Saw Doctor Training

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kayak23

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Does anyone know of any companies/organisations who offer saw doctor training, sharpening and setting planers, sharpening bandsaw blades/circular saw blades etc, that sort of thing.

I can find plenty offering training from a health and safety standpoint and obviously educational establishments offering training in the use of woodworking machines, but nobody offering direct training in the set-up, tuning and maintenance of woodworking machines.

I have tried the Saw Doctor Association and sent an email off but the site seems a bit out of date, like nobody is home...

Any ideas anyone?

Thanks...
 
Did you get the email address right? It is a very easy one to get wrong.

The site also has a postal address and telephone number. I suggest you try these.

Richard
 
Are you wanting to sharpen your own blades etc (do you have the machines for it) or are you looking at setting up as a saw doctor ?.

You also mention machine setup which is a different area from sharpening.
I spent many years setting up woodworking machines & the only way I know to learn that skill is to get a job with the firms that do that. you might find someone in your local area to show you how to set up any specific machines you have. I've not heard of any saw doctors who will show machine setup.
In fact most saw doctors that I know are usually engineering machine shop biased and have ltd knowledge of woodworking machines.
 
ProShop":2r8wgjlo said:
Are you wanting to sharpen your own blades etc (do you have the machines for it) or are you looking at setting up as a saw

Basically, I am trained in furniture making through various college courses and then University. I have worked for many years for various woodworking outfits and cabinetmakers.
I now have a job as a technician on a furniture course at a college and although I am well versed in using many machines, I am not so well versed in actually caring for machinery. By that I mean honing and setting planers, sharpening and care of cutters/saws etc.
Many of the companies I worked for shipped out all that sort of stuff so I never got a chance to do much. Now I have to do it regularly so with that in mind I was looking for specific training if possible...
 
If you rummage around you may find that all the information you need is freely available in magazines and on t'internet.

Steve Maskery has written an excellent article on making a jig to hone planer knives in this months British Woodworking, theres a 'how to' on saw sharpening on my blog here, and Joel Moskowitz has some really useful charts and other info for saw sharpening here.

For circular saw blades or tipped bandsaw blades I'd still recommend sending them out as you will be sharpening for a decade to win back the cost of the machinery to do it right.

A worthwhile investment would be a linisher, preferably with variable speed control and a grinder with a norton 3x stone and a buffing wheel (make sure you get one where the top of the wheel travels away from you).
 
Thanks Matthew,
I'll have a look at your links.
yeah we have pretty much all the machinery here at the college, its just the long-time technician here left before he could pass on his sage-like knowledge sadly.
Its quite daunting to be left with a lot of lovely old and well-oiled machinery without too much of an idea how to use it but I'm sure I'll eventually get around to giving everything a go...
Anymore ideas anyone I'd be very grateful to hear of them...
Thanks...
 
Hi,

The saw sharpening link to the pdf file is broken. Does anyone know if you can convert a rip to crosscut with just a saw file?

Regards,

David
 
Milkman, thanks for the advice. I inherited three rip back saws, so I guess I'll just have to buy a new crosscut saw!
 
Nationally recognised Vocational Training (NVQ) is on the way, (they are now in draft form awaiting the industries comments) you will find the standards to be acheived if you google National Occupational Standards, and then go to Tooling Technologies, these cover a wide range. I will update when more information is available
 
kayak23":2qt3cpcp said:
yeah we have pretty much all the machinery here at the college, its just the long-time technician here left before he could pass on his sage-like knowledge sadly.

Since you were considering (presumably paying for) training, have you considered finding this retired sage and slipping him a few beer tokens for a few evenings of tuition?

BugBear
 
Try Didac based in Bristol ask for Paul Stephenson he has alot of knowledge on tooling he may be able to help you out
 
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!!
 
I saw this thread and thought someone had been watching medical students cocking things up!. Sorry I couldn't resist it
Mark
 
Ha Ha fair enough!!! But its all true....... I am so angry that the UK has lost its skill base,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,but as i have said in my bit,,left uk in 90 and my special skill are still good today in 2011. Left uk in 90........still have a house there though
 
So, you've got the job but you didn't tell them you didn't know how to do it! :lol: Hmm.

I'd just get stuck in like the rest of us if I were you. Send important stuff away (circ saws, certain spindle cutters) and get your hand in with the other bits. Read all the book of course.
One thing at a time - what's the first prob facing you?
 
I think the OP (kayak23) may well have changed jobs or found a way round the requirement.
 
Re-reply from W. Whewell.
His report of my death is exaggerated, I am still going at 88 and looking to publish my final books on "Hand and Machine Routers" and the "Cutter Grinders Handbook". The most recent versions of the "Spindle Moulder Handbook" and "Circular Saws" are currently available, as are the first copies - as second-hand books. The book on Wide Bandsaws was regrettably abandoned years ago on Daves passing.
Eric Stephenson
 
Wow Eric. Welcome and many thanks for taking the time to respond to this, even if a little delayed. I do hope (on a personaly selfish note) that you stay in touch with the forum as I am sure there are a lot of people on here who would very much welcome and appreciate you being willing to pass on your knowlege with the rather splendid and keen chaps here. I will certainly keep an eye out for your spindle moulder book and the router one when it's published.

rgds
droogs
 

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