I bought a Gramercy Tools bow saw at Tools for Working Wood in NYC a couple of years ago and it has turned into one of my very favorite tools.
It’s a nice gentle shape, really light weight with well made parts that work really well.
I use it for all of the typical bow saw tasks like sawing curves, pierced work and the like. I soon realized it was also perfect for waste removal. Using the bow saw much the same way you would a fret saw or maybe a coping saw removing the waste in dovetails.
Not so long ago I took it apart for transport and when I reassembled it and put tension back on the bow-
SNAP !
; (
Damn…
always right in the middle of a project isn’t it?
Well, I better fix it.
Nothing fancy, no time for that, just a quick fix with some quarter sawn Ontario white oak.
The straight grain will be perfect for this application.
It went something like this…
this is the worst noise ever- the crack of hickory.
On an off cut of white oak I trace the one good arm.
scribe the width and grab my favorite rip saw.
check for length and scribe.
clean and square with the jack plane.
x-cut at the bench with 14" back saw.
the top tapered area is marked.
mark the mortise location and drill for turned handle pin.
brad point bit exact width of mortise.
two chisels- exact width and length of mortise...
makes for quick work.
x-cut profile- saw kerf establish depths.
bust out the waste and quickly clean with rasp and file.
back to work !
And the total time for this on the spot repair was……..?
Thanks for the update Tom, glad you’re posting again!
Andre,
it is my pleasure ! finally an opportunity to get back into the work shop and working on my own designs again.
stay tuned…
i am afraid of doing that to mine, so i think i am leaving it a little un-tensioned, the blade bows when pressed against
Jonathan,
thanks for the comments.
I know just what you mean, I’m always afraid of that as well, the big snap and wham !
well now I know… I found some days too little tension in the blade and then the ‘twisting’ begins which can ruin a piece..the sweet spot- just enough to keep the blade nice and straight while in use but not so much that you crack the frame. I think a sign of a dull blade is one that begins to flex and bow slightly while in use. The danger is this may be interpreted as the tension needing adjusting and crazies such as I over tighten and break our lovely hand tools. damn.
; o
cheers!