Hi everyone. It's a very long time since I heard anyone asking about Saw Doctors or as they are known in the states, Saw & Tool engineers.
Regarding saw doctor training: Sorry to say there are really no training centres that can really deliver the art.
As so that you readers are not so depressed by this news, I will give you some info to follow and you can maybe get a insight into the art.
first, there is a book. (there has to be a bible right) The old testerment is called: Circular Saws, by Eric Stephenson and Dave Plank.
Both these guys died about 20 years ago. I saw the book advertised on ebay, but I dont know if its real. The original has been in and out of print for years. Dave Plank was the main saw doctor tutor at Liverpool college in the 70's when saw doctoring was a degree course.
Eric stephenson, a southerner, brought out two more books. One about benching bandsaws and I cant remember the other. Google his name and saws.
I was most certainly the last real UK apprentice saw doctor formally trained in college and work. I was the very last student, really most times there was only me in the class!! Dave Plank was the teacher.
Anyway more info: Armstrong saw and tool company, grand rapids, usa. Google name and address. They offer great advice and maybe still run a free small mag called, The saw and tool engineer. Contact them as they are very good.
As for hands on training: you need to study the technical aspects and practice. There is a known fact: In Saw doctoring you can do it or you cant, simple as that. You can be technical but if you cant drop the hammer in the right place then you cant do it!! Can you paint or not. It is a art.
Buckinghamshire college was running a degree course but I really think it did not have much respect within the real few doctors left.
They are worth a try.
There is information out there but you really must want to get this art for you to be a real saw doctor.
OK , definition of a real Saw Doctor. He can bench a wide bandsaw, uptp 8" or more with hammers (gross face, twist face & dog head) better than a computer controlled levelling bench. Same go's for circular saws, narrow band saws , tungsten, stellite, diamond and hss.
Finally if I have not bored you. I know of a few real saw doctors still alive maybe!!
1/ There is a wide bandsaw service not that far from the gorbals in glasgow. 2/ There was one guy at North London saws who was a hammerman on circular saws. There is also a director of NLS called Matt Mathews, he was not a saw doctor as such but was into the art. Last but not least, there was one guy at Lancashire saw company who could bench wide bandsaws, he was there so they could say they had a saw doctor.
A reall top guy does not work for a saw service. He works at GM level in a mill.
My saw doctoring skill, I no longer practice but they have taken me around the world since 1990 and I am still at senior mangement level currently in China.
The skill of a saw doctor is to be able to walk into a manufacturing enviroment and he can hear the cutting actions from the tools, the feed speeds and how long have the tools been working............always impresses investors.
If anyone would like advise or to say hello, mail me here.
Thanks
Bill Whewell
Former apprentice!!
