New dt backsaw.

[swagman]

Hi all. I have just finished work on a new dt backsaw. Ron Bontz had kindly sent me some 2 inch depth pretoothed saw plate quite a while ago, and I finally got round to using some of it. I needed to come up with a new handle design that would best suit this smaller depth plate, to insure adequate clearance of saw plate below the handle. Generally dt's fitted with smaller depth plate also will also have a high hang handle. I personally prefer the feel of lower set handles, so coming up with a suitable handle design became even harder. It would need to be an open handle for starters. But even then the critical area of concern would be the shape of the bottom grip. This is the design I finally ended up with. As you can see the bottom of the grip has a unique shape to it.



I have sized the grip to suit my own hand size which is 4" across the palm. The grip itself feels extremely comfortable in use. Now to cover the basic's. The handle wood is Tas. Fiddleback Blackwood. I have orientated the curly grain to flow quite nicely through the neck of the handle to maximize the handles strength. The saw blade length is 12" long, and its been sharpened 16tpi rip.

Here is an earlier photo of the assembled saw after the handle has had multiple coats of garnet shellac. Note the brass back is still unshaped at this stage.



And here are the completed shots of the finished backsaw.







As a final wrap up I am very happy with the look of the new handle design. Its not quite traditional. But it does has a great feel to it and works extremely well with smaller depth saw plates. It would also look quite compatible for use on even deeper saw plates say up to 3". I also enjoyed working with an open handle design this time round.

Stewie;

 

[undergroundhunter]

Thats lovely, is the saw back bevelled? I like it, I would love to make my own DT saw.

Matt

 

[swagman]

Thats lovely, is the saw back bevelled? I like it, I would love to make my own DT saw.

Matt

Yes Matt. The bevels were all hand filed.

 

[Harbo]

Really nice Stewie - I love the bevelling, it really adds to the looks.

Rod

 

[jimmyhenson]

Beautiful, also love the bevel, nice work.

 

[deema]

Wonderful, I am constantly amazed at the talent people on this forum have. Well done.

 

[beech1948]

Hi,
Great workmanship especially the filing.

I wonder though why the saw blade is so long. Dovetails are usually cut in narrow width pieces and a saw with an 8 inch blade would suffice.

Al

 

[swagman]

Hi Beech. You may find the following link of interest. Disston supplied their dt's with a choice of blade lengths. 6,8,10, & 12 inches.

Stewie;

http://www.disstonianinstitute.com/dvtl.html

 

[Waka]

Really nice DT saw, congrats.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Hi,
Great workmanship especially the filing.

I wonder though why the saw blade is so long. Dovetails are usually cut in narrow width pieces and a saw with an 8 inch blade would suffice.

Al

Many people cut several dovetails at once, hence the need for the longer blades.

 

[beech1948]

Phil.p,

OK that sounds reasonable. So say 4x3/4 inch pieces would give a 3 inch cut. As you may guess I don't do this, unless using a bandsaw, so it never occurred to me....need to keep learning.

I have had great success with cutting single tight fitting D/Ts and now I will have to try gang cutting 2 or 3 pieces....damn I need another saw.

Its still a great looking saw

Al

 

[jimi43]

Stunning saw Stewie! Yet another master craftsman at work in the antipodes!!

Tasmanian fiddleback blackwood is a stunning wood. I am a great fan of Australasian exotics and some of the acacias are particularly nice....;lots of nice guitars are made of this wood.

Strangely...it is considered a pest in some countries..."noxious weed" is the description I have often read!!!!

Wish I had these weeds in my garden!

The bevelling is particularly attractive and extremely well executed.

I think the extra length adds to the streamline look of the handle which is sublime and your drawings are art pieces in themselves...you need to make some nice mitred frames from some more blackwood and frame those drawings around your workshop!

Blinkin nice job mate!

=D> =D> =D>

Jimi

 

[condeesteso]

stunning work indeed, I imagine it has a nice weight. Is the stock for a dt saw taper ground normally? And what pitch tpi is it please (and how on earth did you cut and set the teeth)?

 

[Cheshirechappie]

I think the 12" length is a good move. The old Victorian lists of backsaws included a 'carcase saw', often 10" - 14" long, with a shallow blade and medium to fine teeth. I'm fairly sure they were intended as a large dovetail saw for the joints in carcase sides and the like - so stock of 7/8" thickness or thereabouts.

My first dovetail saw was 8" long, but with a huge closed handle that reduced it's useful length to about 6". I replaced it with a 10" long dt saw years later, and was surprised at how much quicker the work was taking fewer but longer strokes. I'll swear that my accuracy improved, as well.

Lovely saw, Stewie. For me, the handle does look a bit truncated at the base, but that may just be down to the prejudice of knowing what I'm familiar with. The proof of any handle is whether it does the job well and is comfortable to use, and as you say it does and is, I'm in no position to argue!

Super job, as ever!

 

[swagman]

stunning work indeed, I imagine it has a nice weight. Is the stock for a dt saw taper ground normally? And what pitch tpi is it please (and how on earth did you cut and set the teeth)?

Hi Douglas. Backsaws are not fitted with taper ground saw plates. The saw has been sharpened 16tpi. I use an overhead magnifying lamp and dykem marker to make it easier when filing high tpi teeth.

Stewie;

 

[swagman]

I think the 12" length is a good move. The old Victorian lists of backsaws included a 'carcase saw', often 10" - 14" long, with a shallow blade and medium to fine teeth. I'm fairly sure they were intended as a large dovetail saw for the joints in carcase sides and the like - so stock of 7/8" thickness or thereabouts.

My first dovetail saw was 8" long, but with a huge closed handle that reduced it's useful length to about 6". I replaced it with a 10" long dt saw years later, and was surprised at how much quicker the work was taking fewer but longer strokes. I'll swear that my accuracy improved, as well.

Lovely saw, Stewie. For me, the handle does look a bit truncated at the base, but that may just be down to the prejudice of knowing what I'm familiar with. The proof of any handle is whether it does the job well and is comfortable to use, and as you say it does and is, I'm in no position to argue!

Super job, as ever!

I agree with your findings on the improved accuracy of cut with a slightly longer saw stroke. I also think that terms such as dt, carcass, and sash tenon, are a little overrated to be honest, and where given should be accepted as a generalised description of the saws make-up, but not its limitations. Where given is should be seen as an indicator only to its likely depth of plate, the type & pitch of the tooth pattern, and to some degree its length. As a good example, I have used the term dt on this backsaw. By keeping the bottom of the handle well clear of the tooth line it could be used on a bench hook. Having a relatively thin 0.020 thickness blade, high tpi & finely set tooth pattern, that includes a not overly aggressive rake angle, this saws use can be expanded to other forms of rip, as well as crosscut fine carcass work within the confines of its saw plate depth. IMO

Stewie;