Dovetails fretsaw

UKworkshop.co.uk

Help Support UKworkshop.co.uk:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Mikebart

Established Member
Joined
15 Dec 2022
Messages
135
Reaction score
64
Location
Manchester
Hi
Having my first go at dovetails can anybody recommend a mid priced fret saw as my 20 year old b&q coping saw ain’t up to the task.
Poor workman always blames his tools😳
 
Yes, I would have suggested the Workshop Heaven piercing saws myself, the tensioning screw on the front is a really useful touch, my only minor complaint is the handle is a bit narrower than I would like. I just wince when I see the price, I know it's still not a fortune but I picked up one of the 100mm saws for about £10 only last Easter... I would go for the 100mm over the 75mm, it gives you a useful additional additional clearance without going up to true fretsaws, i.e. frame depth in the 10-20" territory which are very unwieldy in use.

How fine are your dovetails? It may be the coping saw is still the best option. Be aware that although a single grade is generally only available at retail they do come in different grades. I've found myself doing the reverse transition in the last year, i.e. fretsaw to coping saw. I picked up a scrollsaw that will take either blade and tried it with coping saw blades, nice to have a blade that's almost indestructable compared to a fret or scroll saw blade. Finish wasn't quite what I wanted until I went to Eclipse 24tpi blades and that combination of saw and blade is now essentially my default option for quick or even quite detailed or moderately heavy cutting.
 
AliExpress can't find that page.
I have an Eclipse coping saw (and a Bahco one) but dislike Eclipse blades. I have a Vallorbe jeweller's saw which as above I found to have a handle too small and uncomfortable so I rehandled it. Jeweller's saws aren't designed to hold pinned blades, but fretsaw blades are coarser than those designed for gold and silver.
 
I have an Eclipse coping saw (and a Bahco one) but dislike Eclipse blades. I have a Vallorbe jeweller's saw which as above I found to have a handle too small and uncomfortable so I rehandled it.
Out of interest what did you find on removing the original handle? I'm not a turner myself so if I was to rehandle mine (which I have thought of) it would be an off the shelf file handle. Would I be able to get them to fit without too much fettling? The other alternative is simply to wrap it in a couple of layers of adhesive lined heatshrink tubing, more certain but a bit of a bodge job.
 
I can't quite remember but I think it was a straightforward round tang. I don't recall its being difficult, but that may not be the case with an Eclipse. My handle is a truncated cone as for jewellery work on a peg the handle is nearly always downwards and it helps not to have to hold it too tightly - probably not so important for woodworking.
 
I know it's become the norm in the modern amateur woodwork but not particularly necessary and easily done without - basically by doing one or more vertical cuts into the waste with your DT saw when cutting the pin holes or between the pins. Then when you come to chop it out with your chisel it drops out more easily. Quicker too.
 
Last edited:
AliExpress can't find that page.
I have an Eclipse coping saw (and a Bahco one) but dislike Eclipse blades. I have a Vallorbe jeweller's saw which as above I found to have a handle too small and uncomfortable so I rehandled it. Jeweller's saws aren't designed to hold pinned blades, but fretsaw blades are coarser than those designed for gold and silver.
Ah it must be because I linked it from the order confirmation - try this

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003014631758.html
 
Thanks for the replies gives me some idea of what’s about and recommendations.
I have purchased a set of Japanese saws to play with as well(learning to pull instead of pushing).
 
Out of interest what did you find on removing the original handle? I'm not a turner myself so if I was to rehandle mine (which I have thought of) it would be an off the shelf file handle. Would I be able to get them to fit without too much fettling? The other alternative is simply to wrap it in a couple of layers of adhesive lined heatshrink tubing, more certain but a bit of a bodge job.
The one on mine split and I replaced it with a file handle again from WS Heaven which worked fine
 
I know it's become the norm in the modern amateur woodwork but not particularly necessary and easily done without - basically by doing one or more vertical cuts into the waste with your DT saw when cutting the pin holes or between the pins. Then when you come to chop it out with your chisel it drops out more easily. Quicker too.
Now that sounds like a good idea👍
 
Years ago I did a dovetail course with Rob Cosman. The night before I read the tools list that included a fret saw. Not having one I made this and cadged a couple of blades.
01B1E2D3-FEAD-4CDC-9363-B1068010AE95.jpeg

I made the coping saw when I decided the feet saw was too slow
 
............
I made the coping saw when I decided the feet saw was too slow
I stopped using a coping saw when I realised that sawing is too slow.
Not sure when the sawing idea came in but it's relatively recent. And very inefficient especially if you are doing a lot, as would have been the case when furniture was largely hand made.
 
Last edited:
If I purchase a 100mm saw apart from 5” unpinned blades what type of blade is recommended in respect of tpi etc
Thanks
It depends primarily on the thickness to be cut, there is a blade selection guide as a sticky in the scroll saw area. The coarser the blade the more robust it is but the less tight a corner it will take, although any fretsaw blade will be finer and more delicate than a coping saw blade.

If you're new to buying I'll just highlight terminology - scrollsaw and fretsaw blades are the same thing by different names. Jewellers and piercing saw blades are similar. At least with plain end blades the two are interchangeable - blades will fit in the other frame - but the grading is different between them. Piercing saw blades are substantially finer than fretsaw blades of the same numeric grade.
 
Jeweller's/piercing saw blades are too fine for your needs.
Blade SizeFor use with:Blade ThicknessBlade DepthTeeth per InchDrill Size for Piercing
6/024 gauge.0070''.0140''76.079
5/022-24 gauge.0080''.0157''71.078
4/022 gauge.0086''.0175''66.077
3/022 gauge.0095''.0190''61.076
2/020-22 gauge.0103''.0204''56.075
1/018-22 gauge.0110''.0220''53.573
118-20 gauge.0120''.0240''51.071
216-18 gauge.0134''.0276''43.070
312-14 gauge.0140''.0290''40.568
410 gauge.0150''.0307''38.067
58 gauge.0158''.0331''35.565
66-8 gauge.0173''.0370''33.058
 

Latest posts

Back
Top