What tool would this have been?

[Tasky]

Back in the days when they still taught woodwork as a subject in schools...

We had a number of bench-mounted saws. They were like scroll saws but had longer arms, bigger squarer tables with guide fences and mitre blocks, and used quite deep jigsaw blades. They were awesome at straight cuts, but could also do curves like most jigsaws.
I've been looking at scrollsaws, but they all seem too small.

Was considering this as an alternative to a handheld jigsaw and possibly a bandsaw, but have no idea what it's called.

Anyone remember these?

 

[yanky]

Do you mean the heavy fretsaws?

 

[yanky]

I remember my uncle using a bigger version of this fretsaw:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from ... 1&_sacat=0
It had a mitre table, and cut well in skilled hands. He used it before the days of Hegner.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=wadki ... UWECKa1gyM: ?

 

[Tasky]

Something like this, but longer and with a massive ½" blade:
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41nlf9KI3AL.jpg

I'm guessing they don't make such things any more, as I'm not seeing any in the tool shops.

Just debating whether I need a bandsaw, or if I can get by with just a jigsaw and maybe a circular saw, really...

 

[bugbear]

Back in the days when they still taught woodwork as a subject in schools...

We had a number of bench-mounted saws. They were like scroll saws but had longer arms, bigger squarer tables with guide fences and mitre blocks, and used quite deep jigsaw blades. They were awesome at straight cuts, but could also do curves like most jigsaws.
I've been looking at scrollsaws, but they all seem too small.

Was considering this as an alternative to a handheld jigsaw and possibly a bandsaw, but have no idea what it's called.

Anyone remember these?

When was it?

BugBear

 

[AndyT]

Were these saws electric or user-powered? If the latter, were they treadled or something else?

I think I recall a discussion in the scrollsaw section about a robust saw, made in England, which was sold to schools and hospital occupational therapy departments in the 1960s.

Maybe a Meddings?

http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/152603690170?_mwBanner=1

 

[yanky]

Have you worked it out yet? Let us know!

 

[Tasky]

Were these saws electric or user-powered?

User-powered?
I'm not THAT old yet, heh heh!!

Maybe a Meddings?

Something like that, yes, but the arms alone were about 3' long and the table was about 4' wide. I remember doing some really big MDF panels on it, as well as what it did to some silly kid's hand.

Doesn't look like you can get saws like this any more anyway, so I'll pick from the modern stuff...

 

[Robbo3]

The Diamond fretsaw possibly?
- http://www.scrollsaws.com/SawReviews/diamond_saw.htm