Building the Historic Howarth Bow Saw

[Racers]

Roy Underhill link.

http://www.pbs.org/video/2172468731/


Pete

 

[Sheffield Tony]

I
I thoroughly approve of their active support for old hand tool appreciation and use, but the impression being given here is that you need to watch a two DVD set before embarking on such a difficult project.

Some do like to talk up the difficulty of what they do, don't they. I've made quite a few tools just by looking at how original ones appear to have been made, often without even having had hands on a genuine "historic" one. I've made a side rebate plane and a spill plane only on the basis of internet photos and a bit of thinking. Certainly no need for a 2 hour instructional video ! My only complete and utter fail so far has been a panel raising plane. I'm going to have another go, but I might read that book in Andy's post first

My turning saw is still proving useful, and was also made without having an old one for reference. I guess it would be quicker, and perhaps with a few fewer mistakes along the way if you did watch someone else make one first though. One feature I do like, which the YouTube clip shows and I did on my saw, is the radius on the shoulders of the stretcher piece, so you can accomodate a fair variation in blade length.

Very kind offer from Custard there, the sort of thing that makes UKW special. Surely someone will leap at that ?

 

[ED65]

I've spent many hours watching woodworking related videos, but I do start to wonder about the balance here.

I thoroughly approve of their active support for old hand tool appreciation and use, but the impression being given here is that you need to watch a two DVD set before embarking on such a difficult project.

Couldn't agree more! There's a place for more complete guides to the making of something certainly, but I can't help but feel we're on a slippery slope where it's becoming seen as the default way that everything needs to be tackled, even for relatively simple projects like a bow saw.

Back in the 1940s Charles Hayward showed how to make a turning saw (admittedly of slightly simpler design) in less than a page of words and a single picture.

I've highlighted to my other half many a time how older guides (from both sides of the Atlantic) give the reader the benefit of the doubt for having some nouse and the willingness to apply themselves to the problem, not having their hand held through Every. Single. Step. of the whole process.

One old projects book from the early 20th century gives nothing but drawings (plan, side elevation, occasional details) of the various pieces with not a single word about how to shape any of the elements. And it was written for children woodworkers. I'd expect that a good half the projects, if tackled now for a magazine, would generate five or six pages of photos and text, and many times would require at least two major power tools rather than the basic dozen or so hand tools that those kids would have had access to.

 

[bugbear]

But there's certainly enough of the fiddleback off-cuts to make a pretty spectacular tool!

I've always thought yew would make a pretty bowsaw, and a godawful pun!

BugBear

 

[bugbear]

Lurker, you're spot on there.

I think we're lucky to have both options (books and videos) available so freely - for cookery and for woodworking.

I love the way a video can show the whole process, in real time if necessary, but a book can be so efficient. Don't forget books!

Sometimes a video is the only way to show a complex 3D movement - and sometimes the sound is as informative ad the vision.

However, a rambling, improvised video can be infuriating.

IMHO the ultimate form for information is a well laid out web page, with the content broken up into chunks, with headings, thumbnails images clickable for high-res, and videos of those aspects that need it.

The worst form is audio-only podcast.

BugBear

 

[AndyT]

Yes, and a web page where your questions get answered by trusted friends - that's pretty good too!