Building the Historic Howarth Bow Saw

[undergroundhunter]

Just in case not everyone has seen it Wood and Shop have a new DVD out hosted by Bill Anderson on the making of a bow saw.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5RMHR1nDJA

Bill is extremely talented and knowledgeable, I have the downloads on moulding planes and joinery planes as well and can say these are excellent. Although it states this is a DVD they are normally available for download as well.

I'm not affiliated to wood and shop or Bill Anderson, just a fan.

Matt

 

[swagman]

Got to ask why it takes an American to make money from selling the design of an early English design hand tool.

Looks like an excellent design for a bowsaw. Appreciate the post.

Stewie;

 

[morturn]

Can you still get the blades for these bowsaws?

 

[bugbear]

Can you still get the blades for these bowsaws?

A few specialists sell "bowsaw blades", but LOTS of people sell suitable bandsaw blades that can be cut to length.

Bugbear

 

[Cheshirechappie]

Can you still get the blades for these bowsaws?

Thomas Flinn do a 12" blade - http://www.flinn-garlick-saws.co.uk/aca ... ml#SID=448

Many people say that a piece of suitable bandsaw blade can be used, but that does give you the problem of drilling the little holes at the ends for the pins. On the upside, it does mean you can fit a blade to any size of bow saw (or 'turning saw' as they're also sometimes called).

Edit to add - you just beat me to it, BB!

 

[bugbear]

Got to ask why it takes an American to make money from selling the design of an early English design hand tool.

Looks like an excellent design for a bowsaw. Appreciate the post.

Stewie;

Indeed; here's my design, simply a measured transcription of a good example, free:

http://www.woodworkinfo.site88.net/bowsaw.html

EDIT: nearly every link on that page is now dead.

BugBear

 

[lurker]

I love the mericans definition of "historic"
25% of my hand tools must be historic ............do you reckon I could get a grant?

Got to agree with Stewie, you talented tool makers out there (Pete Maddex et al) should get on the bandwaggon.

 

[swagman]

I would have around 80 NOS 12inch traditional turning saw blades in my workshop.

 

[NazNomad]

I love the mericans definition of "historic"

Is it one of those British/American spelling differences, like tyre/tire? Do they really mean 'hysteric'?

 

[lurker]

Got to ask why it takes an American to make money from selling the design of an early English design hand tool.

Looks like an excellent design for a bowsaw. Appreciate the post.

Stewie;

Indeed; here's my design, simply a measured transcription of a good example, free:

http://www.woodworkinfo.site88.net/bowsaw.html

BugBear

Nice one BB

 

[lurker]

Dont try to "drill" a BS blade
Just use a masonary nail to punch a hole in it

 

[Racers]

He is on one episode of the Woodwrights shop making the bow saw.
I will post a link later.

Pete

 

[AndyT]

I've spent many hours watching woodworking related videos, but I do start to wonder about the balance here.

I thoroughly approve of their active support for old hand tool appreciation and use, but the impression being given here is that you need to watch a two DVD set before embarking on such a difficult project.

Back in the 1940s Charles Hayward showed how to make a turning saw (admittedly of slightly simpler design) in less than a page of words and a single picture. It's in his essential booklet on making tools, available from Gary Roberts here

http://toolemera.com/Books%20%26%20Book ... plans.html

You could use the time saved by not watching videos to get on with making the saw...


[Edited to fix url]

 

[lurker]

Andy,

This watching DVDs and u tube is not disimilar to all the cookery programmes is it?
many peope watch the cookery programmes whilst sitting eating a take away :roll:

I'm a old fashioned "book man" but we are a dying (quite literally) breed.
The upside is second hand woody books are really cheap, I seem to be buying them at a rate of 2 a week from amazon rarely paying more than 1p + £2.80pp
In fact I need to build a new bookcase to house them all..........know any good u tubes?? :roll:

 

[custard]

I'm cutting components at the moment from some 1 1/4" boards of fiddleback/rippled Hard Maple. It's normally Soft Maple that has the best figure, but this is definitely Hard Maple, so eminently suitable for a Bow Saw. It's not quite musical instrument grade, but it's pretty close and as the figure wraps around all four faces it's very attractive and far removed from anything you'd usually find in a timber yard.

There are off-cuts that will yield most if not all of the components for this bow saw

Now, I don't want to give them away if they won't get used. But if you're one of the forum members like Andy or Pete with a solid track record of actually making things, and you're willing to cover the postage, then drop me a PM. Send me a copy of your bow saw cutting list and any components that I can't get out from the fiddleback stuff I'll get from regular Hard Maple with a close colour match. But there's certainly enough of the fiddleback off-cuts to make a pretty spectacular tool!

 

[AndyT]

Lurker, you're spot on there.

I think we're lucky to have both options (books and videos) available so freely - for cookery and for woodworking.

I love the way a video can show the whole process, in real time if necessary, but a book can be so efficient. Don't forget books!

 

[AndyT]

That's another stonkingly generous offer from Custard there. If you fancy making a saw, don't hesitate to take up his offer.

I know that he has the highest grade offcuts you'll ever see, as I already have some beautiful wood from him, which I promise will feature in a blow by blow account on here in 2017 - that's a public new year's resolution several weeks early!

 

[MIGNAL]

If you look carefully at their brass rods/pins (those that the handles attach to) I think you may find that they are tapered. I have an old bow saw that also has the pins tapered. I borrowed these handles/pins for the bowsaw that I made when my version didn't work so well.

 

[MusicMan]

Why is it called a turning saw?

Keith

 

[MIGNAL]

It can cut curves or it can 'turn'.