Not coping with coping saw

[ScaredyCat]

Winter is on the way, which means I have to pack the noisy tools away and start practicing with my hand tools again. I'm having some real issues with using a coping saw. I got a cheap Stanley one, £10 from Amazon I think, but I'm having real problems.

First of all I can't get it to turn, even gentle, corners without the handle rotating too moving the teeth out of the way and stopping the cutting. I think this might be caused because I can't seem to get the blade tight enough.

Anyone have some basic hints on setup and use?


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[MikeG.]

Mine was a £1 bargain-bin special at a DIY shop. It's a piece of junk, but I can make it work OK. The secret is to saw "on the spot", with light pressure, rather than try to make rapid progress. I use a coarse blade, and am quite happy to turn the blade in the frame whilst it is in the wood. If you really do need to cut thicker wood more rapidly, then you'll end up making yourself a frame saw.

 

[Racers]

+1 on the frame saw, I made this one to take coping saw blades you can get the blade ping tight! and it cuts curves very well.

DSCF0039 by pete maddex, on Flickr

Pete

 

[Sheffield Tony]

What did you use for the metalwork Pete ? Any special devices to prevent the problem of the blade / handles twisting in the frame when you don't want it to ?

My frame saw had a tendency for the blade/handles to rotate relative to the frame - or perhaps more accurately the other way around - the frame rotate relative to the blade and the handles when it is held just by the handles, as the centre of gravity of the frame is higher than the handles or the blade. I see the pins are sometimes made tapered to help grip. I found a pair of rubber hose union washers between the handles and the frame did the trick...

Back to the original question, I think the idea of sawing "on the spot" is a good way to think about it. You're reliant on the set of the saw to allow the blade to turn. A gentle turn, the blade can be twisted in the kerf up to the angle limited by the depth of the blade and the clearance created by set on the teeth. Beyond that the sawing on the spot allows the side of the teeth to chew the kerf wider to allow it to turn.

To get the blade tighter, as well as screwing the handle on further, you can of course bend (or rather un-bend) the frame a bit.

 

[DTR]

Pete, that's beautiful! What's it like for sawing thicker sections, say 1" or more?

 

[Doug71]

If it's a Stanley Fat Max coping saw bin it, I got one and it was less then useless.

https://www.toolstop.co.uk/stanley-0-15 ... 14QAvD_BwE

You can't go wrong with a Spear and Jackson Eclipse.

https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/products ... lsrc=aw.ds

 

[Rorschach]

I have a stanley one, it's pretty rubbish but does the job on the rare occasions I need it. One day I will find a nicer one at a car boot.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Sorry - an obvious question - are you cutting on the pull or push?

 

[ScaredyCat]

Sorry - an obvious question - are you cutting on the pull or push?

Teeth are facing the handle so I'd expect on the pull.


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[thetyreman]

you want them facing away from the handle, it'll be much easier, so it cuts them on the push not pull stroke. I'd also recommend bacho blades, they are good.

 

[DTR]

you want them facing away from the handle, it'll be much easier, so it cuts them on the push not pull stroke. I'd also recommend bacho blades, they are good.

I always use a coping saw cutting on the push, but SWMBO prefers sawing on the pull stroke. There's an argument that cutting on the pull stroke keeps the blade in tension, whereas cutting on the push is relying on the rigidity of the frame to maintain tension.

 

[Bod]

If it's a Stanley Fat Max coping saw bin it, I got one and it was less then useless.

https://www.toolstop.co.uk/stanley-0-15 ... 14QAvD_BwE

You can't go wrong with a Spear and Jackson Eclipse.

https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/products ... lsrc=aw.ds

You'll not better the S & J Eclipse type. But I didn't realise the price now!
The design has been around for decades, it works.
So many almost new are seen at car boot sales for next to nothing, usually with broken blades...

Bod

 

[Racers]

Pete, that's beautiful! What's it like for sawing thicker sections, say 1" or more?

I have cut 25mm Maple with it, not something I would want to do a lot of but it works.

Pete

 

[Racers]

What did you use for the metalwork Pete ? Any special devices to prevent the problem of the blade / handles twisting in the frame when you don't want it to ?

Its made with brass rod that is a tight fit into the frame, that and the blade tension helps the blade resist twisting.

Pete

 

[Jacob]

Winter is on the way, which means I have to pack the noisy tools away and start practicing with my hand tools again. I'm having some real issues with using a coping saw. I got a cheap Stanley one, £10 from Amazon I think, but I'm having real problems.

First of all I can't get it to turn, even gentle, corners without the handle rotating too moving the teeth out of the way and stopping the cutting. I think this might be caused because I can't seem to get the blade tight enough.

Anyone have some basic hints on setup and use?


.

The handle should lock tight against the frame - helped by the little sticking out lever thing on the boss. If it doesn't it might be faulty.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

you want them facing away from the handle, it'll be much easier, so it cuts them on the push not pull stroke. I'd also recommend bacho blades, they are good.

It's normal to cut on the pull, as the frame itself has no real strength. I don't think I've ever known anyone use them on the push. If you're scribing skirtings or anything you'd put them down flat and cut down through them with the handle underneath?

 

[MikeG.]

........ I don't think I've ever known anyone use them on the push.........

Saint Paul appears to be cutting on the push.

 

[custard]

This comes up regularly.

Of the scores of top flight cabinet makers that I've known and seen working about half cut on the push stroke and half cut on the pull stroke. So don't sweat it, whatever you choose you're in great company!

 

[Doug71]

Honestly if it is the Stanley Fat Max coping saw it is not user error it is just the carp saw. On the one I had the frame was really flexible, it was impossible to get enough tension on the blade.

Teeth facing forwards for me, I was fitting loads of lovely 7" Torus MDF skirting today :x , I always cut the scribes from above.

 

[mr rusty]

I've just finished a house full of 10" victorian ogee skirtings,cutting the scribes on the...........pull :lol: :lol: