Dovetails with a hack saw

[Jacob]

I've just discovered that a junior hacksaw cuts a brilliant neat perfect dovetail. I'll have a go with a normal sized one next.
Came from this thread here post638544.html#p638544
But it seems to be well known already - I've just been slow on the uptake!
Who needs a poncey dovetail saw?

 

[flounder]

What, no photos?! Come on Jacob, get with the programme!

 

[Racers]

Jacob uses the daguerreotype or wet collodion process not an easy format to convert, its not about the camera.

Pete

 

[bugbear]

I wonder if this is one of Jacob Butler's "provocative" posts.

I'll just say ... Cecil E. Pierce.

BugBear (cryptic)

 

[Jacob]

I suggest you try a few cuts yourself. Thin stuff suitable for drawer sides, simulate a DT cut along the grain (clamp it vertically in a vice), junior hacksaw, senior ditto (1mm wide kerf on mine) and any other saws for comparison.
Be open minded though.
It's not really surprising that a 32 tpi hacksaw does a cleaner cut than a 20 tpi DT saw.
What does Cecil E. Pierce say? One book I do not have. £40 or more it seems.
I suppose this idea would be "provocative" to a true believer of the tooly faith :shock: but I would have thought normal people wouldn't give a toss, and quite right too!

 

[AndyT]

What does Cecil E. Pierce say? One book I do not have. £40 or more it seems.

Jacob, looking at your link to a Google search, the fourth result leads to this article by Cecil E Pierce from American Woodworker, 1996, available to read on-line for free.

 

[Jacob]

What does Cecil E. Pierce say? One book I do not have. £40 or more it seems.

Jacob, looking at your link to a Google search, the fourth result leads to this article by Cecil E Pierce from American Woodworker, 1996, available to read on-line for free.

Thanks for that. Very interesting, I'll read it more closely later. I'd never heard of him before.

 

[Modernist]

I've got nothing against his thumb.
Snag is neither has he!

 

[Jacob]

He's very handy, considering. Doesn't need to stump up for a posh DT saw at all.
A bit odd that he undercuts and then pares off the sides of the pinholes, but he uses a 14tpi blade. With a 32 tpi there'd be no need you just cut down the line once and even if you are off a bit (or freehand) you mark from the pinhole anyway. Otherwise it looks good.
If you did a (normal) single kerf DT you wouldn't be able to mark through with a chisel or plane blade but you can do it with a thin version like a chisel shape craft-knife blade. I made my own from a bit of saw blade then found I'd got one anyway hidden in a box of bitsnbobs.

 

[Klaus Kretschmar]

I suggest you try a few cuts yourself. Thin stuff suitable for drawer sides, simulate a DT cut along the grain (clamp it vertically in a vice), junior hacksaw, senior ditto (1mm wide kerf on mine) and any other saws for comparison.
Be open minded though.
It's not really surprising that a 32 tpi hacksaw does a cleaner cut than a 20 tpi DT saw.
What does Cecil E. Pierce say? One book I do not have. £40 or more it seems.
I suppose this idea would be "provocative" to a true believer of the tooly faith :shock: but I would have thought normal people wouldn't give a toss, and quite right too!

I like your humor, Jacob.

Was silly enough not to detect that you are kidding and put out my hacksaw :lol: Nice experience for sure.

Klaus

 

[Jacob]

...

Was silly enough not to detect that you are kidding and put out my hacksaw :lol: Nice experience for sure.

Klaus

Klaus, I wasn't kidding! Seemed like a nice cut to me. I'll do the whole job (make a drawer) when I have the time. So how did it work for you?

 

[pedder]

Hi Jakob,

aren't english hack saw blades wavy like the germans? I don't like that for wood - way to much set. But others than that, hacksaw blades are at least rip cut. No wonder you like them regarding your crosscut dovetail saws.

Cheers
Pedder

 

[Klaus Kretschmar]

...

Was silly enough not to detect that you are kidding and put out my hacksaw :lol: Nice experience for sure.

Klaus

Klaus, I wasn't kidding! Seemed like a nice cut to me. I'll do the whole job (make a drawer) when I have the time. So how did it work for you?

