sawing technique

[Anonymous]

This is a bit embarrising to say the least but when i use a hand saw to saw timber i can never get a square cut so i tend to use power saws i hold the saw by gripping the handle and placing my forefinger on the side of the handle in line with the blade, i don't have any problems following the line its just that instead of producing a square cut like so | my cut tends to be like this \. I would be extremely grateful if you keep this to yourselves and give me some tips on how i can improve my technique and remember tell no one :lol: .

 

[Philly]

Derek,
Nothing to be embaressed about-unless you saw for a living!! :roll:
I have for found the following tips to help:
make sure the piece is held vertical in the vice-it seems to be easier to saw straight down.
Start you cut on the top face then immediately start to angle the saw down the front edge of the piece-as long as you are on your layout lines the kerf should then guide you squarely through the cut.
Try closing your left eye when you start the cut-don't ask me how but this works for me!

Give those a try and let me know if they are any help
regards
Philly

 

[Ian Dalziel]

Derek,
try and hold the saw with a straight forefinger (one inbetween middle and thumb) whilst you hold the handle. i was taught to hold a saw this way while sawing and it works well for me

Ian

 

[Anonymous]

Derek

Not easy without regular practice :?

I think it may even be the saw you are using. Good quality saws and japanese saws leave a very thin kerf and if you start them off straight, they tend to stay straight. Poorer quality saws often leave a very wide kerf allowing the blade to tip slightly and so wander off line.

Possibly you could try a simple support or even a shooting board to help guide the saw on the early part of the cut - this is what craftsmen of old did

I saw a feature in one of the mags about 3 months ago (think popular woodworking) which detailed several hand sawing aids

 

[GEPPETTO]

hi all,
I am a only a "young" woodworker, with few experience and I have read somewhere that a bad set (more set on a side of the blade) of the teeth would do a cut not square.
Do you think it is possible??

 

[Chris Knight]

In addition to what Tony said, you may have an irregular set on the teeth of the saw which can happen if inexpertly sharpened/set. If the set on one side is greater than the other the blade will track in that direction and the excess needs to be stoned off to even the blade up.

 

[Gill]

I found it helps enormously if you make a conscious effort to align your wrist, elbow and shoulder with the top of the saw before you start to cut.

Gill

 

[Alf]

Wot Gill said. And Chris. And Geppetto. And Tony. And Philly. And Ian. Also it makes all the difference having the work at the right height for the given task. Sawing well isn't as easy as it looks; took me an age to "get it", and even now I have some embarrasing results despite the vast improvement in the condition of the saws I'm using. nil desperandum.

Cheers, Alf

 

[Anonymous]

An extra tip, that I don't think I've seen mentioned yet, is to use a marking KNIFE, rather than a pencil, to mark all around the cut - seems to help the saw keep to the line (and produces cleaner shoulders as a bonus).

Oh, and I also cured this exact problem to a certain extent by working out what my main failing was when sawing - I always used to go too fast, like it was a race or something. Slowing down, taking it easy, letting the weight of the blade do the work helps. Sorry if this is an egg-sucking-lesson

 

[aldel]

When sawing, do not stand to one side of the saw but rather stand so that you are looking directly over the top of the saw. When you do this both sides of the saw are visible so you can clearly see if you are cutting at an angle.
Make a concious effort to prevent your wrist from twisting and allow the saw to do the work.

Cheers Aldel

 

[Scott]

Yup, get right over the top of it - one eye either side of the blade (if you know what I mean!) :shock:

And slow is definitely good.....and practice......

 

[Anonymous]

hi
stating the obvious always cut on the outside of a line, sometimes helps tilting the saw back you can mark the kerf before you follow through ,work's well when the material is laying flat

 

[Anonymous]

I think it may even be the saw you are using.

I have several saws i have 2 stanley jetcut one for fine cutting 1 sandvick, 1 jack saw and a irwin tennon saw i no these saws are what you buy in b&q and they are probabley not the best saws in the world.

Derek

 

[Anonymous]

Never tried any of those so no idea how good they are.

Still, with that many to choose form and the problem occuring with more than one, I guess it probably isn't the saw?

 

[Anonymous]

Never tried any of those so no idea how good they are.

Still, with that many to choose form and the problem occuring with more than one, I guess it probably isn't the saw?

What you trying to say that i can't saw in a straight line :lol: seriously though thanks for all the tips i will put a few of them into practice and hopefully i will improve i think my biggest problem is that i rely to much on power tools so i guess if you don't get any practice you will never get any better. Once again Cheers Guys.

Derek.

 

[Anonymous]

aw shucks tony
you cut right to the heart you do lol

 

[Anonymous]

my cut tends to be like this \. I would be extremely grateful if you keep this to yourselves and give me some tips on how i can improve my technique and remember tell no one :lol: .

Aww, Bobby. Don't be too sad, it was Derek who first mentioned that it might be his technique :lol: