Improved? cheap Irwin Tenon Saw.

[Ed Bray]

I bought a cheap Irwin XP3055 12" Tenon Saw 12TPI (circa £7) and whilst the teeth are sharp and it cuts okay the blade stiffening just as well have not been there, it was so thin and had so little extra weight I don't know why they bothered.

Fortunately I had some lead flashing left over from a project and so cut a strip about 1.5" x 12" and bent it around the stiffener. Whist I doubt it adds much to the stiffening it certainly adds some weight and makes the saw easier to use. Cost nought but about 20 minutes of time. In the interests of eco-friendliness I will give it a coat of lacquer although I don't plan on sucking on the end of it.

 

[Fat ferret]

Good idea, I have on old brass backed tenon saw. It falls through wood it's so heavy. Yours will cut similar, good job.

 

[bugbear]

Whilst I doubt it adds much to the stiffening it certainly adds some weight and makes the saw easier to use.

Interesting - despite being an improv, it's also a rather well controlled experiment. Attempting to make two otherwise identical saws, one with a heavier back, would be very difficult, but your way means that everything was the same for both the heavy and light saws.

BugBear