Please Jacob!

I do know that you are a long time woodworker so you know how a dovetail saw should work. Cutting dovetails with a hacksaw is that ridiculous that I loughed loud about myself after having tried one cut. If you really aren't kidding there are only 2 possibilities I can imagine: either my hacksaw is the worst piece of scrab that ever left a factory ... or your dovetail saws aren't how they should be.

The cut with my hacksaw was horribly loud, boring slow and left surfaces of lousy quality.

Klaus

 

[Jacob]

....
The cut with my hacksaw was horribly loud, boring slow and left surfaces of lousy quality.

Klaus

It's only day one!
It wasn't my idea - I just thought I'd give it go. Maybe my DT saws are krapp but my hacksaws (30 tpi or thereabouts and with wavy edges) certainly cut a very clean line, quietly and quickly. I'll try to take some snaps tomorrow.
I should add - I've been making stuff all my life (not all woodwork). I'm not a novice so I'm not seduced by brass knobs or committed to any other theory of how things should be done.
Proof is in the pudding. Does that translate in German? I wouldn't be surprised if you had a very similar phrase.

 

[Klaus Kretschmar]

....
The cut with my hacksaw was horribly loud, boring slow and left surfaces of lousy quality.

Klaus

It's only day one!
It wasn't my idea - I just thought I'd give it go. Maybe my DT saws are krapp but my hacksaws (30 tpi or thereabouts and with wavy edges) certainly cut a very clean line, quietly and quickly. I'll try to take some snaps tomorrow.
I should add - I've been making stuff all my life (not all woodwork). I'm not a novice so I'm not seduced by brass knobs or committed to any other theory of how things should be done.
Proof is in the pudding. Does that translate in German? I wouldn't be surprised if you had a very similar phrase.

OK, Jacob,

if you are willing to take the back shipping cost, I'll be happy to send you one of my personal dovetail saws to let it run against your hacksaw. If the hacksaw stands the comparison, I would be very glad if you would sell me such a saw. Deal?

Cheers
Klaus

 

[Jacob]

....
The cut with my hacksaw was horribly loud, boring slow and left surfaces of lousy quality.

Klaus

It's only day one!
It wasn't my idea - I just thought I'd give it go. Maybe my DT saws are krapp but my hacksaws (30 tpi or thereabouts and with wavy edges) certainly cut a very clean line, quietly and quickly. I'll try to take some snaps tomorrow.
I should add - I've been making stuff all my life (not all woodwork). I'm not a novice so I'm not seduced by brass knobs or committed to any other theory of how things should be done.
Proof is in the pudding. Does that translate in German? I wouldn't be surprised if you had a very similar phrase.

OK, Jacob,

if you are willing to take the back shipping cost, I'll be happy to send you one of my personal dovetail saws to let it run against your hacksaw. If the hacksaw stands the comparison, I would be very glad if you would sell me such a saw. Deal?

Cheers
Klaus

Right ho that'd be interesting. I'm quite happy to be proved wrong - it's happened before (can't remember the details it was so long ago :shock: ). But wait until I've done some side by side snaps so we know we are singing from the same sheet.

 

[Tony Spear]

Jacob,

I tried that a million years ago (well at least 40)!

I found that the Junior saw had too short a stroke for quick cutting and made my wrist ache (no jokes here please!) and the depth of the frame of the full size saw made the damn thing wobble all over the place! (AND that also made my wrist ache!)

 

[mtr1]

So not only have you snagged a loan on a top quality dovetail saw, you also have some people trying this in their sheds.........very clever :lol:

 

[Modernist]

Can I join in while it is here?
Tooo good a chance to miss
We could have a DT saw evening

 

[devonwoody]

Around 55 years ago I am sure I had to use a hacksaw to cut dovetails for drawers which was needed for our first childs toy cupboard. I could not afford even a spear & jackson DTS.
That cupboard most probably lasted 40 years, it went in my workshed at a later date and did good service carrying all my plumbing gear I later accumulated.

So dont knock the humble hacksaw :wink: