Crosscut Saw Thread

[Agent_H]

Using Trailtime's example - A new supplemental handle. The only hickory I had around was an old Model T Ford wheel spoke (about 1925 model year car). I used a cross dowel barrel nut in the handle with one side exposed and contoured to the shape of the handle.

The parts:

The competed parts:

Done with more handle parts in the background:

Jim

That really is impressive Jim!

 

[trailtime]

I like that thick washer. Where'd you get it?

 

[Square_peg]

Using Trailtime's example - A new supplemental handle. The only hickory I had around was an old Model T Ford wheel spoke (about 1925 model year car). I used a cross dowel barrel nut in the handle with one side exposed and contoured to the shape of the handle.

The parts:

The competed parts:

Done with more handle parts in the background:

Jim

Part of great engineering is keeping it simple. I like this a lot. At first I did a double take on using a vintage spoke but a quick google showed that they are readily available.

 

[Jim Thode]

I like that thick washer. Where'd you get it?

I found the thick washer in my miscellaneous used washer container. I see that they can be bought on Ebay. Do a search for "3/8" x 1-1/4" OD Extra Thick .125 Zinc Plated Heavy Fender Washer".

One like this would probably be better if the correct size could be found:

Jim

 

[300Six]

One like this would probably be better if the correct size could be found:

Jim

Various sizes, shapes and thicknesses of cup washers such as (or similar to) this can be found if you poke around enough through the scrap bins at automotive garages. They're used on shock absorbers.

 

[Miller '72]

Finally getting back to this 48" Disston.
I have made my attempt at swaging the rakers and now I am working on filing the cutters.

Only my second saw to file, and first with rakers...
I may, probably will, be repeating this process on this saw, after I learn myself from this first go around.

Only the head cook got paid more than the filer...

Being the head cook for hungry, burly men that yield sharp things all day, one would probably experience some hazards along the way pertaining the days menu.

 

[trailtime]

You have to be careful not to flatten the rakers over too far or they will act a skids and not pull out any chips. Always better to under swage than over swage. When cutting your final height, the Anderson gauge will give you the best combination of raker edge and slope angle.

 

[Miller '72]

You have to be careful not to flatten the rakers over too far or they will act a skids and not pull out any chips. Always better to under swage than over swage. When cutting your final height, the Anderson gauge will give you the best combination of raker edge and slope angle.

Thank you trailtime, I have definetly over done it on most of them. I am grateful for the feedback, I posted hoping my pictures would horrify someone enough to speak out and yell stop.

Phantomknives already tried to warn me...I seemed to not be able to help myslef unfortunately.

I have the Simonds 342 gauge, but i need a piece of flat stock and another feeler gauge set really get the pin gauge accurate I think. Between my filing, swaging and (probable)inaccurately set pin gauge some of my rakers and cutters are now the same height.

I will get this, and I will get (hope to) good at it...just gotta make a few mistakes along the way and put the time in...because I am hooked

Thank you Trailtime very much

-Miller

 

[Miller '72]

I just burned a groove into my Warren Miller DVD, The Crosscut Filer.
Right at the filing and fitting the rakers section...damn laser burned a hole thru from my repeated watching it over and over and over

 

[trailtime]

I just burned a groove into my Warren Miller DVD, The Crosscut Filer.

His whole video is on You Tube, by chapter.
Go to a granite countertop shop and pick up a scrap. You can use it as a flat plate to adjust your swage pin.

The shoes on the 342 gauge may be too wide for your small saw. Make sure they sit on the two cutters nearest the raker. The Morin gauge has shoes that can be reversed to bring them in closer to the pin. The shoes on the Anderson gauge are slotted to adjust for the width of various gullets. File enough saws and you'll have a wall full of gauges and jointers.

I have some pics of this in the slideshow below. It's a bit dated, but you'll see what I mean about wide shoes and adjusting the pin gauge.

 

[Miller '72]

His whole video is on You Tube, by chapter.
Go to a granite countertop shop and pick up a scrap. You can use it as a flat plate to adjust your swage pin.

The shoes on the 342 gauge may be too wide for your small saw. Make sure they sit on the two cutters nearest the raker. The Morin gauge has shoes that can be reversed to bring them in closer to the pin. The shoes on the Anderson gauge are slotted to adjust for the width of various gullets. File enough saws and you'll have a wall full of gauges and jointers.

