16/1/2015
One of my key projects for 2015 will be to build a working collection of bow saws. I bought the big blades (700mm in length) below from Dieter Schmid in Germany. The plan is to build a Frame saw using the rip blade and a Roubo-esque crosscut bow saw with the crosscut blade.
A few pictures of the crosscut saw I want to replicate loosely. It can be found in Lost Art Press’ “Book of Plates”. I cannot say enough good thinks about Lost Art and their books. Every book is a seminal work in itself, which makes it impossible to decide on a favourite. Surgeons in my part of the world have a motto: “If in doubt, cut it out”. My motto with Lost Art Press books is: “If in doubt, buy it”.
These little beauties came from Gramercy Tools. I plan to build a smaller (12″) bow saw using their design. I plan to use it mainly from removing waste material between dovetails.
The wood for these saws is the pile on the right hand side. I chose Witpeer (Apodytes dimidiata or White pear in English) and Assegaai (Curtisia dentata). Both these woods are extremely tough, hard and durable, which made it some of the favourites for Wagon building in the early Cape Colony. My supply comes from the Knysna evergreen forest, where I bought it more than 14 years ago.
I will write separate posts on the construction of each saw. To check out the other posts:
Excited to see the build!
Hi Siavosh
Nice to hear from you. I am over halve way with the small saw and almost halve way with the big crosscut saw. Will hopefully finish them on the weekend, add the final photos and publish the posts next week.
You should really join me for Brian’s chair build. We can be the slow guys and take a year, then I won’t feel so useless.
Thanks for your comment.
The temptation is there. I read another chapter today, and I’d love to start one. Let me see how far I get on the current chair and then. Either way, I’ll be following along all your builds 🙂