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Thoughts about a Dovetail saw

M

Merlin

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Just wondering what thoughts are on rip and crosscut as there is one on the list.

Cheers, Merlin
 
Assuming that you're referring to the core hand tool thread, then yes, I'd include a d/t saw and a cross cut tenon, both from Veritas - Rob
 
Hello Rob,
Not really the other thread just my own ever growing list, this is now going in a slightly different direction as my daughter is starting a furniture course at uni.
I have been looking at dovetail saws but had never realised you could get rip and crosscut, I had just assumed they would be crosscut.

Merlin
 
Merlin,
Methinks therefore she may need both.
I had always thought that the main sawing action when cutting DT's is with the grain, all be it, at a very slight angle therefore I have always used a rip saw to make mine. Maybe a X-cut to cut the shoulders.

caveat
I have never had any lessons in woodwork, not even at school, so I am no expert and would therefore welcome other's comments.
 
You're correct aAndy

Dovetails are a rip cut, down the length of the board, so all dovetails saws I have seen are filed with rip cut teeth. As you say, the crosscut is at the shoulders of the ends but that's such a small area I tend to just use the one saw for all and the teeth are at such a fine pitch the quality is fine.

Cheers
Mark
 
Seems to me that with saws with such tiny teeth it makes very little difference how they are filed as long as they are at least sorta sharp. It's not like you are going to make any long deep cuts with it. That said, I have most of my back saws in rip and cross cut and do try to remember to use the "appropriate" tooth pattern. But for the fine tooth ones it makes very little difference.
 
A Gent's Saw does the ripping rather well for dovetails. That's my weapon-of-choice.
 
I would suggest buying a rip saw for either dovetails or tenons as most of the cut is with the grain. The cross cutting would normally be finished off with a chisel or shoulder plane so the quality of cut may not be so important.

This is a review of dovetail saws I wrote with my students a few years ago for British Woodworking, it may help if not you are more than welcome to come along to my tool open day next Saturday. You can try out the saws for your self ask questions and get a discount on hand tools.

http://www.peterseftonfurnitureschool.c ... icle57.pdf

http://www.peterseftonfurnitureschool.c ... nd_Events/

Cheers Peter
 
Rod":1m8kc8cm said:
For small dovetails, the small Zona Razor saws are very cheap and very sharp.

Rod
Click to expand...

It's very diffcult to tell the difference in a photo between a Zona Dovetail saw and a Gent's saw.
 
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