Crosscut Saw Thread

well, there's only about 1/3 of a banner and nothing else. looks like she served her time. on the other hand, i dont need to re-profile it. just top it off. the last guy knew what he was doing
 
Ugaldie said:
Thank you! I have read the same you say about the medium and big saws, is your information about the smallest 4' saw?
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My saw is a 4' and it's the same tooth pattern regardless of length, so if you're cutting a 1' diameter log, it's the same number of teeth moving through the kerf at any one time. You just get a longer stroke with a longer saw. When double bucking, they cut fast and laugh at hardwood. They are also heavier than a traditional saw due the the thick plate. If you buy one, keep a pair of leather gloves handy. My fingers have bled more than once using that saw.
I'm doing a wilderness logout on Monday with another trail sawyer (P.Wilson from the Tuatahi website). He may be bringing his four footer given the likelihood of frozen timber. We often cruise backcountry loops this time of year, though usually with a Tuatahi work axe and a peg and raker saw.
 
it's a bucking saw pegs. i'v noticed a lot of people single manning a 2 man, but they have pacific style handles rather than traditional 2 man handles. im guessing having a hand on the top and bottom helps a lot with starting the cut. are those handles needed? if so i need to make a new handle
 
phantomknives said:
hey trailtime, what measurements do you use for your set and rakers?
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I live in Virginia and file my saws for eastern hardwoods. Much of what I cut is dead/dry oak, so my saw teeth and rakers are set to 0.010". These settings are for the crescent or taper ground saws I run. I just filed a saw for a guy who will be cutting a mixture of tree species and I did his 0.012/0.012. Occasionally someone brings me a Jemco saw which has a heavy flat plate and I set those teeth at 0.015". A narrower set will make the saw run faster but it will get pinched sooner in top-bound wood. What are you planning to cut with it?

Western handles allow you to hold the saw on the centerline or below. This decreases the bite and makes for a smoother stroke -- the reason that the grip on a D-handled one-man saw aligns with the blade's centerline. This makes it easier to push. With two sawyers, you can grab the handles higher on the pull stroke and impart a bit more downward pressure to make the saw cut more aggressively. If you push a two-man saw that way, it will buckle. If you look at my video clip, you'll see that I'm holding the handle below the centerline of the saw. Part of that is because the log is so high, but it also allows me better control of the saw's bite on the push stroke.
 
trailtime said:
I live in Virginia and file my saws for eastern hardwoods. Much of what I cut is dead/dry oak, so my saw teeth and rakers are set to 0.010". These settings are for the crescent or taper ground saws I run. I just filed a saw for a guy who will be cutting a mixture of tree species and I did his 0.012/0.012. Occasionally someone brings me a Jemco saw which has a heavy flat plate and I set those teeth at 0.015". A narrower set will make the saw run faster but it will get pinched sooner in top-bound wood. What are you planning to cut with it?
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Thank you Trailtime for your experiential tutelage and phantomknives for asking that question.
I was planning to set my rakers on the felling saws and Keystone to the .012 but being that all my saws are a flat ground blade I may set up at .014 or .015

Should I set the cutters on my plain tooth the same?

I too, eastern hardwoods and the occasional eastern white pine.

It's good to hear the personal experience and true tried methods. Greatly appreciated.

-Miller
 
Miller '72 said:
I was planning to set my rakers on the felling saws and Keystone to the .012 but being that all my saws are a flat ground blade I may set up at .014 or .015

Should I set the cutters on my plain tooth the same?

-Miller
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I was talking tooth set for the flat plate saws. I do my rakers at o.o10"-0.012". If I'm filing for softwood only, I'll go deeper with the rakers, say 0.015" or so. If you're sawing non-bind wood off a timberjack or saw horse, the wider set isn't necessary. If you're cutting blowdowns with potential binds, it helps to have the teeth set a little wider. I don't file many plain-tooth saws. I think I did my last one in the 0.012-0.015 range. Always best to keep a couple wedges and a poll axe handy.

Pic link below is from a logout in Ramsey's Draft Wilderness in central VA. Most of the blowdowns were dead hemlock and a bit punky. I filed a saw just for that day with wider set and deeper rakers. Had fun with some axes too.

https://www.facebook.com/1840421083...042108337719/1446133812128536/?type=3&theater
 
trailtime said:
I was talking tooth set for the flat plate saws. I do my rakers at o.o10"-0.012". If I'm filing for softwood only, I'll go deeper with the rakers, say 0.015" or so. If you're sawing non-bind wood off a timberjack or saw horse, the wider set isn't necessary. If you're cutting blowdowns with potential binds, it helps to have the teeth set a little wider. I don't file many plain-tooth saws. I think I did my last one in the 0.012-0.015 range. Always best to keep a couple wedges and a poll axe handy.

Pic link below is from a logout in Ramsey's Draft Wilderness in central VA. Most of the blowdowns were dead hemlock and a bit punky. I filed a saw just for that day with wider set and deeper rakers. Had fun with some axes too.

https://www.facebook.com/1840421083...042108337719/1446133812128536/?type=3&theater
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Thank you Trailtime and what an excellent and fun day you must have had.
I can't think of anything I want to do more right now than have my saws ready and some wood to cut.

Thanks again
 
Got into a little jointing action tonight

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36" Supplee Biddle Hardware Co One Man Crosscut
 
rjdankert said:
Looks like you have a file dedicated to jointing.


Bob
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I do now.:thumbsup:
I have several worn, near smooth Nicholson files.
The flat bastard I cut the tang off above had the most bite of the bunch.

I followed the advice of Warren Miller in his videos and the companion manuals from the USFS

I may need to purchase a file to get in and clean/cut the gullets.
My next chance I will see what I have in my aresenol before I go by a Nicholson made in Mexico
 
trailtime said:
I rarely cut pine, with the exception of hemlock, as it really gums up the saw. When I see a pine on the trail I start thinking "axe practice". Diesel will cut the sap but contributes to it's own mess and is one more thing to bring along.
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We've started using citrus oil/solvent. Cleaner than diesel.
 
how does .012 sound for a set? we have tulip poplar but also red oak so in between .010 and .015 sounds good to me. it's also the thinnest feeler i have
 
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phantomknives said:
t97jpR2.jpg

didnt wanna pay $27 for a repro or wait for an old one to come up so i made this out of some scrap. spaced at .012
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That's Awesome! Makes me want several spiders all set to different yet desired spacing.

I remember a post where I think Square peg and maybe Garry3 as well were discussing and posting their home made spiders.

You guys making your own spiders I am rightly impressed. Excellent work.
 
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