I have some pics of this in the slideshow below. It's a bit dated, but you'll see what I mean about wide shoes and adjusting the pin gauge.

Thanks for tip on the granite!
Now that you mention the shoes, I am having that exact trouble, the shoes are not sitting on the two closest cutters. I get one cutter at best.
Thank you for the gauge suggestions and recommendations, I will certainly be looking and perhaps need to go to the internet.

Thanks for the link to your slideshow, I have saved it to my homepage for quick and easy reference
I am reimmersing myself with all the info I have before i push another file over my sawat least until tomorrow.

 

[Jim Thode]

I just burned a groove into my Warren Miller DVD, The Crosscut Filer.
Right at the filing and fitting the rakers section...damn laser burned a hole thru from my repeated watching it over and over and over

You can find the raker fitting here: http://www.bchw.org/Tech tips/FilerEVRakerFiling.htm
And the swaging here: http://www.bchw.org/Tech tips/FilerEVRakerSwaging.htm
The whole thing at: http://www.bchw.org/Tech tips/FilerDVD.htm

Warren Miller did a pretty good job of describing the process. However in the video he says to shape the point to an angle of 20 to 30°. 20° would be way to thin. In the range of 27 to 33° would be about right. If the angle to large you will end up with stubby little skids as Trailtime noted above.

Jim

 

[Jim Thode]

Using Trailtime's example - A new supplemental handle. The only hickory I had around was an old Model T Ford wheel spoke (about 1925 model year car). I used a cross dowel barrel nut in the handle with one side exposed and contoured to the shape of the handle.

Jim

An update, I was concerned about the small size in the area where the pin goes through the hole in the saw so I took it out and tested on a 5' saw. In normal use it would likely work fine and I was able to cut with just this supplemental handle on the saw. However to test it under maximum load I set the saw well in the kerf and reefed on the handle with both hands.

Not a big surprise, it failed at the pin. The pin held up well with no damage but the metal around it broke. I'd used an ungraded bolt for the main threaded pin so it was not as hard as could be.

So, back to the shop and I made a pin with a larger end as most vintage handles have. I used the same threaded part and fabricated and welded on the heavier end.

This is a 392 Simonds handle and the current version of my Model T spoke handle:

Jim

 

[Miller '72]

You can find the raker fitting here: http://www.bchw.org/Tech tips/FilerEVRakerFiling.htm
And the swaging here: http://www.bchw.org/Tech tips/FilerEVRakerSwaging.htm
The whole thing at: http://www.bchw.org/Tech tips/FilerDVD.htm

Warren Miller did a pretty good job of describing the process. However in the video he says to shape the point to an angle of 20 to 30°. 20° would be way to thin. In the range of 27 to 33° would be about right. If the angle to large you will end up with stubby little skids as Trailtime noted above.

Jim

Thank you Jim.
The feedback is most valuable to me and the Warren Miller links, they too are now linked directly to my home page...which has really become my saw and axe page

 

[trailtime]

Jim - I had a similar failure with ungraded home-made bolts. One advantage to the pricey Flicker Forge bolts is the reinforced end.

 

[Square_peg]

Jim, are the BCHW offering saw cert classes this Spring?

 

[Jim Thode]

Jim, are the BCHW offering saw cert classes this Spring?

Yes, contact Gary Zink ( garyzink@comcast.net ) for details on their class and different chapters will has some hit and miss options.
Jim

 

[Miller '72]

Long shot question...

Anyone know of sawyer certification classes or even training classes offered out here on the East Coast, in New England?

Thanks

 

[Square_peg]

Thanks, Jim.

You might want to delete that email address before the spam-bots pick it up. I copied it.

 

[Jim Thode]

Long shot question...

Anyone know of sawyer certification classes or even training classes offered out here on the East Coast, in New England?

Thanks

Here is free online training:
University of Montana Arthur Carhart National Wilderness Training Center http://www.umt.edu/crosscut-sawyer/
Chain Saw and Crosscut Saw Training Course: https://www.fs.fed.us/t-d/pubs/pdfpubs/pdf06672805/pdf06672805dpi300.pdf
The Crosscut Sawyer - USDA Forest Service 2007

Jim