingent on this site is growing pretty steadily, none within spitting distance of a get-together like Lee G's montana fest yet though.
The ANZAC contingent on this site is growing pretty steadily, none within spitting distance of a get-together like Lee G's montana fest yet though.
Hi David
Yes, I agree. We are spread around far too thinly.
Do you get to http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/ , the local Oz forum? Some good discussions on the Handtool forum every now-and-then. Very fun guys - watch yourself!
Regards from Perth
Derek
Hey Derek, where will the review end up being? I just want to add that there's plenty of space over at HC ;-)
Handplane Central
Hi Cameron
The review of Philip's smoother will end up at http://www.wkfinetools.com/index.asp
However, I would be very happy for it to also be placed on your website. If you would like any of my other plane reviews, that would be fine as well.
Next weekend should end the planing/practical side of the review, and I will do my best to get the write up done as soon as possible after this. There are expected to be a LOT of pictures (construction details, features, performance, comparison with other similar planes).
Regards from Perth
Derek
Geeeee I find that a Japaneeseeee saw is easier to hold straight!
Froest.. I'm NOT making fun of Orientals!
Personally I find a bandsaw even easier <g>.
Heck, which saw to use is a personal thing. I'm just glad there is a variety. We do have it pretty good when it comes to tool choices.
Take care, Mike
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